Has anyone else been injured while hunting away from home?

[Flbt]

I've been shot (hit) twice while pheasant hunting. One pierced the skin in my leg and had to be removed. The other hit my neck hard enough to cause it to bleed, but bounced out. Horse are over backwards in 1989 and tore up a knee. Slid off the trail and almost straight down the mountain for about 70 feet in 2018, Scraped up pretty bad but no broken bones. Worst happened at home before a planned elk hunt in 2019. Long story short, had a freak accident with my mule in the round pen and snapped my right femur! First ambulance ride, first surgery to pound a titanium rod in my leg! If that happened to me in the boonies, it would have required a chopper to get me out. Recovered well and did 2 aoudad, 2 oryx and a brown bear hunt since then.

The horses, mules,jacks and show cows can be way more dangerous than people expect
And I like the more modern round pens made with panals than the old fl cypress wood ones or lighter pine ones

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Countless times I have stepped into hidden badger holes, sometimes nearly knee depth. So far not even a sprained ankle. Very, very lucky. My wheels are truly remarkable. The only issue I can recall was platar fasciaitis in my left foot during pheasant season several years ago. That was painful! But it didn't stop me. Shitty boots. Changed my footwear and my walking style and made it through the rest of the season. Still, I remember tripping in tall grass late one afternoon a mile from my vehicle and wondered if I'd have to crawl out. Fortunately the weather was balmy. I laid on the ground for almost forty minutes. My cell was charged up and I have one of the game wardens number in it. Knew she would come flying if I called. But eventually I was able to get up and stumble out. Tanked up on ibuprofen and I was back in the field the next day. Checked on line for physio exercises. Best one is to periodically curl toes like trying to grip a pencil on the ground. I did twenty reps every time I could think about it when not on my feet (watching TV and driving).

The last six months have been a challenge. My son and I were on our annual moose hunt in Newfoundland late September 2024. The first day (Monday 9/23) we hunted our way back to the spike camp we would be using for a night or two. We opened the camp, cut some wood and went off on foot for the evening hunt. We glassed for 2-3 hrs. spotting several different animals in a valley, I was looking for a meat bull. We made a couple moves to different vantage points and found a young bull with a cow. We made a quick stalk and my hunt was over, so I thought. Darkness was 1/2 hr away so we were moving quickly to get the guts out of my bull, traversing down through a bog bordered by tucks. On the way down I stepped into a hole covered by bog grass slightly larger than my boot and almost up to my knee. When my left foot hit the bottom, I heard and felt a snap, crunch sound (my son heard it 8 feet behind me) NOT GOOD! With time working against us my son and our friend (guide) took care of my moose while I looked at my foot and felt sorry for myself. I tried to stand but no way was this going to happen, I knew some bones were broken. Our friend went back to the spike camp to get the Argo while my son stayed with me. They loaded me up and off we went to the main camp 2 hrs away where I made myself a couch decoration until Friday afternoon. On the way out of camp we stopped at the butcher to pick up our 2 bulls (my son got a nice one Wednesday) and off to the ferry for an overnight sailing. We hit the mainland Saturday @ 7am drove straight through 20hrs home so I could get medical help. I went to a small local hospital and they referred me to our main hospital in Rochester (strong Hospital) where X rays were performed. I was told I would need surgery, my heel was broken in several pieces, multiple bones in my foot were broken and I had broken the end of my fibula along with three blood clots in my lower leg. Surgery was performed October 7th where they put my foot back together with a plate and 9 screws. I returned home the next day and was to be non-weight bearing for almost 3 months, December 20th I was cleared to start weight bearing which was to be gradual using crutches and a walking boot, February 14th was my last day with crutches. Since then, I have been getting around (slowly) relearning to walk, forcing myself to use the leg and not limp. It will be a challenge for a while, I found it necessary to cancel 3 trips planned for 2025 just to get better. 2026 will hopefully be back to normal, I already have a trip planned with KMG and another moose hunt planned in October.

I have fallen and gotten banded up a few times but never.broke anything. I got "clinically dehydrated" while fishing on the Northern California coast with my best friend. I was staggering by the time we got back to camp on my.family's property. My wife called 911 and my buddy went down to guide the EMTs from a nearby fire station. There was some discussion that I might be having a cardiac event as I had had a heart attack 2 years before, they were going to call in a helicopter An ambulance crew showed up, so it was a 45 mile ride up the coast highway to the nearest hospital at Fort Brag. I was okay, but pretty sick for the next few days.

