Tree Stand Fright

[deerslayer2295]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

It sounds to me that it is the height, not the fear of climbing. If you can get to the last step on the ladder stand anyways. When you reach the last step, how high up are you? I would suggest that you use your climber, but only go up as high as the last step of your ladder stand, until you are comfortable with that height. After that you may be able to go higher. You can always camo yourself in your stand. Good luck to you on your decision.

[arrow32]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

I did the same thing myself a 3 years ago when i first started hunting. I couldnt get up in the stand. I would go up the ladder then chicken out. So i just strapped on my harness one day got on the stand went up about 10 ft stood there and looked around the just went up a little more and so on. Once i got in the tree stand i just took my strap and put it around the tree. Heck i shook like no tomorrow the first few times but got use to it.

[struttinhoyt]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

if you got a climber just get someone who you know that hunts out of one to come over to your house or go somewhere and just get them to point out Do's and Dont's of a climber...... then just practice in your yard and make it your goal to go higher each time until your comfertable with it then take to the woods with it..... just get the feel of it..... trust me you can over come the fear.......

[shockwave]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

Thats a good question... Me personally, I was afraid of heights until i was 20 years old.. I got over my fear of heights by just buying a climber and getting in a tree. Once I saw that i wasn`t gonna fall out on my a**, i got over it. Everyone is different, the most important thing to remember is; dont forget safety, wear you harness and you`ll be fine.. The more time you spend in your stand, the easier it gets, just don`t forget where your at, and ALWAYS wear your harness, not a waist belt..

[Doc]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

I suspect that fear of heights may be different for different people. In my case, it was never a real fear of falling. The stands that I was in, I knew darn well were solid, and I also knew darn well that I was not going to just simply fall over the edge. For me it's not really that simple. Let me explain that the last treestand that I was in was made of pressure treated 2 x 8's that were lagged to the tree by 5/8", 8" long lag bolts. It had a 5' x 5' platform with a 2x4 railing completely around it and was only 12' off the ground. I would have to have jumped over the railing to come out of it. And yet I still was completely uncomfortable there. More than half the time I felt compelled to hold onto the main trunk of the tree. Try shooting a bow while doing that.......lol. The feeling was what they call vertigo which was like a light-headed, panic situation. It felt similar to being on the verge of passing out. I have had times when I started getting that feeling just watching people in high places on TV. That mountain-climbing show with Sylvester Stallone drove me crazy.

So for some, maybe even most, it is not a case of conditioning or forcing yourself up into high places. I really don't think that's a method for curing this syndrome.

Doc

[Guest luckyman4]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

I was in the same boat as you. . . so I don't go to the top step, I use ladder stands with just two links, usually that's 10-12 feet. Short ladders like that a very sturdy, and alot less scary to me. I put them in cedar trees and pine trees for the most part, so I have lots to break up my outline. I practiced with my bow for months before the season, so I was very comfortable when opening day came around. I've had alot of luck with them, and honestly I can't remember ever being seen out of one.

[nhbowhunter]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

I understand your fear. I have always been afraid of heights. I have had panic attacks on top of the Empire State Building, the arial tram in Palm Springs, countless carnival rides, the list goes on and on. I get vertigo but for me the primary issue is one of control.

When I took up archery all of my friends thought I was nuts. I bought a climber (summit cobra xls) a strong safetly harness and simply began climbinh in the off season getting myself 100% comfortable with my equipment. Of course I never went higher than 8 feet off the ground! This went on for 4 month prior to the season opener. Even when the season started I rarely got above 8 - 10 feet. It has been a slow process for me. Conditioning worked. I routinely sit with my platform at 18 - 20 feet.

But I am by no means "cured". I still get that feeling of panic on buildings, planes, trams, etc. I won't even hunt someone else's stand (not even an outfitters) I have to have one of my Summit climbers, I have to have my safety harness. The root of my fear is control, if I can control or feel in control of many of the potential failure points I gain enough reassurance to get myself up in teh tree to hunt.

Regardless of teh root cause of your fear I recommend doing only what you feel comfortable doing. Try conditioning, but don't do anything that makes you feel really uncomfortable. Better to enjoy a lifetime of hunting (tagging a deer every 4 years or so) than to push yourself into an unsafe comfort zone and wind up having a close call that scares you to the point of quitting.

[rossman]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Stop being a baby and climb the darn tree. As long as you have a safety harness, you'll be fine!!!!!

--rossman

[/ QUOTE ]

Smooooooooooooth words there ross, smoooooooooooth!!! People do have a fear of heights!!!

Try going up a few feet and just staying there for a while. If you feel comfortable there, then go up a few more! Do this till your around 10 feet. Stay at the level for a few days, or a few trips. MAKE SURE YOU USE A HARNESS!!! As the others said, if nothing else works for you try a ground blind.

[/ QUOTE ]

Life NRA, I am and a smoooooooth guy, huh. And always seem to have a way with words. LOL!!!!

O.K., here's the deal: I know people do have a fear of heights. The only way to get over it is to go out and climb that tree and stop thinking about how scared you are.

I was hoping that calling him a baby would make him say, "freak Rossman, no one calls me a baby and I will get up in that tree and show that jerk". When I started hunting, I was a little scared to get up in a tree. My friends busted em on me. That made me have to get up in the tree because I couldn't stand getting called the P word anymore.

So, no hard feelings man!!!!

Go in your backyard without your hunting equipment and practice first before you are in a hunting environment.

After you have practiced go hunting, find a real sturdy tree so the wind don't blow you around. Climb five feet up and hunt. The next time climb a little higher, and the next a little higher again. This will get you to feel more and more comfortable with being in a tree. Find your comfortable height and stick with that. Some people hunt from ten feet up and some people people go as high as thirty or even higher. But thirty feet and up is just plain nutty and there is no need to go that high. 15 to 20 feet should be good enough.

On windy days, just stay out of the tree till you are very comfortable and have the confidence that you will be OK.

Can't stress the safety harness thing enough, so wear it at all times.

And do not climb with your bow or anything in your hands. Keep your hands free. Use a tow rope to hoist your bow and gear up after you are set and secured with your safety harness.

So, stop being a wimp and get up that tree man, even if you can only go 5 or 10 feet high for a while. You can not overcome your fears if you don't start climbing that tree!!!!

I'm not trying to make you feel bad about yourself or put you down at all by calling you a baby or a wimp, just trying to push you into making that first step. Please don't take it like that!!!!

So good luck man!!!!!--rossman

[Tecumseh]

Re: Tree Stand Fright

Stick with a ladder stand and use a good safety harness.