Fall hunting is a favorite time among hunters. As hunters prepare for successful deer, waterfowl, and bear hunts, experts are urging them to prioritize their safety. While there are many things to keep in mind regarding safety as a hunter, properly setting up and maintaining your tree stand is relatively high on the list. Now, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is sharing some tips on tree stand safety.
Experts Urge Hunters To Prioritize Tree Stand Safety As Fall Hunting Begins
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The last thing you want on a hunt is to fall out of your tree stand. Not only would you injure yourself, but the sound would scare off any potential prey as well. For those reasons, among many others, you want to ensure that your tree stand is in the best state it can be. The DNR offers several tips on tree stand safety and proper precautions to take. First, they remind hunters that regardless of the type of tree stand, they should always wear a full-body harness, also known as a "fall-arrest system." This helps provide some security to you in case an accident does occur.
When using the harness, ensure that it is connected to the tether line. Additionally, they remind hunters always to maintain three points of contact when climbing in and out of their tree stand. "This means always keeping two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand in contact with the stand or ground." This will help stabilize you and reduce the risk of injury during your fall hunting trip.
More Tree Stand Safety Tips
However, it is not just your body you need to take precautions with. Loading and unloading firearms into the tree stand can also be dangerous. For that reason, DNR shares, "always use a haul line to raise and lower" your firearm or bow in and out of the stand. Also, ensure that all firearms are unloaded as you are loading or unloading them to prevent accidental injury. Don't forget that the haul is not limited to weapons. If you have heavy gear or a backpack, you can use the haul for that as well. Seems like the superior option to trying to keep it on your back while climbing up.
Finally, before you can worry about staying safe in your tree stand, you need to get up there first. The DNR urges all hunters to use a lifeline when climbing up and down. The lifeline is a safety rope that runs from the base of the tree all the way up to the stand. While your tether provides you with safety once you're settled into your tree stand, the lifeline provides you with protection while you are climbing up. Its purpose is to prevent you from falling while climbing in and out of the stand.
Other Basic Safety Tips For Fall Hunting
Besides prioritizing tree stand safety, here are a few other safety tips to remember as fall hunting begins.
- Inspect all equipment for wear and tear before the season begins
- Carry a fully charged cellphone with you on your hunt
- Ensure at least one other person knows your hunting plans and location
