HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
Less than 24 hours apart, two Pennsylvania hunters were found dead after falling out of their tree stands. One of the accidents happened in the midstate.
Wednesday night, 70-year-old Robert Shaull, of York County, was sitting in a tree stand when it broke and Shaull plummeted 20 feet to his death.
The issue is raising questions about tree stand safety, but officials from the Pennsylvania Game Commission said tree stands can be safe if hunters take the proper precautions.
The first step is to hunt for the right tree.
"You don't want a dead or dying tree," Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser said. "You don't want a tree where the bark is already slipping off of it, because those are going to be unsafe trees."
"Before you put the tree stand together, read the directions," Feaser said. "It's important that hunters make sure they read the safety instructions, use the manufacturers guidelines on how to use these safely."
It's also important to inspect the tree stand before climbing up.
"If you leave those out, you really want to make sure you get out there before the season and just give it a full checkover," Feaser said. "Make sure all the straps are still secure, make sure any of the bolts and nuts are still tightened."
Feaser said hunters should also be mindful of the weather.
"If it's a real windy day or it's a real rainy day, you need to be cautious because it may not be safe to be in that stand," Feaser said.
Hunters should also never climb into a tree stand with gear in hand.
"Have that tow rope, attach it to the equipment, and then pull it up once you get safe and secure in the tree stand," Feaser said.
Even then, most hunters like Larry Cessna have climbed 20 feet only to slip.
"It was rather icy that morning, the steps had a little ice on them," Cessna said.
What saved his life? Cessna said he was wearing a harness.
"When my foot slipped and my leg went through the thing and I started falling backwards, I only went that far, two feet, and it caught me," he said.
Cessna said all tree stands now come with a safety harness and an instructional DVD. It's important to wear the harness both going up and coming down.
There is an online tree stand safety course. It's free and takes about 15 minutes to complete. You can take part here.
