Hunters should take care with tree stands

With the whitetail's breeding season, known as the rut, quickly approaching, archers are beginning to feel an urgency to get into the woods. Bucks tend to be less cautious during this period, often becoming careless to situations they would normally avoid and will suddenly find themselves in some trouble. Unfortunately, each year the excitement of the season results in hunters literally falling prey to the same imprudence. Hunting remains one of the safest outdoor pursuits and is enjoyed by more than 15 million in the US annually. According to the National Safety Council, hunting results in less than 50 injuries per 100,000 participants. That's fewer than many popular sports, including cycling, bowling, golf and tennis. Of the approximate 8,000 injuries that hunters suffer annually, nearly 6,000 have one thing in common — tree stands. Several times during my career, I've been in the position to respond to unfortunate hunters who had mishaps around their elevated stands. One was a gunshot wound while hoisting a loaded 12-gauge shotgun into the tree, another person fell from his perch and broke his pelvis, another his back, and still another fell onto one of his very sharp arrows. Thankfully, each of these people survived these misfortunes though all suffered long-term recovery periods. Each of these situations were also likely preventable or the situation could have at least been tempered with more caution. The question must be asked, "If hunting from a tree or elevated stand can be so risky, why not hunt from the ground?" First and foremost, stand hunting is effective. It offers a better line of sight and allows you to view more of the wildlife activity in the area, including deer sneaking toward your position. Stands also raise you above the deer's view and reduces their chance to pinpoint your location by smell. Finally, that tree stand may even help keep you keep a bit dryer — if it's the type that has an enclosure. The most commonly available commercially built stands include ladder, hang-on, and climbing. Ladder tree stands are most often sold as a bundle that includes the ladder, platform, and seat all in one. They're bulky and hard to move quickly but are a great choice for hunters who expect to be using the same location(s) regularly. The are generally easier to climb up and down, can be oversized for more comfort or to act as a mentoring stand, and can be used against trees less suitable for other stands. Hang-on stands are more difficult to put up, but they do allow hunters to set up in trees with a large number of branches or deformities. They require a ladder, climbing sticks, or screw-on stairs for the hunter to use it, things that can damage the tree. Their advantage is that it allows you to get into big trees with branching trunks and large limbs, which can break up the hunter's silhouette. Most don't have safety railings and are not for those with a touch of acrophobia. They're lighter and more easily located than ladder stands but you definitely give up a lot of comfort and security. Climbing stands are one of the most easily transportable deer stands available on the market, most weighing less than 30-pounds. They permit hunters to relocate easily, modify the stand's height, and even change the direction in which it faces. The tree chosen for a climbing stand must be relatively straight, clear of branches at least up to the desired hunting height, and be large enough to hold the stand and bare the weight of the hunter safely. Another stand that's quickly gaining popularity is the elevated blind. These resemble a kid's tree house built on stands or stilts and are made in a variety of heights. They are commercially available and can also be built by those handy with woodworking and common shop tools. They're made to be static hunting points, tend to be the safest elevated option, can be quite comfortable, are perfect for mentoring, and double down for off-season wildlife watching and photography. The ladder to get into them often have grip rails while others use stair-like construction. They're also the priciest of the bunch. All of these stands do come at a cost — elevated hunting includes the risk of a fall. It can be the result of carelessness, failure to use proper equipment, damaged or improperly maintained gear, ignoring safety precautions, over-estimating our equipment's or personal abilities, or bad luck. Most mishaps occur during climbing up or down and in transitioning between steps and stand. Here's a brief checklist to help you with your stand safety: • Always wear a fall-arrest system/full-body harness meeting Treestand Manufacturer's Association standards when your feet leave the ground. • Always use a tree stand that meets TMA standards. • Read all instructions accompanying harnesses and tree stands and review them each season. • Practice with your stand at ground level, gradually going higher. • Always inspect equipment before and after use. • Always select the proper tree for use with your tree stand. • Always use a haul line to pull up gear; never climb without two free hands. • Never hurry. • Always tell others of your plans. Hunt with a buddy nearby when possible. • Always carry some combination of emergency signal devices on your person: whistle, radio, flare, cell phone. • For more tips, go to tmastands.com Other than elevated blinds and possibly ladder stands, never leave your stands in the field. Rust can damage crucial supports, wood platforms rot, and trapped water that freezes and thaws will shorten the life of the stand and possibly your own. All equipment including nuts, bolts, screws, and straps should be inspected carefully. If you do fall and are saved by your safety harness, replace it. The stress placed on it may cause invisible weaknesses that could yield in another fall. Finally, always remember that a fall can happen to anyone — and that you are anyone. "Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Along the way The Mississippi Flyway Council has recognized Ohio Wildlife Officer Brad Turner as the Waterfowl Protection Officer of the Year. This award highlights officers who go above and beyond by protecting wetlands and waterfowl in their areas of assignment, educating waterfowlers, participating in waterfowl organizations and promoting youth hunting activities. Turner serves on the Waterfowl Training Team, teaching new officers and other staff about waterfowl identification, is a field training officer and contributes to events with local conservation organizations. He graduated from Mississinawa Valley High School in Darke County, received a degree in fish and wildlife management from Hocking College, and graduated the wildlife officer academy in 2007. He's currently assigned as the officer serving Preble County. That's the good news about Brad, but there's also some bad news. Like most wildlife officers, he enjoys spending time away from work but still in the venues that he protects. This October, while hunting deer from a tree stand, Brad fell and was injured. His recovery included surgery and time for recovery. We all look forward to his return to the job. As you can imagine, this can be very trying — both physically and mentally. If you'd like to send a note or card of encouragement to Brad or a thank him for his service, it can be sent to: Brad Turner c/o Ohio Division of Wildlife District 5, 1076 Old Springfield Pike, Xenia, Ohio 45385. It may seem like a very small thing to you, but I promise it will mean the world to him. Step outside • Nonresident students who do not reside in Ohio but are actively enrolled in an Ohio college or university can now purchase Ohio resident hunting and fishing licenses. The opportunity came after Gov. Mike DeWine and the General Assembly approved the change in July. Providing nonresident students, the option to purchase the lower cost licenses make it easier and more affordable for these collegians to participate in hunting and fishing. • The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is offering $500,000 in boating safety education grant funding available for eligible Ohio organizations, including school districts, political subdivisions, universities, and nonprofit agencies. Applications are due by Dec. 1 and funding is capped at $30,000 per applicant. Grants support the purchase of safety equipment such as vessels, life jackets and trailers. There is a 25% in-kind match. Interested organizations are invited to attend a free grant workshop on Nov. 2 in Columbus. The workshop will cover the application process and types of projects that are eligible for funding. To learn more, visit: https://ohiodnr.gov/buy-and-apply/apply-for-grants/grants/boating-safety-education • Tomorrow: Trap Shoot, 1 p.m. Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Delaware Township 186. Public welcome. • Thursday: Trap and Skeet Practice, open to the public. 4 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. • Nov. 12: Turkey Shoot. Includes 10-bird shoots, still shoots, protections, and Annie Oakley's. Shooting begins at noon. Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Delaware Township 186. Public welcome. Questions: Bob Yoder, 419-273-5057. • Nov. 19: 50-Bird Trap Shoot, practice opens 11:30 a.m., program begins 12:30 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. Public welcome. Contact: Sandy Thomas, sandthm@aol.com Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com