Check and Double Check - BE SAFE!!

[muddy]

It seems like either I'm really unlucky or else I have a golden horseshoe stuck in my butt. If my count is correct I've fallen or almost fallen out of a tree 4 or 5 times with nothing more than severe bruises. Today marks yet another time where I tempted fate and came out OK.

This spring I found a treestand on some property I hunt and when I talked to the landowner he said he didn't know whose it was and to take it down. I finally got around to yanking it about 2 hours ago today. I was about 12-14 foot up and when I put my weight on one of the crappy tree steps the dang thing just popped completely out and I was left with only one option, straight down. I hugged the tree as best as I could but a step caught my armpit and ripped up to my elbow, then my knee caught one and I was flipped backwards. I hit the ground flat on my back with severe pain in my shoulder, elbow, and hand. 10 minutes later I was walking around and as the pain subsided I counted my lucky stars. I finished yanking the stand and came home. I'm pretty bruised and scraped up from the shag bark hickory tree I tried to hug but all in all I"m OK.

I was using a linemans belt but hadn't clipped it up yet... ain't that how all Darwin awards start? Today I learned another valuable lesson, clip that safety line on even if you're only 4 foot off the ground. If I had I would've just been left hanging.

BE SAFE.

 

[Liv4Rut]

I am glad you are okay Muddy!! I have that happen before too and it sucks!!

I learned the same thing kinda last year. I religiously where my safety belt, but this one stand I put up was only about 10-12ft off the ground in a tree facing South on the 2nd to last day of Late muzzleoader. I decided that night I didn't need to wear it. Its kind of ironic because I was wearing it, just didn't strap myself to the tree. As I sat there right before dusk the buck I was hunting came out straight to the right of me. The only way I could shoot that way is by sitting down then turning sideways in the stand to pull of a shot. I quickly sat down and started to turn. Just as I did that, I almost lost it. As I was starting to fall, I somehow grabbed this huge branch and prevented myself from completely falling. My gun just about flew out of my hands as well, but luckfully I grabbed the sling before it plunged to the ground. When I finally gained my composure from being shook up, the buck disappeared into the timber.

I learned no matter how high you are, wear your safety belt!!!!!

 

[deeraddict]

Lucky for sure. One of them tree steps could have gored you and done some serious damage. I had a scare taking a stand down one time. I was strapped to the tree by my linemans belt and had a foot slip of a step. That caused me to swing to one side of the tree. Since I was strapped, no harm, but that sure did get my attention. Good to hear you were no worse for wear. But your wife gave you hell though, know mine would have.

 

[JakeWym]

Glad to hear you are ok....scary stuff right there.