By Sgt. Maj. Travis L. Sterner Headquarters, 1st Battalion 109th Infantry Regiment
The next time you enter the woods for a hunting trip, ask yourself an important question: Did I execute composite risk management?
Several years ago, my father dozed off while hunting and fell out of his treestand. He landed on his back, breaking four ribs, knocking out two front teeth and tearing off the tips of two fingers. He also received 27 stitches on the side of his head. Although he was pretty banged up, he said he’d survive.
Every year, about 100 people are killed in hunting accidents. Many of these deaths might have been avoided if the victim had just used the five-step CRM process when planning their trip. Here’s how CRM could have prevented my father’s accident:
My father should have identified the hazards he would encounter on his trip. Although there are several hazards associated with hunting from a treestand, there were two major ones in my father’s case. Of course, being elevated 20-plus feet above the ground is the first one that comes to mind. And while it might seem obvious to some, drinking any amount of alcohol while perched in a treestand is also a very bad idea.
Next, my father should have assessed those hazards. Getting drunk in a treestand could lead to a fall. Failure to wear a safety harness could lead to a serious injury, or even death, if he fell from the treestand.
He then should have developed controls for those hazards and made risk decisions. Leaving the alcoholic beverages at home would have been a great place to start. Wearing the safety harness would have kept him safely in the treestand, not sprawled on the ground 22 feet below.
Next, my father should have implemented those controls. What good is a plan if you’re not even going to bother following it?
Finally, he should have supervised and evaluated his plan. Did he fall from the treestand? Did he pass out drunk? If so, then it’s back to the drawing board.
I share this information because no matter how or where you hunt, exercising CRM before you go into a field could possibly save your life. My father was lucky. His injuries could have been far worse. When he enters the woods nowadays, he carries a safety harness in his pack. We’re still working on the drinking part.
E-Mail This Article
Print This Story