Charter Member Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)
Better safe than sorry. We’ve all heard these words of wisdom, but unless we’ve had a good scare, or an accident, these words to the wise tend to fall on deaf ears. And, falling on deaf ears may result in falling on the ground, if deer hunters fail to follow safety guidelines when hunting from trees.
One in three persons using treestands will experience a fall in their lifetime. Still feel like gambling?
Recent designs in full body harnesses have made antiquated belts obsolete. Certainly, with costs between $50 to $200, they’re not inexpensive but neither is a broken neck or back.
Any time you are above ground, you are in danger and need to protect yourself. Hunters need to use a Full Body Fall Arrest Harness System (FBFAHS) that meets stringent industry standards.
However, just wearing a harness is not enough. The second component in the safety system is a lifeline or safety line that attaches securely to the tree, and then connects to the hunter’s FBFAHS. This is an integral part of the safety system. It will support the hunter’s weight without breaking, and the inclusion of a Prusik knot allows a hunter to be connected during ascent and descent, as well as when sitting in the stand. The Prusik knot slides easily going up and down, but if there is a sudden fall, the knot tightens immediately, helping to prevent serious injury.
Help? If you are stuck hanging onto a tree with no means to go up or down, you’ll need help. That’s why a cell phone could save your life but it must be kept on your person. No cell service? It’s good to know that before you climb. In that case, you’ll need someone on the other end of a two-way radio who can be contacted in the event of an emergency. Hunting with a friend is another means to avoid catastrophe.
In your new safety vest/harness, you’ll want to tote a few essential tools, as well, including a sharp pocket knife and folding tree steps. With a knife at hand, a climber can cut straps loose and tree steps can give you a place to stand during the recovery process.
Another option is one more device: Primal Treestands’ Emergency Descender (wwwPrimaltreestands.com).
After just a few minutes of hanging in a treestand harness after a fall, the leg straps can interrupt blood flow to and from your legs, causing a deadly condition known as suspension trauma, which can cause pain, unconsciousness and even death within as little as 15 minutes.
The Emergency Descender lowers the hunter to the ground automatically and hands-free immediately after a fall. Even if a hunter is unconscious or injured, the Emergency Descender can provide an automatic and gradual descent to the ground.
It can be used with the hunter’s current full-body safety harness, as long as the harness meets ASTM standards for a fall-arrest system. The weight range for users is 120 to 300 pounds.
The Emergency Descender is small enough to fit into a coat or safety harness pocket, weighs less than 2 pounds and allows the hunter to be attached to a tree at 25 feet from the ground.
At a suggested retail price of only $50, the one-time-use Emergency Descender is an affordable, simple, life-saving system.
In addition, universal shooting rails are approximately $40 and can be added to a stand for insurance against falls, while doubling as rests to steady shots and I’ve installed one at each of my treestands.
It’s easy to learn how to use modern safety devices, and if you are at all confused, plenty of quality instructional videos are available online. Be safe and live to hunt another day.
