Talk to enough bowhunters and you’ll eventually hear one sheepishly admit that, at one time or another, he or she has hunted from a treestand while not wearing a full-body safety harness.
When that happens, you need to do that person a favor and set them straight. Tell them there’s never a good enough reason for going up a tree without one. Of course, you’re probably not telling them anything they don’t already know, but it’s worth repeating.
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| Bow hunting should be a safe and enjoyable pursuit. Wear a safety harness and keep it that way. |
A full-body safety harness is the most important tool a bowhunter using treestands owns. If you forget your harness and have a fall, your next hunt might never happen.
I’ve heard hunters say, “Well, my stand is only 10 feet off the ground.”
To which I respond, “Only 10 feet? A fall of 10 feet can kill you – or at the very least, put you out for the rest of the season.”
I know a couple of people whose lives have been drastically changed as a result of smaller falls than that. And the damage you take from a fall typically gets worse as you get older. So too does recovery time, if you are lucky enough to sustain an injury you can recover from.
Most falls from treestands are the result of slips, missteps off the platform or the hunter falling asleep on the stand. Each means that – without a properly attached safety harness to catch you – you will tumble unexpectedly and will probably be in less than optimum position when hitting the ground. You might land on your head, neck, bow, arrow, rock stump or sapling – and none of these scenarios are good for your well-being.
The easiest preventative measure in the world is to wear that safety harness every time you go up a tree. Also, it pays not to go up a tree if you are feeling tired or under the weather.
Bass Pro Shops offers a variety of treestand safety systems designed to keep hunters safe and comfortable.
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