With hunting seasons opening or about to open, September’s annual National Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month is the ideal time to brush up on what you need to know about hunting from a tree. The International Hunter Education Association estimates an average of 20 hunters die each year from tree stand falls and dozens other suffer debilitating falls—often permanently crippling spinal injuries—as well.
Many of the accidents are preventable. According to the Tree Stand Safety Awareness (TSSA) organization, in 99 percent of the accidents fall victims were not attached to anything. Of those who fell, 86 percent were not wearing a harness. Thirty-five percent of falls were attributed to broken or malfunctioning equipment.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offered these safety tips this month.
- Always maintain three points of contact (one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot) when climbing up to or down from the stand.
- Wear a full-body harness that is properly attached above your head.
- Ensure your tree stand is securely attached and stable before using it.
- Use a haul line to get your hunting gear to and from the stand.
The department has also posted a short tree stand safety video.
TSSA also emphasizes the importance of inspecting equipment before climbing, as well as doing the same after the hunt. Connect to the tree before you leave the ground and provide a detailed location of your stand, along with time you will return, to a loved one or a trusted friend. Without that information you could be left hanging for hours, days or the rest of your prematurely shortened life.
Safety is priority number one during every hunt. Even experienced hunters can benefit from reviewing tree stand safety procedures and adhering to them as if their life depended on them—because one day it could.
