Prusik knots work well. You can find them at arborist supply stores or build your own. Take about 16" of 1/2 or 3/8 line that is rated to support your weight. Tie knots in both ends then fold line in 1/2 holding both knots together tie an overhand knot and slide it to the single knots and snug tight. Run a good 1/2 inch line from the ground to a sturdy limb higher than your stand. Learn a bowline to attach to tree and pull the rope tight and attach to ground with a trailer house anchor or a tree step. Run this rope along the area you climb up. Now the loop you made will attach to this line by wrapping twice around the life line and dressing your knot. As you climb slide the prusik up every few steps. If you fall the knot will tighten and lock. To go down just grab the top of the knot and slide it down...Not hard but writing directions makes it sound difficult.

 

Thanks so much for that help. I think I can see what you are talking about in my head but i do have a couple questions.

If I fall and my weight is on the knot, will I still be able to slide the knot down with my big butt hanging on it

Also, I use climbers some and was wondering if you can just tie the long rope to the tree and let it hang loose to the ground without the mobile home anchor. This way I could use one rope for all my setups and pack it with my climber to whatever tree I go to


Thanks again for your help---Tim

 

... If I fall and my weight is on the knot, will I still be able to slide the knot down with my big butt hanging on it ...

Nope; the knot won't move if you're weight is on it. My solution is to carry two suspension relief straps with loops on each end, which fit easily in a pocket. Rather than connecting to the vest to act as a suspension relief, if it's possible to get a strap around the tree it can be pulled through a loop and the other loop used as a foot stirrup as the strap tightens to the tree. Do the same with the other strap and you can relieve pressure on the prusick knot and work your way up or down the tree. Not very elegant, since it would be floppy like a rope ladder, but it would work to get down.

 

If you can't figure out how to tie a Prussic, here is the easy way.

http://www.summitstands.com/productdetail.aspx?id=329141

Just read about these today and I think I'm going to get something like this or at least have my mountain rescue buddy teach me how to make the Prussic hitch.

Here is a link that shows you how.

http://www.animatedknots.com/prusik/index.php

 

http://www.animatedknots.com/prusik/index.php

Thats a cool little website

 

Just read an article bout this in D & DH magazine. Aparently summit has a tree stand descender for about $25 for this purpose.

 

I just made 6 lifelines tonight. I got 3/8 polypro camo rope from lowes. 244# rated. nylon rope for prussic knot and 6 clips rated at 350#. Made all 6 for under $50. SO EASY A CAVEMAN COULD DO IT!!!! LOL

 

You trust your life to rope rated for 244# to not snap when trying to stop your fall from a tree? You must not weigh as much as many of us old guys...lol! Seriously, though, there's a reason the ones you buy cost what they do, and surprisingly it's not profit margin, because they're not making much if any money off those systems...the rope used is high quality climbing rope which is the primary reason they cost what they do.

 

The key to the whole thing is to make your safety so that you can never fall below your stand, that keeps you from hanging there till someone finds you. You can't hang long before the lack of blood flow kills you.

Here is an illustration for how to do it and how to tie a prusik knot.

http://safetreehunt.com/FandS.jpg

 

Hanging from a safety harness can kill you. Please read!

I'm replying to this post this to let everyone know that the use of a fall arrest system can in itself be a cause of death, or serious injury, if it is deployed and you are suspended too long.
When a person falls and is wearing a fall arrest system something called Orthostatic Intolerence or Harness Suspension Trauma can occur.
A person suspended for as little as five minutes can die as a result of circulatory problems caused by the harness itself. OSHA has references to this on their web site and anyone who uses a harness should become familiar with this hazard. In no way is it suggested that anyone should not wear a harness or suspension system, but it is important that everyone know that once their fall is arrested they must be able to extricate themselves and not be left hanging allowing this condition to occur. Here is some info from the OSHA site:

"Prolonged suspension from fall arrest systems can cause orthostatic intolerance, which, in turn, can result in serious physical injury, or potentially, death. Research indicates that suspension in a fall arrest device can result in unconsciousness, followed by death, in less than 30 minutes [4]. To reduce the risk associated with prolonged suspension in fall arrest systems, employers should implement plans to prevent prolonged suspension in fall protection devices. The plan should include procedures for: preventing prolonged suspension, identifying orthostatic intolerance signs and symptoms, and performing rescue and treatment as quickly as possible".

