Wife's co-worker fell out of a tree yesterday setting up a stand

[Core]

I have slightly more details now.

"somebody" at work mentioned he had a two-person stand. I'm not sure that was this one. Apparently he was using screw-in steps because a) he was testing after installing each one (sounds like something you wouldn't do on a ladder stand), b ) as he was falling he was worried about being impaled (heard this a lot with screw-ins)

So I believe what happened is he was screwing in the steps and when he got to the very top he was about to secure his harness, but the top step gave way when he put his body weight on it. He was in fact alone when it happened, but he had cell phone service out there.

[growalot]

Lucky to be alive....screw in steps are great......for hanging gear!

[Buckmaster7600]

So if I'm reading this correct he set the ladder stand against the tree then used screw in steps to get to top then tried stepping into the ladder stand? If so that wasn't the best idea for sure.

I hope him a fast recovery and I hate hearing about this stuff.


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[chas0218]

Here is something else most of us wouldn't think about. If for some reason the said ladder stand fell out from under you and you were tethered to the tree how would you get down? After just a few minutes of hanging the harness will cut off the blood supply to your legs and they will become useless. After I think 15 minutes (might be less) you could suffer a serious blood clot that once the pressure is relieved could kill you.

So at what point do you say cut the rope and hope for the best and end up falling 15' or 10'?  How about when you swing back into one of those screw in steps? It will puncture you and I hope it isn't into a vital organ. Yeah I know how likely is it to happen but how likely are you to fall? 

I will admit I don't wear a safety harness but will this season knowing that I would like to see my son grow up. I will also invest into some 550 cord and keep about 8 feet and a 1 oz weight with me in case I need to rig something up to get myself down. That 550 cord obviously isn't ideal but I don't have enough room in my pocket for larger rope.

[LJC]

I'm thinking maybe  if your lucky turn yourself around facing the tree and  some how slide down it if its not to big in diameter after cutting the rope anyway you look at it your going to get hurt . Black and blues at minimum 

[nybuckboy]

17 hours ago, zag said:

I'll be honest I don't use any harness, heck I just hung a ladder stand by myself using just the metal brace. I know know

You must be a youngun. Actions like this will eventually catch up w you. I hope not but overtime it is a step closer overtime you take the chance.

Like riding a motorcycle (which I did since I was 16 til 58 yo) the longer you ride the chances of an accident get closer and the odds of the accident increase. I was lucky and never had one but la few friends and acquaintances over the years.

[stoneam2006]

You must be a youngun. Actions like this will eventually catch up w you. I hope not but overtime it is a step closer overtime you take the chance.

Like riding a motorcycle (which I did since I was 16 til 58 yo) the longer you ride the chances of an accident get closer and the odds of the accident increase. I was lucky and never had one but la few friends and acquaintances over the years.

If you can give up riding that easy your not a biker I'm sorry...I will ride till I die and if I die while riding at least I'll be smiling....and my family knows that. I wear a harness sometimes been getting better about it over the years

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[LJC]

1 hour ago, nybuckboy said:

You must be a youngun. Actions like this will eventually catch up w you. I hope not but overtime it is a step closer overtime you take the chance.

Like riding a motorcycle (which I did since I was 16 til 58 yo) the longer you ride the chances of an accident get closer and the odds of the accident increase. I was lucky and never had one but la few friends and acquaintances over the years.

Yep so true  besides these days I think all stands come with a free safty harnesses so why not use it .

Back when I started no such thing if you wanted one you had to buy one and I don't even think they had anything but a belt at the time 

[The_Field_Ager]

I am certainly guilty of setting up and moving ladder stands alone. and without harnesses. I do not use climbers (yet). Don't entirely trust 'em.

Setting up a ladder stand with a harness does not sound practical to me. Here is a really good tip. If you secure the ladder bar to the tree with a good ratchet strap, it makes attaching the upper sections of the stand much much safer. I am reaching the age were going high gets a little worrisome. I was a tree monkey when younger. I feel generally good about being in them but last couple of years I decided I will no longer scramble to the top of a ladder stand without any section secured to the tree. I am quite paranoid about making sure I climb safely and not too fast. I will not move  a stand in wet conditions by myself.