 

[coreydb]

Yep....not hunting, but in a different part of this country and in the middle of nowhere. My foot got lodged dumping trash off a small utility trailer, lost my balance, fell over sideways like a tree and my upper back slammed the ground (ultimately) breaking 2 ribs in half. Both ends went into my muscles causing severe muscle spasms taking my breath away with extreme pain. I had to drive myself to the nearest "hospital" 45 minutes away where they said I had sprained-yep-sprained my back. I had to drive 10 hrs home in pain. I went to the hospital at home where the doctor showed me the x-ray with the breaks. It just sucks to be us sometimes!

 

[DLSJR]

In 2018, I was on final day of a Sitatunga hunt along the Kafue River in Zambia. My PH, Richard Bell-Cross, and I were glassing a small marsh just as it was getting light enough to see shapes moving around. Suddenly, Richard whispered ‘Poachers’ and I could see two human silhouettes walking toward us, carrying sacks. We eased back into the brush line, I thought to let them pass. As they passed us at about 10-15 yards, Richard suddenly started sneaking toward them, then broke into a sprint just like a safety blitzing a quarterback and he sacked poacher number 1.

Poacher number 2 didn’t stop to see what had taken down his buddy, he tore off into the dark like his life depended on it. If I’d have taken just a second to think “You’re 60, you’re overweight and out of shape with 2 bad knees and he runs from shit to stay alive, you’ll never catch him” I’d have been fine, but I didn’t give it any thought at all. Poacher took off and I was dumb enough to chase him (even though I didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of catching him). I ran hard for about 15 yards when I stepped into an unseen hole and I crashed hard. I immediately knew I was significantly injured. Richard heard me groaning and called out to me “Are you OK? I replied No! I’m injured! He responded, ‘Well, you’ve got to figure it out yourself as I’m busy here’. He was on top of Poacher #1, giving him a beat down.

I tore the Rotator Cuff in my right (shooting side) shoulder as well as cracking two ribs and spraining my right knee. I had rotator cuff surgery after duck season ended, (it was brutal just shooting a 28 gauge!) I wasn’t able to shoot a heavy rifle again until spring of 2020.

Note to self…. Don’t chase Poachers!

 

[pilar]

I was running late after a nilgai hunt and in a hurry and decided I could load a 35 gallon barrel of gasoline into my truck by rolling it on the nilgai ramp , well I gave myself a hernia between my sack and a$$ , spent a long sleepless night in camp and went to the emergency clinic, who poked it back in and said call my primary physician , 5 hour drive later he took one look and sent me to a surgeon who scheduled a emergency operation , which finished my nilgia season for 8 weeks.
# 2 was broke my ankle before thanksgiving and had to work till January wearing a cast under a oversized PAC Boot

 

[Hunter4752001]

Several years ago I was out hunting deer when a bit of ground near a ravine collapsed with me on top of it. Long story short, shattered the ankle bones. I was lucky to have radio coms and a recovery team who were able to get me out. After surgery, plates etc recovery took many months. Even now the ankle is functional but with a restricted range of movement.

Since the accident I've been surprised to find out how many hunters have suffered the same injury. As a result I always recommend buying and carrying a PLB (GPS enabled personal locator beacon).

 

[LivingTheDream]

Broke ribs and mess up my sternum on Day 1 of a Sheep hunt in the Yukon. Lots of Tylenol helped. Killed my sheep on Day 8. It was painful few days.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I forgot about the argument with my horse that led to me riding her end over end down a mountain back in 1981. I was 22 miles into remote Great Bear Wilderness by myself. Dutchess broke the stock on my Springfield. Fortunately for her she didn't break my handmade roper saddle or she probably would have been bird food. Rung my bell badly and I couldn't find my glasses. I tried to put the rifle back together using adhesive tape from firstaid kit. Somewhere I have an old box camera snapshot. Though I had a week left to hunt, I wisely chose to pack up and head home rather than risk further injury shooting it that way.

 

[BryceM]

So strange. I was thinking of starting this exact thread topic today too.

I’ve been pretty lucky so far. I fell on some rocks while chasing a wounded mountain zebra in the Khomas Hochlands once. I was pretty sure I tore my rotator cuff. Lucky enough, it was just a bad strain that healed in a few weeks.

I got a little excited scrambling off an Idaho lava mound I had climbed up to get a shot at some elk. I put one down, but it was only minutes until dark. In my haste to get over there, I went a little too fast. I slipped and landed hard on one leg. Lucky that time too, as it was only a deep bone bruise but it was pretty close to being much worse. Only limped for 3 months on that one. Let’s see, I was hunting alone, on the desert, several miles from my truck. By the time I hauled me and 1/2 of the elk back to the road it was pretty sore.