Google "fall suspension trauma or orthostatic intolerence" for more info on this subject.

I'm not trying to scare anyone or keep anyone from wearing a harness. Far from it. Fall arrest equipment prevents fall injuries and it serves a great purpose. Just be aware that once it stops your fall, the danger for serious injury or death is very real if you can't get out of the harness and back on your feet very quickly. There are some seat belt type harnesses available that will not let you fall more than a couple of inches if you slip. They're pricy but might be worth the cost depending on your particular circumstances. Be safe and be careful when you get in your stand and plan ahead.

 

I'm replying to this post this to let everyone know that the use of a fall arrest system can in itself be a cause of death, or serious injury, if it is deployed and you are suspended too long.
When a person falls and is wearing a fall arrest system something called Orthostatic Intolerence or Harness Suspension Trauma can occur.
A person suspended for as little as five minutes can die as a result of circulatory problems caused by the harness itself. OSHA has references to this on their web site and anyone who uses a harness should become familiar with this hazard. In no way is it suggested that anyone should not wear a harness or suspension system, but it is important that everyone know that once their fall is arrested they must be able to extricate themselves and not be left hanging allowing this condition to occur. Here is some info from the OSHA site:

"Prolonged suspension from fall arrest systems can cause orthostatic intolerance, which, in turn, can result in serious physical injury, or potentially, death. Research indicates that suspension in a fall arrest device can result in unconsciousness, followed by death, in less than 30 minutes [4]. To reduce the risk associated with prolonged suspension in fall arrest systems, employers should implement plans to prevent prolonged suspension in fall protection devices. The plan should include procedures for: preventing prolonged suspension, identifying orthostatic intolerance signs and symptoms, and performing rescue and treatment as quickly as possible".

Google "fall suspension trauma or orthostatic intolerence" for more info on this subject.

I'm not trying to scare anyone or keep anyone from wearing a harness. Far from it. Fall arrest equipment prevents fall injuries and it serves a great purpose. Just be aware that once it stops your fall, the danger for serious injury or death is very real if you can't get out of the harness and back on your feet very quickly. There are some seat belt type harnesses available that will not let you fall more than a couple of inches if you slip. They're pricy but might be worth the cost depending on your particular circumstances. Be safe and be careful when you get in your stand and plan ahead.

Get real!!!!!! You can die bungy jumping also but I'm not going to do it without the rope!!!!!

 

From personal experience....

I advocate wearing a harness. A family friend, whom I have known since I was about 12 years old, died as a result of falling out of a tree stand two years ago. He was not wearing a harness. Unfortunately, he wasn't found for two days after he fell. He didn't tell anyone where he was hunting and wasn't wearing a harness. He was 72 years old. I doubt he could have extricated himself had he been wearing a harness and as I said, he was hunting alone and no one knew where he was. You need to think of these things before you go out and hunt.

Wear a harness.

Have a means of getting out of the harness if you fall.

Let someone know where you are in case something happens.

Be safe, not a statistic.

 

Each person needs to have a plan for recovery if he should get in trouble.

We each need to know our physical limitations too. If you are strong enough to lift your body weight, you should be able to extricate yourself easily if you have climbing sticks or foot posts in the tree.

I would think you should also keep a sharp knife within easy reach in case you need to cut yourself out of a tangle or out of your safety harness should you get into trouble with that.

