Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Treestand adventures - or how not to use a climber

i could never feel comfortable in tree stands. climbers or ladders. i have a summit viper and a summit harness and have tested what its like to hang from it and try to climb down from about 10 feet and made the decision that i would not want to do it from 20 or 25 so i am back on the ground. if you've never tested your harness you have a false sense of security.

It was the Good Lord telling you that you didn't need to run those two Amish trespassers down. The female was probably a witch or something. She'd have cast a spell on you for sure.

Come to think of it, she probably twitched her nose and made the bottom of your tree stand fall to the ground so you couldn't chase them.


Dang Amish witches...

All my climbers have a strap that attaches the top and bottom together. This strap is loose, which allows for easy climbing. I've never had a use for the ones that pulled tight after setting up.

Also, always attach your harness to the tree before you start climbing. Attach at the ground and detach it when you get back on the ground.

I hope you have better luck next time.

Had the Same thing happen (Summit Viper) but I lucked out. It was a friends stand. We had 4 Summit's around the woods we were leaving them at the base of the tree still attached to the tree. He dropped me off before daylight and was to pick me up after the dark. In the predawn darkness I got into the stand, I no longer do it this way but at the time I would keep my day pack on then sling my rifle across my back then climb the tree. I have always used a safety belt but never until I reached the preferred height. On this day I was about 16 feet up when the bottom slipped off my boots and fell about 8 feet down the tree. so there I was sitting on the rail 16 feet up with no help for 11-12 hours. My friend had tied the 2 parts together but the rope he used was about 10 feet long so now the stand was jammed on the tree sideways below me. I sat a few minutes trying to pull the stand free but no luck. This was years ago I was lifting weights and was pretty strong I was so pissed in a fit of rage I jerked as hard as I could and the stand flew up the tree hit my feet and I Immediately put weight on it and locked it to the tree. I got really lucky. What really ticked me off was that night I told my buddy what happened and he said oh yeah that happened to me the first day but I was only about 6 feet up and I just slide down thru the stand. He's a great guy and one of my best friends but I wasn't very happy with him that day.

As soon as I got home I ordered straps from Lonewolf tree stands , they work similar the the ones shown in earlier posts . I like them because the clip together , I crisscross them to hold my stand together during transport. At the tree I clip the 2 sections of stand together leaving them loose enough I can just stand up. I set mine up so the straps are about half way out both sections of the stand if the bottom does lose contact with the tree for some reason you just place your foot on the front and the back will slide right back into position. once I get to my preferred height I position the top then set most my weight on it and cinch the straps. like MOGC said once that's done its a rock. good hunting KH

My dad was famous for using a 2x4 nailed in a forked tree for a seat or for steps talk about a rush when your 30 ft in the air and the 2x4 your standing on gives way

I grew up in a fourth generation tree care business. I still use my climbing gear to tie into my fixed tree stand. I keep my main climbing line tied in about six feet above me. Its out of the way for me to move around. Then I have a lap belt that keeps me comfy and snug in my seat. For every ones info, we used to have a bulletin on the office wall from our insurance company. A fall of six inches, tripping off a curb, a broken or sprained ankle or wrist and scratches. A fall from six feet, falling off a step ladder, broken shoulder, back, neck. Long rehab. A fall of thirty feet, as far as the insurance company is concerned, one hundred percent fatal. Obviously people fall farther and lived. But the insurance numbers of surviving a thirty foot fall with gear on are so remote the insurance company doesn't even count them. Be carefully, Joe.