Hunting disasters

1911

1911

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It's probably a delicate subject for many who have had the misfortune to be part of one. However, mistakes can be learned from and that is about the only value they have. Seems like about every fall someone has something go terribly awry whether it is firearm related, exposure, getting lost, or other serious life threatening or deadly situation. I've never had the misfortune to have anything too serious happen. The most significant was the hot flash I got when I realized by rifle safety was not engaged as it should have been. Fortunately I was alone, and good muzzle and trigger control were followed but like I say,....hot flash like the moment you realize you lost your wallet. Another time I was way back in on forest roads with snow coming down at an insane rate. I was already pushing snow with the front bumper of the power stroke but luckily I got out. The most harrowing experience was decades ago when I was on a hillside and saw two twatwaffles looking at me through their rifle scopes from their truck 400 yards away.
 
Yea....fall of 1998. I was in a walking boot and still using crutches, so walking a long way wasnt gonna happen. But my buddies took pity on me, and my fifth of JD, and set me up on a drive.

I crutch/walk my way to a small clearing and sit. My buddies were gonna make a drive with the hopes of pushing a buck or cow my way.

So, I'm about an hour and a half on my spot at the edge of a clearing and looking downhill. For some reason I turned around to look behind me. What I saw was a sow on her hind legs, sniffing for that slow, fat white boy who couldn't run. We locked eyes about the same time and I cant say who was more in a hurry to get out of there. Yea, no bear tag either.
 
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I knew a guy down in AZ who was chasing a speedgoat and fell while jumping across an arroyo. Gouged his eye out with the muzzle when he fell. His glass eye never looked like it fit quite right.

Another dude arrowed a javie. When he headed off down the hill after it, he stepped over a little bush. The pig had busted off the arrow, broadhead up, and he ran it up into his calf. Damn near bled to death before he could drive himself to help.

I have seen some pretty nasty bowhunting accident pics.
 
In 94 three of us hiked into the wilderness, leading pack horses that we planned to ride as we searched for elk. All went well getting camp set up. Then the snow started. It just kept getting deeper and deeper. Snow end up being 4 1/2 feet deep on level ground at camp. Bad things kept happening, one my buddies came down with a bad stomach bug, one of the horses tangled itself in the picket line and got hurt so bad we could not ride him. Final straw was our tents collapsed and were completely buried in snow. We were resigned to having to wait on a helicopter to get out if we got out. Another hunting party came by and we were able to follow them out leaving all our gear til spring. We set out hunting season the next year and spent our funds on better tent, wood stoves and other gear. I still hate to get more than 6” of snow when I am elk hunting!
 
buddy of mine was hunting with his family when his uncle started having a heart attack a few miles away from the truck. they had to take turns carrying him out. luckly he survived. another buddy was hunting by himself when he tripped, fell and shattered his ankle. he made it out but won't hunt alone anymore. I came across a guy who had been lost for two days and it had snowed 8 in that night. search and rescue was looking for him. I still can't believe he made it because he wasn't prepared at all. said he prayed a lot...must have worked.
 
This Hoyt!

hoyt.jpg
 
Just today I was told a friend of a friend accidentally blew his thumb off. According to my friend a 20 ga. shell was dropped in his 12 ga.. he loaded the 12 ga and discharged it at a quail. This set off the 20 ga round and blew the barrel open damaging his forward hand. They have saved most of his hand except his thumb. I believe he knows who put the 20 ga round in the weapon.
 
my guess is he had a 20 ga shell mixed in with the 12's in his vest and he put it in there himself.......he would not be the first to do that very thing....
 
Not a hunting accident, but, close enough. I knew him, but barely.

theaviationist.com

Legendary Air Combat Pioneer, Vietnam F-8E Fighter Jock and F-14 Pilot Joe “Hoser” Satrapa Has Died

Satrapa Advocated Use of Guns in Modern Dogfighting; His Influence Remains Today. Legendary U.S. Navy F-8E Crusader pilot and aerial gunnery advocate
theaviationist.com theaviationist.com


In another classic “Hoser” anecdote, CDR Joe Satrapa was experimenting with a 20mm cannon from an F-14 Tomcat when, “One day while Hoser was playing around with his new invention, the breach blew up taking off Hoser’s right index finger and thumb. Note that a right thumb is essential for flying a jet fighter because the electric trim tab is located on the top of the control stick where the pilot’s thumb rests while holding the stick. Thus, a pilot without a right thumb cannot fly a jet fighter."

(docs took his toe and attached it where his thumb was so he could still fly)

What the story didn't say was that he had taken a 20mm barrel and made his own gun.