I like the idea of the life-line that attaches above the treestand and to the base of the tree, then you can attach your safety harness to it via a prusik knot and easily run it up as you climb, but it requires free-climbing the first time to attach the life-line above your treestand. http://www.summitstands.com/productdetail.aspx?id=329141

Now as one gets older, and perhaps less physically fit, perhaps it is time to switch to a ladder stand or something that you are either less likely to fall from - even if you must compromise either on cost or flexibility of stand location.

Really, once you die, no more hunting for you - game over.

As long as I am wearing a safety harness that is securely attached to the tree, and if I have climbing sticks attached to the tree, I can get myself back on them. However, if I fall without being attached to the tree, I'm going to fall 20 feet to a very hard landing, and most likely, game over. The lesson to learn from most of those examples above is: wear a safety harness and keep it attached to the tree. And be very careful with loaded guns.

Ray

 

How harnesses kill you

First off, WEAR A HARNESS.

My point here is to explain HOW the harness kills you, so you can understand/avoid it.

Real simply, the pressure of the leg straps stops blood from returning to the heart. Your heart keeps pumping blood to your legs and the straps trap it there.

Your legs can hold 60% or your body's blood. In just a few minutes of hanging, you will pass out and then die.

Wear a harness. It can prevent you from getting hurt, paralyzed, killed, etc.

But just make sure you can recover from a fall ASAP. Hanging there for 45 minutes until your buddy arrives will not work.
.

 

Take a look at www.mountaineer-sports.com

 

Please read! It could save your life.



Great article. It covers it all. I hope this message gets out to all hunters who use a stand and wear a harness.

 

That Rescue One CDS (Controlled Descent System) $249.99 is very cool idea.

However, in his example, there are no steps or climbing sticks on the tree he could grab onto. Instead, he tries to get back up in the stand, which is difficult - especially for a heavier or less agile hunter.

After the fall, I'd just turn my self around so I'm facing the tree, then get to my climbing sticks and climb back up to my stand. No need to hang by the harness for long periods of time.

This product seems ideal for those who use a climber that they could fall out of.

Ray

 

Question for those who KNOW!

I am in the process of making my lifelines using 7/16" quality climbing rope. My question is , should I make my prusik with the same diameter rope OR should it be smaller. I am 240lbs if that means anything. Thanks guy's

 

I am in the process of making my lifelines using 7/16" quality climbing rope. My question is , should I make my prusik with the same diameter rope OR should it be smaller. I am 240lbs if that means anything. Thanks guy's

Full instructions on how to make lifeline, including line sizes, is at http://www.safetreehunt.com/systems.html Good stuff. :darkbeer:

 

:bump2:

 

One thing most people don't talk about is how you should hook up. I have a lifeline on all three permanent stands. My ropes go as high as I can reach once I am standing on my stand. So, when I get in the stand and sit down my harness line is tight. It is tight for a reason...so that if I do fall I won't fall past the tree stand. I also have my prussic knot on the side of my stick ladder...that way if I do fall I have a greater advantage of falling towards the stick ladder...this way I can just get my feet on the pegs and climb back in my stand.

If worse comes to worse I always have a neck knife around my neck and will cut myself off the life line. It is a razor scapel that I have called a havalon pirarranah knife that has replaceable scapel blades. Believe me...this knife is "razor" sharp and will cut thru any rope. If I have to cut my rope...the only disadvantage is that my stands are 18, 22, and 23 feet from the ground to the base of my stand. I will have to do some type of parachute landing, but I know that I may have to drag myself out if I do that.

 

...
If worse comes to worse I always have a neck knife around my neck and will cut myself off the life line. It is a razor scapel that I have called a havalon pirarranah knife that has replaceable scapel blades. Believe me...this knife is "razor" sharp and will cut thru any rope. If I have to cut my rope...the only disadvantage is that my stands are 18, 22, and 23 feet from the ground to the base of my stand. I will have to do some type of parachute landing, but I know that I may have to drag myself out if I do that.

i use climbing stands alot but it seem you might be safer with a hang-on and climbing sticks. with the hang-on and a harness i don't see how you could get in trouble. if you are hooked up right you should always be able to get to your sticks.

