My Sunday Survival School

[Big John]

Well started out this morning for a nice Deer hunt. Snuck in at 5:00 am and in the dark, poked my eye with a branch, busted about a dozen Deer sitting in about twenty yds. from my entrance at the corn. I couldn't use my climber because in the pitch dark they were running all around me as I sat down beside a tree and waited. Two hours later they walked away from me and kept going. No shot presented. Oh well I said to my partner, lets go home or go to the Lake and Blast some Waterfowl, its a South wind and going to be perfect.
Nope, he has to go out with Family. Well I went home, loaded the Canoe and went myself. Big mistake!! I put out a few decoy's and went to sit on shore in my hidding spot. Bang, Bang, Bang!! A triple on Mallards down! Off I go to get them. 70 feet out, I lean over to grab the birds and head back. I decided that was enough and might as well grab the decoys and head home to the Mrs. Second decoy in the Canoe and a small roller comes as I'm pulling in a decoy. SPLASH!!! 50 ft. out 8 ft. of Slush ice water and I'm under. I completely lost my breath for a second or three, then realized I could'nt get to my feet because my waders were full and the rollers were pulling me under. This went on for about 15 ft of me scrambling like crazy, then realized, kick off my waders and swim for the overturned canoe before I cant. I got to the canoe grabbed hold kicked like a $%^%&%^*& to get to where I could stand up, then pulled the canoe and what was left of my three ducks and decoys to shore. Ran stocking foot to the truck, stripped down evereything got into my other clothes that I came in, less a bunch, and ran back, loaded everything up watched two new decoys floating out to the lake and one mallard. No FREAKING WAY I'm going back in for them and speed home. After stripping down again at home, run upstairs shaking like a leaf, jumped in bed under every cover I could find, The Wife came up. You have no idea what was said , but I wont repeat it. I'm glad I remembered everything I was supposed to in the situation, or it could have gone wrong. The Slushy Ice water was devastatingly cold!!! And there was no one around anywhere to help, but Me. This is one time where I should have stayed home, without a partner to go with. The Bright side of it is, tomorrow I'm having two Mallards for supper. The Bad side of it is, The Wife will not let me go out to the Lake this season again. Well, Take Care Folks, do as I say, not as I do, or something like that.

Now what are the odd's of me asking her for a new pair of chest waders?

[longwinters]

Boy John, even with a partner things could have gone very wrong. Thank God that you had the time and forethought (after going under) to get rid of your waders and that you could get to the canoe. Seems like every few years we lose someone in the area falling through ice or something and they don't make it. Glad you are around to tell the story and give the warning.

You know in one of the James Bond movies (To Russia With Love) one of the key survival techniques is "shared bodily warmth". Maybe you should have used that one with your wife...

Long

[raydaughety]

Sounds like your ability to keep your witts about you saved your hind pards....this time. Be careful out there John, especially if you hunt alone. I know that most hunters do hunt alone but not me. Too much can go wrong and it's just not worth it to me anymore. Glad to see you did ok .

[Normous]

Don't forget to dry, clean and oil the gun for next time

[radio2operate]

Glad everything worked out for the good for you.If nothing else it was a good learning lesson.You have much to be thankful about.

[VixChix]

So glad to hear you came out of it alive! Sounds like it wouldn't have taken much for it to have been far worse. Good to know you'll be back at it again next season!

Am also glad you shared your experience with the forum. We all take chances when we go out, but sometimes we take one too many. Your story is a good illustration of what can quickly go wrong and how to survive when it does. Good for you for keep your head and doing the right things!

[huntman]

Holy crap!! That could of ended alot different glad you had the sense to do what u did. Next time you need a partner for duck hunting give me a ring!

[one shot scott]

Glad to hear you made it out ok John.

[Sliver]

Holly chit John! Glad to hear your ok, and kept your wits about you, not easy to do when you fall into freezing water wearing waders.... and atleast you got home to hear the wife scream at you... better than the alternative....

I think I would wait awhile before I asked for a new pair of waders
Harry

[munch]

john glade your ok next time take hoss with you he knows adventure

[Farmer]

I am glad there is a happy ending to your story . Had a similar incident years ago . If you had not kept your wits about you things could have gone sour fast .

A person can not believe how fast things can change in just an instant, until something like this happens . We tend to think Bad things only happen to other people . We forget we are the other people to !

[roly]

Hunted that side of the lake for many years, it can get very bad in a hurry.

One year we made a layout boat, my friend lost all his gear but managed to save his life when the lake started to roll and pulled the boat under.

Many years ago , in the mouth of Jordan Harbour, three people drowned 25 yds form shore, rollers upset them and couldn't get back to shore
Thank God you made it ok, it was your lucky day after all

[R.J.]

Bloody hell ! .... The things we do to put meat on the table !

Average guy would be dead ! ...

Be carefull out there John ! ... Congrat's on the ducks !

[Big John]

Thanks everyone. Yep, the only reason I posted it,much to my own embarassment, was to let everyone see hoe fast this $%^& can happen. It didn't take but a half second for me to realize that I was going in.
I am not proud of what happened at all. Although I am very experienced in Survival Techniques, I wish not to use them that often, except when practicing. When it happens in real life, you better be ready. I'm glad I am, but I didn't like it one bit!! I'll tell you something else, it sure as $%^& wakes you up fast. Things got real clear fast when I realized I couldn't get back up. Thanking someone else for that. Dont wish this on anyone. But I'm ready to hunt again, as soon as the wife lets me.

[wabi]

Glad you were alert & able to get out OK!
Something like a simple dunking in cold water can turn into a disaster very quickly.
I gave up duck hunting from the canoe years ago, came close a few times and figured it might be prudent to quit. I'm getting the same feelings about tree stand hunting as I get older - I've been very lucky so far, but the odds pile up against us.