I wanted to share what happened last night, not to scare but educate and remind others stay vigilant.
I got out of work, early yesterday, and got to the public hunting area, I hunt. In the parking area was a father and his son, that was getting ready to go out. I talked to them to ensure we wasn't going to be stepping on one another's toes. As we talked, I said "so you are in the buddy ladder, at the far end of the field?, I noticed it in September when walked area". He replied, "Yep". He had set it up early September for season. I got my stuff together, and with longbow and saddle this sparked their interest. Which, led to me asking, "where is your fall protection?" The father kind of bumbled around it, "ladder safe, 3 point contact", yada yada. I then said be safe, and off they went.
I got back in the timber, which ended up being few hundred yards from them. I sat there for about an hour, I noticed a few deer had come out in the bean field. Making me more alert for movement. About 15 minutes later, I noticed the deer body language in the field was more alert and looking back toward the timber across the field. I thought around that time I heard a faint crash, then the deer in the field just bolted across the field.
I was leaning in my saddle now, and got my binoculars out glassing over that direction, expecting to maybe glimpse a huge buck chasing off a younger one, or something similar. After about 10 minutes of glassing up and down the field in that area, I was making one final view back toward the area the noise came from and I noticed something out of place. Right at the edge of the field, it looked like something trying to get up. A few minutes more and noticed a pale face just above the beans, then back down.
I watched for new more minutes, and noticed same thing. My gut was telling me, that something was wrong. I quicly got down, leaving my sticks up, and coiled up my gear. I walked carefully over there, just in case my gut was wrong and they had gotten a deer down. I then stopped and glassed again, and there was something wrong with the person. I picked up my pace, got over to the younger guy on edge of field. I could tell he was kind of out of it, and his left foot was facing the wrong way. I told him to stay down and relax, he then said "Dad". Remembering that the stand was not to far in the woods, I told him to stay here. I then bound into the woods, and quickly noticed where the stand was standing was now on the side of the ground. I got up to it, and seen the older guy about 4 feet from the stand.
I did a quick assessment of him, without moving and found not blood, he was breathing shallowly, and unconcious.
I grabbed my cell, no signal. I ran back to the younger guy at edge of field, and checked again, now I had a few bars. Luckily, being a hunter education instructor and taking it seriously, I had the direct line to the CPO and local EMS. I got the CPO first, knowing him, as he would come talk at H.E. classes and drank together. I gave him all the details, then the parking area and thank god, it was a realtively straight shot from there down to the edge of the field. He wanted me to stay on the line, but I said I would loose him as I was going to bounce back and forth between the two, until he got there, look for the orange vest sticking up (I always kept a small one in my pack, when dragging deer out).
I went back and forth, trying to comfort the two people. I got the younger guy to drink some water, and though in pain, was stable considering. On the second trip to check on older guy, he had begun to gain consciousness. I identified myself, reassured him, his son was okay, and not to move, just stay still. He wanted to sit up, but after some talking, got him to settle for rolling over, with me help. After a few more trips back and forth two CPO and some EMS showed up just as the sun was starting to set.
They got them out to the hospital. I stood back in the timber with one of the CPO's, and we stood with headlamps on, looking at the tree and stand. You could see some scars on the tree, where it appeared that the strap had broken, and was rocked back and forth, then crashed to the ground. We stood there in the dark for about an hour and half. I drove to the hospital where they was to check on them.
Though confidential, the CPO I knew seen me and came over. The kid had shattered his ankle and tibia and would need surgery, though stable. The father, did not have any internal bleeding, but had busted ribs on both sides and likely pelvis or spine injury, though they still doing test. I then said, "they was lucky". The CPO said, "yes, if you wasn't there been worst". I said, "All they had to do was inspect and have an arrest system in place, like we teach". The wife/mother, then came in and she thanked me. I gave her my number and said anything I can do let me know.
Take away- This happens every year, for no reason! This has been my 3rd time in my hunting carreer that I have come across people injured. Guys/Gals, check your straps, do not go cheap. All kinds of critters out there and mother nature wears them out. Check everything on whatever system you use.
Wear fall protection!! We need to change our attitude when we leave the ground. Not it is just in case, or it might happen. We need to plan when we leave the ground, that it can and will happen, and when it does, know I will be safe and I can get to the ground!
I know I am not the longest person hunting on here, nor likely have the most climbing experience. But, like many I have had my share of mishaps over the decades and learned from it and evolved. No animal is worth my life nor the pain I would put my family through for rest of there lives. Plan for Murphy to show up, because he always will.
Topic: Murphy Stand accident (Read 1723 times)
