DeerSanta
Member
Well I had an incident today and figured it is my duty to share.
So I was jacking up the tree in the pitch black and started rotating to get into position. All the sudden it wont grab...it wont grab... still wont grab... don't panic... still wont grab...running out of strength...panicking. Nobody knows where I am and I'm about to be hanging from this tree, if my harness holds. Had no options and had to rely on the harness. Thank god my strap was high and against the front of my seat. when I fell my feet caught the strap of my platform which was now flat against the tree. Thank God I had tied the two parts together. Fortunately I was able to catch my breath and get the strap around the tree tighter while my legs are wrapped around the tree and my harness is holding my up. Did this blind as it was below me. Was able to pull it up and it grabbed and I got myself up. Completely freaked out I decided to sit and catch my breath. Figured I was out so I might as well hunt.
Anyway, A couple of take-aways from the day:
1. ALWAYS wear a harness.
2. Always tie the two parts of your climber together. (someone told me to do this when I started, Wouldn't of thought about it).
3. Have a plan for if you fall. I didn't and had no idea what to expect. In the moment before I let go, I was truly scared for my life.
4. One of the most important; I will always keep my phone in my shirt pocket. I wasn't able to get to it because it was in my pants pocket and the harness was so tight and above it that I couldn't of gotten it out.
5. From now on I will text my wife or a friend when i get into the stand safely.
The hunt... Had and nice buck get a couple of steps from being shot. I was shivering like I didn't know was possible. During the fiasco, I worked up such a sweat I was literately soaking wet. This led to me getting very cold before the sun started beating down.
Glad I made it and hope some of you can benefit from my experience.
So I was jacking up the tree in the pitch black and started rotating to get into position. All the sudden it wont grab...it wont grab... still wont grab... don't panic... still wont grab...running out of strength...panicking. Nobody knows where I am and I'm about to be hanging from this tree, if my harness holds. Had no options and had to rely on the harness. Thank god my strap was high and against the front of my seat. when I fell my feet caught the strap of my platform which was now flat against the tree. Thank God I had tied the two parts together. Fortunately I was able to catch my breath and get the strap around the tree tighter while my legs are wrapped around the tree and my harness is holding my up. Did this blind as it was below me. Was able to pull it up and it grabbed and I got myself up. Completely freaked out I decided to sit and catch my breath. Figured I was out so I might as well hunt.
Anyway, A couple of take-aways from the day:
1. ALWAYS wear a harness.
2. Always tie the two parts of your climber together. (someone told me to do this when I started, Wouldn't of thought about it).
3. Have a plan for if you fall. I didn't and had no idea what to expect. In the moment before I let go, I was truly scared for my life.
4. One of the most important; I will always keep my phone in my shirt pocket. I wasn't able to get to it because it was in my pants pocket and the harness was so tight and above it that I couldn't of gotten it out.
5. From now on I will text my wife or a friend when i get into the stand safely.
The hunt... Had and nice buck get a couple of steps from being shot. I was shivering like I didn't know was possible. During the fiasco, I worked up such a sweat I was literately soaking wet. This led to me getting very cold before the sun started beating down.
Glad I made it and hope some of you can benefit from my experience.
