Why no Harness Guys!!!

GonHuntin · Post by **GonHuntin** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 10:17 am

I wear a belt but not a harness.......I have 3 harnesses that came with ladder stands and they are so stiff and a royal pain to put on. I would also think that a harness that is tight enough to keep from jerking me in two if I fell would freeze me to death! I still occasionally hunt from hang on stands, but most of my hunting is from ladder stands......I'd almost have to try and fall out of one of them!!

stump · Post by **stump** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 10:59 am

I wear a chest harness in a tree stand and a belt while hunting from a platform. I also use a top to bottom rope with a prusic knot for platform and fixed portable stands. I use a snap clip with a high working load to attach the harness to a rope, which is tied around the tree. That way it's quiet, and easy to attach and detach. No fumbling around on a stand trying to wrap my harness around the tree and tie it off. That might be a good compromise for people who occasionally have to get down quickly. It's safe, easy to set up, and fast at both ends.

I'd go with a full body harness, but it takes me forever to figure out how to put it on and I'm still able to free myself from a chest harness fairly easily if need be.

A.W · Post by **A.W** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 11:12 am

Stump. I don't know if you read this post so I'll leave the link to it.

http://www.excaliburcrossbow.com/phpBB2 ... unter+dead

Tennessee Tom · Post by **Tennessee Tom** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 11:55 am

I use the summit harness that came with summit climbing stand it has a pursic knot on a rope with a chest type and straps that buckle around your thighs I feel safe The stand is very comfortable but a little heavy 27lbs

forestdweller · Post by **forestdweller** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:04 pm

Bstout and GaryL, you guys going to let me in on this friggen Carl thing?

Who or what the sh*t is Carl? Damn insulting to keep this joke from me. WTF did I do?

Woodsman · Post by **Woodsman** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:21 pm

I always wear a harness unless I'm in a permant enclosed/fenced stand.

Kenton · Post by **Kenton** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:37 pm

I always wear a full body harness. I did forget the tree strap once so i didn't get in the stand. I know if i ever shoot a really big buck I will shake myself out of the tree. I want to be living to see my trophy.

stump · Post by **stump** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:50 pm

A.W., thank you for the link, useful reading for everyone. I read it when it was originally posted and it certainly made me stop and think. In fact, I spent some time after that researching the relative pros and cons of each type of harness. The key issue seems to be the amount of recovery time each provides in the event of a fall. This was highlited in the preliminary autopsy report on Mr. Simonton's death.
Link to that report is http://www.thebraziltimes.com/webStory. ... 1021105332
I secure my safety harness on a relatively short lead, and on the opposite side of the tree to any climbing steps or other sharp objects. I still have room to move, but the length of fall is limited and the risk of impailing myself is minimized. I feel I'm in pretty good shape and fairly agile. When I'm no longer confident of my ability for a quick escape, and I know that time will come far too quickly, I'll be anxious to learn how to set up the full body harness.
Per an earlier post I made, I have fallen already this year, while wearing an improvised waist harness, and had no difficulty recovering. I realize all this logic goes out the window if I suffer a medical emergency, but at this point in time, that's not something I feel I need to worry about. In my case, I'm far more likey to suffer an injury because of a lapse in concentration than from a physical problem.

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 2:06 pm

forestdweller wrote:Be "man" enough to stay out of trees bstout. Looks like it's just not for you.

forestdweller first let me say no disrespect was intended but the truth of the fact is no statements such as yours above needs to be stated. bstout was telling it as it is for him and knows how too handle the problem for himself, and that the same problem may effect others. As such the above statement did not need to be stated.

However with that being stated I do myself have whats called brain farts and just maybe I am reading it wrong as Be "Man" enough to stay out of the trees don't sound proper to me....

If you don't understand the carl thingy just let it pass, as it really won't mean nothing to you, on the other hand seems like it may be bothering you just a little.

As I stated no disrespect meant so less just drop it and go on with HUNTING and other related subjects....

forestdweller · Post by **forestdweller** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 4:32 pm

Ok. It just seemed odd that bstout is up a tree for so many years and has had more issues than most. Kind of like a car driver that can't face the fact that it's time to stop driving. Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers.

forestdweller · Post by **forestdweller** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 6:29 pm

bstout, thanks.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Wed Nov 09, 2005 8:02 pm

I guess there are issues with being suspended in a harness for a long length of time, and I believe I heard a story last year about a death resulting from a fall in a full body harness that left the hunter unable to get back into the stand. Something to do with the blood pooling in the lower body if you are suspended upright and inactive. Thats one reason I went with the rope from the ground to the stand. I use a climbing stick and I can easily get onto the stick (ladder) if I were to fall and be uninjured. The way I see it you're at risk anytime you get in a stand, so why not cut the risks as much as possible. My hunting buddy got ready to climb down from his stand a few years ago. Unhooked the safety harness, stepped on the first tree step, and woke up on the ground with a badly broken foot and ankle. The step had snapped under his weight, and he didn't have time to react. With the rope & prussic knot system I'm attached from the ground to the stand and back. Just feel a lot safer that way!
About the only exception is when I hunt from my ladder stand which is only 10' high now. Where I put it the cover is best down low, and I have it only high enough to get a good view and disperse my scent a little. It is located with only bare ground in front of the ladder, so a fall would be short and not onto hard objects. Once in place I still wear a harness, but the climb up and down is just a matter of being careful or paying the price. So careful is the way I climb

Kenton · Post by **Kenton** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:26 am

it only takes a 6 foot fall to be potentially fatal. just some food for thought

DesertRat · Post by **DesertRat** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 9:30 am

How many times? Go back and read my post again. This is over a 39 year period. I'm no novice.

There was never any mention of you being a novice. You are the one that said you have had to make a quick exit several times over the years. I just call em like I see em.

You mention no harness is good in the event that someone has a panic attack. To me, that is when said person needs it the most. What do you think is best, a person having a panic attack trying to navigate out of a stand and down a tree, or sitting down, with a safety harness until the attack has passed? If a panic attack is the issue, I would dare say that this person (not you bstout, you're no novice) shouldn't be hunting from great heights. I know plenty of people that can't stand being off the ground and they do quite well with a crossbow.