All one must do to reinforce the fact that hunting can be a very dangerous sport is to examine some back issues of Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine, specifically looking at their Tree Stand Safety Survey Results "99" series.  According to this series of articles, as of 1999 nearly one in three hunter's claim to have fallen from a tree or other elevated hunting device at some point in their lives.  (Tree Stand Survey Results '99 Part 2: Unhappy Landings: One Fall Can Change Your Life. This is a daunting fact and should be taken very seriously.  No one likes to be told that their favorite sport is dangerous and that they must worry about safety while trying to enjoy that sport, but the fact remains . . . HUNTING CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS!! 

On the other hand, treated with the respect it deserves, hunting is very safe and hunting from elevated tree stands can be very rewarding, very successful, and very safe.  For this to happen, a hunter must be aware of the dangers, be aware of how to avoid those dangers, and know what steps he or she must take to ensure personal safety.

To assist the hunting population in this safety effort, I have compiled a list of 26 Safety Points to be considered when hunting from elevated tree stands.  These guidelines represent the accumulation of knowledge, experience, and incidents occurring during the Cranford family's nearly 30 years of experience in this industry.  The application of common sense combined with this knowledge should provide each of you with years of safe hunting experiences in elevated tree stands. 

In addition to attempting to organize years of information on how to hunt from elevated tree stands safely, Cranford Manufacturing Company, Inc. produces a host of accessories for increasing your success in the field and ensuring that your experience is a safe one. 

• To our knowledge, we still produce the most comprehensive safety system for tree stand hunting that is available on the market, the Guardian Climbing Safety System and Angel Wings.  Information on these safety systems is available at www.ezyclimb.com/guardian_difference.htm and they can be ordered from this link www.ezyclimb.com/guardian.htm. 
• In addition, we manufacture an extensive line of tree steps that can be easily screwed into a tree with one hand and reasonably little effort.  These steps are currently available in eleven different styles, something for everyone.  General information on the EZY Climb Tree Step collection is available at www.ezyclimb.com/EZYNAME.htm and they can be obtained through dealers and merchants across the United States and Canada or via our own company website at www.ezyclimb.com/treesteps.htm. 
• Our new products lineup features several new products to further enhance the safety of your elevated tree stand hunts.  We now make one of our most popular tree steps, the EZY Climb Rod Tree Step, available with a glow-in-the-dark cap that adds to your visibility in low light conditions.  In addition, the EZY U-Grip (can be located at www.ezyclimb.com/accessories.htm) is a tremendous advantage for a tree stand hunter's safety. 

We published hundreds of these "Safety Posters" and handed them out free to dealers at the Archery Trade Association's Trade Show in Indianapolis, Indiana in hopes that they would be posted in pro shops across the country for thousands of hunters to view.  Please, read it and commit the information to memory.  Remember, the life you save may be the Father or Mother of your children.

Please hunt.  Please hunt safely.  Please enjoy the beauty God has created for us all.

Karen

Visit our website at www.ezyclimb.com or www.cranfordmfg.com for information on our many products.

© Cranford Manufacturing Company, Inc. 2003

This document can be copied and distributed to other hunters for their use as long as it is copied in its entirety including the copyright statement.

Karen L Cranford
Karen is the Director of Operations for Cranford Manufacturing Company, Inc., the creators of EZY® Climb Tree Steps and Hunting Accessories and the manufacturer of Guardian Climbing Safety Systems and Angel Wings.