He got another cool job after he left the Navy.

Look at his right hand.


He was a character.
 
11 years ago, Littlebuck fell from her treestand, and our lives changed that day. 4 broken vertibra, in her neck, herniated and rupured discs in her back. Lucky to be alive. Even luckier she still can walk and hunt. After several surgeries. I fought in compatitions when younger, had sons who were wrestling champions, was a bouncer for a while in the 80s and Littlebuck is hands down the toughest person, I have ever met. She wouldnt like me writing this , and ill pay heII if she see is, but its true, she is an honest to gawd bada$$. BTW, she
applied for Moose this year, and said if she draws, she will kill it with her bow., shes 52
 
One time I ate a bunch of shrooms and my dad made me push trees the next morning. The crunchy aspen leaves while under the affects of hallucinogenic mushrooms was a day I will never forget. And yes I had a gun in my arms. Oh to be young again!!!
 
Had a model 97 Winchester 12 gauge I bought in Petaluma back in the 70's while in the service is was a hellava goose killer..30 in full choke..The honkers were coming in and I raced out to get a couple downed geese in the spread and it was cradled in my arms went off and blew right out of my arms...always gun safe and pointed away from the rest of the guys...didn't take long for me to get rid of that thing...
 
Hunting Archery Elk in New Mexico a few years ago with our regular group. One among us was late coming back in after the morning effort which wasn't unusual as he's a die hard kind of guy.
A unknown pickup pulls into camp with our hunter laying on the back seat in obvious pain, it seems he rolled his 4-wheeler in a wash while returning to camp. His breathing was painful and labored with a funny whistling noise, collar bone seemed broken, and he had a nasty cut in his bicep where the hand brake pierced through his arm. We suspected a few broken ribs as well.
Called 911 for an ambulance and dispatched a truck to the nearest highway to guide them in. When the ambulance and EMT's began their work a State Police unit arrived to investigate the accident.
First they wanted to inspect his tent and personal gear which we denied permission for. Then they wanted one of us to drive them to the accident location, which we hadn't even been to yet and weren't even sure where it was, because their vehicle didn't have enough ground clearance. Finally they left because we were being uncooperative.
Meanwhile, our hunter was transported to Socorro N.M. only to be flown by helicopter to Albuquerque at the cost of $37,000.00
(Did I mention he was not insured?)
Broken ribs, collar bone, punctured lung, dislocated shoulder and a few dozen stitches to put him back together again. Nearly two hundred thousand dollars in medical bills plus months of lost work before he regained some measure of normal life again.
 
A Couple of My Friends each year right before General Elk Season go to My Friends Property/Range to make sure their Guns are Still 'On'!

They Get done Shooting!

Get back in the Truck!

My Friend that is Driving is the Most Paranoid Person I know of anywhere of having a Loaded Gun in a Vehicle!

After getting in the Truck,My Friend Driving,Asks Our other Friend:

Is Your Gun Un-Loaded?

He Said:Hell Ya it's Un-Loaded!

My Friend Driving Reaches Over To Make Sure it's un-loaded!

KA-F'N-BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Cost Him a 350 Chevy that Day!

But Luckily nothing else!
 
And sadly, just one more...
Our annual Idaho deer hunt, a guy that had attended annually as a spotter and all around camp helper finally decided to hunt that year.
First morning out of camp he spots a pair of young bucks running a canyon bottom and takes two off- hand shots, the second one drops and kills the larger buck which is retrieved and dressed in camp.
A few days later we hear screaming and cussing because he just spotted a bullet hole in his hood that he assumes was a shot gone wild by another hunter.
After reenacting his hunt from the previous morning he realizes that he killed a 3x3 and wounded a 4x4 (Ford) at the same time.
He’s still trying to live that one down but we won’t let him.
 
LMAO!

How Much is that PISSCUTTER Worth?:D


Busted said:
And sadly, just one more...
Our annual Idaho deer hunt, a guy that had attended annually as a spotter and all around camp helper finally decided to hunt that year.
First morning out of camp he spots a pair of young bucks running a canyon bottom and takes two off- hand shots, the second one drops and kills the larger buck which is retrieved and dressed in camp.
A few days later we hear screaming and cussing because he just spotted a bullet hole in his hood that he assumes was a shot gone wild by another hunter.
After reenacting his hunt from the previous morning he realizes that he killed a 3x3 and wounded a 4x4 (Ford) at the same time.
He’s still trying to live that one down but we won’t let him.
Click to expand...
 
