Some of you have probably heard about the hunting accident that happened near Boise, Idaho last weekend. He is a friend of mine and fellow MM member. I'll post this in the general hunting as well as the Idaho forum to help gather any support we can.
Here's a quick update and 'the rest of the story'. Here's also a link to a couple places that are trying to help him offset some of his medical costs. Self-employed with 3 kids...................enough said.
https://www.facebook.com/HuntForeverWest where you can share the link on FB.
http://fundly.com/curtis-jaussi
Thanks to anyone who can help, whether through donations or just thoughts and prayers. It truly is appreciated.
After 3 days of bear hunting, Carson and Curtis found a good boar and made the stalk. Curtis laid down and shot the bear across a canyon. It was feeding into big patch of conifers and ran into the trees. 5 seconds later it came back out and sat on its haunches. He hit it again, directly in the chest and tipped it over. In the excitement, he jacked another shell into his 300 RUM. After confirming the bear hadn't moved, he loaded his rifle into his Eberlestock pack and threw it over his shoulders. A quick hike across the canyon towards the bear. 50 yards from the bear, he reached up behind his head to take the rifle out of his pack. It was part of the way out of his pack when it went off, through the bottom of the pack and into his left leg - calf high.
Carson got him laid down and a tourniquet immediately on his leg below the knee. He tried to help him down the hill and they made it 200 yards before Curtis was really going into shock. The steep country coupled with rocks, downfall and loose dirt made it impossible to take him further. Carson got him comfortable, covered him and gave him a couple bottles of water. Carson then took off down the hill, crossed a raging spring creek and then had to wade the river. He made it to the truck and flew dowm the mountain to an old Forest Service cabin that had a pay phone. Called 911 and the mobilized the troops. They asked Carson to wait there for them so he could take them straight to Curtis.
When they arrived, he flew up the road and threw some waters in his pack and got ready to cross the river.
The EMT's were hesitant to cross. Finally Carson said his buddy was dying up on the hill and he had to cross again. They followed and made it up the hill. It had been over 1.5 hours since Carson had left Curtis there. They revived him and tried to stablilize him for the life flight. Something was going on with the chopper in Boise and it took a while to get up there. Obviously, there was no where to land the chopper in that rough country. They hurried and cut some logs and built a make ramp. The chopper came in and hovered, blades mere feet from the side of the mountain. They hauled Curtis up the ramp and were able to lift him into the hovering chopper.
First surgery they amputated his leg below his knee. The next day they took it above the knee but left the wound open. Thursday, they closed the wound and started a little work to be able to attach the prostethic. Yesterday he finally went home to his wife and 3 kids. I'm afraid this is where the work now begins, but he's alive and spirits are good.
Thanks everyone. Please be safe out there.
-Cade
www.HuntForeverWest.com
Here's a quick update and 'the rest of the story'. Here's also a link to a couple places that are trying to help him offset some of his medical costs. Self-employed with 3 kids...................enough said.
https://www.facebook.com/HuntForeverWest where you can share the link on FB.
http://fundly.com/curtis-jaussi
Thanks to anyone who can help, whether through donations or just thoughts and prayers. It truly is appreciated.
After 3 days of bear hunting, Carson and Curtis found a good boar and made the stalk. Curtis laid down and shot the bear across a canyon. It was feeding into big patch of conifers and ran into the trees. 5 seconds later it came back out and sat on its haunches. He hit it again, directly in the chest and tipped it over. In the excitement, he jacked another shell into his 300 RUM. After confirming the bear hadn't moved, he loaded his rifle into his Eberlestock pack and threw it over his shoulders. A quick hike across the canyon towards the bear. 50 yards from the bear, he reached up behind his head to take the rifle out of his pack. It was part of the way out of his pack when it went off, through the bottom of the pack and into his left leg - calf high.
Carson got him laid down and a tourniquet immediately on his leg below the knee. He tried to help him down the hill and they made it 200 yards before Curtis was really going into shock. The steep country coupled with rocks, downfall and loose dirt made it impossible to take him further. Carson got him comfortable, covered him and gave him a couple bottles of water. Carson then took off down the hill, crossed a raging spring creek and then had to wade the river. He made it to the truck and flew dowm the mountain to an old Forest Service cabin that had a pay phone. Called 911 and the mobilized the troops. They asked Carson to wait there for them so he could take them straight to Curtis.
When they arrived, he flew up the road and threw some waters in his pack and got ready to cross the river.
The EMT's were hesitant to cross. Finally Carson said his buddy was dying up on the hill and he had to cross again. They followed and made it up the hill. It had been over 1.5 hours since Carson had left Curtis there. They revived him and tried to stablilize him for the life flight. Something was going on with the chopper in Boise and it took a while to get up there. Obviously, there was no where to land the chopper in that rough country. They hurried and cut some logs and built a make ramp. The chopper came in and hovered, blades mere feet from the side of the mountain. They hauled Curtis up the ramp and were able to lift him into the hovering chopper.
First surgery they amputated his leg below his knee. The next day they took it above the knee but left the wound open. Thursday, they closed the wound and started a little work to be able to attach the prostethic. Yesterday he finally went home to his wife and 3 kids. I'm afraid this is where the work now begins, but he's alive and spirits are good.
Thanks everyone. Please be safe out there.
-Cade
www.HuntForeverWest.com
