I was setting up at a TPWD drawn hunt this weekend when I had a wee bit of an accident.

I had scouted my compartment for bulk of the first day and was setting up my ladder stand late that afternoon so that I could get an early start the next morning. I followed the directions like a good boy and added the dummy ropes to the top, raised the stand into place, added the horizontal brace, then wrapped/tied the dummy ropes around the tree.

As I was approaching the top of the ladder to add the ratchet strap to the tree, the whole thing began to shift to my right (thinking back, I blame the sandy soil and my weight), then suddenly it was like the entire thing rotated clockwise with the horizontal brace as the axis. The dummy ropes didn't do any good at all as the stand and I went crashing to the ground.

In the end, it was about a 10 foot drop with my lumbar region taking the initial hit. I maintained consciousness the whole time and managed to gather up my things and head to the truck which was less than 50 yards away. I sat there for a while and let my heart rate return to a more normal rate and began to assess the situation. I hadn't hit my head (good), I knew my back hurt (bad), but luckily there was no gushing blood or bones sticking out or anything. I packed up my rifle and backpack and began to head out. I checked out at the hunter station and let them know what happened and that the stand was still on the ground up there since I knew I couldn't move it. I also let them know there was a pretty good chance I wouldn't be back.

I drove back to town and checked into my hotel (no first floor rooms available of course), took a shower and some Aleve, and then went out and grabbed a #5 from Whataburger. I actually felt a little better after that, though still quite uncomfortable.

I check out of the hotel the next morning and made the 2-hour drive home with no issues. I had my son unload the truck for me and then I cleaned up and headed to the ER just in case it was a little more than just sore muscles and bruising. A quick exam and a few xrays later and I find out I have a compression fracture in the L1 vertebra and I will meet with a spinal surgeon tomorrow. Best case I'm in a brace for a while, worst case I'll need some manner of procedure.

tl;dr - big guy falls and goes boom while installing tree stand and breaks his back

woah, glad you are OK. I want to make a joke about you being a giant anyways, but i got nothing at the moment.

PLEASE be careful.
I've posted about it before, but I have a friend who's been in a wheel chair 15+ years from falling out of a deerstand

Thanks for sharing.
I've been reading a lot of stories about tree stand accidents lately
Ladder stands can bring a false sense of security....especially after using them for years.
Kind of second guessing my use of them, but I love being up in a tree.
I'm not aware of a good way to be safety harnessed in while setting up and / or climbing a ladder stand.
Are climbing stands safer because you can be safety harnessed to the tree the entire time?

I've never tried a climbing stand. Like someone already said, it's gonna be ground blinds from here on out.

Had a neighbor that died falling from a ladder cleaning his gutters on his house. Bad landing in the wrong place is all it takes.

I'm very careful climbing. I don't trust any temporary rug very much, either.

Glad you could semi walk away.

Tree-
What city are you in?

Mansfield, but I was hunting in Lamar Co.

Please make sure the TPWD staff is aware of the incident.....granted, I can figure it out now but not my thing.

Never mind, I see you did

MouthBQ98 said:

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Had a neighbor that died falling from a ladder cleaning his gutters on his house. Bad landing in the wrong place is all it takes.

I'm very careful climbing. I don't trust any temporary rug very much, either.

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I used to know a prof in Oklahoma who fell from the top of a roof and did serious damage to his brain.

From then on, he had very serious cognitive difficulties.

Get you a retractable yo-yo. Just google it and you'll see what I'm talking about. Leave the yo-yo anchored at the top of your stand after you climb up for the first time and when you climb down attached the hook end to the base of your ladder. That way the next time you go up you will have 100% fall protection while climbing. The yo-yo works like a seat belt, doesn't lock up unless the reel is spooled fast enough (i.e. you are falling and pulling line out quickly)

Yeah, no place better for trauma triage as well as initiating rehab than the local Whataburger

Sounds like no safety type harness or gadget would've helped with the tees itself falling. Yeah... box blind it is.

I bet Whataburger forgot the cookie.... they always forget the effing cookie.

Glad it was no worse. Hope you heal well.

You were lucky. I visit guys at TIRR who have fallen from tree stand who will likely never walk again.

I've set up tree stands a few times buy myself. That first time climbing up it to install the ratchet strap always has me on edge. It's much easier and safer with another person holding the bottom of the ladder. I never thought about the stand twisting like your scenario. I'll definitely be double checking the stability of the soil before climbing up to strap down a stand the next time.

Good idea, but...How do you get it up there for assembling the stand? If it were me I'd throw a rope around another sunstantial branch for my anchor point.

I know a hunter that fell off a ladder that was leaning against a tree. He was less than 6' above the ground when the ladder started to move. He impaled both legs on a t-post that was next to the tree. Fortunately his wife was with him. He survived with no serious long-term damage. I saw a picture of him with the post sticking out of his leg before the paramedics arrived.

A guy I hunt with fell 10+ feet getting into a tower blind. Early morning and an owl was in the stand when he opened the door. When it high tailed it out the open door he lost his footing and fell down. He landed back first on the pedistal of a scrap blind chair. Dude was messed up for quite a while, but still climbs into those tower blinds. Moral of the story is that its not just tree stands that can get ya.

1. Stay fit. When your muscles, joints and connective tissues are in good condition and your bones are mineralized from load bearing and good nutrition, you withstand the effects of falls and injury better. Also, your fitness might help you avoid the fall or at least land better.

You will land like a sack of potatoes if you are built like a sack of potatoes.

2. Check your gear. Make sure it isn't damaged.

3. Multiple points of contact. At least 2 of course, but 3 is better. Go slow and steady.

4. Remove any debris or sharp objects you could fall on to. Don't climb above a fence or a pile of dead limbs or similar.

5. If you're going to be using the tree repeatedly, and you are allowed, put in some substantial anchor bolts to secure to. If you are careful the tree will heal. Just fine.

6. Stay on the ground if you can. Solves 99% of the problem right there.

I don't hunt a stand anymore without a 30 foot lifeline. I tie in on the ground and am never disconnected. I fell down my damn basement steps and damn near broke my neck a couple years ago. Getting old ain't for the young.

Dang, sorry to.hear this TH. Hope everything turns out for the best.

What did the spinal guy say? Surgery or a brace?