Bowhunting 20 feet up can be dangerous, but a treestand harness could save your life.
According to the Treestand Safety Awareness Foundation, hunters experienced more than 1,900 falls that required ER visits in 2019.
Probably the more staggering figure is the 65 percent decrease in falls of this kind since 2010, mostly thanks to the advancement in safety harnesses and education.
How a Treestand Safety Harness Works
A full-body safety harness is designed to prevent life-threatening falls by securing the hunter to a tree strap or lifeline via a tether. The combination of leg straps, shoulder straps and a chest strap help to evenly distribute pressure in the event of a fall.
The safest choice is to clip onto a lifeline or lineman's rope at the base of the tree with a climbing grade carabiner. As you climb, you slide the rope's Prusik knot with you so you're connected every step of the way.
Falls can happen with a ladder stand just as easily as a climber or lock-on, so always stay strapped in.
Hunting Safety Harness Options
The biggest name in safety harnesses and for good reason is Hunter Safety System. The options from HSS get lighter each year, and you can even opt for a harness equipped with ElimiShield scent elimination technology.
The Hunter Safety System Ultra-Lite in Mossy Oak or Realtree X-tra camo weighs in at only 2 pounds and comes in three sizes to accommodate just about every adult hunter, while the X-1 Bowhunter is a great hassle-free option for archers. You can also purchase treestand hunting accessories including treestraps, lifeline ropes and heavy-duty carabiners on the HSS website.
Summit Treestands also produces high-quality harnesses for both men and women as well as treestands and accessories. Summit safety harnesses in the Pro series feature padded shoulder straps and come with an affordable price tag under $100 for most models.
Other hunter favorites include the Muddy Safeguard and Magnum Pro Harnesses. These lightweight options from Muddy Outdoors are great for archery hunting and pair well with the company's treestand systems.
Most of the options are available as a combo with everything you'll need to safely connect to your tree and are compliant with the Treestand Manufacturer's Association (TMA) standards.
NEXT: 5 OF THE WORST HUNTING SAFETY MISTAKES ONE CAN MAKE
WATCH