Was walking back to camp in the dark in the Kalahari one night. We had an unexpected prolonged standoff with some kudu and it was completely dark when we started back. No flashlights, of course. I located a downed camelthorn tree with my leg. Once we got back to camp I threw a bandaid on it. About three months later a piece of the tree popped out after a shower one day. It was almost 2 inches long. Crazy, as it never bothered me.

And, as an orthopedic surgeon, you’d think I’d know better…….

 

[Joedad]

One year while elk hunting I got dehydrated and developed a kidney stone. Spent a day in the hospital, passed stone went hunting that evening a killed a bull.
Another time I rolled my 4 wheeler in a deep canyon getting an elk out. I was injured badly but luckily I had friends near. Waited a few hours for life flight helicopter. Spent a couple of days in the hospital with broken ribs, collapsed lung etc. $14,000 air ambulance bill. Good thing I had very good insurance

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I fell from a macchan and got bruised while hunting sambar deer in Malaysia. No broken bones fortunately, but quite painful for a while.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Two years ago my Lab was sidelined early in the season with torn ACL. I was hunting from light cover on the edge of a cut cornfield with decoys set out about 50 yards. Two young fellas I know were set up in layout blinds two fields over. They were getting most of the shooting but I still managed to get a couple. The third honker down was making a run for it to the neighbor's still standing corn. If it got in there I would never find it. So off goes seventy year-old me tearing across the field in Muck Boots ... which are a far cry from running shoes. Some of you may know this: corn stubble maims and kills many good hunting dogs every year. They get impaled on the cut stalks. I was about half way to the honker when a demon corn stalk grabbed my ankle and down I went hard. Tried to catch myself with left hand but still got poked square in the sternum. Lucky I was wearing several layers or I could have been seriously hurt. Caught my breath, staggered to my feet, and caught up to the goose when he hit the fence line. A really big bugger who decided to fight me. Oh well. I can deal with that. Seemed to be okay but by the time I finished my limit of five I was not feeling good. Chest pains were getting downright scary. Also shooting pains in my left arm. One of the young guys came out to chat and helped me haul the stuff back to the Jimmy. Then he insisted on driving me to ER. Turns out I cracked a rib when I fell. Shooting didn't seem to bother me once the gun was to my shoulder. But reaching out to open a door was a killer! And tying my boots. Ugh! Cracked rib didn't stop me from hunting pheasants and shooting a nice buck.

 

[KEC]

So strange. I was thinking of starting this exact thread topic today too.

I’ve been pretty lucky so far. I fell on some rocks while chasing a wounded mountain zebra in the Khomas Hochlands once. I was pretty sure I tore my rotator cuff. Lucky enough, it was just a bad strain that healed in a few weeks.

I got a little excited scrambling off an Idaho lava mound I had climbed up to get a shot at some elk. I put one down, but it was only minutes until dark. In my haste to get over there, I went a little too fast. I slipped and landed hard on one leg. Lucky that time too, as it was only a deep bone bruise but it was pretty close to being much worse. Only limped for 3 months on that one. Let’s see, I was hunting alone, on the desert, several miles from my truck. By the time I hauled me and 1/2 of the elk back to the road it was pretty sore.

Was walking back to camp in the dark in the Kalahari one night. We had an unexpected prolonged standoff with some kudu and it was completely dark when we started back. No flashlights, of course. I located a downed camelthorn tree with my leg. Once we got back to camp I threw a bandaid on it. About three months later a piece of the tree popped out after a shower one day. It was almost 2 inches long. Crazy, as it never bothered me.

And, as an orthopedic surgeon, you’d think I’d know better…….

I have been thinking about this thread for the last few months, I thought it might be an interesting topic. The only reason I didn't start it sooner was because I was not looking for sympathy. I feel that my injury has made me appreciate things I took for granted.

 

[Sideshow]

In 2018, I was on final day of a Sitatunga hunt along the Kafue River in Zambia. My PH, Richard Bell-Cross, and I were glassing a small marsh just as it was getting light enough to see shapes moving around. Suddenly, Richard whispered ‘Poachers’ and I could see two human silhouettes walking toward us, carrying sacks. We eased back into the brush line, I thought to let them pass. As they passed us at about 10-15 yards, Richard suddenly started sneaking toward them, then broke into a sprint just like a safety blitzing a quarterback and he sacked poacher number 1.

