magnatecsteve Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 This fall I did a much needed up-grade with my safety harness and went from a single strap harness to a Body vest harness. I couldn't find a Hunters Safety System brand locally, the shop was sold out, so I picked up a Gorilla brand from Wal-Mart. I was satisfied with the harness and the price...While hunting this season, it wasn't as cumbersome as I had anticipated, but there was one problem that I couldn't get rid of. I practice draw frequently on stand, and I found that if I had to make a hard right shot...where I have to turn and face the tree to shoot, I kept getting hung up by the vest strap. I tried securing the tree strap at different heights, tried off-setting it, even tried a loose tree strap if I had a branch to hang it over. Nothing I could do freed me up on a hard right shot! Anyone else have this problem? I thought about modifying the vest strap and lengthening it, which I'm sure I could do sufficiently, but that would be a last resort. Anyone have a fix for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhunter91 Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Can't say I know what to do about it. I find the same problem with my safety harness but just told myself to not take a hard right shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Same problem here. Not sure what to tell you if you do get it high enough over your head it helps alot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfletch7441 Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Same problem here. I've thought about getting a heavy duty climibing rope to lengthen my tether strap, but don't want to fool with something that might save my life. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowin_in_illinois Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" i was having the same problem...so i attached a 1.5 foot tether to the strap that wraps around the tree and put a screwgate carabiner on the end of it that attaches to the tether on my harness. it has eliminated that problem for me, and if i ever fall, i may fall an extra 1.5 feet, but its still better than 20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Setting up your harness tether properly so that it prevents a fall being the most important. IMHO...You should be setting it up so that you dont fall so far that you can not get your feet back on the platform of the stand your using. If the tether you have is in your way when you turn and attempt to draw on your right side there is only one truely safe solution: Stand Setup= Adjust the stand so that you do not have to turn to the right. The less movement from you in the moment of truth the better. Place your stand so that heavy brush, a tree, or some other obstacle that would prevent a clean shot is on your right side. Remember if you cant get an arrow through it theres less chance of a deer seeing you from that direction anyways. Though they seem to be magical at times...they cant move through trees so make sure theres one on your right side to prevent that hard right shot temptation. As an example if I'm setting up a treestand on a field edge I dont place my treestand directly facing the field. I face the stand at a 45 degree angle to my right which allows me to cover the field completely. The tree I look for has another tree or heavy brush close by which would be on my right when I'm up in the stand. To change the length of the tether you have could be done safely but only with another tether grade strap from another harness. Actually I have the center portion from the older style waist type safety belt in mind since it has loops on both ends. You could run it through the end loop on your harness. Then run one end of it back through the other and slide it down effectively making an extension without comprimising safety. The only problem you will run into now is setting it up high enough above you to take out any slack when your sitting down. Whatever you decide to do: Please Dont Attempt To Cut and Sew Any Extension To A Harness!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DJR Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Come to think about it, it does get in the way, I used to use rope and make a swiss seat and that never got in the way. But swiss seats kind of hurt after a while!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted January 11, 2007 Report Share Posted January 11, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" [ QUOTE ] Can't say I know what to do about it. I find the same problem with my safety harness but just told myself to not take a hard right shot. [/ QUOTE ] Same here! But that strap is designed that way! Because in the event of a fall, you will not go below the stand! Making it able to get back in the stand again!!! The only other safe way around this I see is to buy the Fall Guy Strap. I seriously would not make any alterations or extensions of your strap around the tree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnatecsteve Posted January 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Thanks for the input guys, I see I'm not the only one that has had an issue with the straps. I set up my stands so that the "likely" shots will be to my left, but those deer don't always come in where they are supposed to. I just hated having to twist myself around the strap if I needed to make a right side shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OklaBow712 Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Sometimes its hard to find a fork in the tree right above you to hang the safety strap from....what do you guys do then....pick another tree is what ive done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnatecsteve Posted January 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" Most tree straps will cinch tight to any trunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllinoisHunter Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" I attached a latch hook to my hunter safety system. I know this isn't the safest solution, but I have disconnected it to get a shot. I don't suggest unhooking your safety strap at anytime, but no one ever accused me of being very smart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdvantageTimberLou Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" [ QUOTE ] I attached a latch hook to my hunter safety system. I know this isn't the safest solution, but I have disconnected it to get a shot. I don't suggest unhooking your safety strap at anytime, but no one ever accused me of being very smart. [/ QUOTE ] No deer is worth falling out of a tree, not a smart move at all. That once in a lifetime buck should not end your life because of you unhooking your safety vest to get a shot at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeNRA Posted January 12, 2007 Report Share Posted January 12, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" [ QUOTE ] Sometimes its hard to find a fork in the tree right above you to hang the safety strap from....what do you guys do then....pick another tree is what ive done. [/ QUOTE ] The safety strap is designed to be used while climbing and desending. Never to be removed, only loosened as your ready to go up or down. As you climb the strap should be TIGHT! So, you dont need to have a fork in the tree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest realtrhunter Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Re: Safety Harness \"Hang Up\" I am using a seat O the pants body harness and use two rope pices that came with harnesses. If I am able I put one around the treeand attach it at the two waist buckle points, as I am going up the ladder. Once I am to the stand I hook up the second piece of rope above the stand and lock in and unhook the lineman rig and climb in. If I cant use the Lineman rig because of the tree leaning or being too big I just lock in at the top. To be able to shoot to my right, I put the rope around the tree close to the seat and shorten the Prusnic knot up to where I can move around. If I fall I might fall a bit lower than the stand. I use the rope for the Line-man rig to either go back up the tree or to climb down to the ground. It is a bit more of a hassel to use a set up like this but it works, it got tested out last year, and I will never hunt from a climber again. Guess I an willing to go the extra steps since I am not the biggest fan of heights anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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