I was by myself unloading my four wheeler from the back of the truck when one of the ramps slid off. I hit on my back and was able to push the four wheeler with my legs to the side just enough to miss me. could have been bad since nobody would have found me for quite a while.
 
elkassassin said:
KA-F'N-BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Cost Him a 350 Chevy that Day!

But Luckily nothing else!
Click to expand...

I knew a dipstick who did sorta the same thing in a company pickup.

The fishcops here set roadblocks during hunting season on the forest circus roads to catch people for, among other things, having a loaded rifle in the truck. Dude comes around the corner, slams on the brakes and reaches over to jack the round out and shot a hole thru the tranny. At the roadblock.

We had to tow his company ride back to the yard. There was a hand drawn cartoon of a f-150 hanging from a tree hanging in every office.:LOL:
 
When I was a lot younger I was getting ready to go duckhunting so I grabbed my 12 gauge pump out of the closet and brought it into the kitchen.
I noticed the action was open so I slid it shut and pulled the trigger the way I always did on an empty chamber.
Problem was this time it wasn’t empty. There was a live magnum load of number 4s stuck in the chamber and it went off and went through the upper cabinet door and blew a stack of plates all to pieces and scatterd them all over kitchen floor.
Luckily nobody got hurt but I was really embarrassed. I left the hole in the cabinet door for a long time just as a reminder to always check the chamber.
It was really serious and scary at the time but looking back on it now it is kind of funny in a way.
 
I used to duck hunt in salt water almost exclusively. That's hard on shotguns and especially safety's. My safety froze up on me and I just shined it on. I hunt alone so who needs a safety? That's fine until I grabbed it one time and it fired inside my boat. I blew a rib out and just lucky it didn't leak water and send me for a swim and probably to my death in 45 degree saltwater with no one around for miles.

Actually, there are 100 reasons why I should have died years ago. Luck is a good thing to have.
 
buckhorn said:
When I was a lot younger I was getting ready to go duckhunting so I grabbed my 12 gauge pump out of the closet and brought it into the kitchen.
I noticed the action was open so I slid it shut and pulled the trigger the way I always did on an empty chamber.
Problem was this time it wasn’t empty. There was a live magnum load of number 4s stuck in the chamber and it went off and went through the upper cabinet door and blew a stack of plates all to pieces and scatterd them all over kitchen floor.
Luckily nobody got hurt but I was really embarrassed. I left the hole in the cabinet door for a long time just as a reminder to always check the chamber.
It was really serious and scary at the time but looking back on it now it is kind of funny in a way.
Click to expand...

When I was about 9, I had come in the house from rabbit hunting with my Montgomery Wards 20g bolt. Just before I stepped up on the porch, I worked the bolt up and down, but did not open it to check the chamber. Click went the trigger. I walked in the house and told mom I was gonna shoot the cat (he was a pet bobcat). I leveled the gun at him and for some reason, raised the gun up a bit. Boom, hole in the cupboard. Cat got scared, mom got scared and I had my first dumbass moment with a gun. So far, my last. That was in the early 60s. The hole was still there in 2003, a bit smaller than I remember. We hid it from dad with a cloth calendar. From that day forward, I always stick my finger in the chamber just to be sure.
 
I got this story second hand so I don’t have all the details but apparently this guy decided to use the barrel of his gun as a cane to help step out of a duck blind

C199596B-CD2D-4C61-9E10-EE5E30008DD3.jpeg
 
When I was 13 and my brother was 18 we were on a yearly Whitetail trip . We didn't get a deer sober headed home. When we got to the house my brother ran in for the bathroom. I was on the drivers side of the pickup in front of the open door. My Dad was on the passenger side and was taking my brothers .308 out from the rack behind the seat. He must have touched the trigger and it discharges through the truck in the metal by where the door closes. It missed my stomach by 1". My brother had not unloaded his gun as we were always trained to do.
 
