With deer hunting starting in MO this coming Saturday, and my birthday coming up Dec. 8th, my two daughters bought me a new deer hunting safety harness. Opened the box yesterday evening and have been looking over the system.
The system includes:
a camo hunting vest with several pockets (never enough storage space available)
a buckling sytem of heavy duty canvas which also goes around the upper thigh of each leg
a heavy duty canvas strap to attach to the tree
The vest has a heavy duty strap that attaches to the tree strap
And lastly, there is an additional canvas strap that attaches to the lower back part of the vest which is used to lug a deer back to where you want it.
These safety systems come in two sizes...I have the Extra Large designed for a person weighing between 180 and 240. Each person should use the system rated for their individual characteristics.
Looks like I'm supposed to climb my tree stand, reach around the tree to attach the tree strap, then attach the strap on my vest to the tree strap.
If this is done properly, if/when a person falls from the tree stand he will be suspended by the heavy duty canvas strap. There is another strap which you keep in your vest that is used to allow the suspending person to step into it to relieve pressure from the hanging strap on your back.
It highly recommends carrying a whistle, 2 way radio, or some device to contact another person when needed.
+1 I use that exact same vest. It's fast to put on and it's pretty comfortable. I always used a safety harness before I got that one, but I really hated them.
I have not fallen out of a tree stand, but If I did I would definitely trust it. Every year somebody gets killed in the area I hunt in from falling out of a stand, and it just isn't worth it.
There was a man here that died from hanging upside down to long. He was wearing a vest that was the strap type.
Not like one pictured. the one OX got will keep him upright if he falls.
Thanks for the comments guys. After viewing the video provided by the system, which shows the complete useage of the safety harness, I've decided to head to the hardware and buy a 2" screw gate carabena (Carabena, S/S, Large, 4 3/4" OAL, Without Eye) for a quicker attachment to the tree canvas strap.
Here's a link to the Hunter Safety System which I've shown above.
I have one of those vests too. they are a million times better than the strap type harness which are a pain in the butt to put on in the dark while in a hurry.
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peace through superior firepower
If I were to hunt from a tree stand I know I would want some type of Harness. When I lived in Indiana I tried stand hunting and when it would rain or the early morning dew would make the stands slick. Luckily I never fell but I knew a guy from my uncles body shop who spent a month in the hospital when he fell from his stand and hit his head. They had to drill into his skull to drain and relieve the pressure caused by the swelling. Luckily he wasn't permanently injured from the fall.
With just a little more hardware, some straps and rope a guy could put together a system which would allow him to lower himself to the ground if he fell. I think there is a gizmo that will automatically lower you slowly if you fall. I don't relish the thought of hanging from a tree....upside down or right side up. And my buddies wouldn't get me down if I did radio or blow a whistle...they would just stand at the bottom of the tree and hastle me.
With just a little more hardware, some straps and rope a guy could put together a system which would allow him to lower himself to the ground if he fell. I think there is a gizmo that will automatically lower you slowly if you fall. I don't relish the thought of hanging from a tree....upside down or right side up. And my buddies wouldn't get me down if I did radio or blow a whistle...they would just stand at the bottom of the tree and hastle me.
Your right there is a gizzmo that mountain climbers use to go up or down the moutain.
I'm sure they could be incorporated in a harness safty system. Did yall click the link Ox provided ? Some of them are expensive !!!
I've got a harness made of straps that came with a lean to deer stand. I guess I need to look at it and figure out how to use it.
Looks good, Ox! I hope you get a lot of use out of it. FWIW, the longest fall I've ever taken out of my stand was about 18" when I rolled out of the bunk and hit the floor!
Toolman, your 18" fall reminds me...maybe I should try wearing that safety system when I hit the sack at night. If I get kicked out maybe it would keep me from hitting the floor.
It's a Carabiner in civilian life, a snaplink in Army lingo. A self-arrest system must be about the hips, and not the chest. You must suspend upright and not upside down. And must include a way to lower yourself safely to the ground !! It's all based on a climbing harness that is designed to self arrest and allow you to survive if unconscious.
__________________ I keep tellin ya Doc, I'm in pretty good shape considerin the shape I'm in !!
Does this harness have straps that go around the leg?
If so you have two minutes to be got out of it before you are in big trouble.
Yes, each leg has a canvas strap wrapped around it for support. But, that strap is connected to a harness system which keeps a person upright.
The harness system strap has three folds held by stitches, which in effect "unzip". That is, they allow the person to fall down one stitched seam at a time to the full length of the strap, thus reducing the full impact of a person's weight at one time.
Also, the system includes a second canvas strap which the user keeps in one of his upper body pockets that can be reached easily while suspended after falling. The person then takes this 2nd canvas strap, buckles it around the tree at about the height of the person's head. Then, the victim steps into a loop of canvas which is hanging down from the buckle. This allows the person to step up a bit to relieve pressure from his body weight. Obviously, the victim still needs a whistle or emergency signaling device to seek help from someone else.
A lot of people have no idea how much trouble you can be in if left hanging in a harness.
For work there has to be a system plan in place yadda yadda, it's now at the stage where harnesses are only an absolute last resort.
Thinking about it I'm surprised that tree stands don't have a built in rail, it wouldn't even be hard to do.
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Happy Hunting
Another kiwi bumming around Aussie (west island) welding **** up....
Tree Stand Safety Harness 
