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Just a Reminder - Be Careful Out There- Tree Stands

DeerWhisperer

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Joined
Jul 27, 2011
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216
Location
Hickman County, TN
I just wanted to remind everyone to please be careful out there. I had a pretty scary incident two weeks ago. I was replacing all the straps on my ladder stands in anticipation of the upcoming Muzzleloader/Gun Season and unfortunately, I took a pretty significant fall. I had already replaced the middle strap that secures the middle brace to the tree. I went to replace the top strap that secures the top of the stand to the tree. I had the new strap laying in the seat ready to replace. When I took the existing strap off and reached to get the new strap, the stand sprung off the tree and since I was on an incline, it immediately came lose and came went to the ground. This was a 15ft ladder stand. As the stand was falling, I jumped away from it to avoid landing on it. Upon landing, I was knocked out. I think I was only out for a minute or so. When I came to, I had a pretty nasty cut on my forehead and bit a considerable chunk out of my tongue. The first thing I did was immediately try to move my arms and legs and by the grace of God I had movement in all my extremities. I tried standing but the pain in my lower back was bad, it took my breath, and I could not walk due to the pain.

I was by myself and had no cell phone( No cell coverage, left phone at truck) My wife knew where I was at but would not be looking for me for several hours. I was able to crawl back to my 4-wheeler and was able to get back to my truck and cell phone, I was able to call my wife for help I was only about 15 minutes from our house. She arrived and took one look at me, (apparently my face was covered in blood) and called the ambulance.

After an ER visit and overnight stay at the hospital, it was determined that I had no broken bones. Apparently, I landed upright, and this prevented any major damage to my limbs, but it also compressed all the discs in my back. So, it has been about 2 1/2 weeks now, I am now off my walker and with the help of physical therapy, I am almost back to 100%.

I say all of this, life is short, be careful out there doing what we love. I am truly blessed and fortunate that I suffered no real injuries.

Please be careful and practice caution when hunting or working on stands. Things can happen in the blink of an eye.
 
Yes very similar thing happened to me years ago. Luckily I was able to grab ahold of the tree next to me and steady the stand and strapped it back.

Now I do not remove the old top strap until I have the new top strap secured.

Glad it wasn't more serious for you!
 
Yes very similar thing happened to me years ago. Luckily I was able to grab ahold of the tree next to me and steady the stand and strapped it back.

Now I do not remove the old top strap until I have the new top strap secured.

Glad it wasn't more serious for you!
Agree, I normally do that, I don't know why I did not this time, I guess I got in a hurry and thought it would be ok. Lesson learned for sure. Never remove old until new is in place.
 
I just wanted to remind everyone to please be careful out there. I had a pretty scary incident two weeks ago. I was replacing all the straps on my ladder stands in anticipation of the upcoming Muzzleloader/Gun Season and unfortunately, I took a pretty significant fall. I had already replaced the middle strap that secures the middle brace to the tree. I went to replace the top strap that secures the top of the stand to the tree. I had the new strap laying in the seat ready to replace. When I took the existing strap off and reached to get the new strap, the stand sprung off the tree and since I was on an incline, it immediately came lose and came went to the ground. This was a 15ft ladder stand. As the stand was falling, I jumped away from it to avoid landing on it. Upon landing, I was knocked out. I think I was only out for a minute or so. When I came to, I had a pretty nasty cut on my forehead and bit a considerable chunk out of my tongue. The first thing I did was immediately try to move my arms and legs and by the grace of God I had movement in all my extremities. I tried standing but the pain in my lower back was bad, it took my breath, and I could not walk due to the pain.

I was by myself and had no cell phone( No cell coverage, left phone at truck) My wife knew where I was at but would not be looking for me for several hours. I was able to crawl back to my 4-wheeler and was able to get back to my truck and cell phone, I was able to call my wife for help I was only about 15 minutes from our house. She arrived and took one look at me, (apparently my face was covered in blood) and called the ambulance.

After an ER visit and overnight stay at the hospital, it was determined that I had no broken bones. Apparently, I landed upright, and this prevented any major damage to my limbs, but it also compressed all the discs in my back. So, it has been about 2 1/2 weeks now, I am now off my walker and with the help of physical therapy, I am almost back to 100%.

I say all of this, life is short, be careful out there doing what we love. I am truly blessed and fortunate that I suffered no real injuries.

Please be careful and practice caution when hunting or working on stands. Things can happen in the blink of an eye.
Mercy...glad things weren't worse for you. I hope you make a quick and full recovery. I NEVER take an old strap off, until I put the new one on. As a matter of fact, I usually leave the old one, unless it is in really bad condition.
 
Hope you heal up and don't have any lasting issues. That could have been a lot worse.

I just put up a two man ladder stand by myself this morning. Destructions called for it to be a 3 person job. I used my loader on the tractor to help, but still had to stand it up by myself, that was the worst part. I stood in the bucket like a scaffold and got the stand situated and up against the tree. Pulled the straps down around the back of the tree and tied off to the mid section of the ladder. Got the stabilizer bar setup, then pulled the tractor around the back side of the tree and got the ratchet strap attached while standing in the bucket. Most dangerous part was climbing up the tractor into the bucket.
 
Had a fall just last year . Had the stand up but the extention ladder I was on kicked loose and I landed on the exposed roots of the tree I was on . Nothing serious but fractured my cheek bone and dislocated a joint on my finger . Glad you overcome your injury . Thank God that He helps the stupid for my sakes .
 
Glad it wasn't any worse! Good reminder for everyone right before November as the season is heating up.

Also, for those with an Apple Watch, you can set the setttings to where it detects a fall. My wife set this up and it will notify her of not only a fall, but an irregular heart event I hope to never have. Just an fyi
 
Also, for those with an Apple Watch, you can set the setttings to where it detects a fall. My wife set this up and it will notify her of not only a fall, but an irregular heart event I hope to never have. Just an fyi
Good advice. Don't know if Garmin watches detects falls, but my Garmin does detect irregular heartbeat and will notify my wife of those events, if I don't dismiss them.
 
Glad you are on the mend.

I had an 'almost' on once while changing straps. From that point forward I always brought extra straps and added them to the ladder stand as I worked my way up to the top. AND a second person.
 
... compressed all the discs in my back. So, it has been about 2 1/2 weeks now, I am now off my walker and with the help of physical therapy, I am almost back to 100%. ...
I am truly blessed and fortunate that I suffered no real injuries.

You must be one tough dude! Those injuries sound pretty d@mn real to me! 😲

But I am truly glad that you are ok now and appreciate that you took the time to give the rest of us an important reminder.
 
Not condemning as I fell out of my center console boat and had to have surgery to my arm…..

Stuff happens and glad you are OK….Sounds as IF you needed a harness on and tied into a security rope with a Prusik's knot from years past. That way IF you fall you are caught by the Prusik's ….

Heal up and good luck with the wife if she lets you go hunting this season.

 
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Prayers for a continued recovery.

After having two ladderstands fall putting up or taking down in my younger and more mobile days, I don't take as many chances now. Mine always have two long ropes attached to corners of the seat part of the stand. Criss-crossed behind the tree and around the upright part as high as you can reach, and then dogged down with a rope ratchet to loops in the ropes, makes for a very secure setup. It is probably tight enough to hunt from.

It is then easy to safely attach or take off the ratchet on the stand.

For about $10, you can add a chain and turnbuckle in addition to the ratchet that doubles the safety on top.

Yes, it takes a few extra minutes to put the ropes on or take them off, but, not as many minutes as an emergency room visit.
 
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