Do you use a Safety Harness ?

[fasteddie]

Do you use a Safety Harness when you hunt from a treestand ? If I forget my safety harness I won't go into a treestand . I have the Hunter Safety System . I initially felt it was kinda heavy but got used to the weight . Every once in a while I hear a horror story of someone taking a header out of a stand or just slipping and falling out of a tree . Personally , I don't want to become a statistic .

[orion]

Yes. I also wont go in the tree if I don't have it. I like my life the way it is.

[burmjohn]

I don't have one but I am considering it... Either that or lower stands, 12 ft max.

[wooly]

I don't hunt from a stand but I have been using them for pictures lately.....never had a need for a harness so I never got one.

I don't think anyone would miss me anyhow. :'(

[Bernie P.]

Always!!!I still have the one I got years back from Paul Brunner/Screaming Eagle.

[Lawdwaz]

Always.

For the gent that said nobody would miss him.......it would suck to be blowing into a tube to control your wheel chair and getting fed through another tube, wouldn't it?

And burmjohn: yea, 12' and lower you can't get hurt from a fall.  You might die but you certainly won't get hurt.

Have a nice day!

[SplitG2]

Yes, and after my portable tree stand gave way, I use a life line as well!

[Larry]

sure do i use the hunter safety system. hope i never find out how well it works

[fasteddie]

It's not the fall that gets you . It's the sudden stop !  ???  I don't think too mech of the harness' that come with the treestands but they are better than nothing . The HSS or anything similar is worth the money .

[Lawdwaz]

The harness I have been using for approx. 10 years is made by DBI/SALA.  It was made with black webbing and has rubber covers over all the metal buckles.  The Fox 40 whistle attached on the chest strap is also a nice feature.  I saw it advertised in a Hunting magazine and snagged it.

The few harnesses I've seen that come with the tree stands aren't very easy to work with.  Better to spend a few dollars and get a decent one that you won't be frustrated with and not wear. 

[Fantail]

Got a Gorilla vest harness. Buckles are coated with some kind of jazz to help keep noise down.

[fasteddie]

A nice thing about using the vest is that it helps keep your clothes close to your body and out of the way .

[WNYBuckHunter]

I use one in everything except my 2 man ladder stand. The only way you can fall out of that one would be if the whole stand fell down. Youre screwed whether youre buckled in or not in that case.

[growalot]

Yes...the guys at camp won't ...and it drives me crazy!!I tell ppl they aren't allowed in my stands with out one...and always leave one at camp...I have a half dozen or more...I really like the new ones with the safety step up strap...to keep you from dying after the fall from dangling.

One person at camp never hunted from a commercial stand and bought a 15 ft..bow stand for gun season....didn't read directions ..extra parts left over? and wouldn't use the harness..no gun rail....I went to check it...re strapped it to the tree and asked what the big wht nylon rope tied just 6" above the seat was for....He said to tie around my waist.  ??? ...we're talking a 63 yr old here...he used it once and claimed it was a death trap and gave it to me : ...Thank God!...lol

[fasteddie]

I remember , years ago , when guys used to use just the safety belt . When someone woule slip / fall , they would often end up hanging upside down . If the belt was placed higher on the body and a hunter fell and was hanging , it sometimes put pressure on the chest and shut off the ability to breathe . I wish I had kept the article that someone did on this topic several years ago .

[Geno C]

i dont usually wear them... my stands are usually pretty big platforms with nice comfy seats... i do wear them sometimes, it depends on the set. if its a tree that rocks alot or a windy day i might wear it.

[Karpteach]

Haven't for a while, but will be getting the Gorilla soon.

[wooly]

For the gent that said nobody would miss him.......it would suck to be blowing into a tube to control your wheel chair and getting fed through another tube, wouldn't it?

Yes it would.

Just a bit of my sarcasm to open some eyes by someone thinking I'm a dumbass.

Like I said...never had a need for one till now. I'm petrified of heights, trees, rooftops, FALLING AND LAYING THERE TILL MAYBE SOMEONE FINDS ME.......

I know it's no joking matter but sometimes that's the only way anyone takes you seriously. Plans for a good harness are in the works and I may even come around to using it for hunting from a stand one day. MAYBE. :-\

[growalot]

the problem with having big platforms and comfy seats...your brain nor body gives a damn when for what ever reason...say not knowing you have high BP.... diabetes...or something as simple as your blood sugar level drops and....Blip...your out like a light and pitching forward off that comfy seat and platform... :

[skyzmine]

i will ONLY when in my climer

all my ladder stands have gun rails

[Doewhacker]

I can't beleive some of you guys don't wear them...I am a big scaredy cat I guess, I allways wear one in the stand.

[Bernie P.]

Geno fact is most falls occur while getting in or out of the stand.

[fasteddie]

A large platform won't necessarily keep you safe . When that adrenaline rush comes , folks do strange things like forgetting they are 6 - 20 feet in the air . A hunter takes a step or leans to get a better shot and tumbles out . Not a good thing !

I stay in a stand most of the day and sometimes nod off . I have never come close to falling out (that I know of) and don't plan to let it happen .

[Geno C]

Geno fact is most falls occur while getting in or out of the stand.

yes... maybe with guys who carry alot of gear or set a stand up with an odd way to climb in and out. ive seen guys set some stands up that you would have to almost wish your way in it. and besides tho, if people fall out of stands mostly on the way in or getting out of a stand how is a safety harness going to keep you from hitting the ground??? dont most people strap in once settled in and unstrap when your getting out of your stand? how do you remained strapped in while your getting in and out of a stand? unless you have a rock climbing setup of some sort, id think if you climbing in and your going to fall, your going to fall... If you have a nice stand witha plat form and seat with arm rails and a gun rest then maybe someone should tell me why one who feels comfy in a tree would need to wear one? infact i bet there has been people who have fell out of a tree while climbing down and un strapping there safety harnesses.. have you seen some of these harnesses? there like spider webs and i can see alot of people trying to mess with those things in the dark while 20ft up, remedy for disaster, unless you have the $$ for those nice vest types. eitherway i dont usually wear them. my stands are easy to climb in and out of and they are usually very nice stands. Trust me i take my safety in account overall, its always on my mind...

BTW im not being rude at all... i am just trying to see how a safety harness will help you when climbing in and out of a stand...

[Doc]

I can't think of a worse fate than being an active outdoors person who winds up bound to a wheelchair because of a fall. Stop for a minute and try to imagine such a thing. Then try to imagine that such a fate could have been prevented. How would that feel?

Doc