CrackbottomLouis
Well-Known Member
I remember reading in a thread about the danger of moving your tether up with your fingers between the rope and the tether and thinking "that won't be problem for me, I can't see that happening, etc".
I have learned differently. Hog hunting yesterday and was about 15-20 feet up and moving the tether on my last move and my stick kicked out. I dropped into the saddle, stick went upside down and tangled in my bridge and tether trapping my hand between tree and rope. It was a struggle to get my hand free with my weight on the ropes but I finally managed. Couldn't get enough weight off to untangle the bridge or my tether so I couldn't rappel down. Had to undo my saddle and slip out to hang and drop down.
Broke 2 fingers (they were completely S shaped), dislocated one (gonna need a minor surgical repair on one ligament) and fractured my wrist. The more important casualty was my ego when I had to text my brother to bring his climber over to help me get my stuff out of the tree and drive me to the hospital. Which sucked. Told hospital I was doing yard work in a tree so I wouldn't be a hunting injury statistic.
A painful lesson learned. And it's my right hand so gonna be a minute before I can get back to shooting my bows and firearms which is the most depressing part. Time to go back to the drawing board with a heavier emphasis on safety.
On the plus side my mantis was awesome. Stayed right side up and was able to get out and hang from it it drop without ever feeling it wouldn't hold. It's still in perfect condition. Great job on a really nice saddle tethrd.
I have learned differently. Hog hunting yesterday and was about 15-20 feet up and moving the tether on my last move and my stick kicked out. I dropped into the saddle, stick went upside down and tangled in my bridge and tether trapping my hand between tree and rope. It was a struggle to get my hand free with my weight on the ropes but I finally managed. Couldn't get enough weight off to untangle the bridge or my tether so I couldn't rappel down. Had to undo my saddle and slip out to hang and drop down.
Broke 2 fingers (they were completely S shaped), dislocated one (gonna need a minor surgical repair on one ligament) and fractured my wrist. The more important casualty was my ego when I had to text my brother to bring his climber over to help me get my stuff out of the tree and drive me to the hospital. Which sucked. Told hospital I was doing yard work in a tree so I wouldn't be a hunting injury statistic.
A painful lesson learned. And it's my right hand so gonna be a minute before I can get back to shooting my bows and firearms which is the most depressing part. Time to go back to the drawing board with a heavier emphasis on safety.
On the plus side my mantis was awesome. Stayed right side up and was able to get out and hang from it it drop without ever feeling it wouldn't hold. It's still in perfect condition. Great job on a really nice saddle tethrd.