Tips – Tree Stand Safety

In the worst case scenario you’ll be killed. Many hunters have gone half way and ended up in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives.

Two years ago, I did something stupid while doing some home renovations. I broke several basic safety rules and I ended up falling close to twenty feet off a ladder. The end result was a broken hip, broken ribs and a broken collar bone. I was in the hospital for a month and then I spent five months in a wheelchair, then another five months in physiotherapy. I have completely healed, so the bottom line is that I was very, very lucky. I am a lot more careful these days.

Tree stand accidents are not much different from falling twenty feet off a ladder. Many whitetail deer hunters place their stands twenty feet up, especially if they are hunting in a busy area where the deer are spooky and always on the lookout for hunters. First things first… when you are hanging your stand make sure you do it at time when you won’t be in a hurry. In other words, hang your stand at least a few days in advance if you can. This way, you won’t be in racing the clock and you’ll have the time do play it safe. Never hang a stand in the dark.

First, whether you have a climbing stand or a hanging stand, pick a safe tree. It must be big enough to hold your weight and it must not be dead or beginning to rot. When you’re securing your stand to the tree, always use a simple safety harness (sort of like the linemen use while working on a power pole) that goes around your waist and around the tree. This way, you can have both hands free while you work on anchoring your stand. Next, make sure that the exact spot on the tree where you hang your stand is solid and straight as can be. The last thing you want is to be leaning forward or to the right or left when sitting fifteen or twenty feet up a tree.

Once you have the stand installed, I recommend you use an additional ratchet strap or safety strap of some sort and tie that stand down, good! Some stands are designed so that your weight will keep the bottom part anchored to the tree and prevent it from moving around. Trust me… tie the crap out of it! If you use the style that uses a chain or cable to secure the stand to the tree, also use a ratchet strap around the bottom. When I hang a stand, it’s going no-where! Some manufacturers are including these straps as part of the package.

Getting in your stand is simple, if you do so slowly and you are organized. Always have your five way safety harness on you (and adjusted properly) before you climb up the tree. This way, you minimize the time you’re in the stand without being secured by your harness. And, tuck in any loose straps so when you’re climbing, they don’t get snagged on a branch. When making the “big step,” as I call it, from the last tree step, branch or from the ladder and you make a commitment to the stand… always do so in an upright or erect position. What I mean is never kneel or climb up onto the stand. The “big step” should be a simple step over onto the MIDDLE of the platform. So, I always install a couple of tree steps (unless there are handy branches available) at head level so I can grab onto to something solid while making that first step.

The very first thing you should do when you’re in the stand is secure your strap to the tree. Give yourself only about a foot or so of slack, so if you do fall, you won’t jolt yourself into the middle of the following week. Make sure you are able to sit and also stand to stretch. Then, raise your unload rifle or bow by a pull cord, hang up your accessories and settle in for the hunt. Don’t ever raise arrows unless they are safely stowed in a quiver. If you ever fell on one… ouch.

Here’s a quick tip regarding raising your firearm with a pull cord. Always put something over the muzzle to prevent any debris like a small piece of leaf, tiny branch or pine needle from entering the barrel. A small piece of electrical tape is perfect and in fact, you can shoot right through it anyway. Many guides up in the Arctic get their hunters to walk around with a piece of tape over their muzzle to prevent something from entering the barrel while they’re walking around. It keeps rain out too. As you likely know, an obstruction in the barrel could easily cause the barrel to rupture when fired causing injury or even death to the shooter or bystanders. And, never raise your rifle or shotgun if the breech is open for the same reason.

Many hunters have fallen asleep while in their stand and ended up hanging by their harness with a load of fresh poop in their underwear… or worse. The same common sense rule applies as it does to driving your vehicle. If you’re tired, get out of the tree and go home. And, if you’re up in your stand after drinking a few beers, you’re an idiot.

One of the most common times that tree stand accidents occur is immediately after a shot. At this time, you are excited, your heart is pounding and it’s easy for some people to temporarily stop using their brain. Each time I shoot a deer or bear from my tree stand, I always wait a while. Even if I know for certain that my shot was a good one and I know the animal is dead, I still wait. I take ten or twenty minutes to calm down, relax, take a deep breath and regain my senses. In other words, I need a few minutes to calm down so I don’t become an idiot and do something stupid. If your hands and fingers are cold, warm them up before you try to climb down. Cold hands – poor grip. Always unload your weapon and lower it down with the same pull cord you raised it with.

If you’re new to tree stand hunting, I recommend you practice installing, entering, exiting and sitting in your stand at a height of four or five feet above ground. This way, if you fall, you’ll only be embarrassed… or a little bruised. Have fun, but BE SAFE… there are many people who can tell you from first hand experience that falling out of a tree can be a permanent, life-altering event.