_Dan

I know a few of you have read this elsewhere, but I have to share this story again.



I'm about to share a story that I have never told fully on any forum. It is something I have struggled with for a long time, yet it made me the person I am today.

November 4th, 2000.

I was up at the family cabin in northwestern WI. I got up to the cabin late the night before with my buddy and brother in law. We decided to wait until it got light out before driving to the area we were going to hunt.

We chose an area we called the Peninsula. A large chunk of public land with a river running around 3 sides of it. At the time, it was foot or atv travel only. We unloaded the atv and headed about 1 1/4 miles in. While we were driving in we see a doe standing next to the trail, about 10 yards out. Because we had so many doe tags, we decided to see if we could shoot her. I got off, uncased my bow, strapped my release on, nock an arrow and she still stands there. So, I whacked her. We decided to let her lay, my buddy would go to his stand and I would help my brother in law find the spot I wanted him to set up in.

After about 1 hour, I decide to go trail the doe. It took me about 5 minutes to find here piled up. Now, this is a thick ass pine plantation, so I decided to drag her the 25 yards back to the trail before doing anything with her.....this is where it happened....

I'm about 5-8' from the trail and coming through the last pine tree. I look to my right and its almost as if a branch on the pine tree explodes....I got spun around, my ears ringing, I can't see my right arm, my right side burns, I can't hear.......I had been shot.

At first I thought a grouse hunter was walking down the trail and shot at a bird as it got up and thought he shot my arm off. I could finally see my arm and the blood running out of it. I had a hell of a time moving it, but managed. When I look down the trail I see 2 Native kids standing there 20 yards away......one with a rifle in his hand. (.30-06) I realised now what had happened.

I started freaking out. I thought for sure I was dying. I ripped my shirt off and put pressure right about the bullet hole to try stopping the bleeding. This whole time I'm screaming.

After about 15-20 seconds, or however long it was, I can hear my buddy yelling to me from about 150 yards away asking what was wrong. I yelled back that I had just been shot. He came running.

When he got to me, he started to freak out. He turned and ran for the atv about 150 yards away. This whole time, I'm telling myself not to go into shock....if I wanted to survive, I had to stay away and keep pressure on the arm.

Mike gets the quad, picks me up and drives like hell to truck. From there, we started driving for Spooner, 12 miles away. About 3 miles into the trip we got cell coverage and Mike dialed 911. The operator sent an ambulance to meet us part way. Well, we ran into the ambulance about 1 mile from Spooner and pulled over. Thats when I nearly lost it.

They put me on in the ambulance and started cutting my clothes off. Thankfully the bleeding had stopped from my arm, but I had a bad pain in my groin and no pulse in my right wrist. They discovered that I had shrapnel in my groin and stomach, but only skin deep in the stomach. Next stop, the hospital.

After about 30 minutes in the hospital, a helicopter picks me up and heads for Duluth, MN. I can tell you, it was the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life.....and I'll never forget it.

Once we reached Duluth, they checked me over and rushed me in for surgery. Last I remember was looking at the Dr's as I fell asleep.

I woke up about 3 hours later, surgery complete. I find out the extent of the damage. The bullet ended up passing through my right bicep and missed my artery by 2mm. If it would have hit it, I wouldn't be typing this right now. The pain in my groin ended up being a piece of wood from when the bullet hit the tree. I ended up spending 3 days in the hospital.

The worst part of the whole ordeal wasn't healing physically, but mentally. For over a year I had nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night not knowing where I was or if I was alive....all because of a sound shot.

Thanks for listening guys, this has been one of the hardest things I have ever typed. My heart was pounding the whole time, as if I was reliving it.

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die tomorrow."

Shawn Perkins

wow..

lifesadrag

wow....glad to see you made it. What happened to the shooter? Did he stick around to help you out or did he take off? Did you ever find out who it was?

Prairie Wolf

What happened to the kid that shot you?

FOP23

Dan, it's an incredible testament to you and your will to live to be able to survive that type of encounter. I credit you for the time and emotion it took you to relive this experience in print. Glad you have moved forward and returned to the woods to enjoy this great sport.

remington_girl

What a very moving story. Im glad your ok now.

Seems dangerous to hunt over there too, from what im reading.

_Dan

Nothing.

They stood and looked at me until I yelled at them to help. By this time Mike was on his way.

Yes, he turned himself in 4 hours later.

early in

People wonder why I strictly bowhunt. Thanks for sharing that story Dan. You're lucky to be alive! Did the law catch up with the perps?

peakrut

We had 2 Hunter safety instructors here in Wi bow hunt out west togetherand one shot the other in the neck and killed him.
Can happen with a bow also becareful out there.

PreacherTony

Wow, Dan! Praise God you are here to tell the story ........ Praise God!