I also use those screw in steps as hand holds also, to assist in turning or standing when at the top.

[nybuckboy]

1 hour ago, stoneam2006 said:

 

If you can give up riding that easy your not a biker I'm sorry...I will ride till I die and if I die while riding at least I'll be smiling....and my family knows that. I wear a harness sometimes been getting better about it over the years

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You know nothing about me and what kind of a motorcycle rider I am. Biker is a term for someone who rides a motorcycle but has no indication of how they ride, where they ride or have ridden, how safe they ride or how many miles they ride. I have logged over 150,000 miles all over the northeast and Canada. I've ridden in all weather conditions but I don't have to defend to you or anyone whether I am worthy of the term "biker" because I've never referred to myself as a biker. I always wore a helmet and full leathers with boots.

Giving up riding was not a decision I made lightly or without much thought. The reason I gave it up was because I found that I no longer had the interest I once had but even with that in mind I still would have enjoyed going for a ride once in a while. It was really  2 things other things that made me decide it was time. They are:

1) deer - there are a lot of deer around my area and I hit one back in 1980 and went down but that didn't stop me then and I did not get injured. I've had a few near misses since then as well.

The second one is the deciding factor

2) distracted drivers - the way it is with people talking on their phones and texting was enough to make me think long and hard about it. In 2012 I had a near miss by someone who pulled across my lane while talking on the phone and it almost cost me my life. Now with the texters that I have seen come across the center line into my lane on several occasions just this year only solids my decision. 

The best of luck to you and I hope you never have an accident on our scooter. Ride safe!

[stoneam2006]

You know nothing about me and what kind of a motorcycle rider I am. Biker is a term for someone who rides a motorcycle but has no indication of how they ride, where they ride or have ridden, how safe they ride or how many miles they ride. I have logged over 150,000 miles all over the northeast and Canada. I've ridden in all weather conditions but I don't have to defend to you or anyone whether I am worthy of the term "biker" because I've never referred to myself as a biker. I always wore a helmet and full leathers with boots.

Giving up riding was not a decision I made lightly or without much thought. The reason I gave it up was because I found that I no longer had the interest I once had but even with that in mind I still would have enjoyed going for a ride once in a while. It was really  2 things other things that made me decide it was time. They are:

1) deer - there are a lot of deer around my area and I hit one back in 1980 and went down but that didn't stop me then and I did not get injured. I've had a few near misses since then as well.

The second one is the deciding factor

2) distracted drivers - the way it is with people talking on their phones and texting was enough to make me think long and hard about it. In 2012 I had a near miss by someone who pulled across my lane while talking on the phone and it almost cost me my life. Now with the texters that I have seen come across the center line into my lane on several occasions just this year only solids my decision. 

The best of luck to you and I hope you never have an accident on our scooter. Ride safe!

Not to distract from thread but without 2 wheels in my life I'd be lost its my absolute favorite thing to do I grew up on them and will grow old on them. I couldn't give it up its a part of me it's a part of my soul

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[jjb4900]

sometimes the things in life worth living for are more important then the things worth dying for....

[moog5050]

I generally quit for the same reasons NYBUCKBOY.  Distracted drivers and the thought of leaving two children without a father and breadwinner did me in. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

Here is something else most of us wouldn't think about. If for some reason the said ladder stand fell out from under you and you were tethered to the tree how would you get down? After just a few minutes of hanging the harness will cut off the blood supply to your legs and they will become useless. After I think 15 minutes (might be less) you could suffer a serious blood clot that once the pressure is relieved could kill you.

So at what point do you say cut the rope and hope for the best and end up falling 15' or 10'?  How about when you swing back into one of those screw in steps? It will puncture you and I hope it isn't into a vital organ. Yeah I know how likely is it to happen but how likely are you to fall? 

I will admit I don't wear a safety harness but will this season knowing that I would like to see my son grow up. I will also invest into some 550 cord and keep about 8 feet and a 1 oz weight with me in case I need to rig something up to get myself down. That 550 cord obviously isn't ideal but I don't have enough room in my pocket for larger rope.

