Harness or NO harness???


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Re: Harness or NO harness???

Never climb into my stand without a harness. I just bought the Hunter Safety System for this season.

I fell out of a tree stand 2 weeks before my wedding in '93. I spent the next 7 yrs hunting from the ground. My best friend/hunting buddy is on disability at age 38 after falling from a tree stand.

Please wear them...if not for you, for those waiting for you to come home.

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

I never have wore one, but now I'am starting to think.... Where is a good place to purchase one? I think I would want one of the body harness type, I don't think they would get in the way as much. I wore the kind that went under your arms when I first started hunting, but it was always slipping down or in the way it seemed.

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

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I do not have a commercial harness but I am connected to the tree with a rope around me.

Ranger

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Would you Wear it If someone sent you one?

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OK, ok. Enlighten me. What is wrong with a 2" thick rope tied around my waist with about foot of slack between me and the tree. I wouldn't even make it off the stand if I slipped.

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

I do not have a commercial harness but I am connected to the tree with a rope around me.

Ranger

[/ QUOTE ]

Would you Wear it If someone sent you one?

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, ok. Enlighten me. What is wrong with a 2" thick rope tied around my waist with about foot of slack between me and the tree. I wouldn't even make it off the stand if I slipped.

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What if you double over and lose your footing? You could suffocate with that around your waist.

What if you fall going up, or coming down?

You willing to risk that for your little girls?

Come on man, there's been a few offers for a free harness, me included, what would it hurt?

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

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I'm guilty of not wearing one too. I know I should and I am probably gonna go out and buy one for this season. I would definetly wear one if I was using something other than my 15' ladder stand.

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You better hope Ashley doesn't read this young man. mad.gif

grin.gif

Get one. And if you want my spare, I'll send it to you.

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

i can tell you first hand that i will never climb another tree without one, oct 1 2004 i was climbing a tree with my clinbing stand i thought i would wait till i was my 20 foot up the tree before i would but it around the tree, when i got the 20 foot off the ground i went to place the strap around the tree the lower part of the stand went one way and the upper went the other needless to say i went over the edge, i wouldnt beleaved the ambalance people would come in the woods but another hunter heard me and called them, i broke my wrist in three places, now i have a metal plate and some screws in there, i broke three ribs next to my back, through the diffaculty in breathing i heard them say hows hes alive is beyond us, that 10.00 strap could have saved me 23000.00 with all the mri;s the opperation and the yr of physical therapy, so fellows all i can say to that is use it, it realy beats the outcome of not using one

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

Ranger, There's a Major difference between being Ignorant and being Un-Informed!!!

I tie a piece of strong rope to the top of my ladderstands before I lean them up against a tree. Then I tie it underneath the bottom step on one side.

On that rope I add this knot:

("Prussic Knot" also known as a "Mountaineers Hitch")

ClimbingKnotSystem2.jpg

After hooking up the safety bar that goes between the stands steps and the tree, ratchet strapping that tight to the tree, and making sure it's as secure as possible before climbing....

I hook into that knot with with a "Climbing Quality" Carabiner thats on my harness.

You simply slide it up as you climb slowly.

Then I ratchet strap the top of the stand firmly to the tree! The climbing system is now in place for future hunts wink.gif

With a Ladderstand it's the only way I've found to be as safe as possible.

In testing I did about half way up a 20 foot ladderstand(that was already firmly attached to the tree) it stopped me solidly after I jumped off to the side...which is quite an accomplishment since at the time I weighed close to 300 lbs.

I was able to climb back onto the ladders steps after hanging with my feet dangling a few feet off the ground.

I did have to replace the harness since it "Popped" the pleats in the harness strap. They are absolutely needed to reduce shock!!!

With stands like Loc-Ons I use a Linemans Belt to hang them. After hanging and climbing the ladders to the desired height I tie the rope above where the stand will be. I go back down and get the stand to hang and at that time I hook into the rope with my harness. Then I hang the stand itself.

Doing it this way I'm Always Attached cool.gif

With Climbing stands I attach the strap around the tree that comes with the harness for that purpose and climb slowly. I also make sure that I have a piece of rope connecting the two sections of Climbing stands together.

It serves two purposes with the type of stand I have. One...It keeps the bottom section from falling down the tree out of reach.

Two...I tie it to the straps that go over my feet on the bottom section so all I have to do is pull up on it and slide my feet into them. I can slide my feet into those straps without even looking down at them even though I do just to make sure they are in good.

Also I dont ever have to attempt to reach down there to pick them up enough to slide my feet into them which would put me seriously out of balance and probably lead to the stand flipping over enough to create a fall!

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

[ QUOTE ]

Ranger, There's a Major difference between being Ignorant and being Un-Informed!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually Gary......

ig·no·rant ( P ) Pronunciation Key (gnr-nt)

adj.

1)Lacking education or knowledge.

2)Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake.

3)Unaware or uninformed.

tongue.gifwink.gifgrin.gif

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Ranger, There's a Major difference between being Ignorant and being Un-Informed!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually Gary......

ig·no·rant ( P ) Pronunciation Key (gnr-nt)

adj.

1)Lacking education or knowledge.

2)Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake.

3)Unaware or uninformed.

tongue.gifwink.gifgrin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! Sounds like we have a Chris Jr. here grin.gif

Thank you for the information Gary.

Ranger

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

I agree with everything that everyone has said here…..BUT I want the people that do not know much about harnesses to know it is very important to have a good tie off point…because after the “FALL” you must be able to get back on a ladder or back in your stand….Why you ask…If you hang in a harness for more than 15-20 min your circulation will be cut off to your legs….and that’s a lot of blood guys and girls…anyway it will cause you to go unconscious and eventually DIE….so as much as a harness is great to have, the tie off point is just as important.

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Ranger, There's a Major difference between being Ignorant and being Un-Informed!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually Gary......

ig·no·rant ( P ) Pronunciation Key (gnr-nt)

adj.

1)Lacking education or knowledge.

2)Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge: an ignorant mistake.

3)Unaware or uninformed.

tongue.gifwink.gifgrin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL! Sounds like we have a Chris Jr. here grin.gif

Thank you for the information Gary.

Ranger

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so have we convinced you yet? Gary posted some great info that, and my spare harness is that kind of harness pictured.

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

[ QUOTE ]

OK, so have we convinced you yet? Gary posted some great info that, and my spare harness is that kind of harness pictured.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, yes, you have convinced me. smile.gif

I looked at one at WalMart last night. They had a Gorilla vest similar to this one VEST but the darn thing weighed 5-10 pounds shocked.gifIs that normal? I will keep looking around. Thank you for the freebie offers but please give them to someone less fortunate.

Ranger

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Re: Harness or NO harness???

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

OK, so have we convinced you yet? Gary posted some great info that, and my spare harness is that kind of harness pictured.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, yes, you have convinced me. smile.gif

I looked at one at WalMart last night. They had a Gorilla vest similar to this one VEST but the darn thing weighed 5-10 pounds shocked.gifIs that normal? I will keep looking around. Thank you for the freebie offers but please give them to someone less fortunate.

Ranger

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5 to 10 lbs? That's crazy. My gorilla is well under a pound, but it's the harness type, not a vest type.

I have 3 or 4 harnesses I believe. The SOP that came with my Summit 2 years ago has never been used. I prefer my Ameristep because the lanyard is longer than the Gorilla, but The gorilla is nice because I can wear it on the outside of my clothes and it doesn't make any metal noise like the Ameristep does.

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