Passport to Texas

Safety first when using a tree stand.

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This is Passport to Texas

To be “up a tree” is usually a bad thing—unless, of course, you’re a hunter in a tree stand.

Did you know that the number one cause of hunting injury and fatality in North America is falls from tree stands?

In this instance, being up the tree isn’t the problem… falling from it is. Steve Hall, Texas Parks and Wildlife Hunter Education Coordinator, offers three simple rules to prevent falls.

One, use a good climbing system. Two, a harness while you’re in the stand. And three, a haul line to haul up your equipment and lower it back down to the ground.

Hall says climbing to the tree stand is when most accidents occur.

You want to make sure you have three points of contact while you’re climbing on a ladder or into a stand. You also want to step down onto the platform of that stand before you strap yourself in, in terms of the tree and the harness.

Once a hunter is in the stand, Hall says he or she needs to be sure the tether is nice and taut.

If he does happen to fall off the platform, this will keep his legs near the platform.

This allows the hunter to easily step back onto the platform. There’s more hunter safety information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife Restoration Program supports our series and works to increase hunting and shooting sports in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.