Brad Harvey: Play it safe this deer season

After eight and a half months, the 2015 deer season officially got underway Tuesday with the opening of the two-week bow hunting season. I, and a lot of others I know, couldn’t be happier to see it finally get here.

For as much as we love the sport and the outdoors, it’s hard to imagine not climbing into a tree this time of year. But some hunters cannot climb into the trees any more and it simply didn’t have to be that way.

Sadly, statistics show that falling out of a treestand is the No. 1 cause of injuries during deer season and it’s estimated that one out of every three hunters will, at some point, fall. The fall doesn’t have to be a life-changing event, however, if they’ll simply strap themselves into their tree with a safety harness.

Just a few weeks ago, I attended the funeral of a friend who spent the last 30 years of his life paralyzed and in a wheelchair because he fell from a treestand while hunting.

His accident happened long before we had the safety innovations that exist today but, as I sat in the pew during his service, I couldn’t help but think how his life could have been different during the past three decades.

The crazy part is that far too many hunters still don’t bother to take precautions and make use of all that’s available. Would you swim with sharks without a cage? Try your luck jumping from a plane without a parachute?

I didn’t think so.

Summit Treestands, makers of some of the finest hunting equipment on the market, offers these 10 tips for making sure that you arrive home safe and sound after every trip into the woods this deer season.

▪  Be sure to select the proper tree before hanging a fixed-position stand or using a climbing stand. The tree should be alive and healthy, without any noticeable rot or damage. Your tree should also meet the size specifications and restrictions set by the treestand company.

▪  Never hunt from a treestand without a secure and high-quality safety harness. It only takes one fall to suffer a serious injury or permanently end your hunting career.

▪  A strong and sturdy safety strap should be attached to both your harness and the tree to prevent you from falling more than 12 inches.

▪  Continuously monitor and inspect your safety harness and treestands before and during the season to check for wear and tear or possible damage.

▪  When hunting from a fixed position or hang-on stand, always inspect the ladder steps and treestand attachments to make sure everything is tightly secured to the tree.

▪  Always use a haul line to pull up your gear, bow or unloaded firearm. Never climb with anything in your hands or attached to your back. Before climbing down, utilize the haul line to safely lower all of your equipment on the opposite side of the tree.

▪  Be sure to let family and friends know the exact treestand location that you’re hunting. When at all possible, hunt with a buddy and always carry a communication device like a cellphone or walkie-talkie than can easily be reached on your body at any time.

▪  Follow the “three point rule,” which says to always have three points of contact to your steps or ladder when climbing or descending from your stand.

▪  Be aware of slippery and hazardous climbing conditions that may result from rain, sleet, snow or ice and take the appropriate precautions.

▪  When using a climbing stand, make slow, steady and even movements of no more than 12 inches at a time. You should also make sure the climbing section and platform of your stand are attached together by some type of safety cord or rope.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Brad Harvey: Play it safe this deer season."