Whitetail Hunting photo
SHARE

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›

A lot of us will be putting up treestands this month. In fact, I’ll be hanging a couple myself this afternoon. So its apropos that I should come across this headline this morning:

“Improperly Installed Treestands Leading Cause of Hunting-Related Accidents.”

It’s a good reminder to be careful. This press release from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources via Buckmasters offers some valuable tips, and for what it’s worth, here are a few things I do to make hanging a treestand as safe and simple as possible:

–I wear my safety harness while installing tree steps or climbing sticks, sliding the tether up as I go. This is something a lot of hunters do not do, and I understand why: It’s a pain in the neck. But it’s not as big a pain as falling out of the tree.

–The first thing I do is install a Prussic-knot safety line.

–I put two steps in side-by-side and stand on both when hanging the stand, for better stability.

–I temporarily rest the stand on a strap-on step while I attaching it to the tree. This way, I don’t have to hold the weight of the stand in one hand while working the tightening strap with other.

How about you? Got any tips for your fellow treestand hunters that will help keep them safe this fall?