Do you use a Safety Harness ?

[Doc]

And I think back to the days when all we had was a rope tied around our waist. Probably would be dead by now if we had ever had to actually use it. Nobody really knew any better, or if they did they weren't telling anyone.

Doc

[Culvercreek hunt club]

WZ.....any of the new style device will hold you up right. Belts are bad and could flip you over. I would never use one again. I am in Construction and even the full body style harneses are not made to just have you dangle. You will doo serious damage to yourself in the form of clotting and suck if you do not get the weight off the strapping. That said. Any stand I use have either a ladder, shicks or steps. I do not use I only have one climber and have sticks going up to that. Assuming you remain consious...the steps, ladder, steps will allow you to get off the line.

I think there is a system with loop steps but have never used them....anybody have any experience with these?

[SteveB]

Also keep your tether rope as tight as possible to keep your fall as short as possible.

[wztirem]

Not to blow my own horn,but I have been involved in the construction industry for well over thirty years. Presently, I am a project manger and the Company Health and Safety officer responsible for developing and implementing HASP's. PPE will save your life and either prevent or mitigate the chances of incurring serious injury. I am a firm believer in Murphy's Laws.

When it comes to hunting from an elevated stand you cannot disregard its inherent danger even if you are safely tied off.

These days I choose to do my hunting on the ground.

[fasteddie]

Sever years ago , there was an article in the paper where a roofer had tied a rope onto some sort of safety belt . He fell and snapped his back . I use the full restraint harness .

[A6A6]

there is a safety harness called the Rescue one CDS.

it is a full body harness that attaches to the tether and if you fall , you can lower yourself down from the vest/harness itself by pulling a safety release line bundeled in the shoulder of the vest.

here is a link and youtube video.

this a great idea , its about time someone thought this up.

http://www.mountaineer-sports.com/

check it out.

even available for fat guys too.. ( trust me , i know)

[WNYBuckHunter]

Thats been around a couple of years, its nice, but costs $200. I love how you have to pay out the @ss to be safe  ;D

[fasteddie]

That would make one heck of a great hunting stand ! 

[gutpile]

I never go up or down without my harness attached to the tree. Last fall my cousin was moving a stand with no safety system and he broke three vertebrae. Last year a friend found a great spot and he always uses a safety harness. what he failed to notice was the tree trunk was covered in poison ivy. He couldn't pull his bow for about ten days.

[Lawdwaz]

Anybody have one of those CDS systems?  Looks like a no brainer for a guy that likes living.

[fasteddie]

Native Outdoors has the Controlled Descent System for $150 .

http://www.nativeoutdoors.com/archery/safetyvests.html

[Fitzy]

Yup. I use one 'cause one of  these days when I take a 'long blink' I might not snap out of it in time to stay in the stand. I put it on as soon as I start up. Ya never know what will happen and it only takes one slip.

[Lawdwaz]

So the CDS II is the latest version?  Smaller, stronger diameter line?  Can it be had for less than the $199 shown at Cabela's?  Just curious.  I think I have some points built up I could burn on this worthy acquisition.

I love safety...............

[wztirem]

WZ.....any of the new style device will hold you up right. Belts are bad and could flip you over. I would never use one again. I am in Construction and even the full body style harneses are not made to just have you dangle. You will doo serious damage to yourself in the form of clotting and suck if you do not get the weight off the strapping. That said. Any stand I use have either a ladder, shicks or steps. I do not use I only have one climber and have sticks going up to that. Assuming you remain consious...the steps, ladder, steps will allow you to get off the line.

I think there is a system with loop steps but have never used them....anybody have any experience with these?

Belts can be used in conjunction with a good harness.

All I can say is that no fall restraint is fail safe, refer to the manufacturer's directions.

[fasteddie]

I have the HSS harness but I am tempted to buy the Controlled Descent System . It looks like a real winner !

[bubba]

When I ued to climb, I never used one. I spend much more time in a ground blind in a chair. If I fall off that, it would not be any worse than falling off a bar stool in my younger years. Again we teach in the hunter safety course that it is imperative to wear one.  More people are hurt and killed in tree stand accidents (falling out) then shot every year. We all want to wear orange to avoid being shot, but will not wear a safety harness, which is much more likely to get you hurt.  Someone please explain the logic to me.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Bubba....ever see any numbers in the course on falls from in the stand vs falls while climbing in or out. Half of me always thought the 1/2 hour wait for tracking was more to give your adrenaline and jello knees time to fade.

[wztirem]

When I ued to climb, I never used one. I spend much more time in a ground blind in a chair. If I fall off that, it would not be any worse than falling off a bar stool in my younger years. Again we teach in the hunter safety course that it is imperative to wear one.  More people are hurt and killed in tree stand accidents (falling out) then shot every year. We all want to wear orange to avoid being shot, but will not wear a safety harness, which is much more likely to get you hurt.  Someone please explain the logic to me.

No explaining it, people do not realize the consequences until it is too late. As far as wearing orange, there is a separate thread for that.

[bubba]

welll excuse me. My simple point was why over look the obvious.  We do everything we can to be safe except the obvious. I was not aware we could not make a comparison  My humble apologies (sarcasm intended) 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Bubba....I hope you didn't mean me....I would really like the numbers. I always felt the most dangerous time was in and out

[Campwildwood]

I'm guilty of not wearing a harness in the pass while using my ladder stands. However, last year I started using a climber and a standard harness. After some research and concerns from my wife, I ordered the Rescue One Control Descent harness. Neat feature that I hope I never have to use, but since I do hunt alone at times at my camp, the controlled descent feature gives my wife a little peace of mind until I call her each evening to assure her all is well. Many harnesses are getting very exspensive and just felt that my life is worth the $200 vs some of the items my fellow hunters spend on hunting gear. Consider my climber retails for $130 last year and many of my buddies spent $400 on theirs, yet they use a standard harness? To each his own is my view.

[bubba]

cul v er no it was for wztirem who said I could not talk about orange on here as there was a forum already.  I dont have the numbers, but will soon as I asked for stats from 2009 for my upcoming hunter ed class.  It is  true that mot accidents occur getting in or our of a stand.  However there are safety harnesses that are used when climbing in and out.  I guess the bottom line is be as safe as you think you should be.  I stay on the grond most of the time, but when in the air I have on a harness.

[Griff]

I always where a harness,I dont feel right without it.

I was bow hunting at Highland forest last year on the day they found a hunter that had fallen from his stand ( he didnt makeit)

[biggamefish]

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

 

  12 FOOT CAN BE A LONG WAYS DOWN.  i ALWAYS HAVE MYSELF TEATHERED TO THE TREE.  I DON'T WANT ANYBODY SEARCHING FOR ME AND FINDING MY GREAT HUNTING SPOT. ;D

[gutpile]

Damn right 12ft can be a long way down. Consider this every year several hundred people slip and fall to their death in the bathtub. Slip on mud in the woods and whack your skull on a rock same thing. Statistically you are more likely to die in a car wreck going to your hunting area than from a fall from your stand. OK so one in a thousand is gonna fall out of their stand. Ask yourself this question: Do I know who that ONE is?