Humbled an walk'n humbled an alive.

[Boar]

Still haveing problems with this one. So I thought I'd share it with you guys cause I'm really beating myslef up about. I've been hunting for thirty years. Been through all the safty programs from A to Z an cant make sense how it happend to me. Opening rifle went awsome, I took my sons best freind hunting an he took his first doe, really cool. He was jacked.Sunday prove to be very slow, so I get out of stand an try to shag something up for my little brother whos sitting an a large platform in the middle of the woods. I walk up to the platform, an proceed to climb up to talk to him. I get six feet up on the ladder an he says that rung is loose. I t happened so fast you could'nt blink before I hit the ground. I knocked the wind out me a little, but part that keeps me up at night is when I hit the ground, I hit on my right side an my neck snapped like a bobble head figure. I sounded like a some broke a branch right next to my ear. I lay there holding my neck an waiting for the pain that did'nt come which really scared me cause I thought I cant feel anything. The whole whats my famiyly gonna do thing went through me like a ton of bricks. Ireally let my gaurd down an took way to much for granted. "It'll never happened to me" An to come totally clean I had rifle around my shoulder, an have three deep puncture wound on my flank from shells that were in a stock sock. Way to big of a wake up call. Dumb stupid you name it, I feel it. I try to make sense of but cant, an here I am trying to teach a young kid to hunt, some role modle. Lucky is a very strong word for me now, so are few others that I have refered myself to. I hope those of you that read this, take an extra minuet to assess things next time your in the woods. My neck still is in tough shape an I fear will be for along time. Humbled an walk'n Humbled an alive. boar

[DonBo]

Lucky is right. Could have been so much worse. Amazing how quick things happen. Glad you'll be okay.

[Double D]

I took a fall off a permanent stand ladder a couple years ago. My foot was on a rung about 3 feet off the ground when my hand slipped off its rung and that was a heavy fall, I wouldn't want to find out about 6 feet like you. Although I fell flat on my back like a professional wrestler and then it didn't hurt much after a couple minutes.

I don't use a sling and the main thing I remember is throwing my rifle on the way down so it would be pointed away in case it went off.

DD

[delmuts]

I hope your neck is ok!

We've all done it. Sometimes we get away with it and others????? Everyone! Please try to be safe!

[Gissert]

Hope, you're ok, Boar. Viggy is going to have to write you up for a saftey violation. Expect a Letter of Investigation coming via registered mail this week....

[picksbigwagon]

Boar, I hate heights and I know I will be more nervous the next time I climb up my 10 foot ladder stand. I hope everything comes out fine for you as well. Keep on top of it and if you are still nervous, go to the Doctor...(man now I sound like my wife)

[Gordie]

glad to hear your ok boar and things can happen to even the safest guys out there dont beat yourself up to bad and always look over your shoulder. It sounds like you have learned from this and that is a good thing.

I have friends that have fallen while checking there stands out two weeks before season and even one friend that was hammering a nail in that broke and flew back into his eye and stuck there. I also fell out of a deer stand years ago and broke my arm and have even fallen out of the duck boat with chestwaders and no life jacket on.

I dont take saftey for granted any more and these things are all reminders as of why I must be on my A-game when enjoying the outdoors.

[wplatehunter]

I hope you are feeling better. That sucks.

[96trigger]

Good luck boar. If you have any doubts at all, you should go in a get checked. Don't worry about being a role model. It was hunting accident and you can be thankful that it didn't happen to the first timer. Someone less experienced and it could have been deadly.

Check those stands ahead of time people. Alot can happen in a year, a month, even a windy night.

[AHLHAWK81]

Hope everything turns out ok. No doubt another lesson learned from first hand experience. It's easy for all of us to beat ourselves up over a mistake (that we should no better) however, as much as we like to think it, we are not perfect. In a strange way you were a role model to the young hunter. Who knows, this incident may be the lesson that prevents a greater tragedy down the road.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Don't beat yourself up too bad, boar. Something bad happened, you know it, you admit it, learned from it, time to move on.

