Tree Stand Safety Line Survey and opinions

Mag Dump · Aug 7, 2017

Howdy folks, was thinking about this just this last weekend. I use "ground to sky" safety lines (you know, slide a prussic up and down the line as you go) on my "lock-on" stands but not on my ladder stands.

Textbook safety of course says to use such rigs on ALL STANDS but come on. I have never seen a ground to sky safety line on a ladder stand but maybe I am just being stupid/dangerous and need to change.

Note: I always have an anchor above the seat to clip your harness into once you get to the top of the ladder stand for all my ladders - here, I am talking about being textbook safe when going up and down the ladder. Who actually does that?

So, honestly please, let us know, safety line on ladder stand or not? NOTE: This is not a poll asking whether you SHOULD use one, it is whether you actually DO use one.

Inigoes · Aug 7, 2017

I voted YES

I learned the hard way 30 years ago, ladder rungs do break. Thankfully, I was not even 2 feet off the ground. I only got a busted scope from being banged against the ladder, and a scrape on my lag. Oh yeah, the ladder stand itself too.

An easier explanation to fathom: would be slipping off the ladder while climbing up/down during inclement weather.

lx1x · Aug 7, 2017

Think about this way... Which is cheaper.. 30' safety line or hospital bills?

outrider58 · Aug 7, 2017

Mag Dump said:
Howdy folks, was thinking about this just this last weekend. I use "ground to sky" safety lines (you know, slide a prussic up and down the line as you go) on my "lock-on" stands but not on my ladder stands.

Textbook safety of course says to use such rigs on ALL STANDS but come on. I have never seen a ground to sky safety line on a ladder stand but maybe I am just being stupid/dangerous and need to change.

Note: I always have an anchor above the seat to clip your harness into once you get to the top of the ladder stand for all my ladders - here, I am talking about being textbook safe when going up and down the ladder. Who actually does that?

So, honestly please, let us know, safety line on ladder stand or not? NOTE: This is not a poll asking whether you SHOULD use one, it is whether you actually DO use one.

I put them on my ladder stands for other people to use. Half the time I use a ladder stand I don't even snap in.

On my climber, which I hunt from 90% of the time, I am snapped in from ground up and back down again. If had too many falls and malfunctions using those.

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tallen702 · Aug 7, 2017

My ladders are only 16' or so. Half the time I hook in, the other half I just hoof it up the ladder. I'm usually hooked in when going up in the morning or coming down at the end of the day. For anything in between (where it's a quick up and down) I'll unhook, do what I need to do (move to another stand, go in for lunch, etc) and go back up and hook back in when I'm done. I'm more wary when I've just woken up, or have been sitting all day and get tired. Taller ladder stands I'm 100% always hooked in.

Now, with a climber or hang-on? 100% of the time.

outrider58 · Aug 7, 2017

tallen702 said:
My ladders are only 16' or so. Half the time I hook in, the other half I just hoof it up the ladder. I'm usually hooked in when going up in the morning or coming down at the end of the day. For anything in between (where it's a quick up and down) I'll unhook, do what I need to do (move to another stand, go in for lunch, etc) and go back up and hook back in when I'm done. I'm more wary when I've just woken up, or have been sitting all day and get tired. Taller ladder stands I'm 100% always hooked in.

Now, with a climber or hang-on? 100% of the time.

I woke up in my climber once... standing up! Stood up to stretch (all day set) and fell asleep.

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Derwood · Aug 7, 2017

I'm in a climber 90+% of the time and always use the lineman's style safety harness that I slide up the tree as I go. Never had to use it fortunately. I'd never even contemplated the device you're asking about for when I'm in one of my ladder stands. It sounds like a smart thing to use. Post a link to a good product if you know of one.

Mag Dump · Aug 7, 2017

Derwood: here is a link to what I use for my lock-on type stands. Cheaper when you purchase in sets of three.

https://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Safety-System-Reflective-LIFELINE/dp/B00QQNVGIA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502128828&sr=8-2&keywords=hss+safety+line

Inigoes · Aug 7, 2017

Mag Dump said:
Derwood: here is a link to what I use for my lock-on type stands. Cheaper when you purchase in sets of three.

https://www.amazon.com/Hunter-Safety-System-Reflective-LIFELINE/dp/B00QQNVGIA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1502128828&sr=8-2&keywords=hss+safety+line

Pay attention to your body weight and gear, the lifelines commonly come in 2 ratings for 300 lbs and 400 lbs. If you have a big build or weigh close to the 300 lbs, go up to the next rating.

Doco Overboard · Aug 7, 2017

No, I want to fall off or completely away from it. 3 points of contact has always worked well for me ascending or descending a ladder while hunting. To this point.

outrider58 · Aug 7, 2017

If you are going to talk about falling force and rope/harness/body ability to endure a long fall, you need to understand kilonewton and particularly how many kNs the human body can withstand and the necessity of using 'dynamic' ropes instead of 'static' ropes. It could mean the difference of life and death or serious bodily harm.

