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Climbing Sticks and Tree Straps

CPSC Recall #02-070 - December 18, 2001

Recall Summary

Recall Number02-070
Recall DateDecember 18, 2001
Remedy TypeReplace, Repair
Units Affected25,000

Where It Was Sold

Hunting supply stores and catalogs nationwide sold these climbing sticks and tree steps from February 1999 through September 2001 for between $7 and $100.

Product

Climbing Sticks and Tree Straps

Description

WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Game Tracker Inc., of Flushing, Mich., is voluntarily recalling 25,000 climbing sticks and tree steps. The buckles on the climbing sticks and tree steps can fail, posing a risk of serious injury to hunters. Game Tracker and CPSC have received 16 reports of buckles failing, including one hunter who suffered a partial finger amputation and five others who suffered cuts, sprains, and bruises. The recalled Gorilla Ultralite Climbing Sticks, model number 3163, have the serial numbers 040501, 050501, and 060801, printed on the main brace of the stick. The climbing sticks come in three to a package, are gray in color, have black swivel fold down foot pegs, and a black strap and buckle system. The recalled Strap-on Tree Steps, model numbers 3152 and 3153, have serial number 2899 stamped on the side of the metal step. The tree steps have a black strap, with a metal J hook, black buckle, and a metal step. Hunting supply stores and catalogs nationwide sold these climbing sticks and tree steps from February 1999 through September 2001 for between $7 and $100. Consumers should stop using these climbing sticks and tree steps immediately. Consumers should return the product to the company, by writing to: The Game Tracker Inc., Attn: Product Safety Coordinator, PO Box 380, 3475 Eastman Dr., Flushing, MI 48433. Game Tracker will provide a free repair of the climbing sticks and a free replacement for the tree steps. For more information, consumers can call the company at (800) 241-4833 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or log on to the company's website at www.thegametracker.com.

Hazard

The buckles on the climbing sticks and tree steps can fail, posing a risk of serious injury to hunters.

Incidents & Injuries

Game Tracker and CPSC have received 16 reports of buckles failing, including one hunter who suffered a partial finger amputation and five others who suffered cuts, sprains, and bruises.

Remedy Instructions

Consumers should stop using these climbing sticks and tree steps immediately. Consumers should return the product to the company, by writing to: The Game Tracker Inc., Attn: Product Safety Coordinator, PO Box 380, 3475 Eastman Dr., Flushing, MI 48433. Game Tracker will provide a free repair of the climbing sticks and a free replacement for the tree steps.

What Should You Do?

Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace, Repair at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly, either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace, Repair) at no cost to you.

Yes. If you were injured by a defective consumer product, whether recalled or not, you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer and potentially the retailer. A recall notice can serve as evidence that the manufacturer was aware of the defect. Injuries that may support a claim include burns, lacerations, fractures, electric shock, choking incidents, and chemical exposure. Most product liability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless you win. Consult an attorney promptly, as statutes of limitation vary by state.

In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.

If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney, parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.

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