My Ordeal - A firsthand lesson in Treestand safety...

Quote:" fart cart" I just about busted a gut on that one,:D I'm careful about stands, not real crazy about heights anyway. But i also use a branch to lift my ass up into the stand, sorry this had to happen to you and hope you heal quickly. I'll have this on my mind everytime i grab that branch, better yet, i'll come up with something better. Gods speed
 
If I were you I'd stick one of those screw in steps in in place of that branch. That's what I plan to do the next time I'm able to use that stand. I also plan to get one of those prussic knot type harnesses to use whilst climbing too.
 
Quote:" fart cart" I just about busted a gut on that one,
Click to expand...

Did you know the weight limit on those things is 650lbs??? I didn't either till I started using them here lately, but I kinda figured it was pretty high from previous observations of their use. ;)
 
On a more serious note.....

On Sunday my father in law wanted to go out to check his bait stations (yes hunting over corn piles is legal in NC and we do it). Especially this year with the drought, there's just not much food around for the deer. He had put out corn with some of that c'mere deer stuff on it a week prior. There was a hole dug in the ground already where the deer were after that stuff. I had a timed feeder near the stand I fell from and I wanted to yank the batteries on it so the motor wouldn't burn up while not throwing any corn (I knew it had to be empty by now). We went out to the area. Had a nice chat with the landowner who was very happy to see me up and around. He's a real good fellow.

After we checked my father in law's stations and I went to pull the batteries on my feeder for now I walked over to the stand I fell from and just looked at it. Standing there looking up at that height and where and how I landed I almost started bawling. I started thinking about my wife and kids and what it would be like if I had left them that day, and never got to see my daughter and son grow up or missed out on the joys of growing old together with my wife. It was very emotional. I feel like a very lucky and BLESSED man. I got a second chance at life. It could have been over for me that day, or it could have been very seriously altered. It really makes you think.......
 
Man, that really does make you think and impart a new perspective. So is it safe to say that the backpack you had on is the difference between being paralyzed or not?
 
It's hard to say whether it protected me or actually did damage. It's more like one of those waist packs that has shoulder straps too so you can carry more. In the pack were a flashlight (Gerber Carnivore), A 32oz bottle of water, an FRS radio, and a simple safety belt (non-harness type) that I have traditionally used in that stand. Hard to say whether landing on that stuff did the breaking or maybe padded my landing from other stuff that was already on the ground. I had just rebuilt my stand last year and had left a small stack of 2x6's and 2x10's (short pieces of each) at the base of it for any further needed repairs. I landed on at least one board from that stack I think.

Overall it's hard to say whether the pack protected me or did damage. Who knows?

I just started getting EOB statements from my insurance company today on what it cost to put me back together again. So far the EOB's are adding up to just north of 111,000.00 for my little slip. Luckily I've got a 3K out of pocket maximum per year that I'm responsible for. I think I'm gonna hit it shortly. Not quite there yet.
 
Glad you are still here with us. The main thing is you kept your composure and was able to use the cell phone that you had taken on your hunt. I usually try to keep my cell phone (in vibrate mode) in my shirt pocket, just in case something happens. We all try to think that it will not happen to us but bad things do happen to good guys. Hang in there and get well soon.
 
Thanks guys. I'm up and around more and more each day. A little more sore today for some reason than the last couple days, but overall the progress is in the right direction.

My father in law and I have been hunting partners for 10 years or better at this point and we always both carry FRS/GMRS radios and cell phones. I couldn't get to my FRS radio that day as it was in my pack and I couldn't reach it due to the pain of the injury. Luckily my cell phone was in a case on my belt at about 10 o'clock so it was easy to reach. I was so out of it, though, that as I was thumbing through my saved numbers I couldn't find his. Thus me calling my mother in law first (and being thought a pervert :)) and then my wife, who eventually reached my Father in Law and EMS.

One of our normal practices as we leave each other in the morning or evening to head to our stands is to give it 30 mins and key up each other to make sure we made it up into our stands OK. By "Key up" I mean click your FRS radio Key twice and then the response is 2 clicks in return. If you have the right radio and keep the volume low this just gives a small static sound twice. It's just another way we keep tabs on each other.

Needless to say, even if I hadn't got hold of my cell phone my father in law would have been concerned soon at me not keying him back and would have come to check on me pretty soon.
 
I am sort of new here but I am glad you are okay. I do have a question please don't think me to be rude but I live in FL. and have been looking at buying a treestand and was wondering which type is the best the Lockon or the Climber?
 
They've each got their plusses and minuses.

Lockon/Chain on:

Pros:
Can be used in trees that aren't totally straight and limbfree
Can be locked in place and left behind without too much worry of theft

Cons:
Harder to set up initially
Comfort is usually less than a climber
Usually no rail around it.
A bit harder to use the lineman's style harness all the way up. At some point, when transitioning into the stand from the steps you'll be off harness for a minute, unless someone else has figured this out better than me, yet, and if so please elaborate.

Climber:

Pros:
Easy to set up and get up the tree
Comfortable for all day hunting (I've sat in one for 8 plus hours before)
Usually has a rail around it for improvised rifle rest, security/safety, etc.
Easier to use a lineman's style harness from the time your feet leave the ground till the time you return.

Cons:
Easier to steal if you decide to cable it to the tree and leave it behind (I usually do this though).
Usually heavier, though there are some nice lightweight models out there.

I have several of each and use them in different areas and situations. Some locations require one or the other, depending on circumstances.
 
I have been using my harness this year. Mainly because I have a climber.

During Bow season, I use someone else's (with permission) ladder stand. I don't feel 100% comfortable up there, it is a small seat and no rails.

What I have done to simplify the harness situation is to cinch a line around the tree. The line is long enough to touch the ground. At the end of it is a clip to bring up my bow. The line itself has a prussic knot on it.

When I get there I clip my bow on, and I clip my harness to the prussic knot. From there it is a simple matter of climbing it, sliding the knot as I go, and bringing my gear up next. The line gets coiled and put on a hook up there. I stay attached the whole time.

You can do the same with a lock-on.
 
Ladder stands have spoiled me. I have not used a climbing stand in about 3 or 4 years now. Real nice and safe to just scurry up the ladder and sit down. Oh yea by the way I still us a safety belt in the ladder stand.
 
I know what you mean by second chances, it's nice to know they are there for some of us. I (long story) also have had a second chance and it makes you look at things a whole lot diffrently, good and bad! $111,grand...ones life is worth every penny of that and more. ENJOY, you'll pay more attention to sunsets, family, and more. Glade you got to stay with us, and thoes around you...cherish everyday because LIFE IS TO SHORT-even with second chances!
 
Just a general update as to how things are progressing.......

Last week I had been feeling pretty good and then over the weekend took a pretty good downturn. Spent most of Sat and almost all of Sun in bed or on the couch asleep and well drugged.

Parts of my back that have been numb since the surgery have started "waking up" and they are not waking up on the right side of the bed. My pain kinda came back with a vengeance. Monday was a little better but still rough. Yesterday was OK. Today I'm feeling pretty good. Hopefully it's all forward progress from here. I have completely abandoned use of the walker at this point. I'm not even using the old fart carts in walmart anymore. :)

I've still got some shallow tissue numbness in my lower back and right leg which feels kinda strange, but doesn't affect any movement or function. I can live with it if it stays that way. If that's all the numbness I'm left with after falling that far I call that pretty damn lucky.

I'm going to start doing some work from home tomorrow. Got some financial reports for the company that I can do here. The company Pres doesn't trust anyone else to do them right other than me or herself and she's up to her ears at the moment. It at least gives me something to do and will let me save some of my dwindling leave time. I probably will head back to work part time the first week in Nov. and then back full time after my appointment on the 16th.
 
Wooooohoooooo!!!!!!

Went to the Neurosurgeon this morning and to get Xrayed.

I got clearance to go back to work full-time, shoot (whatever I feel up to shooting) and hunt. Basically said that my hardware is pretty solid by this point and it would take a pretty major catastrophe to undo it.

Went to the range this afternoon and shot .243 Win benched (turned in a sub-1" 5 shot 100 yd. group using Win ballistic silvertips :)), shot 12 ga slugs benched and standing/free hand, 12 ga 00 buck freehand, .45ACP and .380.

No problems or pain at all. I feel semi-back to normal now.

Well as normal as I started anyways. :)
 
Yep, our gun deer season here in NC extends to the 1st of Jan. Plenty of time left. I'm off for Thanksgiving starting Wed, and will hunt Wed-Sat. Will also be off for about a week and a half from just before Christmas to just after the first. Will hunt most of that too. Plus Saturdays in between.

The doc said no climbing for this year, so I'll be using ground blinds only and not any of my stands. A fall this early in the healing process could be bad. Next year I'll be able to be back in a stand though. I will also be harnessed the entire time I'm off the ground!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top