As we kick off the 2020 deer season. I met a gentleman yesterday, and he told me a story of survival. His story got me thinking, about how we hunt from treestands, the evolution of treestand designs, and treestand safety. It made me realize that we have come so far in such a short time and it has all come from stories like this one.
The gentleman told me a story about when he fell from a treestand. He was severely injured from the fall but fortunately he fully recovered from his injuries. He continues to hunt every season, though he has changed his treestand hunting practices. Twenty plus years ago the man was hunting alone in a remote location, he had traveled several miles back into his stand site where he had a lock on style stand up in a tree. He used screw in tree steps to access this stand. Everything seemed normal as he climbed up to the platform which was positioned over 20 foot in the air. As he stepped onto the platform the last screw in step pulled out of the tree, causing him to fall. As he started to fall he said all he could think was he didn’t want to land on his head or his back. He grasped for the tree in an attempt to ride it down, the tree bark tore the skin on his arms, the tree steps ripped into his torsos, and as he struck the ground the impact traveled trough his legs causing severe compression injuries to his spine. As he gathered himself he realized that he was severely injured but alive and able to walk. Since this was before the time of cell phones he knew his only option was to walk out on his own. After a long, slow, and painful walk he made it to his truck and was able to drive to the nearest hospital. His story had a positive outcome and he fully recovered. He’s more than happy to share his story and goes into great detail as he tells it. He wants people to here his story so they can learn from his mistakes.
Times have changed so much. The days of screw in tree steps and 2×4 treestands are all but gone. Technology has taken over, as it often does. Now we have climbing stands, ladder stands, climbing sticks and the latest trend of tree saddles is quickly gaining popularity. But also treestand safety is more popular than ever, and thanks to companies like Hunter Safety Systems and their designs treestand safety is easier than ever. It’s quick, easy and comfortable which makes it more likely to be used and used correctly. Fortunately the gentleman’s story had a positive outcome but it very easily could have been very different. Think about how his story could have been different with a set of climbing tree sticks and a safety harness. He probably could have finished his hunt that evening.
As this season kicks off some have already started heading to the woods and the rest will soon follow. I just want to take a moment to remind everyone to be as safe as possible, and to always wear your safety harness when hunting elevated. No one wants to have a hunting accident and everyone wants to go home safe. Something that requires such little effort as putting on your harness and wearing it every time will ensure you always have a safe hunting experience. If you see someone forgetting their safety harness, remind them it only takes a few seconds to ensure safety while hunting from a treestand. Always wear a safety harness, from the time your feet leave the ground until they are safely back on the dirt always stay connected. For now I wish everyone a safe and successful 2020-21 hunting season. Get out in the woods and stay safe!
Chris
YouTube @ Jarvis Outdoors
Instagram @jarvis_outdoors
www.jarvisoutdoors.com
Wear your safety gear if not for you do it for your family.