For these reasons many guys carry screw in steps for emergency use to either get back into a stand, or to prevent suspension trauma. There's another good option that would enable you to climb up into a stand or down to the ground using just two suspension relief straps. See http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1007793 for photos.

Once your harness does its job and prevents a fall, you may as well have a simple way to climb down to the ground rather than cutting yourself free and falling anyway.

 

i use climbing stands alot but it seem you might be safer with a hang-on and climbing sticks. with the hang-on and a harness i don't see how you could get in trouble. if you are hooked up right you should always be able to get to your sticks.

 

I have read thru the arguments and the basic idea still is to make sure you have a plan to put into action if you fall. I unfortunately did not have a plan when I fell last rifle season and was hanging there in the pitch black with the bottom portion of my lone wolf laying on the ground below me. Now what????

I did not have my regular screw in step I used to carry in my HSS harness. I was using a regular harness from one of the treestands I bought. So immediately I thought loosen the harness and just slide out, and take the 20' fall. I realized no way as I was trying to figure out what to do to get out. I tried to grab onto the top portion of the climber and pull myself up onto the handclimber but was not strong enough to do that. I then bearhugged the tree pulling myself up just enough to get my harness strap from over the front of the handclimber(strap basically had it locked to the tree). I slid the handclimber down then locked it down, knealt on it, reached up and moved my tree strap down BUT I still had to go back off the handclimber and do the process over again.

This next time was almost my last time going off the handclimber, I hit the tree with the side of my head, as I swung backwards. I was almost out and had to get myself back onto that handclimber. I continued to do this until I was able to get to the ground. Each time I was hanging there I could feel the pressure in my legs.

I sat on the ground completely spent. I had worked all night and went straight out hunting. I was already exhausted when I got there. When I fell it wasn't the treestands fault, it was my stupidity and lack of preperation. BUT I realized that hanging there wasn't going to last long before I was a gonner. I have three young children and a beautiful wife who is my bestfriend waiting for me at home. I have fought and beat cancer and there was noway I was going to die hanging in that tree and leave my family.

The reason I told my story is basically to illustrate that you need a plan. I was lucky I was able to formulate a plan as I hung there. I did not know him personally but the article one of you referenced in Deer and Deer Hunting Magazine was a fellow trooper, who worked within an hour or so of me. He left behind a family and I think that his experience is what stopped me from loosining the harness and trying to slide out. He did so and forgot about the top strap of the harness. We can theorize what happened to him then. I feel that he helped me not make that fatal mistake since there was no top strap to unhook but was rather a sewn in web of straps on the top, where I would have gotten hung up in on my way thru the harness.

After I was on the ground and was thinking straight again, I realized at no time did I remember I had a full backpack on my back. I also had my warm winter coat strapped to the pack, adding a total of 20#'s more to my total weight. See, in the moment we forget about things and react, sometimes for the worse. If I would have had a plan in place, I could have been down the tree and reattached and back up the tree.

Plan, practice, and be safe.

Thanks for your time.

Ray

 

Actually the tether should be higher on the tree most dont realize your not supposed to be able to fall below your treestand.
If you tether properly the stand should next to you not above you.

 

Looking at the "by the foot" static lines, most of what I have seen is white. Should I worry about the color? My gut tells me if I am moving to get a shot and the rope moves with me, a dark color would be better than white

 

great info

 

lifeline

If your wanting a lifeline you might need to repel down check out a blakes hitch instead of a prusik knot tree climbers use it or a combo of the two, two wraps on top and three on the bottom. To make your loop rope use a double or tripple fishermans knot.

I know i kicked a dead horse guys but safety stuff can't be forgotten!

Www.animatedknots.com is an awesome place to learn alot of knots