by Brad Dison

Hunting season is here! Falls from stands are one of the most common causes of injury for hunters in Louisiana.

Many years ago, a cousin of mine was hunting in a ladder stand.  As the sun came up and shone through the trees, the chill wore off and he waited comfortably for the big buck that was sure to pass by.  As he always told it, “I woke up and I was half way to the ground.”

On another occasion, another relative was hunting in a ladder stand.  She sat with the rifle on her lap.  She moved to try to get more comfortable and fell out of the stand.  The fall lasted only a second or two, but she said it felt like everything moved in slow motion.  She landed without injury but the business end of her loaded rifle was poking her in the stomach.  Luckily, the gun did not fire. 

These are just two examples why you should always follow the ABC’s (and D) of tree stand safety provided by the Tree Stand Safety Awareness Foundation.  These safety tips will ensure you have a safe and productive hunt.  

Be sure to let people know where you will be hunting.  You can use simple maps, cell phone trackers, tag systems at your hunt club, or hunting apps like HuntStand. (Look for HuntStand in your phone’s App Store)

---

To report an issue or typo with this article – CLICK HERE