Injuries due to falls from hunters' tree stands in Pennsylvania.
BACKGROUND
People who hunt deer from elevated tree stands may improve the chances of a successful hunt but also risk serious injury from a fall to the ground.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the current investigation is to estimate the rates of injuries from falls from tree stands using a population-based study design.


METHODS
Annual and age-specific rates were calculated using injury data collected from 1987 to 2006 from all accredited Pennsylvania trauma centers and hunting license sales and game-take mail surveys from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.


RESULTS
From 1987 through 2006, 2.73 people (n=499) per 100,000 licensed deer hunters were injured from falls from tree stands; seven people died. Rates increased from 0.59 in 1987 to 7.08 in 2006 (p<0.001). Rates increased with age (p<0.001) and were highest among hunters aged 40-49 years. The case-fatality rate was 1.4%.


CONCLUSIONS
Falls from tree stands associated with deer hunting are an increasing and important cause of injuries, especially for older hunters. Surveillance for tree stand-related injuries should be enhanced and preventive initiatives developed and tested.
Critical Care Medicine, Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA 17822-2037, USA. jolsmith@geisinger.edu
Joseph L
JL
Smith
Eugene J
EJ
Lengerich
G Craig
GC
Wood
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D003670:Deer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011998:Recreation; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult