Florida Hunter Safety Module 10 Know Your Treestands

Fixed or Hang-On Safety Tips

1. ALWAYS use a climbing / lineman's belt when installing or removing a fixed position stand and also while ascending or descending the tree. 2. NEVER support your weight with a tree limb. Tree limbs can break causing you to fall. 3. Always test the stand to be sure it is secure before climbing into it 4. Never use wood steps attached to the tree with nails or spikes. 5. Avoid using screw-in steps, as they can be more dangerous than other climbing aides. They are also illegal in some states. Know the law!

Self-Climbing Safety Tips

1. Attach your FAS/FBH to the tree before leaving the ground. 2. Attach the seating and standing platforms in a slightly upward direction to compensate for the narrowing of the tree trunk as you go up. 3. Connect both the seating and standing platforms together to prevent the platforms from separating, leaving you stranded. 4. As you ascend or descend, move the tree belt anchorage with you. Never hurry. Take short, distinct bites.

Advantages of Treestands

1. Gives a hunter a longer range of visibility, which allows more time to prepare for a safe shot. 2. A hunter's scent remains in the canopy of the trees 3. Game animals can detect even slight movements. In a treestand, the hunter can move without being easily detected. 4. Blaze orange can be seen at greater distances in a treestand than on the ground, where the hunter's color(s) might be blocked by brush and debris. 5. Shots taken from a treestand are at a downward angle, so the bullet or arrow will go into the ground. This is especially important when hunting near homes and farms buildings.

Disadvantages of Treestands

1. no protection from the wind unless the treestand has a skirt around its platform. 2. Some treestands are quite heavy to carry into or out of the woods. 3. In rainy or snowy weather, a hunter might lose his or her footing when climbing up to or getting out of the treestand. 4. It is difficult to change positions or move around in some treestands 5. Setting up and taking down a treestand can be very noisy 6. A hunter might fall asleep in the treestand, and this could result in an incident. 7. Many hunting incidents occur when a hunter is getting into or out of a treestand.

Ladder Safety Tips

1. should include criss-cross straps, standoff brackets or other means of securing the ladder to the tree before climbing to the platform. 2. sections must be securely held together with retainer pins, clips, or some other device 3. can require up to 3 persons to install or remove correctly. Don't risk your safety or the safety of others by attempting to install or remove it yourself. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions. 4. ALWAYS lean forward and maintain three points of contact while climbing the ladder. Example: Two hands, one foot. 5. As you approach the top of the ladder, attach the FAS/FBH tether to the tree as soon as possible.

Using a Haul Line

After in the stand and attached to a FAS/FBH, use this to raise equipment. Firearms should be unloaded with the action open, the muzzle should face downward. When lowering, place equipment on option side of tree.

3 R's

Rescue, Relief, Recover Before you go into the woods, you should always let others know your exact hunting location, where your treestand is located, when you plan to return, and who is with you. You should always carry an emergency signal device on your person at all times in case of emergency: Two-Way Radio, Cell phone, Personal locator device, Whistle

Unsafe Harnesses

Single strap and chest strap harnesses

Tether Safety Strap for Tree

When the hunter is standing on the platform this safety strap should be attached to the tree at eye level or above. There should be NO slack in the tether when sitting. Having no slack in the tether will prevent the hunter from falling more than a few inches. It is much better to fall a few inches than several feet.

Fixed or Hang-On Treestand

an be attached to a tree at any height. It consists of a seat and a platform, along with straps and/or chains to attach the stand. A hunter's movement in this stand is very limited, and it requires a ladder or steps for access. Make sure the attaching straps or chains are tight and secure or the stand could slip when weight is applied to the platform.

Suspension Relief Device

enable the user to be safely lowered to the ground automatically, or under the control of the user. One of the devices can be considered for use as an additional safety precaution against prolonged suspension trauma.

Suspension relief device on a FAS/FBH

exercising your legs by pushing against the tree or doing any other form of continuous motion. This will help with suspension trauma, blood pooling in the legs. Failure to recover in a timely manner could result in serious injury or death. If you do not have the ability to recover or escape hunt from the ground.

Tower Stand

freestanding stand, featuring either three or four legs, depending on the manufacturer. A ladder is included with this stand to access the top platform, where the seat is attached. The tower stand is best suited for the edge of a field or in open country. It requires a strong, level, firm base and needs to be secured to the ground.

Self-Climbing Stand

highly portable and is available in many styles. It can be carried like a backpack into the woods on the day of the hunt and used in different locations, depending on the hunting conditions. To install it in a tree, a hunter uses a push-down, pull-up method. It requires practice to become proficient with how this stand operates, so it's wise to practice at ground level before hunting season begins. A safety strap is required when climbing with this stand, so select a tree that does not have loose or peeling bark.

Handmade or Permanent Treestands

made of wood are NOT recommended because over time they can deteriorate and become unsafe. Rain, snow and ice can collect on the stand, and moss can collect in spots, making the platform slick. A permanent stand can damage the tree to which it's attached and the nails you use to fasten it can cause serious damage to equipment or people later on, when the tree is harvested.

Parachute or Full-Body Harness

safe and offers the same type of protection as the Vest-harness when used properly, however there are many straps and buckles involved. Always check and re-check your harness to ensure that it is properly secured, before you start climbing up into the treestand.

Ladder Stand

safer to enter and exit thanks to the ladder, but it may require three people to install and secure it properly to a tree. Ranging between 12 and 16 feet in height, it is ideal when hunting on well-established game trails. Some ladder stands have a small seat and platform for one hunter. Others feature a larger seat and platform for two hunters. A skirt can also be purchased, which will conceal the hunter's movements. Some ladder stands feature a bar that can be used as a gun rest.

Fall Arrest System (FAS) / Full Body Harness (FBH)

safest, most reliable harness a hunter can use. It's easy to use - simply slip it on, adjust the straps and fasten the clips. Unlike the simple belt or chest harness, it is strapped around the shoulders, waist and legs so that in the event of a fall from a treestand, pressure is distributed across a larger area of the hunter's body, helping to ensure a quick recovery with less chance of injury.