More hunters:

I'm honestly thinking about doing a \"Tree climbing safety\" seminar prior to hunting season next year. A climbing line and a saddle or harness would be a great addition to a tree stand, don't you think?

http://www.wtov9.com/news/17869674/detail.html

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20081201/NEWS01/312010023/1002/rss

http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=18c57973-ae03-4b2e-b1be-5218e3048033

And finally...(Both within 15 miles from my home)

2 HUNTERS FALL FROM TREES - SCHUYLKILL AND CARBON
December 1, 2008

A Carbon County hunter was flown to the hospital after falling from a tree stand in Franklin Township. The accident happened Saturday morning. Sources at the scene say Terry Wentz was preparing a tree stand for today's start of deer season. He fell from the tree about 12 to 15 feet in a heavily wooded and remote area off of Long Run Road. Rescuers from Paryville and Franklin and Lehigh Townships had to use ATVs to reach him. Three hours later they brought him out of the woods to a waiting helicopter. A Lehigh Valley Hospital spokesperson says Wentz is listed in good condition today.

Another hunter fell from his tree stand this morning on the Brockton Mountain. Sources at the scene say he fell around 9 a.m. but due to the remote location crews didn't get him out until after 12:30 p.m. A request for a helicopter was made but it could not respond due to the weather. No other information is available at this time.

...and a search on Google will reveal many more. (Sigh)

Those crazy hunters drinking and hunting from a tree!
What a wild bunch!
Loosers!!!!!!

With all due respect, Oldtimer, I don't believe any of the articles made reference to drinking.

I‘m a non-hunter. I used to hunt, but just lost interest. When I did hunt, I didn’t drink. Never did, still don’t. I know many very respectable and conscientious hunters, and I work very closely with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Trust me when I say that not all hunters are losers, and not all losers hunt – or drink. My post was just to bring the recent number of hunting/tree related falls to light.

My understanding of the hunter/tree stand situation is that hunters staying still for long periods of time waiting for deer to walk by by simply fall asleep and sometimes fall out of their deer stands. Not to mention all the other fall \"opportunities\" when climbing up, climbing down or installing and deinstalling deer stands. I read somewhere that the majority of \"falling out of trees\" accidents in the U.S. are hunter related, more so than arborist climbers for instance, or kids falling out of trees. If true it's not surprising since so many hunters are not tied in when they're in the tree.
-moss

moss wrote:

My understanding of the hunter/tree stand situation is that hunters staying still for long periods of time waiting for deer to walk by (may) simply fall asleep and sometimes fall out of their deer stands. Not to mention all the other fall \"opportunities\" when climbing up, climbing down or installing and deinstalling deer stands. I read somewhere that the majority of \"falling out of trees\" accidents in the U.S. are hunter related, more so than arborist climbers for instance, or kids falling out of trees. If true it's not surprising since so many hunters are not tied in when they're in the tree.
-moss

Those were pretty much my thoughts when I mentioned doing a tree safety program for hunters. I looked through the Cabela's catalog for safety gear - they DO make it, it's a shame more hunters don't use it. Also, I could not, for the literal life of me, fathom climbing a tree using the tree stand itself. Just asking for trouble with that thing!

Go here for safety equipment: http://www.cabelas.com/ssubcat-1/cat20053.shtml . See, just like Santa, they DO exist.

There's a safety video on this page too. Watch it, it's kinda funny (and sad at the same time). Like Moss mentioned, one guy even falls because he fell asleep.