Swamp and friends brought this hazard to my attention. I got measurements to order new cables to replace the old ones that looked fine they are inside a coating. well climbing up just a few minutes ago moving from the low stand to high stand and I hears some pops and one side of the platform dropped down.

stop procrastinating and replace the cables on your old stands. don't think inspection and replacement of straps are good enough. I couldn't see the rusted cable under the plastic coating. I assumed it would not alow water under it I was wrong.

Good post

Also a good reason that everyone who hunts out of a tree should be attached to a fall device as soon as their feet leave the ground.

If you don't think you need a safety harness, wear it for your friends and family that you care about

here is another one with the cable circled..

now back to watching the 3 doe one grown and 2 young ans 6point that's just inside his ears do deer things. I need a phone with better camera

If it's a permanent stand, ladder stands are worth the few extra bucks

here is another I took on my way down. I took these down and painted them and got new straps this summer before I saw the post about cables breaking. In-between me getting them back up and now apparently the coating on the cables started breaking off. you can see it clearly on the other side here. I'm guessing it was weak and happened with use this season being very old.

after breakfast I'm going to look for the measurements I took and go shopping and see if I can find some local before ordering them so I can get them replaced faster. I need to get some other shopping done as well.

these are at least 10 years old probably at least 13. Bought them when my daughter was to young to use a climbing stand when hunting public land.. we do have a nice 2 man ladder stand that's also getting old. they are OK but I don't like how far away from the tree they put you.

That happens on truck tailgates too. Ask me how I know.......glad you're ok.

Great reminder! Thanks

My ex÷daughter in Law dad had it happen to him this fall.same type of setup rubber coated cable rusted and broke the whole works came tumbling down including him.hes lucky to be alive broke 2 vertebrae and 2 ribs has to wear the halo contraption for 6 months fell about 20ft.

Good PSA.

If I'm not in a box blind, I'm in a ladder stand or tripod these days. Don't really miss the risk of hung tree stands. Always wore my safety gear but had some very close calls.

Truck tail gate cable need replacing too

Before you jump on the gate...and land up on your anus

I'm not finding the length I need for replacements so now I'm thinking I will have to buy cable thimbles and cable clamps and make them or maybe get small chain instead of cables.

I'm glad you didn't take a fall, PF. Every year it seems like you hear about someone who did and gets hurt bad.

Or spring for a new stand. Just a suggestion.

Replace with stainless cable??

Replace them with chain?

Wow, you owe Swamp and the others a cold one...Fell 12 ft in a Loggy Bayou climber in 1987. Not fun at all I tell you.

should be easy enough to cut a small chain to length and run a bolt with washer through it as easy as a cable with a loop. and I don't think a chain would rust out inside and break when looking ok.

I picked up 10' of chain and new bolts. I will Need to open the chain just a little to fit the 5/8" bolts through it but I think the chain will not rust out like cable and will out last the rest of the stand. It's also stronger than the cable. Hopefully it will not have any unforseen draw backs. It may need to wait tell after season before I get to taking the stands down and work on fixing them. Raining now with 90% and climbing this morning for most of the day tell 5. one of these days I keep telling myself I'm going to make some nice shooting houses from bad weather but haven't yet.

Thats why I like chain.