Glad to hear you're not pushing up daisies.

On another note......I had a bit of an accident Labor Day weekend. Neck hurt like all get out and arm was numb. So, I did what most guys do, had a beer and went to bed. Next day I got up and the wife took me to the ER. Long story short, I fractured some verts in my neck, damaged my spine, and relly messed up muscles, tendons, and ligaments in my neck. Dude, it's not a laughing matter and if you think you hurt something go see a doctor. Don't do what I did and wait.

[Boar]

Yea I know,but it's hard not too. everry day gets better in the head, I think thats why i finally shared the experience, needed a little pep talk. Thanks. Really looking foward to ML season with a new view on it, so i am back in the saddle. Just a lot more strapped in for the ride. Yea gissert, an rightfully so. Maybe i can use this to my advantage, Gosh, I just cant seem to lift the auger anymore bro, will you drill the holes?Anywho be safer this ML season an think about an think about again. Later boar

[CANOPY SAM]

I sure wouldn't belabor this, or second guess your actions, dude. It was an accident.

Please, don't take this lightly. You should see a doctor ASAP, and make sure they check you over very, very thoroughly. That's what your paying for with healthcare insurance.

Take it from a guy who's been living with neck and back pain for almost 20 years due to a fall.

Sorry to hear about this. Believe me, I know how it feels to go thru this kind of incident. I'll be praying for your speedy and complete recovery.

[iceman1603]

Boiler guy is 100% correct. Get yourself looked at. I Broke my back several yrs ago while working from a ladder. With 3 fractured vertebre in my back i figured they would heal and be back to normal in 8-10 months. Was I ever wrong. Yes they healed but all the muscles and surrounding tissue in my back were so messed up from the trauma and healing process of being laid up for 3 months then not doing anything real strenuous for another 5-6 months. Im still a little messed up and its been 8 yrs. Please get your self looked at.. On another note 5-6 yrs ago we had one of our hunting party checkin stands before season. first rung was ok second seemed ok. step up on the first and grab the 3rd to pull himself up and it came out of the tree and smacked him in the face. At first we all thought its a black eye and a soar nose. 3 days later hes still in a ton of pain and swelling real bad. Turns out the shot from the wooden step hitting him fractured his eye socket and bridge of his nose. Yea he is fine now but thats the year that we removed all of our permanent wooden stands and replaced them with portable hang ons and ladder stands. No they dont garuntee that no one will fall out of them but at least we dont have to worry about rotten wood or nails and screws breaking loose from the tree.

Again I hope you feel better soon and see a doctor

[zzammon]

Would like to remind people. It is best to tie your gun or bow to a rope and pull it up after climbing, unloaded.. Boar's situation could have been worse had his gun fired.

[bobbymalone]

Would like to remind people. It is best to tie your gun or bow to a rope and pull it up after climbing, unloaded.. Boar's situation could have been worse had his gun fired.

+1000

it takes a few seconds to unload your gun but it can only take a millisecond to blow your or your friend's head off.

be safe out there and go get that neck checked out.

[Nate McVey]

Boar, accidents happen and you have an excellent opportunity to turn this into a "teachable moment". Guns and bows should be tied and hauled up and lowered down with a rope. No reason to beat yourself up over it. Like the others said, go see a doc and get yourself checked out.

[Boar]

I could have easily left out the gun part, I guesse that why i choose to come clean with the whole story, could have left the gun part. I hope others do think twice before ascending a ladder stand. There is always time for safty. I really appreciate all the possitive input. Thanks to all. I really thankd the good Lord today as I sat with my two youngest in church. It was truly an eye opener. Boar

[Deitz Dittrich]

Glad you are pulling through this boar, I enjoy reading your posts. We all make decisions daily that affect the rest of our lives, we can only do our best to try and make the best ones.