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Got a few gill nets put out today and went to put up a ladder stand at a spot I've been baiting for a while. Plenty of deer, hog and even 2 bobcats on the trail cam. Anyways drug the stand in about 150yds from where I parked the boat. At this point I'm thinking a climber would've been sufficient but the wife is wanting to go with me so I need a 2 person ladder stand. I already had the basket put together. Get it all in and put the ladder together. Cut down a few limbs of the tree I'm putting it on. Lift and walk it up the tree. The tree is only about 6-8" around and the biggest tree that, I thought, wasn't dead in the area. Got it set into position and climb up to secure it. At this point all is great in my world, but it won't be for long. I get up to the top and in the basket lean over the back and start to strap it down when all of sudden the fucking tree breaks about 2 feet below the lowest v notch that sits against the tree. The stand goes straight back in an instant and ends shish-kabobbing the highest ladder section. When it first went back, I was leaned over strapping it in, it instantaneously threw me out. I went downward at an angle back to the tree and hit my head with a force that only God should be capable of inflicting. Fall to the ground I landed on a log about 10ish" around right on my rib cage. At this point, the wind is completely knocked out of me, I'm literally seeing stars and everything is spinning. I try to muster up what air I had left to get up and move the fuck out of the way because I'm anticipating the stand following suit. I half assed stumble up only to go straight back down flat on my face due to the spinning. To hell with it, I just lay there for what feels like a solid 20 mins before I start to regain composure. Decided to stick the hunt out and do it from the ground. I saw a hog that was about 300lbs but passed on shooting it because it ain't worth eating and I damn sure didn't want to drag it out. 100% sure I got bruised ribs, possibly mildly broken, and a mild concussion. If this was on video, it'd go viral. Looking back it was kind of funny.

Damn dude. Glad you made it out.

Check the game cam! Glad you made it out.

If you hit your head that hard you need to be careful before you fall asleep tonight.

And any point after, did you light up your...medicine?

Thanks y'all, pretty sure I'm fine.

Redbeard wrote:And any point after, did you light up your...medicine?

Yes. I got home, took a shower, sat down, sparked up and started typing this.

Feel better now?

I was in a climbing stand in Alabama. Wet tree and up about 20 feet and started slipping before I could get it tied down. That was a scary time hugging that tree until I could back it down. All those push-ups paid off that time. Safety belt was always used after that.

Glad you're ok.

Sounds like it was a good attempt at hunting and you stuck it out. Nothing wrong with that!

Take a couple of aspirin and if you don't feel better, call me in the morning. Hot tubs are wonderful for these kinds of things too.

AKPirate wrote:I was in a climbing stand in Alabama. Wet tree and up about 20 feet and started slipping before I could get it tied down. That was a scary time hugging that tree until I could back it down. All those push-ups paid off that time. Safety belt was always used after that.

My dad had an experience like that once. He climbed a telephone pole......but hadn't been doing pushups........

The Duck Hammer wrote:

AKPirate wrote:I was in a climbing stand in Alabama. Wet tree and up about 20 feet and started slipping before I could get it tied down. That was a scary time hugging that tree until I could back it down. All those push-ups paid off that time. Safety belt was always used after that.

My dad had an experience like that once. He climbed a telephone pole......but hadn't been doing pushups........

In the dark and all alone. You start running options thru your head and realize there are none except hang the fuck on.

AKPirate wrote:

The Duck Hammer wrote:

AKPirate wrote:I was in a climbing stand in Alabama. Wet tree and up about 20 feet and started slipping before I could get it tied down. That was a scary time hugging that tree until I could back it down. All those push-ups paid off that time. Safety belt was always used after that.

My dad had an experience like that once. He climbed a telephone pole......but hadn't been doing pushups........

In the dark and all alone. You start running options thru your head and realize there are none except hang the fuck on.

My dad was showing his off to one of his buddies right after they came out. Best part of the story is on the cutter part it said do not use on telephone poles. My dad read that looked at his buddy and said what do you think. He said go for it.

I bet next tree he picks...break a few limbs to see if its green.