A No-Brainer:
Using Good Treestand Safety
Mechanical or fixed blade? Compound or traditional? Conical or rifled slugs? Pyrodex or black powder? QDM or hunter’s choice? Deer hunters have to make a lot of decisions as they prepare for the upcoming season – and once the season is open, the decisions don’t stop. Which stand in this wind? Do I rattle or use my grunt tube, and on and on and on. The rich and varied options available to the modern deer hunter make for lots of interesting discussions, generate more than a few trips to the sporting goods store (virtual or not), and can end up making the average hunter more effective, more comfortable, and most importantly, more safe.
But, the one decision that should be a no-brainer is: “Do I use good treestand safety gear and techniques – and are they the best I can afford?” The statistics are alarming – 6 of the last 8 hunting fatalities in Maryland involved falls from treestands. Plus, there were many accidents that weren’t fatal, but resulted in injuries that varied from life-changing to limping around for a few days.
Of course, we all know that statistics are all about the other guy - not you (or me). Maybe, maybe not. The reality is that with treestand accidents, the statistics are all about the prepared and the unprepared. There are no guarantees; crazy stuff happens, but day in and day out the hunter that properly uses basic treestand safety equipment every time will bring their accident rate to nearly zero.
What exactly is the proper use of basic treestand safety equipment? I could go on for pages covering what to look out for and what to do, but since there is a wealth of this information, I've made it just a click away in some links I've included on the next page. Everyone should watch the video on the DNR Webpage; it shows a simple way to save you from most falls. The Treestand Manufacturer’s Association Website is very helpful, so go ahead and take the short quiz they offer and watch the video produced for 2011. I bet you'll learn something.