FRUITPORT, Mich — “I knew instantly as soon as I hit the ground that I really wrecked something.”
I meet Geoff Newmyer here at his home, where his hunting resume is easy to see. But even as experienced as he is, in the blink of an eye, his life was changed forever.
“I was coming back down out of the stand and a branch broke and I fell about 12-15 feet,: Geoff told me. "From about the point of the injury, which is about T9 T10, just everything went like fuzz is the best way to explain what happened. When I fell, I tried to move, tried to get up, and I was obviously, I was stuck on the ground."
A story sadly told too many times.
- Using your hands and feet, maintain three points of contact at all times when ascending or descending into a tree stand.
- Always use a full body harness that is attached to a secure fall line positioned above your head.
- When lifting your firearm or crossbow into a tree stand, use a secure pull system (such as a rope) and make sure it is unloaded and the safety is on. Do not attach anything to the trigger guard.
- Refrain from using screw-in steps on tree stands that are located on public land.
- Ensure your tree stand is securely attached and stable prior to using it.
“I ended up really throughout the day to three different hospitals, where I ended up at in downtown Grand Rapids at Spectrum where they did a surgery. And the surgery was successful besides the fact that we knew I had a severe spinal cord injury from the fall, um, and then spent three days in the ICU there, and then from there they brought me to Mary Free Bed and from there it was time to, you know, rehab.”
According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, as of 2024 there were about 6,400 accidental tree stand injuries annually in the U.S. and the actual number of people who fall is likely much higher.
But that’s a number Geoff is trying to change through the Norton Shores Police Department hunter safety program. Stressing hunters always keep three contact points when climbing, tell someone where you are going in case there is an accident, and don’t skip the safety equipment – like the harness and safety lifeline.
“This equipment that's out there, it's, it costs a little bit extra money and it takes extra time, but I can tell you what for me what costs a little bit of extra money and what takes a little bit of extra time is being in this wheelchair compared to if I were to use the equipment that's out there.”
And use it correctly.
“If it stops one person from being in this position, it's worth the teaching.”
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