November 2008
I Fell Out of My Tree Stand and My Skeletool Saved Me from Hanging Around
This year opening rifle season for whitetail deer in New York State in the Adirondacks I received, before going out into the woods a present from my girlfriend; it was the Skeletool. This was my first year hunting from a climbing tree stand, so I decided to purchase a hunter safety system that will catch you and save your life if you fall out of your stand. Well, I fell out of my stand and since I did not have the straps adjusted correctly and left too much slack in the main safety line, I was left hanging just in arms reach of the bottom portion to the stand, unable to pull myself up, stranded hanging 15 feet off the ground. I remembered that in my side pocket I had my Skeletool so instead of cutting my safely line and falling, in order to save myself I was able to unhook the bottom part of the stand from the tree by use of the pliers and lowering it slightly so I could climb back up in the stand. If I had not had this tool with me I would have easily been trapped in the tree for a long time since I had not let anyone know where I was going to be hunting that afternoon.
Since the beginning of the season I have lost the Skeletool overboard while fishing and was very disappointed that the warranty does not cover lost items for registered Leatherman owners.
Jeff B.
Lake Luzerne, NY
OK, you voyeur, you. Enough of reading other people's stories. It's time you told your own tale of gripping heroism or even just neat DIY'ism. We know there's a Shakespeare in you somewhere. Don't make us use the Steens to find it.