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Vital Tree Stand Safety
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The Pilot-Independent
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 13th, 2006 04:51:35 PM
Minnesota's archery deer hunting season begins Saturday, followed
by the deer firearms and muzzleloader seasons Nov. 4 and 25, respectively.
Every year hundreds of hunters are seriously injured and scores
killed nationally due to falls from tree stands. The majority of
accidents occur because hunters do not take appropriate safety precautions
when ascending or descending from an elevated hunting platform,
according to safety experts with the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources (DNR).
Deer have keen senses that make it very difficult for hunters to
get within shooting range, particularly in dense woods. A deer stand
placed in a tree above the ground provides a hunter with a wider
view and a less obstructed shot.
Tree stands range from nothing more than a homemade wooden platform
fit snugly into the branches of a tree to commercial models featuring
all the comforts of a lounge chair. The hunter stands or sits and
waits for an animal to come into close range.
In Minnesota, no person may take deer from a constructed platform
or other structure that is higher than 16 feet. This restriction
does not apply to a portable stand that is chained, belted, clamped
or tied with rope. However, a bad fall resulting in injuries can
take place whether the stand is 10 feet up or 20 feet up a tree.
Stand manufacturers and DNR hunter education courses stress the
importance of wearing a full body harness. Most hunters follow that
advice. But few hunters take precautions while getting into or out
of a stand, when most accidents occur.
Since 2000, at least 129 people have been seriously injured in
Minnesota using deer stands and another six died, according to the
Minnesota Department of Health. Numbers may be higher, because hospital
emergency rooms use an international coding system, and there is
no code for tree stand injuries. Common injuries include broken
bones, spinal cord injuries and brain damage.
Safety first
The experience of the DNR's recreational vehicle coordinator, Lt.
Leland Owens, provides a classic example of a tree stand accident.
He fell out of an 11-foot deer stand when he was a young hunter.
"I fell asleep with a single shot 20-gauge across my lap and
woke up when I hit the ground," Owens said. "I wasn't
seriously injured, but I'm very thankful I lived to tell about it."
Owens uses this example when he speaks to firearms safety classes.
Les Frieborg, 60, of Detroit Lakes, is a long-time hunter who became
a huge proponent of tree stand safety following an incident in 2002.
He was moving a portable stand when the top safety strap tightened
against the tree.
"After a lot of effort I was able to finally get the strap
to release, but the stand shifted immediately," Frieborg said.
"I fell about 15 feet to the ground crushing both heels and
breaking my wrist."
Frieborg was able to crawl to his truck for assistance, but his
injuries required a long recovery period. He no longer treats safety
as an afterthought.
"Safety first," said Frieborg. "After an incident
like this you're just so much more aware that an accident can happen
in a second, even to an experienced deer stand hunter."
Experts agree
There is no disagreement among hunting safety experts regarding
the basic precautions hunters need to take when using a tree stand.
First and foremost is the need to always stay connected to the tree.
Experts say that while a safety belt is better than nothing, in
the event of a fall a belt can actually exert so much pressure that
it suffocates the wearer, causing a loss of consciousness. A safety
harness that distributes the shock of a fall evenly is a much better
choice.
Many hunters, even those who wear a harness, are only connected
while in their stand. One method of staying connected while getting
into or out of a tree is to borrow a knot used by mountain climbers
and tree workers. The prussic knot slides up a static rope but cinches
tight when pressure is applied. By attaching the end of a harness
to a prussic knot a hunter can move up a tree with some degree of
safety.
Many hunters use screw-in metal peg steps to climb up to their
stands.
But the same steps that prove so useful can become dangerous obstacles
in the event of a fall, lacerating or puncturing a hunter. Sectional
climbing sticks provide a safer alternative to pegs.
Hunting experts recommend maintaining a minimum of slack in the
safety tether. Too much slack may add hundreds of pounds of force
in the event of fall.
DNR safety experts say
• check tree stand belts and chains at the beginning of each
season; stands left up for an extended period of time are subject
to damaging wear
• Select strong healthy trees to erect stands
• Avoid using homemade platform stands
• If using tree pegs, scrape away any thick bark and screw
the peg into live wood; never reuse old peg holes
• Always use a haul line to pull up equipment
• Never rely on branches to climb up a tree
• Let family members know where your stand is located and
approximately when you will be home
• Carry a cell phone for emergencies.
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