RE: Could they find you??
 

Thanks guys and RD. No change in my ankle. Pretty well sentenced to the recliner. Bone Dr saw it yesterday and is holding off on surgery for now which is a big relief. Wants me back in 10 days and is going to re-Xray it again and go from there with his prognosis. He put me in a $450 cam boot and says no weight to be placed on the ankle or foot. Says it will take probably 6-8 weeks for ligaments and fracture to heal. All this and I was just simply walking through the woods and not in a hurry. Ground has never frozen here due to the mild weather and under the leaves it is very muddy and slippery. I was wearing rubber boots which provide no ankle support.

RE: Could they find you??
 

Yes. My wife is a Drill Instructor on the base where I hunt and I always tell her exactly where I am hunting. I am lucky because she knows the base well and regularly deals with range control and the MPs for alot of issues so she knows how to contact them and where I am. On top of that I carry a cell phone which works in almost all of the places I hunt. When my wife was on vacation I let my parents (who are in Alabama, I am in Missouri)know all the info and called them everytime before I went out and let them know where I would be hunting and that if they didn't get a call from me by 9pm to raise the flag and make some calls. My wife calls me Mr. Over-Prepared, but I like being prepared for everything that I can atleast think of.

RE: Could they find you??
 

WOW ... thats sounds pretty rough , you must be hurting really bad .
I hope for your sake that you don't need the surgery , just try to take it easy for awhile.
Turkey seasosn is just around the corner , sure hope your up and around walking again so you get out and enjoy the season.
As always, My thoughts and prayers goout to youand your wife may God Bless you both.

RE: Could they find you??
 

I carry my cell. But also I tell my GF where I am going. My dad knows most of the places I hunt, the others, as long as I was concious, I could be heard yelling, its small woodlots around here.

RE: Could they find you??
 

I'm sure to always let someone know what drainage I'm in but most places up here you better count on self rescue. We don't hunt out of stands so a drainage or a mountain are about as specific as it gets. Cell phones don't work here unless your at the top of the mountain, Marine VHF works in coastal areas, Aviation VHF only works where there are planes flying, my girlfriend carries a personal EPIRB for big trips but mostly we just count on each other or ourselves.

RE: Could they find you??
 

This right here, should give us all something to think about.

Not to downplay your experience, HCH.Sorry about the ankle. I'd imagine the story above makes you glad it was only your ankle.

Shouldn't Hoytgirl get some kind of award or something?;)

You know, I hunt by myself a lot of the time. I rarely tell anyone or just give a general idea where I'm going.

This whole thread really got me thinking.

Thanks, Hardcore. You might have even saved someone some future grief.

RE: Could they find you??
 

Yeah me too.. Wind....I'm really never worried about my whitetail set ups because they are pretty much stands or ground blinds that are fixed.

But like Kodiak eluded too, with drainages and ground hunting, I find myself in that same boat while archery elk hunting or shed hunting. Walking miles of country is never out of the ordinary day. Crossing one drainage into another. Trying to get to just one more southern face to look for sheds on...I have done this for years going alone on long treks, coming out of the woods well after dark using a head lamp following theridges and elk/deer trials back to find my way out. Getting home in the early morning hours.. Its a wonder I haven't had anything too bad ever happen now that I think of it. I've had some interesting run-ins with mountain lions, wolves and 3 different unhappy sow black bears with cubswhile shed hunting too... the 44 maghad to bark 2 of those 3 times witht the sows tospook them off...

I always carry a well equipped pack on all-dayers or overnighters. Often staying overnight following/glassing bulls that were ready to drop their antlers. First aid, food, water, small blue tarp for shelter, extra layers of clothingand plenty of fire starter options. Just in case I end up spending a night or two out there.

RE: Could they find you??
 

My wife might not want to find me[&:].
Hope you mend quickly.

RE: Could they find you??
 

Yeah, blame it on the global warming HC.;):DAnyway, I hope you make a full recovery. Sounds like you should be good to go by Spring Gobbler.

Donnie

RE: Could they find you??
 

In all my years I have always let family know where I would be. When Hunting out West in the Mountains I had a check in call time & IF I did not make it they were to notify authorities & where my camp was. Fortunatly, I have not had to have anyone come look for me in 50 years of Bowhunting all over the country.