Fluvanna Review Staff
During the 2025-26 hunting season, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources recorded 13 tree stand incidents, including one fatality.
In nine of those cases, they say, the victims were not connected to the tree with a fall-arrest system. Six had not taken a hunter education course.
As hunters return to the woods for the 2026-27 season, the DWR urges them to inspect their equipment, wear a full-body safety harness, and stay connected to the tree whenever they are off the ground.
The agency recommends following the “ABCs” of tree stand safety developed by the Tree Stand Safety Awareness Foundation:
- Always inspect equipment and practice at ground level
- Buckle the harness securely
- Connect to the tree before leaving the ground
- Share the destination of each hunt with someone else.
Hunters should check stands for damage before the season and before and after each use, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and attach stands securely to straight, healthy trees. Practicing with both the stand and the fall-arrest system at ground level can help hunters become familiar with their equipment before using it at height.
When climbing or descending, hunters should maintain three points of contact and use a haul line to raise and lower equipment, keeping their hands free. Guns and bows should be unloaded before moving between the ground and the stand.
Other hunters in the party should know the stand’s location. DWR also recommends leaving a paper map and an expected return time on the vehicle’s dashboard.
Hunters should carry a charged cell phone, two-way radio, whistle, or other signaling device on their person, where it will remain accessible if they fall. Devices should be fully charged or supplied with fresh batteries.
Rain, snow and ice require extra caution. Hunters should avoid using a stand when tired or sick, or when medications could affect their ability to use it safely. Wearing blaze orange helps other hunters spot them.
“Hunting is a tradition valued by generations of Virginians, both to put food on the table and as a means of fellowship and camaraderie,” said Jimmy Mootz, DWR’s hunter education and outreach team lead. “Let’s keep those memories safe, wear a safety harness every time you hunt off the ground, and always follow the ABC’s of tree stand and saddle hunting safety.”
Find more information about hunter education courses, workshops, and mentorship opportunities is available at dwr.virginia.gov.
