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By DAVID RAINER
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Despite a concerted effort by the Alabama Wildlife and
Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division’s Hunter Safety Program, Alabama deer
hunters are still falling out of treestands in disturbing numbers.
Plus, there has been one firearms fatality where the
cardinal rule of unloading your firearm before exiting your deer stand was not
followed.
Seven Alabama hunters had suffered treestand accidents as of
December 1. Fortunately, there have been no fatalities in the falls, but
several serious injuries were reported.
Out of the seven reported treestand accidents, only one was
wearing a safety harness.
“The safety harness prevented serious injury,” said Marisa
Futral, WFF’s Hunter Education Coordinator. “He was coming down the tree and
his treestand went out from under him. He hit his face on the tree pretty hard
and broke his nose. The harness kept him from getting hurt any worse.”
WFF Conservation Enforcement Officer Vance Wood shared an account
that occurred at the Perdido Wildlife Management Area in Baldwin County.
Daniel Jares and Wood, who once served in a Coast Guard unit
together, shared on Facebook about the incident, where the victim came
perilously close to losing his life
Jares said he got a phone call at about 2 p.m. from a good
friend. The phone service was sketchy at best but he determined his friend had
fallen from a treestand, couldn’t move his body from the chest down and could
barely breathe.
“There was little to no service,
but I caught a few words as to where he was. I made out, ‘Close to river on an
oak flat; you’re going to need a four-wheel drive,’” Jares said. “I searched
the woods for hours and hours in my truck just to find his truck so I could
find a starting point.”
Jares had earlier notified the
WFF enforcement crew in Baldwin County and Baldwin County Search and Rescue. After
two hours of searching, Jares found his friend’s truck parked under a big tree
that caused it to be hidden from the search helicopter.
With more than 20 people
searching, several searchers tore through thick underbrush along the river as
the sun started to fade. After a parallel grid search, Jares came up on a
little ridge. Jares was yelling his friend’s name and finally picked up a weak
response. He ran to find his friend under the tree. The friend suffered a
broken back. He subsequently had two surgeries and is facing a long road to
recovery.
“It's a miracle we found him
before dark,” Jares said. “So, please wear your safety systems. You don't want
to have a broken neck or back or even run the risk of losing your life. The
officer said if I hadn’t answered that call, he probably wouldn't have made it.
“I wanted to thank the hunting
community for all of the love and support and sharing this to bring awareness.
I'm blown away. The post received over 1 million views in less than 36 hours
and close to 3 million now. I know without a doubt in my mind this post saved
lives. I had messages from all over the country of young and old saying thanks
for the eye opener; we are praying. If I could help save one life, it's worth
it. Trust me, you don't want to stumble up on your buddy miles deep in the
woods in this condition.”
Futral said this many treestand accidents this early in the
season is a concern.
“This is a lot of accidents for it only being through
November,” she said. “Last year, we had 13 treestand accidents (two fatalities),
and I think it was 12 the year before. With seven this early in the season, I
hope hunters will hear about these incidents and take treestand safety more
seriously. It takes only one misstep to cause serious injury or even death if
you’re not wearing your safety harness and using the safety equipment.
“And we are stressing that hunters should make sure they are
connected to the tree in some way when they are climbing and descending the
tree. We have had several accidents where hunters have been wearing their safety
harness but they fell going up or coming down the tree. There are products
available now that keep hunters attached to the tree at all times. We want it
to hit home that people need to be connected when their feet leave the ground
until their feet hit the ground at the end of the hunt.”
Two Alabama-based companies make products that keep hunters
attached while they are using ladder stands or hang-on treestands. Hunter
Safety System makes the Lifeline, while Summit Treestands makes a 30-foot
safety line.
Futral said she didn’t have the final report on the firearms
fatality at this time.
“From what I’ve gathered from news reports, the mentor was
handing the rifle down to the 15-year-old when it discharged, striking the
youth in the chest,” she said. “That breaks the rules of unloading your firearm
before you climb into or out of your stand, and never point your firearm at
anything you don’t want to shoot.”
Two other firearms-related incidents occurred on a dove
field where two hunters were peppered by shot from other hunters. No serious injuries
were reported.
Futral reminds hunters of the 10
commandments of firearms safety:
1.
Treat every firearm as if it
is loaded.
2.
Control the muzzle of your
firearm. Keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction; never point a firearm at
anything that you do not wish to shoot, and insist that your shooting and
hunting companions do the same.
3.
Be sure of your target and
beyond. Positively identify your target before you fire, and make sure there
are no people, livestock, roads or buildings beyond the target.
4.
Never shoot at water or a
hard, flat surface. A ricocheting bullet cannot be controlled.
5.
Don’t use a scope for target
identification; use binoculars.
6.
Never climb a tree, cross a
fence or jump a ditch with a loaded firearm.
7.
Store guns and ammunition
separately. Store firearms under lock and key, and use a gun case to transport
firearms.
8.
Make sure your barrel and
action are clear of all obstructions.
9.
Unload firearms when not in
use. Never take someone else’s word that a firearm is unloaded. Check yourself.
10. Avoid drugs and alcohol when hunting or
shooting. Even some over-the-counter medicines can cause impairment.
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Most
treestand accidents can be prevented if hunters use a full-body safety harness
and have it attached to the tree at all times after leaving the ground. New
products allow hunters to remain attached to the tree while climbing into and
descending from ladder or hang-on treestands. |
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