The last day of the Pheasant season came (Sunday) and I decided to take my pup out for one last run. We headed to a large cattail slough that we had worked a few days earlier that had held allot of birds. Because of the below freezing temps I didn't get out there until 3 pm, figuring that Elsie would be able to handle the cold for the hour and a half till sundown. We entered the slough and walked across the ice to the far side, maybe 5/8 of a mile from the pickup. As soon as we got close to the cattails, it was apparent that Elsie was picking up bird scent. When she entered the cattails she took 4 or 5 high jumps and locked up on point. Of coarse I couldn't see her on point because of the cattails, but I knew from experience what was up. I hurried myself into position and just waited; knowing that sooner or later that bird would tire of looking her eye to eye and would flush. Sure enough, it didn't take long and a nice rooster takes flight. I was in great position and didn't have any trouble dropping it. Elsie watches the bird fall and takes off in her high leaps over the cattails to retrieve the bird. I watch her make a half a dozen or so leaps when she suddenly disappears. I think "all-right, another bird", so I position myself and again wait on the bird to flush. But it never did, and after a minute I began to question my dog, something I have learned not to do. So I waited some more. Something didn't seem right and it's now getting close to two minutes with no movement or sound from Elsie's location. I called her name and I hear a soft sound. I call again and I heard the worst sound I could have ever imagined at that time, the sound of open water! I charged into the cattails and there was my pup, barely clinging to the ice, her whole body submerged in the water with only her head and front paws above water. I tried calling her to me but it was obvious she was depleted. To go around the creek and come in from the other side where I could reach her would have taken time that she didn't have. The hole in the ice was only about 5 foot across but there was nothing I could do. I knew I would have to go in and get her. I didn't have any idea how deep the water was, but I found out when I took one more forward step. The ice broke out from under me and in I went, all the way to mid chest. I really have no idea if I touched bottom or not or if I caught myself on the ice. Either way didn't matter, I was in trouble. I had to throw Elsie on top of the ice in order for there to be any room in the hole to maneuver into a position to get myself out. She was so spent that as soon as I got her out of the water, she immediately lay down and curled into a ball. Problem was she was right in my way, she had to continue to move forward or I wasn't getting out. I kept pushing her and yelling at her and she eventually gave me a little room. After a tremendous struggle, I was finally able to get out of the water and up on the ice. I rolled away from the hole and tried standing up, which seemed practically impossible at the moment. I took 2 or 3 steps and fell down in the snow and cattails. I laid there for a couple seconds seemingly completely exhausted. My lungs felt like they were being ripped out of my chest, I could barely breathe, and I've never felt my chest and heart pound like it was. I seriously thought I was going to have a heart-attack! I fought my way back onto my feet and started charging through the cattails out to the CRP. Once there the snow was well over my knees. I grabbed Elsie and carried her for about 100 yards along the cattails. We finally came to a spot where I had walked out of the slough a few days earlier. We headed for the ice and easier walking. I put my dog down and much to my amazement, she went right back to hunting. I didn't want anything to do with that so I tried to keep her alongside of me. She insisted on hunting! At this point I made a decision that I feel really made a difference in our well being, I unzipped my coveralls pocket and got my pickup keys in my hand. I'm glad I did because by the time we got to the pickup all my zippers were froze up and my hands were frozen to the point of being useless. Without those keys (electric key fob) it would have been another 3 mile walk to the nearest farmhouse. I may have made it, and that is questionable, but I really don't believe my dog would have made that trip. When we got into the pickup and had it running the temp was -12F and the radio said it was -36F wind chill. We made it! I donâ??t know how long I was in the water, but Iâ??ll guess it was close to a full minute. The whole time I never let go of my gun, and looking back that was part of my struggle because I had one arm tied up. I personally feel the main thing that kept me alive was the Gore-Tex pants and jacket I had on. I was wet from head to toe, but I wasn't completely soaked like I would have been with wearing something like cotton, canvas, or fleece. Another factor was a never quit attitude that we both displayed. She's a tough hound, and to go right back to the hunt shows a ton of heart on her part! Once I had the pickup warmed up a little, I stripped down to my boxers and drove home like that. My feet were frozen pretty bad and I was really worried about my hands. But all turned out well and now it's just another hunting story. An now I can't wait till next bird season....because I've got a hunting dog!
Last Hunt of 09 - A Survival Story!
- Thread starter dc240nt
- Start date
kansasbrittany
Banned
That's an amazing story. I'm glad you and the dog made it out alright. This is why I always try to take someone w/ me, but you can't replace the feeling you get from hunting by yourself w/ your dog. Again, I'm very happy to hear everything worked out.
This is very scary and a couple of things similar have happened to me in the past. Just a week ago, I was like you, I was hunting some cattails, thinking that most of it would be frozen over and birds would be held up in there. Sure enough, my dog gets birdy and jumps into the cattails. So I start heading over there and that bird wasnt holding for anything to save its life. Boom, it flushes, without the dog pointing and I take him down with one shot.
Much to my demise it falls in the cattails. I marked where it went down and the dog and I both go charging for it, as it looked like a wing shot. No more than 15 yards into it I fall through the ice. I'm only waist deep instead of chest deep, but I turn around and my dog is looking at me like "You idiot, if you think I'm jumping in there to find that bird, you're crazy." So I ended up searching around for that bird for about as long as I could take and couldnt find it. The whole time I'm yelling at Mya (my GSP), "dead bird", "dead bird". She didnt care.
Well, I ended up getting out after a good fight to get back up on solid ground and realized that everything on me is beginning to freeze. Most would say that this is a bad thing, but actually it wasnt. My boots and pants froze so fast and so hard I didnt have time to be cold. Once everything froze over, it was like insulation. Mind you, I was still freezing, but it wasnt bad enough to feel like I was getting frostbite or anything. Made the mile and a half walk back to the truck. Once I got there I started getting really cold and thats when my boots and pants began to unthaw. I'll tell you what, the worst part about it was when I went to take my boots and socks off. I had to take them off when I got into my truck because I couldnt feel my feet. My socks were literally frozen to my feet and it felt like I peeled layers of skin off trying to get the socks off...but like you I made it home, safe and sound.
Much to my demise it falls in the cattails. I marked where it went down and the dog and I both go charging for it, as it looked like a wing shot. No more than 15 yards into it I fall through the ice. I'm only waist deep instead of chest deep, but I turn around and my dog is looking at me like "You idiot, if you think I'm jumping in there to find that bird, you're crazy." So I ended up searching around for that bird for about as long as I could take and couldnt find it. The whole time I'm yelling at Mya (my GSP), "dead bird", "dead bird". She didnt care.
Well, I ended up getting out after a good fight to get back up on solid ground and realized that everything on me is beginning to freeze. Most would say that this is a bad thing, but actually it wasnt. My boots and pants froze so fast and so hard I didnt have time to be cold. Once everything froze over, it was like insulation. Mind you, I was still freezing, but it wasnt bad enough to feel like I was getting frostbite or anything. Made the mile and a half walk back to the truck. Once I got there I started getting really cold and thats when my boots and pants began to unthaw. I'll tell you what, the worst part about it was when I went to take my boots and socks off. I had to take them off when I got into my truck because I couldnt feel my feet. My socks were literally frozen to my feet and it felt like I peeled layers of skin off trying to get the socks off...but like you I made it home, safe and sound.
Dakotazeb
Well-known member
About 30 years ago I was pheasant hunting one morning when the air temp was -30. I was 3/4 of a mile from my vehicle when I went through the ice up to my waist. Cold? Hell yes! But like Dcup said, everything froze so fast that it actually acted like insulation. Long walk back to the vehicle but I made it. I'd hate to think of that happening now at my current age. The outcome might not be the same.
Moral of the story: Even when the temps are -30 never assume the ice is okay. Especially in the weeds and cattails with snow blown in to help insulate the ice.
Moral of the story: Even when the temps are -30 never assume the ice is okay. Especially in the weeds and cattails with snow blown in to help insulate the ice.
onpoint
Active member
First off, you a lucky man
Let me tell you, I have a very tragic story from over Christmas that doesn't have the same good ending. I most likely would have done the same thing as you but hear this. If any of you decide to go in the icy water after your dog. Be willing to die, because that's the chance your taking
http://www.twinstatesoutdoors.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=6071
Very sad story. A family nearly lost all of their sons in one tragic moment.
dc240nt, very glad your with us to post this. This very well could have turned out different.
onpoint
Let me tell you, I have a very tragic story from over Christmas that doesn't have the same good ending. I most likely would have done the same thing as you but hear this. If any of you decide to go in the icy water after your dog. Be willing to die, because that's the chance your taking
http://www.twinstatesoutdoors.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=6071
Very sad story. A family nearly lost all of their sons in one tragic moment.
dc240nt, very glad your with us to post this. This very well could have turned out different.
onpoint
JMBZ71
Member
I'm glad you and your pup made it out OK DC. I've gone through the ice on several occasions but never in more than knee deep water and never when it was that cold out. That kind of an experience would give anyone a jolt and I know I'll approach frozen cattail marshes with a little more caution in the future because of your experience.
BritChaser
Well-known member
Cattails have New Meaning
I appreciate you sharing your story so that all of us will be safer the next time we get into cattails.
I appreciate you sharing your story so that all of us will be safer the next time we get into cattails.
FCSpringer
Moderator
First, I am glad you made it. Second, I have done the same ting. Not for the dog, but I probably would. I was traping on the river ice for rats. The water level on the river would rise and fall during the winter. If it fell at thiner ice times the ice never got thicker as one would think. I was strolling along after a couple days of being out there for some new sets and down I went. The current was trying to pull me under the ice. Had I not had a friend with that day I would have been muskrat food. I caught the edge and held on till he gave me a hand out. Never touched bottom. Did not go back to trap the river again on ice. The ice was resting about 5" above the water in that spot, so thats why I fell through. Pluss you ALWAYS want to steer clear of musckrat houses when you guy's are hunting, they keep a thin spot by most all of them. You have to aproach them with a chisle to find safe entry. When hunting I walk wide of them. Again Glad you are OK DC.
bobeyerite
New member
Man that is scary, Hope I never have to go through anything like that......Bob
DC,
First, like everyone else, I am glad you made it. Nothing scarier than falling through the ice in winter. I grew up in Northern Minnesota and we trapped beaver, mink, otter, etc every spring. In March the pelts are prime, and so that's when we did most of our trapping. The ice on the lakes is thawing, but usually still 2-3 feet thick. It gets this kind of honey-combed look. I had a big Duluth pack on my back full of fresh beaver pelts, some traps, etc, and down I went. The pack actually caught on the ice behind me and my two friends were able to slide a long pole out to me. We were miles from the truck and I had hip boots on. I had to walk for hours through the snow to get back. When we got there my feet had swollen from the cold and we had to cut my hip boots off. I had some frostbite on a few toes, but other than that no damage. That was almost 40 years ago. Don't think I'd want to try it again now.
Sad story about those brothers. It seems to happen just about every year where someone tries to save their dog and loses their own life. But there's no thinking it through at the time. We tend to just react.
Here's hoping for a prosperous and safer 2010.
First, like everyone else, I am glad you made it. Nothing scarier than falling through the ice in winter. I grew up in Northern Minnesota and we trapped beaver, mink, otter, etc every spring. In March the pelts are prime, and so that's when we did most of our trapping. The ice on the lakes is thawing, but usually still 2-3 feet thick. It gets this kind of honey-combed look. I had a big Duluth pack on my back full of fresh beaver pelts, some traps, etc, and down I went. The pack actually caught on the ice behind me and my two friends were able to slide a long pole out to me. We were miles from the truck and I had hip boots on. I had to walk for hours through the snow to get back. When we got there my feet had swollen from the cold and we had to cut my hip boots off. I had some frostbite on a few toes, but other than that no damage. That was almost 40 years ago. Don't think I'd want to try it again now.
Sad story about those brothers. It seems to happen just about every year where someone tries to save their dog and loses their own life. But there's no thinking it through at the time. We tend to just react.
Here's hoping for a prosperous and safer 2010.
That is an absolute tragedy. I pray for that family.
I've got another story similar to this where I actually had to find a dog under water and pulled him out while standing in the water. Its a long story...
I had an English Pointer that I saved from a breeder that was going to put him down just because he couldnt sell him. The pup had come from a strong bloodline of field trial dogs and from day 1 you could tell he was going to be a big runner. He was very abused in training (you could tell), so I took him under my wing if for nothing more than a hunting companion. I didnt know the first thing about training pheasant dogs, let alone break one of big time running.
