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Near fall experience

J

jgleas114

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
255
Summary: Be careful how you tie off your excess bridge line.

2 weeks ago, I was headed in a new spot right outside of a bedding area. I knew there was at least one buck and a handful of does consistently bedding in this area. Being as quiet, I bump a handful of deer not sure what they were as it was still dark. I shut off my headlamp and waited a good 5 minutes. I timed it. It felt like a lifetime. As I took my next step the blowing started and I was officially busted. I was PISSED to say the least.

Given that is was pitched black outside I continued to my tree. Quietly and quickly climbed the tree and set up my platform. Once on the platform, I setup my tether, clipped in to what I thought was my bridge and released my lineman's belt. After getting everything setup, I realized I need to rotate my platform about 20 degrees. I tighten my rope man sat in the saddle and pulled up my feet up and rotated the platform. All my weight was on my tether and bridge.

After getting situated, I realized that something was off. I tried to adjust the prusik knot on my bridge but it wouldn't budge. That's when I noticed it.

Before entering in the woods I had cinched down my bridge and tied a simple over hand knot across my waist with the excess bridge rope to prevent any hang ups sneaking in. Being frustrated with what had just happened, I had clipped my tether into my excess bridge line. The knot at the end of my bridge hung up in my over hand knot and stopped me from falling. Needless to say I broke out into a cold sweat.

Take away: Stay calm. Keep a clear head. Tuck your excess bridge line in a pouch not tied across your waist.
 
jgleas114 said:
Summary: Be careful how you tie off your excess bridge line.

2 weeks ago, I was headed in a new spot right outside of a bedding area. I knew there was at least one buck and a handful of does consistently bedding in this area. Being as quiet, I bump a handful of deer not sure what they were as it was still dark. I shut off my headlamp and waited a good 5 minutes. I timed it. It felt like a lifetime. As I took my next step the blowing started and I was officially busted. I was PISSED to say the least.

Given that is was pitched black outside I continued to my tree. Quietly and quickly climbed the tree and set up my platform. Once on the platform, I setup my tether, clipped in to what I thought was my bridge and released my lineman's belt. After getting everything setup, I realized I need to rotate my platform about 20 degrees. I tighten my rope man sat in the saddle and pulled up my feet up and rotated the platform. All my weight was on my tether and bridge.

After getting situated, I realized that something was off. I tried to adjust the prusik knot on my bridge but it wouldn't budge. That's when I noticed it.

Before entering in the woods I had cinched down my bridge and tied a simple over hand knot across my waist with the excess bridge rope to prevent any hang ups sneaking in. Being frustrated with what had just happened, I had clipped my tether into my excess bridge line. The knot at the end of my bridge hung up in my over hand knot and stopped me from falling. Needless to say I broke out into a cold sweat.

Take away: Stay calm. Keep a clear head. Tuck your excess bridge line in a pouch not tied across your waist.
Click to expand...
Wow! Glad you are alright. Thank you for the reminder that it only takes a half second for something to distract you from the task at hand resulting in a very dangerous situation.
 
Last season I may have done something similar. I'm not positive. I was one stick climbing, and my excess bridge on the transformer was run thru the d D loop there. I run a LB in conjunction. I went around a limb. When I un clipped from my main line, I struggled to get it off my bridge. Something felt off when I was hanging. Not sure if I was in on the left over bridge tail, or the prussic cord, or both. But I am pretty sure I was not on the main part of my bridge. It was a pretty sobering experience. One sticking when your hanging off the tree with nothing underneath could have been bad.
 
My first sit this season, I set up in the dark, early in the morning. I just couldn't get comfortable in my Cruzr XC saddle. After it got light out I realized that my bridge was connected to the bridge loop on one side and the lineman's loop on the other side. Pay attention out there guys!!:oops:
 
jgleas114 said:
Summary: Be careful how you tie off your excess bridge line.

2 weeks ago, I was headed in a new spot right outside of a bedding area. I knew there was at least one buck and a handful of does consistently bedding in this area. Being as quiet, I bump a handful of deer not sure what they were as it was still dark. I shut off my headlamp and waited a good 5 minutes. I timed it. It felt like a lifetime. As I took my next step the blowing started and I was officially busted. I was PISSED to say the least.

Given that is was pitched black outside I continued to my tree. Quietly and quickly climbed the tree and set up my platform. Once on the platform, I setup my tether, clipped in to what I thought was my bridge and released my lineman's belt. After getting everything setup, I realized I need to rotate my platform about 20 degrees. I tighten my rope man sat in the saddle and pulled up my feet up and rotated the platform. All my weight was on my tether and bridge.

After getting situated, I realized that something was off. I tried to adjust the prusik knot on my bridge but it wouldn't budge. That's when I noticed it.

Before entering in the woods I had cinched down my bridge and tied a simple over hand knot across my waist with the excess bridge rope to prevent any hang ups sneaking in. Being frustrated with what had just happened, I had clipped my tether into my excess bridge line. The knot at the end of my bridge hung up in my over hand knot and stopped me from falling. Needless to say I broke out into a cold sweat.

