Bad News!!! I fell from my tree stand.

Guys, I have some bad news. Last night the stand I went to has been in the tree for like 18 years. It has been one of my best spots ever. This summer I had contemplated changing it but I never got around to it. I climbed up into the stand, 22 feet, and tested it. It seemed ok. I started to adjust the seat a little bit and the platform snapped. Needless to say I went straight down 22 feet and landed on my right hip and right shoulder. They aren't broke, but I am in extreme pain and can hardly move. I do have a fractured sacrum, (tail bone). I may not be able to hunt for a couple weeks. This really sucks cause it was the first day of my three week vacation and it's in prime time. Believe me, I will do everything in my power to get back out as soon as possible. In the mean time I hope you all have SAFE hunts and successful ones. I will keep you all updated on my situation and will be monitoring everyone's success. Good luck!!!!!

I'm sure glad you are alright! You know you didn't have to take your forum handle literally! All joking aside, I've never hunted from anything but a climber, so that's hard to imagine... but what I can imagine is terrifying! I guess you weren't wearing a harness then? I should probably be a little more stringent on using my harness...

Wow....glad your ok. 22ft is a long drop.

No harness. I know and have known I should. This was actually an old climber that I made into a permanent stand. The stand broke a second or two after I stepped into so I probably wouldn't of even had a chance of hooking in. So, I have a broken tailbone and I go see an orthopedic doctor on Wednesday for my hip and Friday for my shoulder. They aren't broke but I think I have a lot of torn ligaments and tendons. I work in the medical field and have a good idea of what might be wrong. All I know is I'm on vacation for 3 weeks and I want to be back in the stand before that time is up. I have my doubts though. Please pray for me for a quick recovery.

again that sucks. Hope nothing is to torn up and a quick recovery is a head.
A harness is a must. I use to be fearless, till one time the base of my climber ended up at the base of the tree which just left me setting 30ft up thinking what the heck just happened. Now I attach before I head up the tree. When I do use my hang on which isn't to often I attach before I step on the stand. Some use a life line.

Boy I hate to hear that but am so glad to hear you will recover, considering the possibilities. I have always preached about using a harness but in your situation it may not have helped as you mentioned. The one thing that WOULD have helped is if you were using a harness AND a lifeline. Do some looking around on what they are and how to use them. I will say one thing, hang on stands will always have a lifeline on them for me. That is the only way to go and you set it up just before season so it is there.

Sorry to hear this. From your description, I would say that you had someone looking out for you. I know it probably doesn't feel that way though. A fall like that many times is catastrophic. Glad you are o.k. ( relatively speaking). Hope you get good news from the Surgeons. Thanks for sharing the story - I somebody out there reads it and decides to start using a harness! Wishing you a full and speedy recovery!

Sorry to hear about your close call. Three guys I know in my small town who have permanent injuries from tree stand falls... You are very fortunate. Not going to dole out any advice because I know it could happen to any of us. I am religious about my harness... but equipment fails. I actually was thinking in the stand last night how much more brave and confident I have become since I began using a harness. I actually relax about falling once I am hooked up... which is obviously dangerous in itself. As I was practicing leaning out over my stand (with my harness holding me secure) to see if I could potentially take a shot, it occured to me. I have placed way too much trust in my harness. Anyhow... I hope you heal up fast and stick a big one. You will remember this season for a long time.

sorry to hear about your fall, and hope you recover as fast as possible
BUT I have to ask, why woudl you leave a stand up for that long?
I mean, NOT to bash on you
but the MGF"s suggest NOT leaving a stand up for more than a few weeks?
18 yr?
WOW
I don't even keep metal ladderstands that long, after 10 yrs, I cut em down and scrap them
a growing tree has unreal power to stress welds,nuts and bolts and what not's
its one of the reason, so many folks stopped making there own wooden stands, like yrs ago, most hunters did(or up my way)
the growing tree would tear them apart in time, long with the wind moving them, swaying back and forth
and it caused a ton of falls
safe today, bad tomorrow!


I hope maybe your fall will , make other re think things about leaving stands up long periods of time!
as again, its really NOT a good idea to leave stands up for long periods of time!

Glad to hear you are OK and I have been using a life line and harness ever since the 25 foot fall a few years back I never come Un clipped from them even when going from the sticks to the stand and when I use my climber I push the tree strap up as I go hope you can make it out and get feeling better quickly