Even though the advantages of hunting from trees with firearms is debatable, it is becoming more popular. Two of the Southern Zone injuries were tree-stand related, occurring when loaded guns were brought up trees. In October in the Northern Zone, a hunter was killed in an accident that was not firearms-related when a wooden platform nailed to tree gave way. DEC offers the following advice for using tree stands. A short line to prevent falls is better than a long line to hang from.
Falls often happen when climbing.
Use a portable tree stand. The 1997 regular deer and bear season runs from October 18 to December 7 in the Northern Zone, which generally includes the Adirondacks, Tug Hill Plateau, Eastern Ontario Plain, St. Lawrence and Champlain valleys and some adjacent areas. In the Southern Zone , which covers the rest of the state except New York City, Long Island and Westchester County, the regular deer hunting season runs from Nov. 17 to Dec. 9.