Napping in a Tree Stand?

[YosemiteSam]

I've always hunted from the ground and with mixed results.  The idea of a tree stand makes sense but has always scared me a little.  I'm one of those guys that takes the occasional snooze in the woods.  In fact, I can tell that my ground "stand" is ready when I can lean my head back & comfortably nap for 10-20 min without having to shift around at all. 

But for a tree stand, the stakes are higher.  I get that there's a safety harness but if I were to pull off a tree stand, it would need to be a climb-on (public land) and it would need to have sufficient guard rails to prevent me from falling out from just slouching when I doze off.  Does such a thing exist?  I've only used  a ladder stand once.  No harness (FAS) or guard rails on that one.  Seemed like a death trap.

Are there climbing tree stands that are safe enough to take a short snooze in?

[GCook]

I've slept in lock on stands, climbing stands, ladder stands and tripod stands.  I dont reccomend it but I've always been okay.  Even been woken by rustling inbthe leaves and got a deer.

[kennym]

Just fasten the harness high enough you can sit but not tip over . Happy nappin!

[Deertaker]

Yup, just snug your harness up so it is snug and feel free to drift off....

[knobby]

I've been guilty of fighting a nap a few times but now when I realize I'm not going to win that battle I just climb down and nap at the base of the tree.  Even harnessed in I don't care for the idea of sleeping up there.   Sure, it's cost me a deer encounter or two but I'm OK with that.

[Possum Head]

Ol' Man Vision! It's the Sleep Number of big timber👍. You can't try and fall. Did it for years before I got wise and started using a harness.

[Pine]

WITH HIS RUMP ON A STUMP
HIS FEET BY THE FIRE
HE DREAMS OF A BUCK
WITH A RACK LIKE A LYRE
DREAMING WHILE HUNTING
A VERY BAD HABBIT
YOU USUALLY END UP
WITH ONLY A RABBIT 

[Bow Bender]

Where I hunt it''s safer to hunt and nap in a tree than on the ground.  I don't like the idea of waking up with a grizzly chewing on me.  Just like Kenny said, I slide the prusic knot up on the tree line so that when I set down I have tension on the line. Taken many naps up there.

[McDave]

I'm a fidgety person, and find it impossible to hold still most of the time when I'm awake.  As a result, I don't see much game while I'm awake.  Most of the shot opportunities I've had, whether from tree stands or ground blinds, have happened when I wake up from a nap.  Fortunately, I wake up quietly: I just open my eyes and look around without moving much if at all.  If I wake up and see game that is out of range, at least that perks up my interest enough to pay attention and be still until the game either comes within range or moves off somewhere else.

[smokin joe]

I nap in tree stands all the time. I do what Kenny M said to do. Make sure you use a bow hanger and hang your bow up before you nap -- it will slide off of your lap when you fall asleep. Don't ask me how I know that. 

[Petrichor]

Some of my best naps have been 20 feet off the ground.

[bowkill146]

The problem that I have is that when I nod off in the stand I usually jerk awake because I feel like I'm falling out of the stand so anything that might be coming in is now going away!

[Judd]

If you really want to safely sleep in the tree, try tree saddles.
Go to saddlehunter.com to learn more than you want to know about tree saddles.
I have hunted out of a tree saddle for 35 years in great comfort and safety.
My preferred saddle style has always been made by a company called JX3 tree saddle, they are the ultimate in comfort.

[Pat B]

In my early days of hunting I bought an original Summit climbing stand that has a bar you could raise or lower. With it raised it made a perfect rest for taking a nap, and I did on many occasions. Back in those days, before safety harnesses I wore a nylon web belt around my waist with a 1/2" twisted nylon rope attached to tie to the tree. That was my safety harness for my first 10 years of hunting. Knowing what I know today that safety belt probably would have done more harm than good in case of a fall.
A few years ago I climbed into a stand about 15' up a tree and felt completely uncomfortable being there and haven't been in one since much slept in one. This caught me completely off guard because there were times when I'd wedge a 2x12 in the fork of a tree 20' up and never gave it a second thought.

[Ron LaClair]

When taking a nap from your lofty tree
It may lead to your demise
The beginning line of your epitaph will read
      HERE LIES

When you fall from that lofty stand above
you just might land on your head
Then rather than dig you out of the ground
they could just cover you up cuz your dead

[Part Time Archer]

Flint knapping? 

[kbetts]

As mentioned.....tree saddle.  I'm not a fan of heights and there is no danger of falling when used properly.

[GCook]

Story from 60s. My guy built a very large and high permanent stand. An older thug got permission to hunt on the same land and claimed his tree stand.  One day sitting on the hill above his tree stand, he watched the fat man sprawl out to take a nap. He rolled over in his sleep and then woke up screaming about 5 feet from the ground.  His bow broke his fall, or was it the fall broke his bow. He didn't  die, but at least he was done for the year.

Karma is a . . . .

[JAH518]

I hunt public land and pull all day sits regularly which means I take a nap or 2 in a 12 hour sit. I hunt from a lock on with a safety vest with the line as high as I can and still sit down and have a little movement. When I feel like I need a quick snooze I add a safety harness trees strap around the tree and just under my arms. Keeps me from swaying and just uncomfortable enough that you won't sleep for long. It's fast to take off when you wake up and the buck you've been waiting on is walking past the only shooting lane you have.    then you can go back to the truck and sleep.

[YosemiteSam]

great thoughts.  Much appreciated.