Oh no not me....I've hung a thousand stands if I've hung one....

Home alone, feeling deer season coming up in my bones. Took my binoculars down behind the house and checked the white oak stand on the flat above the lake. No acorns at all. We had a late freeze this spring that killed the buds. So I decided to move that ladder stand up on the clearcut were the muscadines and the persimmons look pretty good.
I use ladderstands and this one had all the sections in it. 18' to the seat. They have a post that goes back to the tree in about halfway up. It bolts to a rung and uses a strap around the tree trunk. This holds the stand sturdy (sturdily?) enough that you can climb up and secure the top with a chain. Of course, the proceedure is reversed to take it down.
I should've checked the condition of the strap as the stand has been there since last Oct.
But......I didn't.......
Got the chain loose on top and flipped it off the tree, started down and the dang thing fell backwards in slow motion just like on Animal House.
All I could think of was laying there with a broken back while the fireants ate my fat ass up.
Jill wouldn't be home for 7 hours.
I hit a 4" pine about halfway down and it knocked me off the ladder. I was too scared to jump and I figured the best thing was to ride it down. Anyway, I guess it broke my fall cause I hit the ground and did a shoulder roll right back up on my feet. (c'mon, ya'll knew I was gonna roll) Anyway, I have a few scratches and a sore elbow but that's it.
The squirrels had chewed thru the strap till it was only a few threads. They set me up good, little bastards.

Piece of advise from someone who's been doing this for 42 years. NEVER TAKE ANYTHING ABOUT A STAND FOR GRANTED.
I'm gonna go read my Bible for awhile now...

LOL! Not at you Biggie just the way ya told the story about the fire ants. Thank God your all right. Next time be more carful.<><

Better to have a brusied ego than a busted head. Glad your ok.

Its all part of our Master Plan....

                The Sqwerls

I took a real bad fall about 6 years ago.Fell out of a freinds home made stand when the nail pulled through the board as I was climbing down,,I'll never hunt out of those types as long as I live,,I'd rather hunt on the ground,,I'm glad your ok and you only got a bump and couple scratches from it,,God bless and be carefull,,Jason B.

Everyone out there be careful!  Few people know how little height it takes to really be seriously hurt or killed.  Just tripping and falling incorrectly can be serios.  Glad your ok Biggie!

Man, it good that you're ok!! That being said, the way you wrote that damn near made me fall off my chair laughing!! Again, glad you're ok!
Bret

Good advice buddy.

So if a Biggie falls in the forest and there is no one around to hear, does it make a sound???

Just kidding...glad to hear your ok...I would have to have a change of gitch after that one if that was me!!   :eek:

and i thought those tree rats were cute LOL!!! how wrong can a guy be. i hope ya ok biggie now that ya crapped ya self does that belt i sent ya fit?          first ya have me walking in to a broadhead then you falling off a ladder whos next?

Glad your alright!Are you going tree rat hunting this year?

Thought I felt sumthin'; figured it for a tremor.....glad you're OK

It'll take a heap of ants!!!!!!!

BOY..be careful...I'm looking really forward to huntin wid you in Montana!!!!!!!

Biggie, I'm glad you're O.K., but the animal rights people are going to freak when they found out how many bugs you squashed! Poor little buggers never saw you coming!

Glad that you have that cat like skills to pop up on your feet.        
Wish I could go take a couple dozen out today, but will have to wait till October. Will have some arrows made up special for them little critters this year....

Now I understand the tremor I felt!

Glad the injuries are minor for such a major lesson.

Glad you're OK Biggie!  I haven't fallen out of a tree stand yet (I'm 51) but I have been hunting 100% from the ground for the last couple of years.
Now go get revenge on the little saboteurs.

Dennis

Biggie...
Glad that your OK....
Replace the strap with a chain....
   Oh and next time ya hang or take down a stand, take your video camera, we want pictures....  

Thanks for swallowing your pride and posting this.  It is easy to forget safety rules.  That is why we have weekly safety meetings at work.

I am sure you ar enot the only person here that has done something that they new better about.  I know I have and I am a safety manager full time! Glad you are OK!  

I tripped at work once and did a funny little roll and jumped right back up.  I looked arround and saw my whole crew laughing at me.  Now,  I weigh 280 lbs. so I knew it was quite a sight.  One guy stopped laughing long enough to say, "Bumbles bounce!"

Brant

GLAD YOUR OK BIGGIE!!!!!