I preach tree-stand safety. Any trad bowhunter that hunts with me has to wear one or they are "grounded". Up until this year I used the harness only, and was unhooked in the brief period that I step onto my stand.

I had just made 4 full length ropes with a prusset hitch on them for my hang-ons and put them on my 4 best stands. I got a south wind yesterday and headed to a "lesser" stand. It was hung last year and due to my laziness I had not checked it yet.

I climbed into the hang-on last evening and as I was putting my safety strap around a tree the stand broke, and I fell 18 feet. Lucky (or unlucky maybe) I grabbed a tree step and impaled my left hand. I fell anyway. 5 years of judo helped me because I rolled into the fall and slapped my right hand on the ground. Breaking my fall but also forcing a couple of bones though the skin of my right ring and middle finger. Other than the wind being knocked out of me nothing else happened. I got hit in high school by a middle linebacker from Tennessee while tring to run a little j-hook route in an all-star game that was about the same force. He went on to play at UT and the NFL, and I went to play for a small school where they didn't hit as hard. This hit told me 18 feet is too high, so I will play at a lesser school from now on. I had made an attempt to check the stand as I did not pull it last year. I think with the winds we had and the weather, perhaps the rachet strap was frayed and my 240 was too much for it.

I cut a tendon on my left hand and got surgery last night, and I have pins in the open fractures of my right hand during the same surgery. My shooting of trad equipment is over for a few months. I am lucky I know how to fall, and I am glad that God was there to keep me here with my fellow brothers of the bow and my wonderful family.

I am glad it was me that fell. My friend Jack Paluh loves this stand, and we have a hunt planned here for November. I will hang a new one for him, complete with a rope from stand to ground, with a prusset hitch. His hands are worth a million dollars. Mine aren't worth 10 cents a pound    

So, please check your stands. Stay hooked in. Climbing rope and a small piece of nylon rope to tie the hitch is cheap. Search Powwow and you will find what you need on how to do this. Here are a few pics. Laugh at my hat, gag at the pics, but whatever you do wear your safety strap while using your climbers and stay tethered when you take that first step on the platform.

I will be here waiting for hunting stories and I will be living through Tradgang the rest of the fall. I am meat-rich with half an elk, a big bear, and a giant doe from this year in my freezer! Stay on the ground or stay hooked up my friends.

 

*step vs hand...no good.

 
 *Judo fall at 27 feet per second not good for fingers.

 
 *Off to surgery. Didn't have camo hats. Wonder if we can get Barry and Gene to market these in camo.

 
  *Post-up...just before Albert's second homerun.

Wow...

It could always be worse.

U could be a Cubs fan.

;-p j/k

Seriously tho.. glad you aren't hurt worse or dead.

God bless brother, and Go Cardinals.

Michael, you have my prayers for a swift and complete recovery....Take care of yourself!!!!

PS  This is a great reminder to all of us!

That's awful, Mike... prayers with you for a speedy recovery.  Thank you for posting as a lesson for the rest of us, though.  Get healed up soon!

Glad you will be hunting again next year.

As much as I hate my harness, I still  wear it because f seeing and hearing such stories.

It doesn't matter how athletic you are, it may be caused by something other than balance.

WOW! that was a close call!!!

Hope you get those hands healed up quick!

Point taken. Very glad you are alive, hopefully many will think twice after seeing this. I am an 18 year martial arts guy myself, and have saved my butt more than once with the ground slap. So simple, but obviously a life saver.  Heal up!

Your a lucky man,it could have been worse. I hope you get better fast.Nothing like a vivid reminder to refocus on safety issue. Get well.Tim

Glad you were not hurt any worse than you are.

   Good reminder to check your stand every time you get in it.

Your typing is still purdy good.  :p  

Hey, but seriously, if you need me to come over a slay that big ole buck that is standing under your tree stand right now... just say the word.  That is what buds are for.

Thank God that is all that happened. I hope you heal quickly!!

Glad it wasn't worse for you.  Thanks for the heads up.

Heal quickly and hunt safely.

Sorry to hear about this, this stuff can happen to anyone of us climbing trees. Be positive, you got your whole life ahead of you!

Prayers for a speedy recovery.

Very glad you're able to tell us what happened. A good reminder for all. Hope you have a quick recovery.

Glad you didn't get hunt any worse.
We all have to be very careful

doug77

QuoteOriginally posted by USN_Sam1385:
Wow...

It could always be worse.

U could be a Cubs fan.

;-p j/k

Seriously tho.. glad you aren't hurt worse or dead.
God bless brother, and Go Cardinals.

..or a Red Sox fan ;-)

Heal up well, take lessons learned and get back out there!

Will do gents and thanks. Just called my lefty friend Jack. He's sending me a bow wronghanded    We'll see!

Very sobering event,glad you weren't hurt worse,take care.