Take away: Stay calm. Keep a clear head. Tuck your excess bridge line in a pouch not tied across your waist.
Click to expand...
I did something similar when I first started. Wrapped my excess bridge line around a dump pouch. Got to my tree, pulled out my climbing tether, clipped to my bridge, climbed to the top of my one stick, quick linked my climbing tether to the tree, sat into it and just about the time my full weight was on it I felt a pop as I started to fall backward. I quickly grabbed my tether with my highly tuned catlike reflexes. I had hooked onto my excess bridge line which came across my waist and was wrapped around the dump pouch. I was about 8 feet up. Wouldn’t have killed me, but would‘ve hurt like hell. That was sobering. People spend a lot of time talking about equipment failing, when most people get hurt because of a mistake they made. Instead of focusing on “how is my equipment going to fail” people should focus more on “how am I going to fail”.
 
2Sloe said:
I did something similar when I first started. Wrapped my excess bridge line around a dump pouch. Got to my tree, pulled out my climbing tether, clipped to my bridge, climbed to the top of my one stick, quick linked my climbing tether to the tree, sat into it and just about the time my full weight was on it I felt a pop as I started to fall backward. I quickly grabbed my tether with my highly tuned catlike reflexes. I had hooked onto my excess bridge line which came across my waist and was wrapped around the dump pouch. I was about 8 feet up. Wouldn’t have killed me, but would‘ve hurt like hell. That was sobering. People spend a lot of time talking about equipment failing, when most people get hurt because of a mistake they made. Instead of focusing on “how is my equipment going to fail” people should focus more on “how am I going to fail”.
Click to expand...
Well said sir! Well said.
 
Glad you are ok. If your system has more than one carabiner such as:
Tether plus lineman’s belt
Or
Tether plus secondary bridge…
Use different styles of carabiners for each. It’s just too easy to clip the ‘wrong’ line if the carabiners are identical
 
mtsrunner said:
Glad you are ok. If your system has more than one carabiner such as:
Tether plus lineman’s belt
Or
Tether plus secondary bridge…
Use different styles of carabiners for each. It’s just too easy to clip the ‘wrong’ line if the carabiners are identical
Click to expand...
X2
Also nice to have ur tether and linesman ropes a different color
 
Regardless of your spot, organize and use your gear to be able to do the same thing and use the same things over and over again until it’s second nature. This consistency promotes safety. You will realize it when there is some kind of even slight change. This creates awareness and caution. I try to keep everything in its place and deploy/employ techniques and devices the same way each time. Reverse on the way down and out for the day. Everything is rote muscle memory as much as practicable.
 
woodsdog2 said:
Regardless of your spot, organize and use your gear to be able to do the same thing and use the same things over and over again until it’s second nature. This consistency promotes safety. You will realize it when there is some kind of even slight change. This creates awareness and caution. I try to keep everything in its place and deploy/employ techniques and devices the same way each time. Reverse on the way down and out for the day. Everything is rote muscle memory as much as practicable.
Click to expand...
This. I've hunted with guys who have a scavenger hunt every time they get ready to head out. Tethers, ropes, biners etc. Pack dump ensues and it's a trash pile of parts and pieces. I don't know how they don't die. I can climb up and down a tree eyes closed in the dark with a blindfold. I know where EVERYTHING is. And it all goes back in the same places in reverse order on the way down. When I pack up and walk away from a tree my kit is ready to hunt again the next day. Add snacks and fill water etc at camp but my gear is stowed and rigged for ready.

Only other thing I will add is this; Be focused, in the moment and eyes on task. Complacency kills.
 
Glenn said:
This. I've hunted with guys who have a scavenger hunt every time they get ready to head out. Tethers, ropes, biners etc. Pack dump ensues and it's a trash pile of parts and pieces. I don't know how they don't die. I can climb up and down a tree eyes closed in the dark with a blindfold. I know where EVERYTHING is. And it all goes back in the same places in reverse order on the way down. When I pack up and walk away from a tree my kit is ready to hunt again the next day. Add snacks and fill water etc at camp but my gear is stowed and rigged for ready.

Only other thing I will add is this; Be focused, in the moment and eyes on task. Complacency kills.
Click to expand...
Yes, my hunting pack is already in its bin ready to roll for practice now and the upcoming season.
 
Glenn said:
This. I've hunted with guys who have a scavenger hunt every time they get ready to head out. Tethers, ropes, biners etc. Pack dump ensues and it's a trash pile of parts and pieces. I don't know how they don't die. I can climb up and down a tree eyes closed in the dark with a blindfold. I know where EVERYTHING is. And it all goes back in the same places in reverse order on the way down. When I pack up and walk away from a tree my kit is ready to hunt again the next day. Add snacks and fill water etc at camp but my gear is stowed and rigged for ready.

Only other thing I will add is this; Be focused, in the moment and eyes on task. Complacency kills.
Click to expand...

I'll admit my first two climbs were like this. I was still getting the hang of things and where to stow certain items I might need and how to carry them. After I got my "system" figured out, my next climbs were easier and easier. I learned what ripe/hitch/biner needs to go in what pocket, what I need at the base of the tree and where to find it, and what to setup first once I get to hunting height.

I had practiced alot in the yard, but was practicing mostly the climbing aspect and never bothered to practice an actual "hunting" scenario.

I hate to say one of the main things that tripped me up was my snake gaiters. Those things are impossible to climb in, but i didnt know that until my first hunt. Had to come back down and stuff them in my pack, move stuff around to make room, etc.

BT
 
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