Short season

F

fishcane

New member
I was hunting alone in the Fairfield area 3 weeks ago and was attempting to encourage my dog to stay working the bottom of a ditch so I was walking the bottom with her. I was working a ditch along a road on a section of state land. I took a step down and rolled my ankle over in some mud. I heard crack, snapple, pop and I knew my day was done. I was laying in the bottom of the ditch with a severely dislocated ankle and a shattered bone in my lower leg. I reached in the pocket for the cell phone and dialed 911 and had no signal. I pulled myself up out of ditch by scooting up the hill dragging my busted leg. I pulled myself under the fence and threw my vest on top of the fence post so any passing motorist would see it and slow down. After 5 more attempts of dialing 911, I was finally able to get through to the dispatch and give a description of where I was even though I could not remember the names of the road. I knew the name of some of the area land owners. After about 25 minutes of lounging in the sun some other hunters drove by and stopped when they saw my dog. Shortly after EMS out of Power came and offered me a ride to Great Falls. The hunters took my car to Great Falls and took care of my dog while I was in the ER. My wife and hunting bud came and took me back to Helena. A week later I had surgery---ended up with a 7 1/2 inch plate in the leg and 7 screws holding things together. I am to put no weight on the leg for 6 weeks. The cast should be off on Dec. 7. I am hoping to get in on a few hunts at the end of December.
 
I usually step in a couple of badger holes chasing birds every year and twist an ankle but didn't this season. I got home and was playing golf and stepped in a ground squirrel hole and heard and felt the ankle pop and crunch but somehow didn't break anything. Just luck but fate still got even.
My fiancee insisted I needed a hunting dog since I'm getting to an age where my bones are more fragile. I guess she thinks Morgan will go get help if I fall down a well or something. I'll have to tell her how your dog provided no benefit and only the kindness of strangers got you out of the pickle you were in. The good news is you were able to get help and it wasn't a blizzard when it happened. Get better soon.
 
Fishcane, MAN! I wish you well.
I was walking this one field this past Fall, tall matted type grass couldn't see the holes. After stepping into half a dozen, left the area.
 
Sorry to hear that. I always tell evryone to look out for all the badger holes in SD. Mud is a bit unusual, but I did i feet forward in Kansas thee years ago only resulting in a sore butt.
 
Thanks for all your comments. I will be purchasing a SPOT GPS Messanger to take on future hunts. It will give me the option of sending out an SOS satelite message in case of a life threatening incident. I was very fortunate that the broken leg happened where it did. I do a lot of solo hunting in the mountains and remote areas of Montana. I have stepped in badger holes while elk hunting that were covered in snow in 10 below temps. I learned that bad or freak accidents can happen in a hurry. I am also beginning to lobby the wife for another dog. I love my dog but there is not much drive to hunt in her any more. I need a dog that will work the bottom of the ditches so I don't have to. I am seriously considering getting a Boykin. Keep posting those hunting stories so I can at least live vicariously through others.
 
I Returned to the ditch of the broken leg a year later and evened the score by bagging a rooster. The most satisfying bird of the year.
 
Nice, did you have a Boykin spaniel leading the charge? My brother got two this year. His old Boykin Jake was a rooster getting machine back in the day.
 
Glad Your up and going again.:thumbsup:
 
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