Whitetail Hunting Treestand safety

Section #7: Tips To Keep You Safe In The Treestand

This will probably be the most skipped over section of the whitetail 101 content onย 1st Rut.ย ย However, this is the most important section for treestand hunters.ย ย Returning to your friends and family in the same condition you left in should be everyoneโ€™s goal.ย ย Every time without exception. Please take the time to read these tips on whitetail hunting treestand safety.

Grunt, Snort-Wheeze, and Rattle this to your buddies!

WHITETAIL HUNTING TREESTAND SAFETY

I will be the first to admit, that in my younger days I hunted without a safety harness. Looking back this was a terrible decision. I was lucky that nothing happened over those years, but I knew better and made a choice not to wear a harness. It was a choice and a poor one at that. Make the right choice and be safe from dirt to treestand.

There are numerous unnecessary accidents every year.ย ย Letโ€™s look at some tips to stay safe. Whitetail hunting treestand safety is your responsibility 100% of the time.

Treestand Safety Tips

1. Know Your Treestand โ€“ Make sure your treestand and/or equipment is in good condition and well maintained.ย ย When in doubt, donโ€™t use it.ย ย Take the time to read the ownerโ€™s manual provided by the manufacturer (these can be found online if you donโ€™t have it).ย ย 

2. Maintain Your Treestand – Set aside a Saturday morning in the summer to check you treestands and fix any worn or broken parts.ย ย Check for any loose or missing fasteners (nuts, bolts etc.), along with reviewing the condition of straps.

3. Wear A Full Body Harness โ€“ They are extremely effective at keeping you alive in the event of a fall.ย ย Read and understand manufacturerโ€™s instructions prior to use.ย ย Keep in mind, these harnesses have an expiration date.ย ย Test the harness at ground level before ascending a tree.ย ย Never take a step off the ground without having your harness connected.

4. Check the Tree โ€“ Prior to climbing a tree or setting up a ladder stand, be sure the tree is relatively straight and healthy.ย ย I hiked into a new area somewhat blind one morning in my younger days and started to climb a dead tree.ย ย I was more than a little frustrated in my blunder when I had to climb down and start the process over.

5. Avoid Smooth Barked Trees โ€“ If using a climbing stand.ย ย I almost hesitated writing this as it seems obvious.ย ย One year during deer camp, we were talking over handheld radios during the mid-day when a friend who will remain anonymous was telling us how his climber was sliding on the โ€œWhite-Oakโ€ tree he was in.ย ย The group at deer camp was sure we knew where he was hunting, and it wasnโ€™t in a wood lot of โ€œWhite-Oakโ€ trees but a wood lot of Sycamore trees.ย ย We have had many good laughs over the campfire at that story.

6. Use A Haul Line โ€“ Never carry weapons or equipment up the treestand with you.ย ย Always leave equipment on the ground and haul up when you are securely on the platform.ย ย If using a firearm, make sure it is unloaded prior to retrieving from the ground!


%d bloggers like this: