Mandatory full-body safety harnesses for tree stand hunters?

Falling from a tree while hunting is caused by one or more things: 

• a simple brain lapse when the mind goes off the air for an instant, 
• slipping, 
• taking an unnecessary chance, 
• loss of balance, 

and the list is endless. The problem is that every one of these reasons has caused a fall that can cause a disabling injury or death.

Is tree stand hunting inherently dangerous? 

Of course, and especially so if the sportsman has had a beer or two, has done some recreational drugs or is just plain stupid. There are no laws that legislate against stupidity in the
woods but we see evidence of this problem every year.
This begs the question: Should sportsmen be required to wear a full-body safety harness when hunting from an elevated position? There are pro's and con's on both sidea of this issue, and I'd appreciate if you would weigh in on the topic.
Should there be mandatory legislation? Yes or no? It's an easy question. Right?  Let me know what you think. Vote by clicking the link below.

Should sportsmen be required to wear a full-body safety harness when hunting from an elevated position?(polls)

How would we enforce state-wide law for safety-harness use?

Like the motorcycle helmet law, which many people ignore, this is a matter of personal safety and common sense. Some people feel invincible, and believe that getting hit by a car and smashing head-first into the curb only happens to other people. Some folks pay for their errors of judgment in a swift and deadly fall from a tree stand.
Most people, intelligent or not, will make personal decisions on their thoughts about personal issues. A full-body harness is a bit restrictive, but someone may try to legislate common sense and make their use mandatory, but the reality is how or can any such law be enforced?
I¹ve walked the woods many times with conservation officers, and have seen very few hunters in trees. Some may have seen us coming and left without being seen. Others we have seen have not been wearing any form of body restraint. They are literally taking their life into their own hands, but no
one can force people to change their mind on this or similar issues.

So when do most of the tree stand accidents occur?

Most falls from tree stands occur while climbing up to and into an elevated stand, while in the stand and while climbing down. Slips can occur during very cold weather or when ice or snow covers the steps. Numb hands and feet often lead to a fall.
Some falls occur as a hunter leans forward to shoot at a bear or dear. Lack of sleep, vertigo, or many other cause can send a hunter over the edge. A few people walk away from a fall, many break their back or neck, and become a paraplegic or worse. A few people escape with just a broken arm or leg and some bruises. There is no explainable reason why some people walk away while others die in a fall.

Some safety tips

• Use a full-body harness when hunting from a tree. Be sure the harness is  securely fastened to the tree at all times. Visit www.mountaineer-sports.com for an example of a full-body harness. Many  other restraint systems are available for tree stand hunters.
• Remember the three points of contact rule. This means a hunter should always maintain three points of contact (one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot) when climbing or descending from a tree stand. Using just one hand and foot can lead to a deadly fall.
• Once in the tree, don't fidget around. Sit still and don't move. Fewer tree stand accidents would occur if more hunters learned to shoot while sitting down. Any standing hunter is more affected by swirling air currents, and if the tree shifts at the wrong time, a tumble could occur. Few sitting hunters fall from trees.
• Take the bow quiver off a bow while hunting. I talked with a hunter a few years ago that raised his bow to shoot at a buck, and the nock-end of his arrows got tangled in a small tree limb. He jerked the bow upwards, and as the bow came free, the lack of pressure upset his balance and he fell 20 feet to the ground. He was badly injured but did not die.
• Always use a haul rope. This rope can be attached to the stand or a nearby limb, and the bow can be tied to the opposite end. Tie the rope off at waist level while sitting. Haul the bow and/or backpack up, and never reach down for and item. Lift it directly to you.
• Make certain a tree stand is securely attached to a tree. Test all steps before use.
• If snow or ice covered, try to remove it from steps before climbing up. Use extreme caution when descending a tree in bad-weather conditions.

Folks, I preach hunter safety and tree stand safety. I always wear a safety harness since a minor fall about 15 years ago. I wasn't hurt but that mishap changed my mind forever.
Do I believe it's necessary to legislate the use of a full-body harness? No, I don't  believe that is necessary nor would making it mandatory prevent accidental falls.
Some people march to different drummers than most of us. The sadness of natural selection removing some of these people from the gene pool after they ignore common sense rules is very sad. Being a tree stand death statistic is the primary alternative to using a harness wisely.
It's a sad thing when a fall occurs. It's much sadder when someone dies, and worst of all are those sportsmen who must live out the rest of their lives confined to a wheel chair or a hospital bed. That must be like hell on earth for any hunter, who eventually learns the error of his ways ... the hard way.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors