DEC promotes September as Tree Stand Safety Awareness Month

Hunting season is approaching quickly and the New York State DEC is recognizing the month of September for tree stand safety awareness.

“Every year, hunters are seriously injured, paralyzed, or killed falling out of tree stands,” the DEC said. “Falls from tree stands have become a major cause of hunting-related injuries and fatalities in New York.”

In 2020, DEC investigated 13 tree stand incidents. One of the incidents was fatal. All 13 incidents involved a hunter who was not wearing a harness or the harness was not attached to the stand or the tree at the time of their fall, officials clarified.

The proper use of tree stands, full-body harnesses, and lifelines will help to prevent these injuries and fatalities.

If you’re heading to a tree stand this season, DEC encourages to ensure you have a fall-arrest system, which includes a vest style full-body harness and straps for the shoulders, chest and legs.

DEC says this system provides a lifeline in keeping hunters safe as they climb up or down from a tree stand.

DEC image.