Excercise safety with tree stands

Department of Conservation

JEFFERSON CITY--The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds hunters that not all accidents in the field involve firearms. Some injuries result from falls from tree stands.

Archery deer and turkey hunters commonly hunt from tree stands that are 10 to 20 feet above ground.

Hunting from an elevated stand offers the element of surprise, since deer generally don't look for danger from above. Tree stands also give hunters a better view of their surroundings and make their scent more difficult for deer to detect. But on the down side, falls from stands easily break bones, compress spines, puncture lungs or worse. Almost one in 20 falls proves fatal.

Tree-stand hunters, just like occupants of a car or truck, can increase their chances of surviving accidents and reduce the severity of injuries by wearing safety belts.

Even better, as demonstrated by Air Force tests, is a harness that distributes the weight of a fall over the whole body. In a fall, a simple body belt restricts breathing more than a harness.

Hunters should buy the best safety equipment they can afford, including both belts, harnesses and tree stands. All such equipment should be inspected and thoroughly tested before the beginning of each hunting season and periodically during the season.

Falling from stands

In a survey, "Deer and Deer Hunting" magazine found that more than a third of tree stand hunters will at some time fall from a stand, and that about 3 percent of them will suffer crippling injuries. The magazine noted that more than 70 percent of falls occur when a hunter is climbing a tree, descending from the tree or entering or leaving the stand; their survey showed that only about 20 percent of hunters wear a safety belt while doing these things.

After reaching their stand, the survey noted, about half of hunters always wear safety belts, while another third often wear them and some 20 percent rarely or never use them.

The magazine suggests that, at the least, hunters should attach their safety belt before stepping onto a stand, and not remove the belt until safely stepping off the stand. Hunters should show extra care during periods of rain and snow when tree bark and stand equipment are slick.

Screw-in steps should be installed at right angles to tree trunks. If the step is more sharply angled it can bend or break. The chains or bands that hold portable stands snug to trees should be inspected for strength and durability. Welded chain links may be better than twisted links Hunters on private property sometimes use permanent tree stands (they are prohibited on most public hunting areas) built with nails and wood. These should be inspected as closely as portable stands before the hunting season begins. Such stands and wooden steps leading to them can become dangerous as the wood deteriorates.

The National Bowhunter Education Foundation opposes the use of permanent tree stands, saying they take away from the aesthetic appeal of the forest. Nails left in the tree, they add, diminish its value to the landowner as lumber.

The Foundation promotes the use of ladder-type stands, which it says have larger platforms, can be used on different types and sizes of trees and are safer and easier to use than other types of stands.

Carrying bows, guns

The Foundation also warns against carrying a bow or gun while climbing. Tree-stand hunters should use a rope to haul their gear (unloaded, in the case of a rifle) into tree stands. Tying the free end of the line to a belt or belt loop keeps the hunter's hands free for climbing.

The National Rifle Association offers the following tree-stand safety tips:

Tell someone where you will be hunting, and leave a note at your vehicle detailing your location to help searchers find you if you do not return.

Securely attach the tree stand no more than 12 feet high.

Use a safety belt to secure yourself to the tree. Harnesses made for this purpose are much safer than a rope.

Use a rope to raise hunting equipment to your stand after climbing up. This keeps hands free for climbing and avoids injuries from falling on gear.

Keep your tree stand in good working condition. Replace any worn or missing parts.

Select straight, live trees for tree stand sites. Inspect for bees' nests and animal dens before erecting the stand.

Climb down if you become drowsy. Falling asleep is a common cause of tree-stand accidents.

Never use alcohol or drugs on any kind of a hunt.

Keep your safety belt on when climbing up to or down from your stand.