Poacher number 2 didn’t stop to see what had taken down his buddy, he tore off into the dark like his life depended on it. If I’d have taken just a second to think “You’re 60, you’re overweight and out of shape with 2 bad knees and he runs from shit to stay alive, you’ll never catch him” I’d have been fine, but I didn’t give it any thought at all. Poacher took off and I was dumb enough to chase him (even though I didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of catching him). I ran hard for about 15 yards when I stepped into an unseen hole and I crashed hard. I immediately knew I was significantly injured. Richard heard me groaning and called out to me “Are you OK? I replied No! I’m injured! He responded, ‘Well, you’ve got to figure it out yourself as I’m busy here’. He was on top of Poacher #1, giving him a beat down.

I tore the Rotator Cuff in my right (shooting side) shoulder as well as cracking two ribs and spraining my right knee. I had rotator cuff surgery after duck season ended, (it was brutal just shooting a 28 gauge!) I wasn’t able to shoot a heavy rifle again until spring of 2020.

Note to self…. Don’t chase Poachers!

Love it that made me laugh just the way you told it!

 

[Neil Molendyk]

The horses, mules,jacks and show cows can be way more dangerous than people expect
And I like the more modern round pens made with panals than the old fl cypress wood ones or lighter pine ones

Couldn't agree more. November 2002. Elk hunting near the border of Banff National Park in Alberta. Get up early and ride in the dark to get up high so we decided to take the short cut on a horse trail across a skree slide area. in the dark the horse i was riding stepped off the trail dropping down about 6-8 feet, then in her panic she decided to try and jump back up on the trail and we went over backwards, in the dark, and I stayed in the saddle for at least two revolutions, being crushed by the horse and sable horn before i was thrown clear. I flailed down about 100 yards at a 45 degree angle before cashing into the poplars at the bottom, when again the mare rolled over me one more time. I laid there for a couple of hours before my brother in law arrived with the team and wagon, my youngest son rode back to camp. My other son went to the highest ridge to call out for medical aid and the other hunter stayed with me for reassurance and support. He was riding right behind he when the accident happened and raced on foot down the slope, he witnessed it all and his first thought was that I was dead. He told me that the most beautiful words he had ever heard were when I uttered "F**k this really hurts". Next problem, How do they get me into the wagon with five foot sides. Well they rolled a stump up to the wagons wheel, and I pulled myself in and laid down on the flat floor for the two hour trip to the Panther River crossing where we were hoping to meet the Ambulance as no motorized vehicle were permitted into the area we were at, still not knowing if they would be there. Little did I know, my son managed to get out with the MIKE radio, the call was intercepted by STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue) in Calgary and they dispatched a helicopter for my extraction. But how did they find me? They were given a general location from my son with the MIKE phone and flew to there location where my sons (they had gotten back together on the ridge) pointed the general area where we were with the team and wagon but we weren't really visible because of all the spruce and pine trees covering the trail. When they flew over us it was truly the sound of Angel Wings, except the brother in law then say " I think I know where they are going to land, we better speed up" and he put the team and wagon into a canter, two rocky river crossings and a couple of miles later we arrived at he clearing where they had landed. Shaken, not stirred. I was airlifted into Foothills Hospital in Calgary and admitted into emergency. Cracked sternum, both shoulders separated with torn ligaments, four cracked ribs, bruised spine and hips, but alive and still feisty (well a little anyways).I think that the doctors were worried about internal organ failures. As the paramedic team was cutting my clothes off on route to the hospital I asked them not to cut off my hunting boots as this was the first time I had worn them. The flight navigator asked me " What size are they? I responded 10 & 1/2 double E, to which he replied, if you die, can I have them?" just a little morbid humour. Four days in Emerge then discharged while awaiting surgeries (both shoulders).

A few comments to make.
Emergency Staff at the Foothills Hospital were fantastic.

STARS is a NGO, funded by private companies and communities in Alberta, they will come to get you at no cost, no matter race, colour or any other affiliation, and are the one charitable organization that I support religiously. At the time of my extraction, it was the most remote that they had ever performed.

Its not if you may have an accident hunting on horseback in the mountains, its when.

I carried my MIKE phone with me because I had every intention of calling my wife when we reached the high slopes, as it was our 20th wedding anniversary. She told me that even after 20 years of marriage, you can still make my heart race.

