Just responded a couple days ago to a tree stand safety harness thread and how a few old timers up here at deer camp NEVER wear one. Well, the oldest Hunter (81) at camp just fell from his stand this morning. Got a call at 0630 while in my tree from him. Crying and hollering that he fell from his tree stand. Crying he was scared and alone under his tree. Needless to say it took me one second to scale down my tree and to my quad headed his way. Let me tell you this...I was scared like hell thinking how I might find him. His stand is 10' off the ground and he's 81. I knew he'd be dead or near dead upon my arrival. When I arrived he was flat on his back crying how quick it happened and how scared he was. After helping him relax being there for him he felt better. After a long morning getting him out of the woods, he's headed to Marquette general hospital. Possibly with a broken shoulder and bruised everything. Probably one of the luckiest 80+ year olds out there. He should be on his way somewhere else right now but he had someone looking out for him. Bad part is, he had a harness in his camper all week. Hard lesson learned.
Well it finally happened
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I hope he is ok.
Nothing good happens when you take a fall at 81 yrs old. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
Paul
Paul
Well spoke to the driver who got him there and waiting on CT results. Guessing they x-rayed him first and didn't hear anything about that so probably nothing broken. Hard to believe if he fell that far. Aunt's and uncle's always breaking bones falling from a standing position let alone 9-10' up. He won't be hunting off the ground again. Guaranteed.
Wow! I feel sorry for the old man. That’s 8 real painful things, but he was really lucky. Age sneaks up on all us, so I guess we better listen to what others are trying to tell us.
The wife says I treat him like he'd my son the way I talk to him about them safety systems. She thinks I need to let him make his own decisions. Well, after his final decision on tree safety, doesn't look like I'll be needing to discuss it with him again again. He's a ground Hunter now. He just had the Lord in his corner yesterday. Wasn't his day.
I’ve grounded a few guys in the past, first one was hunting with me and started having dizzy spells. I set him up a carbon blind and removed the ladder stand. I don’t hesitate to do this when they show any signs of uncertainty at climbing.
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hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
Good he had you in the woods watching out for him and nothing more serious, though those injuries aren't anything to sneeze at. Just curious, could you post a photo of the tree stand? Some may not like it but there are tree stands on the market that should have been banned long ago, nothing more than a seat and foot rest tied to a tree.
Very sorry to hear this....hope he recovers fast and they keep him out of pain. I've known three people that broke several ribs and besides telling me they never realized "it could hurt just to breath" they all ask me to bring a gun to the hospital and put them out of their misery!!
I hunted for many years with no harness...hell, it wasn't even invented yet, but not no more. I have a cabin in the mountains and besides friends I often take many veterans up there on an "expense paid" vacation/hunt. Nobody leaves the ground without a harness, period end of story. You hunt you wear one, you refuse, you don't hunt in a tree.
I hunted for many years with no harness...hell, it wasn't even invented yet, but not no more. I have a cabin in the mountains and besides friends I often take many veterans up there on an "expense paid" vacation/hunt. Nobody leaves the ground without a harness, period end of story. You hunt you wear one, you refuse, you don't hunt in a tree.
I sure will. He made this stand. He was a welder in his career and the stand is very well made. It's not the stand that caused his fall, it was his lack of footing and grip. Had two HD ratchet straps securing it to the tree and sharp angle iron dug into the beech tree bark. You shake the entire tree when trying to move the stand on the base. I will upload some pics this weekend when I take some.
I've hunted thru the 70s and 80s and part of the 90s without one. Had a few falls as well. Been wearing one ever since they made them. Used the fall guy retractable system for a while but it only had a 20' strap so went to the lifeline. 30' gives you more to work with.
rjtfroggy
Gold $$ Contributor
My hunting partner stepped on a rock while walking in once just after we separated to go to our stands. I didn't need a cell phone I could hear his screams, he broke a few bones in his foot and blew out his knee, we were both in our 50's.
That season and for a few more the first deer that came by me went in his freezer. Now I am unable to hunt due to a few medical problems and haven't had a sniff of deer meat let alone a steak in 4 years, but he and another still hunt and fill their freezers.
Short memories. Don't be like them.
That season and for a few more the first deer that came by me went in his freezer. Now I am unable to hunt due to a few medical problems and haven't had a sniff of deer meat let alone a steak in 4 years, but he and another still hunt and fill their freezers.
Short memories. Don't be like them.
Sounds like your buddy needs to repay the favor. Throw you a tenderloin this year after he harvests a deer. If you love venison, 4 years is a long wait.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Last year a friend was in a climbing tree stand, and a brace on the climber broke. He fell 16' while texting. He still had the phone in his hand when he hit the ground. He shattered a bunch of bones in a foot. He of course was not wearing a Harness. He has however recovered and wears a harness now.
At one time I had two deer leases and had to look for club members. Of course I had to get insurance. When talking to the agent, I asked him what was the main cause of claims. He immediately went into a long heated speech on how dangerous wood stands are made from 2x4's, and these older ladder stands were 90% of their claims. He told me that if I made ladders from 2x4's to use carriage bolts(double nutted) instead of nails.
At one time I had two deer leases and had to look for club members. Of course I had to get insurance. When talking to the agent, I asked him what was the main cause of claims. He immediately went into a long heated speech on how dangerous wood stands are made from 2x4's, and these older ladder stands were 90% of their claims. He told me that if I made ladders from 2x4's to use carriage bolts(double nutted) instead of nails.
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Probably not a bad stand just no longevity as trees grow larger. I've had some like that pull apart as trees grew. That was many years ago and smarter thinking can produce better stands to accommodate that issue
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
The insurance adjuster that I spoke with said that the steps on the ladder were pulling out from nails getting loose. He told me not to kid myself on ring shank nails staying in place.
He told me that countless claims could be avoided from using Carriage bolts and double nutted on wood 2x4 ladders.
The insurance adjuster encouraged me to use steel 2x4's and weld the cross members or use welded angle iorn for ladders.
He told me that countless claims could be avoided from using Carriage bolts and double nutted on wood 2x4 ladders.
The insurance adjuster encouraged me to use steel 2x4's and weld the cross members or use welded angle iorn for ladders.
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