Safety Lesson

[Mr VJP]

     

Archery hunter in Mercer County dies in tree accidentEmailPrintShareThis

Published: Sun, October 3, 2010 @ 7:57 p.m.Staff Report

north beaver township, pa.

Pennsylvania State Police in Lawrence County found William E. Henry, 67, of McClain Road, Enon Valley, Pa., dead on Sunday. Police were alerted by his family who said Henry went archery hunting at 3:30 p.m. Saturday but never returned home. Police found the victim’s truck and searched his usual hunting area.

  Police  found Henry in a tree, where his climbing-type tree stand apparently  slipped and caused him to become suspended by the safety rope attached  to his backpack. The victim was wedged between the tree and tree stand,  and the safety straps around his body cut off circulation. Police said  cause of death was asphyxiation.

[gundeck]

Sad day, but a staunch reminder to use your harness as directed.

[steve863]

One good reason to have a knife on your belt and NOT in your backpack.  I think I'd sooner take a few broken bones by cutting the rope and falling the rest of the way down, than dangling on a rope and suffocating.  How far off the ground could he have been if he was already part of the way down??  10 feet maybe?  That is surely survivable.  I know some guys go up to nose bleed territory like 30 feet up a tree which I think is ridiculous.  Those guys are just looking for big trouble in my opinion.

[orion]

I agree Steve, I have a knife right on my chest in case I am ever dangling. Knowing you are going to fall after cutting the rope isn't nearly as bad as unexpectedly falling.

I mentioned this at my sons safety class a few years back and was pretty much told how stupid it was by the instructors. Oh well they can hang there I'm cutting myself down.

[bushnell]

Always carry my knife on my hip. But I don't have to worry about falling out of a treestand. I hunt on the ground (if I fall it is about 18")

[steve863]

I mentioned this at my sons safety class a few years back and was pretty much told how stupid it was by the instructors. Oh well they can hang there I'm cutting myself down.

I would like to be the guy standing below the instructor when he was dangling without an accessible knife and asking him if he'd like to borrow mine after I finish peeling my apple with it.  Wonder how stupid he would think it was then?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

That is sad. Someone is gonna have to get the crayons out and draw me a picture because I can't picture this from the write up. the straps cut off circulation...on a backpack? but he got wedged between the tree and stand and that caused him to soffocate? How would you get wedged by a climber?

[WNYBuckHunter]

My harness has a razor blade attached to it, held by a string in a pocket on the vest. Its like one of those plastic letter opener deals with the blade in it. Its for using if you get to hanging for long.