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Alabama Man Dies After Fall from Tree Stand While Hunting

A man in northern Jefferson County, Alabama died after falling from his hunting tree stand on Tuesday.

The man’s family had searched for him when he failed to come home from a hunt earlier in the day, Al.com reports. They found the 52-year-old lying dead in the woods.

Alabama Man Knew His Hunting Safety

Sheriff’s deputies showed up at the wooded area where it happened, close to the Turnberry Highlands subdivision, shortly before noon. They do not suspect foul play.

“This man was doing everything right when it comes to hunting safety,’’ the sheriff’s office said in a statement, “and a heartbreaking accident took his life.”

This is not the first hunting tree stand accident to kill someone recently. Last month, 17-year-old Justin Lee Smith of North Carolina died after his hunting stand twisted suddenly. Smith fell 10 feet and landed on his rifle barrel. He managed to call 911 but died before rescuers could reach him.

In October, Iowa resident Raymond Byers died while hunting on his property in southeast Iowa. Law enforcement officers found his body near the tree stand he apparently fell from, according to the Des Moines Register

And last December, a 69-year-old man died after he fell from a hunting tree stand in Reading, Pennsylvania. His family found his body beneath the 30-foot-high tree stand, per CBS News. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Tree Stands Can Be Dangerous

Meanwhile, this December, two hunters in West Michigan saved a fellow hunter who had plummeted 15 feet from his tree stand in Ionia State Recreation Area. The man was paralyzed from the chest down but was able to call out for help.

“Climbing and descending tree stands are the top causes of hunting accidents and deaths, and there are a number of ways in which things can turn towards an unfavorable outcome,” SC Now columnist Bill Howard wrote. Hunting stands can shift suddenly if they’re not anchored correctly, he explained, and frost can form on the steps of the ladder, causing slippage. Moreover, wasps, bees and hornets like to build nests in tree stands because they provide cover for the nests. 

Considering all the things that can go wrong with hunting tree stands, it’s important to brush up on tree stand safety and take all possible precautions when using one.