Deer season is approaching and so are treestand accidents.  I've already taught at one KS Hunters Safety Course this year, the second is in Oct.  I really put a lot of focus into encouraging hunters to use climbing systems.  Seventy percent of falls occur while climbing up/down or transitioning from steps to stand.  It is not affective to  only  secure yourself once you're on stand. I recommend everyone use a prussic/climber's knot on a rope that is secured above your stand height and tied at the base of the tree-- attach your harness (preferable a 4-point) via a carabineer .  This allows you to be secured at all times.

Another part of my Hunter's Education speech is about the patient I treated about 4 years ago:  Although he always wore his harness, he fell while climbing... He was 32 y/o at the time and became a paraplegic.

Good luck this season and hunt safe!      

Manolito

By chance do you have a link that would detail the prussic/climbers knot as it relates to tree stands?

Thanks

Search PowWow and you'll find several links and pictorials.

Here's a good one:

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=036692;p=3

Thanks! Good info there. I've got 4 stands  up on my 20 acres and will have 2 more before season starts in two weeks. Was trying to figure out how to rig up safety lines on all of them. That link answered that question.
Thanks again

Get and use a linesman belt as well for installing stands and the climbing rope.
As well as safer, its like having a 3rd hand and makes the job way easier.

Steve

Thanks for the info guys.  I have been using a light weight Gorila treestand and the lone wolf sticks for a few years now and feel very uneasy about it.  They are both great products and I love them but I got to get a belt to go around the tree while I put the stand up.  I almost never use the same tree more than 2 times in a year so the rope thing won't help me much but my brother has a lot of stands put up so I will definatly make sure and put them in his trees.  If it is already their you might as well use it right.  Thanks again guys.

QuoteOriginally posted by Mo. Huntin:
Thanks for the info guys.  I have been using a light weight Gorila treestand and the lone wolf sticks for a few years now and feel very uneasy about it.  They are both great products and I love them but I got to get a belt to go around the tree while I put the stand up.  I almost never use the same tree more than 2 times in a year so the rope thing won't help me much but my brother has a lot of stands put up so I will definatly make sure and put them in his trees.  If it is already their you might as well use it right.  Thanks again guys.

When installing, get a linesman's belt like SteveB wrote.  
Also, you may only get into a certain tree twice, but it only takes one fall.  If you have to, scout potential trees and place multiple ropes ahead of time, then simply move/switch stands PRN.  Safety is not a matter of convenience.
A buddy of mine laughed at my climbing systems.  The very first day I convinced him to use one, he fell while climbing out and the prussic knot caught him.

QuoteSafety is not a matter of convenience.
 

Great quote!!
Would make a good signature.
Last thing I want to read this year is about someone taking a preventable fall.

Steve