Michigan conservation officers stress safety when using a tree stand
The important things to remember when using a tree stand for hunting are:
- Buy a safe and comfortable stand and harness that’s right for you. Safe and reliable equipment reduces your chance of injury.
- Carefully read all instructions and warnings provided with your stand.
- Practice setting up your stand and safety equipment at ground level first. Use all recommended safety straps and pins to secure the stand.
- Wear the safety harness at all times when climbing, hunting and descending.
- Choose a harness with a quick-release system that will hold you right-side-up and not restrict your breathing should you fall.
- Maintain your equipment – look for wear, stress points and loose fasteners. Fix or replace worn equipment immediately.
- Choose as straight a tree as possible, and watch for dead, overhanging limbs and rotten wood.
- Use extra care when hunting from a smooth-barked tree (such as aspen, maple, hickory and beech) because if it rains, they get slippery.
- Use extra care when hunting from a frozen tree. Avoid using elevated stands when it’s icy.
- Always use a haul rope to bring gear, firearm or bow to and from the ground.
- Always unload your gun before hauling.
- If hauling a bow, tie your line to the top limb of the bow when climbing and the bottom when descending to avoid snagging arrows in tree branches.
- Be extra alert when climbing or descending from the stand. These are when most tree-stand accidents occur.
Biologists, researchers and volunteers observed 2,004 singing males during the official 2013 survey period – 2,063 males were observed in 2012. In 1974 and 1987, when the lowest survey numbers were recorded, only 167 singing males were found.
