A Fall From Grace Part One

[Mike P]

Prelude


On the evening of November 22, 1997 while hunting alone I fell twenty-eight feet from my climbing tree stand and was severely injured. What took place from that moment was a struggle to remain alive. That struggle continued for months after the fall. As most of you know, I write. After I returned home from the hospital I started a journal, a diary if you will regarding what happened and what was happening to me on a daily basis. I am going to share this journal with you in hopes that some of you will not follow in my footsteps. It is my hope that after reading this journal you will take the proper precautions and always utilize the readily available safety equipment every time you hunt from elevated positions regardless of the stand type.

I will present this journal to you in several parts. Much of it contains very personal aspects of my relationship with my wife Annika and our children. She has given her permission for this to be shared with all of you.


The Journal



Today is November 27, 1997, Thanksgiving day. I have a lot to be thankful for although it is hard to realize this as I am really hurting. I have a broken leg, I’m sitting in a wheel chair, and I am helpless. I hope that by writing this journal it will keep my mind off the pain and make me concentrate as all other activities only seem to bring my attention back to the unrelenting, unceasing, and continual constant pain of the leg.

I will endeavor to write the events of everyday in this journal more as a therapeutic tool than an exercise in journalism. My entire life I have had a penchant for recording my words and thoughts, and I see no reason to view this situation I am in as an experience that I should not commit to paper.

Before recording the events of this day, I will try my best to describe the events that led up to this day. The starting point is Saturday evening, November 22 at approximately 5:45 PM. I was hunting at Chuck and Ellen’s farm and had only seen does and fawns as the buck I was after had not followed the pattern that he had followed the day before. I really thought I had a chance of an encounter with this big boy and set up on him above the trail he has used several times in the past. I suppose the rut is to blame for the lack of his appearance. He may well be running a doe.

This night, I did not stay in the tree as long as I normally would as Annika was preparing a standing prime rib and made sure I was aware that she did not want me in late and ruin this dinner. I decided that a close to closing shot was not in the cards as I knew that following a blood trail was not an excuse she would want to hear as the reason I was late for dinner after all the effort she had put forth. I lowered my crossbow to the ground with my strap, took off my safety belt and stuffed it in the sling seat, turned to face the tree and sat down on the main stand foot platform. I had done this many times and am quite accomplished at this movement. I grabbed the connecting straps to the foot climber to pull it into position and had just placed my toes between the bars when it happened. The main portion of the stand I was sitting on came straight down! As near as I can tell, my knees were compressed up into my chest and I was ejected backwards out of the stand and away from the tree. As I was up some 25 to 28 feet, I was aware that I was falling although my life did not pass in front of me as we have all heard that this phenomenon sometimes takes place. My only thought was “My God, I’m falling”.

[sumner4991]

I'm honestly shaking, my heart rate is increased, and my palms are wet. Keep it coming Mike P. , it will replace my daily workout.

[dick195252]

You have my undivided attention Sir.

[vixenmaster]

ahhh reminds me of the old Baker stand i had. i didn't have a hand climber just the bottom. yup i did a real fast downward shimmy jarred my eye teeth out my head hurt my hips n such. lesson learned quick fast & in a hurry i tell you.

[huntone]

I'm sorry it happened, but it's a good time to tell your story.

Now, the rest of the story please.

[DeepSouthHunter]

Thank you for sharing this with us Mike P.

[SPITFIRE]

Mike P you have a gift with the pen! Can't wait to read more. I thank you for sharing and also your wife for allowing you to print your journal. I am sure it will change a few of us. I know it will change the way I use my treestands. Thank You .






Dan

[crazyfarmer]

waiting for part 2 Mike

[dlzinck]

I'm glad you decided to share. I'm sure that a lot of it will be hard to "relive" again, but as I am about to get my first climbing stand, you very well may have saved one life already! I will never skip the saftey harness or saftey line.

Thanks for sharing.

[one shot scott]

Thank you for posting that MikeP, hopefully some of us will learn from other members experiences.

[Grizzly Adam]

I'm glad you weren't killed or permanently crippled, Mike.

I'm also glad you're willing to sound warning. Thanks, from all of us.

[mikej]

thanks for sharing mike , i'm sure it must be hard for you to share this while the events of that hunt are replayed in your mind. i really makes a person think and goes to show you how fast something like that can happen . i think there is a safety harness in my future , got any suggestions

[archiarcher]

I've heard so many stories such as Mikes. That is why i'm content with hunting out of 10' and 12' ladder stands. I've gotten quite a few deer out of these stands, a few nice ones too. I don't see why anyone feels they need to get 30' off the ground to get a deer! Take care Mike. I wish you the best!!!

[Normous]

I remember kindly asking you to share this Mike. I'm catching up on my reading after being away for a week in a tent. My heart is still pounding after reading of your fall. Thank-you very much for taking the time to share this with us.