Scoutman
Well-Known Member
Been climbing trees hunting over 40 years. On 8/26/18 in Colorado, I fell from 25ft up a pine and caught myself 10ft off the ground. I was hanging upside down, my right leg miraculously wrapped around a limb and caught me. I suffered pretty good tree trunk rash on both arms trying to catch myself, took some good impact from a screw in step behind my left knee, but was extremely lucky considering. It took 3-4 days for skin on my arms to heal enough to tolerate anything on them, my left leg was badly bruised and sore, still sore now. I had a 3.5 mile hike out to the utv and then a 14 mile drive to camp. My buddy was with me and climbed up and helped me get upright to get down. He stayed in area to hunt as we had elk and elk sign all around.
I got complacent climbing using tree limbs out there for last 14 years, pines out there have plenty of limbs and you can usually trim a path straight up one using no steps. I trusted a limb that obviously wasn't strong enough to hold me and it snapped. Things happen fast in these situations and that's what happened here, my saving grace was focusing on stopping by any means. The stupid, confident part was my treesaddle was in my pack on the ground below me! I had a safety net with me and overconfidence trumped sound decision. So lesson learned and if this helps just one person not to do something like this, I've succeeded. BTW We took 2 cows and a chocolate bear later in hunt, lol.
I got complacent climbing using tree limbs out there for last 14 years, pines out there have plenty of limbs and you can usually trim a path straight up one using no steps. I trusted a limb that obviously wasn't strong enough to hold me and it snapped. Things happen fast in these situations and that's what happened here, my saving grace was focusing on stopping by any means. The stupid, confident part was my treesaddle was in my pack on the ground below me! I had a safety net with me and overconfidence trumped sound decision. So lesson learned and if this helps just one person not to do something like this, I've succeeded. BTW We took 2 cows and a chocolate bear later in hunt, lol.