Another stand safety reminder

[Carolina Counsel]

'Tis the season for getting last year's stands in shape or hanging new ones for some of us. Just a reminder to be safe. I ended up at the orthopedist's office yesterday after bailing from about 15 feet. Climbed up to burlap a Millenium 2 man that has the folding bench seat. A few dozen wasps had made a home in the fold. I obviously didn't think it through well, took one step down the ladder and bailed. I landed on my feet, but much too flat footed. I was pretty sure I had fractured my calcaneus (heel). Fortunately, it's just a deep bone bruise. I'm leaving for Montanta for a week of fly fishing one week from today, so it's not great timing. However, it could have been so much worse.

Just remember to be careful. Think things through ahead of time. While I always wear a harness with my climber and hang ons, I don't for ladders. I'm not saying I wish I had one on here, but I do wish I had just taken a handful of stings and quickly descended rather than opting for the voluntary rapid descent. Again, just think things through ahead of time. Where can you bail safely if you have to, etc?

[GBelly]

"Pro tip" as the pros here like to say...
Take a retractable pole saw with you. All my lock one and most other stands I can reach up with it and pole around to check for wasps first. Once you have then targeted it's game on with a can of juice.

glad you are ok

[DJP]

Thats a good idea, G. Never tried that before.
Glad you are ok, CC

[rocketman]

we checked all ours on Wed, went thru 4 cans of spray. I always carry a hammer with me and tap on the ladders or steps before getting in them. we were polluted with them this year and will probably need to check again before we start hunting. one box had 7 nests in it. learned the hard way to check first before climbing in to inspect.
glad you are ok, could have been alot worse

[BigBrother]

Another reason to hate a wasp.

Glad you are ok.

[trkykilr]

I bailed out through the window of the big box tower at Sumter Wateree years ago. These were hornets, not wasps. It was at least a 20 foot drop and to get away from those white faced missiles I'd do it 100 times out of 100.

[ccleroy]

I have 6 cans of spray in my truck now......ask the guys on my club how I feel about wasps.

[redhead25]

They don't hardly bite this time of year.

[walt4dun]

I got a reprieve from a nest of them living under an office chair in a shooting house I was checking out last weekend. They came out buzzin' but went right back to the nest. I went down the ladder and looked for a can of spray in my truck... no spray.. left it on the backporch.. so they got a reprieve too.

At least till tomorrow. Then their times up.

[Gourmet Gobbler]

I did the exact same thing in 2003, but managed to fracture my hip and give myself a massive hernia. I will let them sting me if I am that careless again.

[Luvin' Labs]

Sort of related, but I took a sting to the brain last week cutting grass. You should have seen me trying to escape.

[beanhunter]

Caught two in the shoulder and two in the back two days ago. Lit my ass up under a crepe myrtle. Spawns of the devil

[riverrat8991]

Other day I was in one of my stands that I have two lock ons up so other people can go with sometimes. Finally got light looked over and saw a massive amount of red wasp moving inside of the square tubing. Thought about it and thought it will be ok till they started coming out walking around the top I then thought differently. Being 18 ft up and hooked to the tree and no where to go was not gonna be good.