Doctor/Hunter almost dies in ND!!

jonnyB

Well-known member
From the Minneapolis Tribune, Jan. 8.

Dr. is pheasant hunting, with a dog, otherwise alone. He is 2 miles from his car and falls into a deep crevice and breaks a leg!

No cell phone - forgot to take it along. Not lost - just can't walk.

Spend all night attempting to crawl back to his car...passing car stops and helps him, but he's exhausted and near death.

They manage to transport to a ND hospital; he's doing well at St. Mary's, in Rochester.

What a lucky fellow!

Similar thought went through my mind a few week's back, when I was alone. Not that far from the truck, but I wasn't carrying my phone...I will now!
 
Cell phone is a must when hunting alone, but signals not always great ... test them as you move about.

I suppose because I grouse hunt alone in the north woods too, I always try to carry my emergency / survival kit in my vest.

rope
small first aid
water purification
fire starting
shelter
(if temps are below freezing I carry emergency bio bag too - smaller than my fist.)
dog emergency supplies

>>> everything fits in a 1 gallon zip lock and is actually non very bulky at all.

also try to carry a multi-tool and knife.

They say to leave a note on your dash or front seat telling people your plans, date of departure, etc... My wife usually knows where I am and I text her as a I move about ...

I think about this in-part because when I hunt upland ... I dress very light. Even on a 25 degree day - I am not wearing a jacket ... get too hot. As I have aged I have replaced the ball cap with a knit orange cap in cold weather.
 
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Another thing to keep rehearsing while you are out by yourself in the bush or field is how would you explain to someone on the phone just where you are and what type of help you will need. JI do this daily when I'm in the woods working, yes my office has a general location of where I'm at for the day but I may be a mile or more from the truck.
 
I send my wife a general idea where I'm at by text just about every time out. I also check for phone, wallet and keys every time before I lock up my vehicle. I agree with MF... I also think about how I would describe my location as I hunt.
 
I shuddered a little when I read the story because that same thing, falling into a hidden hole or crack like you just fell through a trap door has happened to me quite a few times in my bird hunting years.
 
I shuddered a little when I read the story because that same thing, falling into a hidden hole or crack like you just fell through a trap door has happened to me quite a few times in my bird hunting years.

Peat ground makes me nervous sometimes. I've fallen through a few times.
Back in 2009 I was working on a wetland with a few people when one of the guys fell into a flooded hole on some peat ground. He couldn't touch bottom. Anyway it made from some fun photos and a good laugh. Thankfully he was okay.



Nick
 
I send my wife a general idea where I'm at by text just about every time out. I also check for phone, wallet and keys every time before I lock up my vehicle. I agree with MF... I also think about how I would describe my location as I hunt.

Technology really has helped my wife feel safer when I go hunt. I've programmed my hunting locations as "favorites" on her iPad and iPhone by dropping a pin on the map and saving it. I text her the name when I arrive and tell her when I leave.

I worry more about it in the grouse woods. I don't usually get turned around but following a dog on hot scent can distract me from paying attention to my direction. I also am sure to mark my "truck" on my Astro.
 
I worry more about it in the grouse woods. I don't usually get turned around but following a dog on hot scent can distract me from paying attention to my direction. I also am sure to mark my "truck" on my Astro.

I agree the grouse woods is most difficult, you are right following grouse can lead one astray. I always have my phone and just hope I will have a signal to pull up aerial map.
 
I agree the grouse woods is most difficult, you are right following grouse can lead one astray.

Yep, that too. Those bogs/wooded areas all look the same after awhile. My wife purchased a small hand held GPS for me (as a Christmas gift) a few years ago. She got tired of listening to my "I was lost" stories. Worried her too much.

With the GPS I can follow my tracks back out. It's saved me and others a few times already.

Nick
 
With the new high tech collars it makes it pretty simple, just can't justify the cost of those collars. I hunt mainly the woods I work in so know them pretty well. If in UP, then I have a gps, compass, phone and popcorn......lol
 
I saw this story as well watching the news with my wife. I told her two things I thought he did wrong.
1. Hunting alone. I know sometimes it is the best you got, but that is when extra precautions are required to make the hunt a success.
2. Didn't bring his cell phone with him. Maybe he forgot, but when hunting alone those are a couple of simple mistakes that can lead to an unpleasant ending.
Thankfully he had the will to live and that is what saved him. Sounds like he lost parts of fingers in the ordeal.
 
couple hundred dollars for an emergency spot locator is money well spent, lots of places we hunt have no cell connection
 
if you don't have service you can try texting it to someone else to relay . Alot of times it will get through. The other day when I was out I stuck my phone on the car charger to get a full charge on the way there there and then forgot it in the pickup.I seriously considered walking back for it.
 
you don't need to worry about getting lost chasing grouse in Colorado. you'll die from a heart attack first. at least you can go out with a buzz :thumbsup:
 
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