Opening elk hunt Utah. I was working in Montana supposed to join my friends for a hunt on the Manti. Don't recall the year probably about 1980. I was running a day behind. It started to snow something terrible I remember going through West Yellowstone with two feet of snow on the road. My friends were already on the mountain. Opening morning three of my friends had made it to the top of the mountain. It was snowing like crazy. A heard of elk came running along. Each guy shot one however two elk run off. So they dressed the first one out. Found the second one not too far away and took care of it. Tracks were fading fast on the 3rd ended up tracking it half a mile but found it. It was snowing the whole time by the time they got back to the truck and put down a foot and a half. They were wet and cold and just wanted to get off the mountain. However the truck was stuck. They fought it to no end. They run the truck all night to stay warm. Sometime during the second night the truck run out of gas. It had snowed 3 feet. They decided they would hike out in the morning after the third night if no one came. Come morning two of the guys wanted to hike out the bottom of the canyon the third guy wanted to hike out on ridge top where the snow is blown off. They split up bad choice. Figured they would fire their guns back and forth each other to keep in contact. After the first night no gunfire was heard. From the guy on the ridge. After the second night of hiking out the two guys that went out to bottom found a snow cat running patrol on powerline. They got a ride out Frost bit but alive. Everyone from camp knew where they were at and search and rescue had been contacted and actually made it up to the truck it took them awhile though because where they were at in one county and you had to access from the other side of the mountain through another county. Something to do with who had jurisdiction. They never found my buddy at the truck. The civil air patrol was notified. My dad was one of the pilots. They searched for a day No luck. My dad flew to Idaho pick up search dogs. They took the dogs to the truck and the dogs found him deceased in a snow cave 30 feet from the truck. He couldn't hike well he had pins in his legs it was a Vietnam vet. The other two lost a couple toes and a good friend. This still brings tears to my eyes.
 
LOL Bluehair!

Did the Wardens Hear the Shot & Cite Him?


Bluehair said:
I knew a dipstick who did sorta the same thing in a company pickup.

The fishcops here set roadblocks during hunting season on the forest circus roads to catch people for, among other things, having a loaded rifle in the truck. Dude comes around the corner, slams on the brakes and reaches over to jack the round out and shot a hole thru the tranny. At the roadblock.

We had to tow his company ride back to the yard. There was a hand drawn cartoon of a f-150 hanging from a tree hanging in every office.:LOL:
Click to expand...
 
Yup. He got to wait with them for the tow truck. Whole company knew about it before he got back to town.

Company pickups were a no-no in deer camp.
 
1C98B307-5B34-4CA9-82C6-D31338766023.jpeg
Son-in-law got shot in the leg by a good friend. It was a bad deal and almost a horrible and fatal deal.
He’s pretty well recovered and an active lineman so I suppose the multiple surgeries were successful.
 
Wow there’s some nasty accidents that happens to some folks.

Makes my 12 gauge blast through the kitchen cabinet seem minor.

REMEMBER!
We must always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction even if we think the gun is unloaded.
 
desperatehills said:
Ugh! What's that black thing through the middle. Looks like he already had a carbon arrow come apart on him
Click to expand...

It's a titanium rod. He has a couple in there and had to do bone , muscle and skin grafts also.

This pic is after a few "surgeries" (pressure washer) and a couple rods.

Damn shotguns at close range can really do a number on human flesh.... and kitchen cabinets according to buckhorn, LOL

Zeke
 
feddoc said:
Not a hunting accident, but, close enough. I knew him, but barely.

theaviationist.com

Legendary Air Combat Pioneer, Vietnam F-8E Fighter Jock and F-14 Pilot Joe “Hoser” Satrapa Has Died

Satrapa Advocated Use of Guns in Modern Dogfighting; His Influence Remains Today. Legendary U.S. Navy F-8E Crusader pilot and aerial gunnery advocate
theaviationist.com theaviationist.com


In another classic “Hoser” anecdote, CDR Joe Satrapa was experimenting with a 20mm cannon from an F-14 Tomcat when, “One day while Hoser was playing around with his new invention, the breach blew up taking off Hoser’s right index finger and thumb. Note that a right thumb is essential for flying a jet fighter because the electric trim tab is located on the top of the control stick where the pilot’s thumb rests while holding the stick. Thus, a pilot without a right thumb cannot fly a jet fighter."

(docs took his toe and attached it where his thumb was so he could still fly)

What the story didn't say was that he had taken a 20mm barrel and made his own gun.

He got another cool job after he left the Navy.

Look at his right hand.


He was a character.
Click to expand...
My son worked with Hoser @ Grass Valley Air Attack base when he was a tanker pilot.
 
elkassassin said:
A Couple of My Friends each year right before General Elk Season go to My Friends Property/Range to make sure their Guns are Still 'On'!

They Get done Shooting!

Get back in the Truck!

My Friend that is Driving is the Most Paranoid Person I know of anywhere of having a Loaded Gun in a Vehicle!

After getting in the Truck,My Friend Driving,Asks Our other Friend:

Is Your Gun Un-Loaded?

He Said:Hell Ya it's Un-Loaded!

My Friend Driving Reaches Over To Make Sure it's un-loaded!

KA-F'N-BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Cost Him a 350 Chevy that Day!

But Luckily nothing else!
Click to expand...
So....he pulls the trigger to check empty chamber???....wow
 

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