Another reason why I chose a rock climbing harness is they are supposed to not cause suspension trauma, or at least not as quickly

[letinmfly]

To anyone hunting from a tree stand please be careful and use a harness.  Also use the utmost care when ascending and descending.  My friend fell out of his tree stand last year on opening day of gun season and broke his neck and he has been paralyzed from the neck down as a result of his injury. 

[LJC]

Just something to think about if you gun hunting you really don't need a stand and if your bow hunting if you are hunting private land just buy or make a, ground  blind  ..  if your hunting public land portable blinds work good enough and lighter to carry then  a stand .  Besides the fact you don't have to worry about breaking your neck . That's why I don't bother with them anymore.  

 

 

[Core]

9 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

So if I'm reading this correct he set the ladder stand against the tree then used screw in steps to get to top then tried stepping into the ladder stand? If so that wasn't the best idea for sure.

I hope him a fast recovery and I hate hearing about this stuff.


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I'm not sure; I know nothing I didn't post. I think I was mistaken about the ladder stand, though. I believe this was a screw in step setup , presumably to a hang-on stand. The specifics unfortunately are not really understood or of interest to lay people, so this is probably the best details I can get from an intermediary who has never really seen a tree stand

[Core]

1 hour ago, letinmfly said:

To anyone hunting from a tree stand please be careful and use a harness.  Also use the utmost care when ascending and descending.  My friend fell out of his tree stand last year on opening day of gun season and broke his neck and he has been paralyzed from the neck down as a result of his injury. 

I assume no harness?

I never got into motorbikes for the reasons above. I've ridden dirt bikes. No shortage of fun, but logging lots of miles on public roads where people are distracted or a bit of gravel and I'm sliding into a tree. I just couldn't do it. I would one day like to buy a polaris slingshot. Those things look amazing.

There are some harness systems that let you descend slowly to the ground and there are other methods to shimmy down with some rope. I will definitely look into that before I go up another tree. The last harness I got with the summit climber has a stretch of rope in a pouch on the harness. This can be attached to hooks so that you can stand up to relieve weight on your body if you're hanging. I also carry a whistle in my pack and I may stitch it to my harness in the future.

[Cabin Fever]

1 hour ago, Core said:

There are some harness systems that let you descend slowly to the ground and there are other methods to shimmy down with some rope. I will definitely look into that before I go up another tree.

Core. I have a brand new Live Wire Descent System. Rated up to 225lbs. If you would like to pick it up, it's yours.   

 

[nybuckboy]

4 hours ago, stoneam2006 said:

 

Not to distract from thread but without 2 wheels in my life I'd be lost its my absolute favorite thing to do I grew up on them and will grow old on them. I couldn't give it up its a part of me it's a part of my soul

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I have all the respect in the world for you wanting to ride and I can tell you are no where near my age.  It's the way you insulted me that pissed me off.  If you climb into a tree stand w/o a harness you're not too smart. 

  6 hours ago,  stoneam2006 said: 

If you can give up riding that easy your not a biker I'm sorry...

Edited September 17, 2016 by nybuckboy

[stoneam2006]

I have all the respect in the world for you wanting to ride and I can tell you are no where near my age.  It's the way you insulted me that pissed me off.  If you climb into a tree stand w/o a harness you're not too smart. 

If you can give up riding that easy your not a biker I'm sorry...

You are more likely to die in your car than you are on a bike. Especially in NY as we only get to ride a few months a year. So statistically car accidents cause more deaths than bikes do here. I'm sorry if I offended you but I am a born and raised bike guy as my son is. 2 wheels is a life not a choice. If you can choose to walk away the life wasn't for you. Again no disrespect we can agree to disagree on this. I'm sure I'm not your age as I'm probably one of the younger guys here. I'm getting better about a harness and always wear in my climber. Hope you have a good season. 2 weeks and a day hopefully we are reading each other's harvest threads

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Edit....you are not more likely to die in your car but are more likely to crash which could lead to death

2014

4750 motorcycle crashes

3.3 percent fatality rate

142 fatalitys

299k car crashes

.4 percent fatality

966 fatalitys