Start here:

http://wallrat.com/PDF_Files/forcesinleadfalls.pdf

https://www.convertunits.com/from/kilonewtons/to/pounds

AlBeight · Aug 7, 2017

lx1x said:
Think about this way... Which is cheaper.. 30' safety line or hospital bills?

Depends on what the line is made of I suppose...
(Sorry, someone was gonna do it, so I took it ) :cool:

Seriously though, most of my in-tree time is spent in a climber on public land in a different tree (sometimes get the same spot). Simply can't mount a static safety line without going up first "unsafe" to do it. I voted no to the actual poll question, not just because of this but I do occasionally use a ladder stand on a small lease and don't use a safety line to climb (but never hunt in the stand without a safety harness). Been contemplating using the lifeline, it's definitely not a bad idea.

Probably stupidly I'm sure, but I'm not realistically concerned using a 15 ft ladder anchored solidly to a tree when I most usually sit and climb in a relatively unstable (until reaching desired height & locking it down) climbing stand to at least 30 or 35 ft. Dumb bravado no doubt, at least for now but I am leaning toward changing this. As the cliche saying sort of goes, even if I don't give a crap what happens to me, there is most likely someone out there that does (shut-up peanut gallery)....

engineerbrian · Aug 7, 2017

Nope, i dont use one. Once i'm settled into the stand though i secure myself. I'm mostly concerned about falling asleep.

Biggfoot44 · Aug 8, 2017

Hummm. Maybe this is new terminology for somthing I'm familiar with under other names . So I google it and this thread is top result . Look some more and there are lightening ground wires, scuba safety lines, and zip lines , but nothing related to ladder tree stands .

From the implied context, this would be a line that is secured to the ground and to the tree above the height of any stand ?

Kind of chicken & egg , but how do you have a line tied to the top of a tree without climbing up to attach it ?

But then my motto about tree stands is " Don't climb any higher than you are willing to Fall " .

Inigoes · Aug 8, 2017

Biggfoot44 said:
Kind of chicken & egg , but how do you have a line tied to the top of a tree without climbing up to attach it ?
.

When you setting up a ladder stand, you have to affix the stand to the tree, after securing the stand off bar or crossover straps.

you climb up the ladder (somebody should be on the ground watching you) , tie in before finishing securing the stand to the tree with a ratchet strap. Lastly hook up your life line for routine unaccompanied use.

MikeTF · Aug 8, 2017

Biggfoot44 said:
Hummm. Maybe this is new terminology for somthing I'm familiar with under other names . So I google it and this thread is top result . Look some more and there are lightening ground wires, scuba safety lines, and zip lines , but nothing related to ladder tree stands .

From the implied context, this would be a line that is secured to the ground and to the tree above the height of any stand ?

Kind of chicken & egg , but how do you have a line tied to the top of a tree without climbing up to attach it ?

But then my motto about tree stands is " Don't climb any higher than you are willing to Fall " .

It's a lot of extra gear to carry, and I don't know of anyone that does this for hunting, but here's how arborists get climbing ropes tied to the top of trees, and take them down after using them:

Here's a commercially made slingshot.

Another way to get a cable (or rope) up and around something is to use one of these:

So maybe for hunters it would be more practical to use a dart thrower (cablecaster) and the techniques of an arborist, since the height one would be going up in the tree would be 15 to 30 feet?

It just seems like a lot of unnecessary work (and equipment) if you have a ladder stand.

Inigoes · Feb 4, 2018

After attending a safety seminar yesterday, a new statistic was released.

9 percent of tree stand accidents are attributed to recoil.

Hunters get in contorted positions to take the shot and not noticing being off balance, fall.

namrelio · Feb 4, 2018

I have a rope hanging all the time from my ladder stand. 16'. I tie my gun (in its case) to the rope. I climb up with my bag, get set then pull up my gun. I use the rope to lower my case after taking out my gun. I have another rope coiled up and hanging up there that I use to put around me and the tree. If I stand up I take that rope off, and put it back on when I sit down again. Nodding off can be a scare at times.

Inigoes · Feb 4, 2018

namrelio said:
I have a rope hanging all the time from my ladder stand. 16'. I tie my gun (in its case) to the rope. I climb up with my bag, get set then pull up my gun. I use the rope to lower my case after taking out my gun. I have another rope coiled up and hanging up there that I use to put around me and the tree. If I stand up I take that rope off, and put it back on when I sit down again. Nodding off can be a scare at times.

If you are tieing a rope around you at the top. That can be extremely bad in the event of a fall. It will either leave you upside down, or restrict your breathing, tightening up a little more with each exhale.

outrider58 · Feb 4, 2018

namrelio said:
I have a rope hanging all the time from my ladder stand. 16'. I tie my gun (in its case) to the rope. I climb up with my bag, get set then pull up my gun. I use the rope to lower my case after taking out my gun. I have another rope coiled up and hanging up there that I use to put around me and the tree. If I stand up I take that rope off, and put it back on when I sit down again. Nodding off can be a scare at times.

You're treating your gun better than you treat yourself.

Tree Stand Safety Line Survey and opinions

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