Hanging from a Harness, Passing Out, and a Lifesaving Rescue

Hunters fall from treestands every year. Some die and some are saved by a harness. In the mix, you’ll also find countless stories of close calls and lifesaving situations every season.

That’s the exact story recently posted on Facebook by Matt Miller.

We hope Miller’s story will help save others from making the same mistake.

“Although it hurts my pride to post this, I feel like it could serve as a reminder to the hunters out there this year,” says Miller. “Friday afternoon, I was hunting in my Lone Wolf climbing stand. I stood up, heard a pop, and was suddenly hanging from my full body harness.”

“I was able to unload my gun and get to my phone to call for help. I had some cuts to the hand from my fall, and during the next 15 minutes I passed out. I woke up to Brittny’s dad trying to reach me from the roof of his side by side.”

“With his help I was able to get to my knife, cut the fall arrest on my harness, and slide down the tree to the roof of the side by side. When I retrieved the rest of my stand Sunday, I found that I was 22’ in the air when I fell.”

Miller admits that without his safety gear his injuries would have been much worse, and he may not have even been able to call for help.

“So all that being said, I hope that you see this and take the time to wear that safety gear next time you are in the stand, and always replace wear items when the manufacturer tells you to.”

Miller also shares special thanks to Skip, Bert, Laurie, and Brittny for helping him when he needed it most – and for his Tree Spider Micro Harness for doing its job and keeping him from hitting the ground.

This story serves as a reminder to always wear your harness, use a Lifeline, and have all the tools you need to contact emergency help and cut yourself loose when things go south.

Brodie Swisher

Brodie Swisher is a world champion game caller, outdoor writer, seminar speaker and Editor for Bowhunting.com. Brodie and his family live in the Kentucky Lake area of west Tennessee.