I recently came across this website called The Treestand Manufacturers Association. From there I found the HunterExam.com that offers a free treestand safety course that can be taken online. It only takes about 15 minutes and like I said it’s free. I did take this free online exam and I have to say even though I knew just about all of it I did learn a couple of things.

It is completey audio so all it takes is clicking on the next page when the narration is done. In my opinion this is a very good course for the beginner and even a nice refresher for the veteran treestand hunters out there.

By: Rick Kratzke

I realize this has nothing to do with deer or turkey hunting but, it does have something to do with gun safety. I felt it was necessary to post this to show how some people can be so ignorant of laws and gun safety. They are lucky that neither one of them are injured any worse than they already are. All this and for what, for some little mice. A .39 cent mouse trap at your local hardware store with some peanut butter could have fixed that.

Let me just say that what I have just said is in my own wards and how I feel about this particular subject and article which you are about to read and is in no way anybody else’s views but my own.

By: Rick Kratzke

This is something that we all tend to forget about and that is “Tree Stand Safety”. I personally prefer hunting from a tree stand only because I can see a lot farther and it helps to keep my scent to a minimum but, I have also realized that it can be rather dangerous if you do not follow basic rules and/or guidelines which is more common sense than anything. Here are some basic steps to follow.

By: Rick Kratzke

One of the most popular pieces of equipment used by deer hunters is a tree stand. Tree stands can be dangerous if they are used incorrectly or carelessly. Nationally, one in three hunting injuries involves a tree stand. Falls from tree stands can be caused by a variety of factors, including a weakness in the stand’s structure and incorrect installation. Hunters also may fall asleep while on their stands. Tree stands can also be a factor in other hunting accidents, including injury from accidental firing of a loaded firearm while the hunter is climbing to the stand. To help prevent these accidents, follow these safety precautions:

• Never carry equipment with you while climbing. Use a haul line to raise or lower your gear. Make sure guns are unloaded and broadheads are covered prior to raising or lowering firearms or bows with a haul line.
• Since most accidents occur when hunters are climbing up or down a tree, always use a climbing belt. Always use a safety belt or harness when hunting from elevated tree stands. Study manufacturer’s recommendations before using any equipment. Never use a rope to replace a safety belt.
• Check permanent tree stands every year before hunting from them, and replace any worn or weak lumber.
• Read, understand and follow the factory recommended practices and procedures when installing commercial stands. Inspect portable stands for loose nuts and bolts each time they are used.
• Choose only healthy, living trees when using climbing devices. Rough-barked trees such as oak are best. Do not use a tree that is rotten or has dead limbs.
• Never put all your weight on a single branch. Keep at least one hand and one foot on a secure place when reaching for the next hold.
• Climb higher than the stand and step down onto it. Climbing up onto it can dislodge it.
• Wear boots with non-skid soles, because steps or platforms can be slippery in rain, sleet or snow.
• Tell a dependable person where you’re hunting and when you plan on returning. Map your whereabouts and leave a note at camp, at home or in your car so that you can be found.
• Don’t fall asleep. This is a common cause of accidents. If you get drowsy, move your arms rapidly until you feel alert.
• Never wear a ring in any climbing situation. Rings can catch on tree limbs and equipment.
• As a precautionary measure, remove all logs, upturned and cutoff saplings, rocks and other obstructions on the ground below the tree stand.
• Use updated equipment. When used properly, newer tree stand equipment is solid, safe and secure. Older models of safety belts offer some protection, but newer safety harnesses offer more protection.
• Carry a whistle to call for help and carry a first aid kit, flashlight and cellular telephone in a fanny pack.

As I was searching which I so often do I stumbled across this information from the National Rifle Association about gun safety and our responsibility as adults to teach our kids gun safety. This topic can not be stressed enough so I thought I would highlight this information. As an adult and father of a five year old I want to make sure that my son who is around guns quite often knows the what to do and what not to do concerning firearms.

By: Rick Kratzke

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Following information came from the NRA:

The Parents’ Responsibility

In a home where guns are kept, the degree of safety a child has rests squarely on the child’s parents.

Parents who accept the responsibility to learn, practice and teach gun safety rules will ensure their child’s safety to a much greater extent than those who do not. Parental responsibility does not end, however, when the child leaves the home.

According to federal statistics, there are guns in approximately half of all U.S. households. Even if no one in your family owns a gun, chances are that someone you know does. Your child could come in contact with a gun at a neighbor’s house, when playing with friends, or under other circumstances outside your home.

It is critical for your child to know what to do if he or she encounters a firearm anywhere, and it is the parents’ responsibility to provide that training.

Talking With Your Child About Gun Safety

There is no particular age to talk with your child about gun safety. A good time to introduce the subject is the first time he or she shows an interest in firearms, even toy pistols or rifles. Talking openly and honestly about gun safety with your child is usually more effective than just ordering him or her to “Stay out of the gun closet,” and leaving it at that. Such statements may just stimulate a child’s natural curiosity to investigate further.

As with any safety lesson, explaining the rules and answering a child’s questions help remove the mystery surrounding guns. Any rules set for your own child should also apply to friends who visit the home. This will help keep your child from being pressured into showing a gun to a friend.

Toy Guns vs. Real Guns

It is also advisable, particularly with very young children, to discuss gun use on television as opposed to gun use in real life. Firearms are often handled carelessly in movies and on TV. Additionally, children see TV and movie characters shot and “killed” with well-documented frequency. When a young child sees that same actor appear in another movie or TV show, confusion between entertainment and real life may result. It may be a mistake to assume that your child knows the difference between being “killed” on TV and in reality.

If your child has toy guns, you may want to use them to demonstrate safe gun handling and to explain how they differ from genuine firearms. Even though an unsupervised child should not have access to a gun, there should be no chance that he or she could mistake a real gun for a toy.

What Should You Teach Your Child About Gun Safety?

If you have decided that your child is not ready to be trained in a gun’s handling and use, teach him or her to follow the instructions of NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe^® Program. If you find a gun:

The initial steps of “Stop” and “Don’t Touch” are the most important. To counter the natural impulse to touch a gun, it is imperative that you impress these steps of the safety message upon your child.

In today’s society, where adult supervision is not always possible, the direction to “Leave the Area” is also essential. Under some circumstances, area may be understood to be a room if your child cannot physically leave the apartment or house.

“Tell an Adult” emphasizes that children should seek a trustworthy adult, neighbor, relative or teacher — if a parent or guardian is not available.

The NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program includes an instructor guide, activity books, poster, and an animated video to explain its four-step safety message. For more information about the program, visit www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie or call (800) 231-0752.

I decided to start a “Hunter Safety Category”. I should have done it sooner but it didn’t pop into my little brain until I was reading a post from a forum about somebody looking for a cheap ladder stand. I was really amazed about the comments that were posted about not scimping on safety. So that is why I started this new category.

Periodically I hope to highlight some safety tips and maybe a story or two about accidents that have happened as a reminder to us that safety comes first. This points me into one other direction that I would like to point you to where you will find all sorts of safety tips.

Kristine shreve over at the “Hunt Smart Think Safety” blog is a real good place to visit or better yet subscribe to.