Watch: Hunter Safety System Keeps Hunters Connected at All Times

Hunting is one of the safest activities around, but it has its moments. Some things are beyond our control: rough terrain, venomous snakes, and big angry critters. But one of the most dangerous things for hunters can be made a whole lot safer: Tree stands.

Hunters have been climbing trees for as long as there have been hunters near trees. Long before the current wave of commercial tree stands began (and long before I was born), my father hunted from big majestic oak trees and about anything else he could climb that gave him an edge. These days, big game hunters continue to climb trees whenever they get the chance. It gives you a better view and keeps your scent above the noses of leery game.

The problem, of course, is gravity.

More hunters than ever before have begun to use safety harnesses while they’re in their stands. But most falls happen while someone is getting in or out of a stand or while climbing. So Hunter Safety System developed a thing that lets you connect to a safety line while you’re on the ground, and will catch you if you fall anytime you’re off the ground.

Once you have their Lifeline installed (it’s basically a stout rope with a strong carabiner attached via a short piece of rope and a Prusik knot) you can simply connect your harness to the carabiner and climb, sliding the Prusik knot as you go. They even have a soft cover that they call a cow bell due to its shape, but it actually has the opposite effect of a normal cow bell: it keeps the carabiner from making noise when it bangs against a metal ladder as you climb up or down.

It looks like a good system from here. The video below demonstrates it pretty well.

Have you used this system or one like it? It would be great to hear from folks who have tried it.

Stay safe, my friends.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.