The horse only suffered a dislocated hip

No elk were injured and no tags were filled.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Couldn't agree more. November 2002. Elk hunting near the border of Banff National Park in Alberta. Get up early and ride in the dark to get up high so we decided to take the short cut on a horse trail across a skree slide area. in the dark the horse i was riding stepped off the trail dropping down about 6-8 feet, then in her panic she decided to try and jump back up on the trail and we went over backwards, in the dark, and I stayed in the saddle for at least two revolutions, being crushed by the horse and sable horn before i was thrown clear. I flailed down about 100 yards at a 45 degree angle before cashing into the poplars at the bottom, when again the mare rolled over me one more time. I laid there for a couple of hours before my brother in law arrived with the team and wagon, my youngest son rode back to camp. My other son went to the highest ridge to call out for medical aid and the other hunter stayed with me for reassurance and support. He was riding right behind he when the accident happened and raced on foot down the slope, he witnessed it all and his first thought was that I was dead. He told me that the most beautiful words he had ever heard were when I uttered "F**k this really hurts". Next problem, How do they get me into the wagon with five foot sides. Well they rolled a stump up to the wagons wheel, and I pulled myself in and laid down on the flat floor for the two hour trip to the Panther River crossing where we were hoping to meet the Ambulance as no motorized vehicle were permitted into the area we were at, still not knowing if they would be there. Little did I know, my son managed to get out with the MIKE radio, the call was intercepted by STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue) in Calgary and they dispatched a helicopter for my extraction. But how did they find me? They were given a general location from my son with the MIKE phone and flew to there location where my sons (they had gotten back together on the ridge) pointed the general area where we were with the team and wagon but we weren't really visible because of all the spruce and pine trees covering the trail. When they flew over us it was truly the sound of Angel Wings, except the brother in law then say " I think I know where they are going to land, we better speed up" and he put the team and wagon into a canter, two rocky river crossings and a couple of miles later we arrived at he clearing where they had landed. Shaken, not stirred. I was airlifted into Foothills Hospital in Calgary and admitted into emergency. Cracked sternum, both shoulders separated with torn ligaments, four cracked ribs, bruised spine and hips, but alive and still feisty (well a little anyways).I think that the doctors were worried about internal organ failures. As the paramedic team was cutting my clothes off on route to the hospital I asked them not to cut off my hunting boots as this was the first time I had worn them. The flight navigator asked me " What size are they? I responded 10 & 1/2 double E, to which he replied, if you die, can I have them?" just a little morbid humour. Four days in Emerge then discharged while awaiting surgeries (both shoulders).

A few comments to make.
Emergency Staff at the Foothills Hospital were fantastic.

STARS is a NGO, funded by private companies and communities in Alberta, they will come to get you at no cost, no matter race, colour or any other affiliation, and are the one charitable organization that I support religiously. At the time of my extraction, it was the most remote that they had ever performed.

Its not if you may have an accident hunting on horseback in the mountains, its when.

I carried my MIKE phone with me because I had every intention of calling my wife when we reached the high slopes, as it was our 20th wedding anniversary. She told me that even after 20 years of marriage, you can still make my heart race.

The horse only suffered a dislocated hip

No elk were injured and no tags were filled.

What? Guess you didn't know our medical care up here is supposed to be crappy.

A good horse is a lot safer than any ATV. And a riding mule is almost impossible to get into trouble. What makes a good horse? Just like a good dog, a good horse is one that lives with you. Get in the saddle unsure and the horse becomes unsure. "Who's in charge here?" Recipe for disaster.

 

[fourfive8]

Does fishing count?

Stepped into hole and snapped the fibula of my left leg while fishing in Alaska. Fished the last three days of the trip with the injury. Actually the water pressure while wading made my leg feel better. Got home and limped into orthopod’s office. I explained story to the doc about stepping into the hole and hearing and feeling the “snap“. He glanced at my leg and said, “Looks like a broken fibula to me”. X-ray confirmed his guess. He said he did the same thing while in medical school,

 

[DLSJR]

Love it that made me laugh just the way you told it!

There is a lot more to the story, some of it pretty funny, but it’d be way too long.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

What? Guess you didn't know our medical care up here is supposed to be crappy.

A good horse is a lot safer than any ATV. And a riding mule is almost impossible to get into trouble. What makes a good horse? Just like a good dog, a good horse is one that lives with you. Get in the saddle unsure and the horse becomes unsure. "Who's in charge here?" Recipe for disaster.

Even when you've been horseback riding for over 30 years I guess. But I suspect that if horses were invented yesterday, they would be banned today in our society

 

[RR 314]

What? Guess you didn't know our medical care up here is supposed to be crappy.

A good horse is a lot safer than any ATV. And a riding mule is almost impossible to get into trouble. What makes a good horse? Just like a good dog, a good horse is one that lives with you. Get in the saddle unsure and the horse becomes unsure. "Who's in charge here?" Recipe for disaster.

I have been on horses and mules in the dark and there was no question who was in charge . . . they were! Gave them their head and prayed. . They knew the mountain better than I did! Glad Neil made it out without being injured worse!