* If you're using a commercial tree stand, read and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
* If the weather conditions aren't conducive to climbing safely, don't do it.
* When approaching your tree stand, unload your firearm or take the arrow out of your bow. Attach the firearm or bow to a haul line, which already should be in place. Never haul a firearm up with the muzzle pointed at you. If you're worried about dirt getting in the muzzle, put a balloon over it.
* Always maintain three points of contact when climbing -- two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand.
* At your platform, attach your "fall-restraint" system. Use a fall-restraint system of good quality. Do not alter it. The secret of the fall-restraint is the short tether. Whether it's a harness or a belt, it's designed to keep you in the stand if you slip, not to catch you five or six feet below.
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* Retrieve your firearm or bow, using the haul line.
* When you're ready to end your hunt, reverse the process.
