Our ol' bud Danny was hanging a stand this morning and a screw-in step popped out on him. Down he came, and here's the results. The picture says it all. 24 stiches to fix this beauty.
We've both got 2 ladder sticks heading our way as we speak. No more screw in steps for me.
(http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa83/al_in_wv/Dannysaccident.jpg)
OUCH
You got me thinking :eek: :rolleyes: ,man that must hurt!!
Serge
Damn Danny, That Sucks, Hope you heal Fast!
Thank the Good Lord brother it wasn't any worse than that!
I'm glad you're ok my friend.
thanks Larry and Ron! this goes to show just how fast things can turn sour. I've hunted from tree stands for YEARS without the slightest problem "until now". with the rut kicking in I wanted to hunt a certain area next week so about mid-day I started to put up the stand. I had only gone up about 12' when the step I was standing on just popped out. I was in a whiteoak and made certain to screw the steps in as far as possible. I was very lucky that my left foot landed solid on another step on the way down (after the one above it about ripped my arm off) stopping what could have been an even worse injury. I feel VERY lucky and after today I'm not gonna put much faith in screw-in steps. like Al said....we have 4 sets of climbing sticks headed our way.
Glad you are alright! Have never liked the screw in steps...
Hope you heal quickly!
Hang in there Danny and stay safe . This has refreshed my memory of some falls Ive had from the stand . Everyone be carefull .
Mike
ouch. glad he wasnt hurt worse
i stopped using screw in steps years ago becouse they are so slippery when wet and early mornings are allways wet. the climbing steps are cheap and sooooo much easier and faster to put up.
Ouch!
Wow thats bad, I use screw in steps but like the sicks much more I have imaged that happening.
Holy smoke man. That's gonna leave a mark.
Heal up quickly Danny! gotta get after the big ones. Take care buddy.
Wow thats a bad one...bd
I'd leave it the way it is-chics love scars! :bigsmyl:
Seriously, I hope you heal quickly and thank you for giving us all a lesson!
That's why I use a tree hopper climbing belt besides that it leaves you two hands to install the steps. Heal up and I hope it don't ruin your season.
Yikes
Get to feelin' better man. I use the non-typical ladders. Best there is !
any further he would have nailed the artery he is very lucky!!!
geezz thats a good touch up! sorry to hear about that. can you sill shoot alright?
hey Deadbolt! the Doctor in the ER that did the sewing (30 minutes worth) said the exact same thing. she told me I was VERY lucky. yes tradtusker' I have been shooting and I'm actually going hunting tomorrow. the step that popped out was one with the fold-in screw 'JUNK'. I did have a climbing belt on but it was unhooked because I was climbing up past a limb. I hope my mishap opens everyones eyes to just how fast something fun can turn bad, and bad quick. I do feel VERY blessed that it wasn't any worse.
thank you to everyone for the kind words and support.
Danny
"yes tradtusker' I have been shooting and I'm actually going hunting tomorrow." good on ya :thumbsup:
things could have got very interesting if you had torn the artery. best of luck with the Hunt hope you heal up quick :archer:
Sorry to see that. Sure hope you heal enough to get in some hunting time. Let's Go Mountaineers. John
just thought I'd show ya'll the type of step that "let me down". LOL (http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n175/sswv/JUNKstep003.jpg)
so how long till you'll draw a bowstring?
Good thing it didn't catch you under the chin . We'd be lamenting yer loss right now if it had.
I'm tossing the last of my screw in steps.
I only have a few but they are going in the garbage.
I guess this has put a 'slow down' on the screw-in step market BUT, the climbing stick business is picking up. my friends and myself ordered six sets. I really do thank everyone for their concerns and just to let ya'll know...I am healing pretty good and shooting everyday. even went hunting yesterday.
hunt safe
Danny
forgot to mention....the step pictured above was made by 'Game Tracker' which is no longer in business. if any of you have these type of steps PLEASE, use them with caution or do like most of us have, toss'em.
hunt safe
Danny
thats why i hunt on the ground. much safer cant fall to far. heal quick danny
I don't think the Ameristep steps with the long threads and one-piece construction are nearly as dangerous as that multi-piece folding junk. You've still gotta be careful, though - the steps may not fail, but you can still have a foot slip off a step while you're climbing.
I was wondering when someone would notice the obvious proximity to the artery! This not only shows how quikly things can turn, but how a quarter inch can be the difference between a story you laugh at someday, and something unthinkable.
I had a non-hunting-related accident leave me hanging from a harness a couple years ago. It is just shocking how quikly things can go South.
Hope everyone pays attention.
Thank God your all right. :knothead:
I use tree steps; but not those kind ! I take care to make sure the step is screwing into not BARK but tree- and all the way in.
As stated before; most steps - all that I use- have twice as much thread as that fold up one pictured. Ameristeps warn you to screw them in all the way; and flat against the tree- not on an angle.
For those of you that use any kind of step system: always have three steps supporting you when you climb.
I cannot believe nobody has fallen from other types of steps.... personally I have fallen on the ground while walking on the ground. Steps don't cause accidents; people cause accidents!
:rolleyes:
"Steps don't cause accidents; people cause accidents!"
I have to disagree with that statement Brian! I had that step screwed in all the way. there's nothing I could have done different, it just popped out. the threads are just too dang short on those type. maybe this thread and my bad luck will save someone from an even worse injury.
hunt safe
Danny
Danny, hope youe heal up soon. Thanks a bunch for the picture of the step. I have a couple sets of those same ones. They won't be going out with my again!!
sswv
I agree - those steps were to dang short for any tree or for safe use. I too hope people think twice before using them !
I am just saying; if there is a way to fall off any step; somebody like me will find it :banghead: :campfire:
hey Brian! guess we all need to be extra careful while we're out, steps or no steps. have a SAFE season.
Ouch, that looks nasty. I never liked screw-in steps like that or metal climbing sticks where the steps stick out from the tree, they have sharp edges to fall on even if you slip and catch yourself. The rail style ladder steps look a lot better to me.
I've been using homemade Wadsworth style climbing blocks (from the old IBEP manual) for years. While I wouldn't recommend anyone to use anything homemade when it comes to tree stands, (knock on wood) I have yet to have a problem with these climbing blocks.
That's the second time I've heard of tree steps failing.
Bakes
I told Danny all those folding steps would make dandy bow hangers. ;-)
That is a good reason to hunt from the ground!
Man, That's a bad gash, buddy - but you are right, it could have been so much worse. I hate screw in steps, they scare the crap out of me, to put it bluntly. I try very hard to never find myself in a position to have to use them. Heal quickly, Danny - and be extra careful - that are may be weak for awhile.
Thank the good Lord that your alright!!!
This is a good lesson for all. Too bad it takes something like this to see it. Hope you heal up OK with no problems... Mountain
glad you are ok.As already stated this could have ended very badly.I've seen people die from that wound.(brachial artery and some important nerves live a few inches from that wound.)A tourniquet is not very effective at that level.
got the sewing un-done yesterday and all looks well! thanks everyone for your concern and be safe.
sswv
good on ya
OUCH!!! :eek: Hope there's not any permanent damage!? Things like that remind me why I'm scared of heights! :scared:
If the Lord wanted me up a tree he would have given me a prehensile tail! :biglaugh:
:scared: thanks for the reminder how quick things can go south. Glad you didn't get hurt any worse.