Well I had this english for about a year before I took him out hunting (I was nervous about losing him). During that year I tried to break him of running out close to a mile, but never could quite coral him.
So I took him out hunting over the course of the season, but he never really got the idea when birds were flushing out 500 yards away from me. Christmas rolled around in 2006 and we were at my in-laws. I had hunted this 50 acre spot about a week before that and had got a bird. So xmas morning rolled around and I thought I would go hit that spot up early before presents.
This time around I took my check cord and put it on him. My goal was to hunt while holding on to the check cord, on some advice from a local trainer. It was going good for awhile he wasnt tugging the cord or misbehaving, but then it happened. He spotted a rooster...and finally pointed...his first point ever! So I slowly crept up to the bird check cord in hand. Just as the bird was about to flush I let go of the cord. I'll never forgive myself for it.
He was gone...like a white and black flash against the green trees and white snow covered horizon. He was so fast I once clocked him at 34 MPH while running down a gravel road. He was off after the bird. Wouldnt respond to come or the shock collar. He was gone.
About 15 minutes passed and I couldnt find him. I had tried tracking his paw prints through the snow but had lost them in some thick. Just then I heard this incredible ear piercing howl and yelp. I had no idea where it was coming from, but I knew it was him. I tried following the sound, but I was out in the middle of an open field. There was timber to the south so I headed in that direction. Mind you, it had just snowed two days before and the drifts were waste high in spots.
Then the sound started getting stronger, so I started to run, as best I could through the snow. It was getting so loud, I thought he was right next to me, but he wasnt. Then it stopped...
What direction do I head? I kept going for the timber, I knew he had went that direction. Then I saw a thin line running through the snow (remember the check cord he had on), so I followed, no more yelping. I was trying to head in a direction I had thought I had heard the yelp. Then I saw it....
The trail I had been following ran right into a creek which was frozen over. Then I looked over and noticed a open spot of water. There was no more trail through the snow, I knew he had to be in there. Sure enough, about an inch of the check cord was sticking out of the water. I jumped in, hysterical and started dragging on this cord. Soon enough his lifeless body surfaced. I took a water filled soaking wet 50 lb dog, through him up on the bank and climbed out of the water. What do I do?
I had learned CPR in college, so I decided that was the best thing to try at this point. I didnt have a cellphone, and even if I did, it was xmas morning and I was 25 miles from the nearest town. Gave him CPR to no avail...I kept trying and trying and trying, but no response. All I was getting up was white foam and blood. I looked into his eyes and I knew he was gone, but I couldnt give up. I picked him up and began the trek through the snow back to the truck.
I carried the 80 or so lbs over my shoulder through waste high snow about a mile and got him to my truck. I put him in the cab, and cranked the heat...I was exhausted. I sped for town and called all the vets in the area...nobody open. Finally got a hold of emergency vet and rushed him there. It took me about a half an hour to get there and I knew it wasnt going to be good when I did arrive.
Got to the vet and they came running out with a stretcher, immediately began CPR. They tried everything to revive him, but nothing...he was gone. It was a heartbreaking xmas morning...I lost my first ever hunting companion. Then I had to go home and face a houseful of guests there for xmas. It was probably one of the lowest days of my life, and I'll never forgive my self for letting him go.
Life goes on, but every time my GSP gets around water I almost panic.
pheasantaddict
New member
Buy a good pair of chestwaders. Cattails are never completely safe. The ice is ususally weaker from the cattails, muskrat houses, snow accumulation, and water flow into the marsh. I fell through the ice 4 times yesterday, but had my waders on.
thurrealty
New member
Glad you made it....scary...when I was little...we were quail hunting and killed a bird that fell on a frozen pond. Dog went out to get the bird and the ice broke...my dad took his clothes off down to his underwear and got the dog. It was one of those things. I would never forget it.
The reason I bring that up is it makes me think before something might happen...I can remember him when he got out of the water...so I try to keep away from those situations if I can. The closest injury I had involving hunting was over the holidays...fell off the couch watching the Outdoor Channel...Damn that hurt...
The reason I bring that up is it makes me think before something might happen...I can remember him when he got out of the water...so I try to keep away from those situations if I can. The closest injury I had involving hunting was over the holidays...fell off the couch watching the Outdoor Channel...Damn that hurt...