A Cautionary Tale

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Pursuit Hunter

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Many of you know that Dr. Craig Harper, the speaker who was originally scheduled to speak at our September QDMA meeting, was unable to do so due to a treestand accident. With deer season just around the corner, I offer his recounting of the accident as a cautionary tale. Please be safe this season and remember that accidents can happen to anyone. Always wear a safety harness when you are off the ground. To read his story click here .
 
I had a pastor friend severely injured last Fall. He fell this weekend (before opening g day), while hanging a stand. Wear those harnesses guys and gals.

Thanks for the reminder!
 
I give credit to the hunting shows for the widespread use of harnesses. Those shows may be the "ruination of hunting" as so many have put it but I saw my first tree stand harness while watching an outdoor hunting show on tv. A Dan Fitzgerald video actually and his cameraman fell. Fitzgerald used that to promote safety harnesses. Immediately, I bought one for me and my sons.

Before that, I used nothing or maybe tied a rope around my waist and interlocked it with a rope tied around the tree.
 
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I know 3 guys that have fallen. One took over a year to recover, but still isn't the same. He's slower in all aspects of life, speech, thought and even movement. The 2nd was one of the bow shop guys at the local Gander Mountain, he's in a wheel chair for life. The final guy is dead. He lied on the ground for who knows how long before the rest of his hunting party went looking for him when he didn't return to camp after dark.

After all this I still didn't wear a harness, till I was getting some arrows cut and my wife started talking to the bow shop guy and he told her how he wished he could climb a tree to hunt again. I walked out with a harness that day and was made to promise to wear it when ever I go up. But I am the only guy in my hunting party that does wear one, old habits die hard.
 
I forgot to mention that I got an email from Dr. Harper yesterday saying that he is still in the hospital and in considerable pain. That's 17 days in the hospital so far!
 
Pursuit Hunter said:
I forgot to mention that I got an email from Dr. Harper yesterday saying that he is still in the hospital and in considerable pain. That's 17 days in the hospital so far!
Click to expand...
I hate to hear this. I really like Craig and hope he makes a speedy recovery.
 
Thats too bad that it happened to him but im glad he will recover and im glad he can make an impact on the hunting community to further harness usage.
 
MUP said:
Oh, and I have a minimum of TWO straps on the upper section of my loc-ons, and replace them every year.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on how you put the two top straps on the upper section? Are you buying these straps from the manufacturer or making your own? I don't see how my loc ons would take 2 top straps???
 
Deck78 said:
MUP said:
Oh, and I have a minimum of TWO straps on the upper section of my loc-ons, and replace them every year.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on how you put the two top straps on the upper section? Are you buying these straps from the manufacturer or making your own? I don't see how my loc ons would take 2 top straps???
Click to expand...

Not factory, but treestand straps(labeled anyway) purchased from any outdoors store. They have hooks on them and I hook them around the frame of the stand. I could probably get 5-6 on there if I tried. ;)
 
makes sense now. I buy webbing made for rock climbing and rig them up the best I can but some straps with hooks would be much easier. for being one of the richest counties in TN, we have access to some of the crappiest hunting stores in the whole state, go figure.....
 
Good post. I have a friend who is in a wheelchair thanks to a stand always a painful reminder to take the extra 2 minutes to put it on. Now with products like the safety vest and lifeline, there are no excuses.
 

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