Some of you may have read about it in the college sports section. Thread title is "I'm back". I fell 25 feet and broke a lot of bones. My hunting season this year is over, but I'm lucky to be able to look forward to next year. I thought I would paste the story over here for y'all to read. It's too difficult to type for me to type it all over again.

In case anybody's been wondering I just got back home from a 2 1/2 week hospital stay after a hunting accident. I suffered a 25 foot fall while climbing into a stand while bowhunting. I am not sure how many total bones I broke, but the list includes 2 major femur fractures of my left leg, 2 vertebrae, several bones in my right forearm/wrist, 2 pelvic fractures, and 2 fractured fingers on my left hand. After I gathered my senses, I first thanked God for my life. I was sure I did not have any neck or back injuries, but I wasn't sure what else I had broken. I could not get up and I could see that my right arm/wrist was badly deformed. My left index finger was sticking out side ways, so I grabbed it and straightened it out. I tried my brother on my cell, who was hunting in the same area, but I could only get his voicemail. Fortunately, I was able to use my glock to get his attention. It was extremely difficult to rack the slide, given the condition of mt right hand and wrist, but I got it loaded on the second try. I really needed his help because I had no idea how to direct anyone to my location. I had already called my wife and told her, "honey, I'm hurt bad, can't move, and I don't know how to tell you where I am." You can imagine her reaction. My best friend was very helpful in getting the EMTs to me. After the medics and rescue got to me, they put me in a neck brace and my left leg in a traction splint (excruciating pain until they got the proper alignment and traction applied). I had to be airlifted to MF because the ambulance could not get to where I was. I don't remember anything after a few minutes into the helicopter ride. Next thing I remember was waking up in ICU. I had already undergone 7 hours of surgery and apparently almost suffered respiratory failure during the operation, as a result of a lingering case of pneumonia. I spent about 4 days in ICU and received a blood transfusion to recover what I had lost during surgery. I now have an IM rod that runs the length of my femur inside the bone, another rod below that and some screws. The surgeon also used plates and screws to put my right arm/wrist back together. I just got home yesterday after 5 days at Health South doing some rehab. I feel pretty good right now considering the circumstances, and I will make a full recovery. I won't be able to walk for some time, but I can get around the house with a wheelchair or a walker(it ain't pretty but I can hobble around).

All in all, it has been a very profound experience for me. I can't thank those enough who have helped me....from the doctors, nurses, friends, family, Church, and the EMTs. I cannot explain how much all the love and support from my friends and family has meant to me. At times during my hospital stay it was literally overwhelming.

I must say, I missed SDC while I was away and it's good to be back.

Glad you're getting better! Good to have you back!

glad ur back and hope for a full speedy recovery!
get well soon and take it easy!

Sorry to hear about the accident. Glad to have you back!!

May I suggest that you change your custom title to read;
"Clinging to my walker and painkillers."

The Outdoor Channel has been peddling this device you tie into while climbing into your stand. I know a certain someone who needs one for Chrtistmas.

good to have you back. i will pray for a speedy recovery.

Sorry to hear about your accident man. Hope you get better soon. I know a man that got paralyzed 3 years ago from the same thing. Glad to hear the it did not do that to you. Take good care of yourself!

Should definetly change your name on smoaky to NOT-IMMORTAL

Uhmm, I'm still living and breathing man. Don't think I'll change my name.

Wow! That's a horrible fall. Prayers for a full and speedy recovery.

After reading that man i will start using my fall pertain from now on!!

we'll keep you and your family in our prayers. get better soon.

Thanks guys for the well wishes and especially the prayers. TTown, definately be more careful than I was. I was just way too non-chalant about climbing up in that stand. Now I look like this ...only I can't even use crutches

how's the back coming along? any updates?

Thanks for asking Stoney. I have mostly recovered from my accident. I am walking quite well, with almost no pain. My leg/hip area does get stiff at the end of the day. My right wrist is probably only about 50% or less. It's still sore and much weaker than it used to be. It will never be like it was, but it is improving slowly. I am still blessed to be alive and not in a wheelchair.

I re-read your story. NASTY fall, and I thank God for you being able to rack your slide and thus firing a shot to signal your brother!!

God was definitely looking out for you!!!

Glad your recovery is doing well too.

Thanks delap. I am reminded of my accident every day when I have to use my left hand to do something I would normally do with my right(open a jar, lift a sack of potatoes, ect.). I will never be able to throw a ball or many other things like that again, but I am thankful that it is functional. I was truly blessed to survive that fall and be in as good of shape as I am. And yes, the gun really helped me out......yet another reason to pack heat.

it's great to hear your getting better. your a lucky man.

Glad to hear that you are doing better. hang in there.

lol...reason number 1,452,967.

Glad you're recovering. If I get enough venison this year, I'll bring some.

Thanks Five. I did pop a nice little buck a couple of days before my accident with my trusty Matthews, so I did manage to get a little venison this year.

I bet that made the recovery a little more tolerable. Having nothing to show for the season would have just been cruel.

Glad you are doing well Immortal. Will you be able to bowhunt this year? I sure hope you will. Nothing like it.
I bet you never thought a fall would happen to you. I know I think about it but really am in denial myself.

I have 2 different friends that have suffered falls.

1 fell while climbing up screw in steps. A step sheered off and he slid down the tree. A lower step ripped the inside of his thigh open and he nearly bled to death before getting to the hospital.

#2 just forgot what he was doing. He had screwed in the hanger and then stepped onto the stand before chaining it to the tree. He fell almost 20 feet. It knocked him completely out. When he came to he was able to get a cell phone call out but no one knew exactly where he was. He was disoriented and could not help in locating himself. It took several hours to find and rescue him. He has some permanent damage but thank God he can walk and can bowhunt today.

Wear your fall protection and always let someone know where you are and when you go hunting.

Thanks for the well wishes Cat. I was actually climbing up screw in steps when I fell.....I was about to get into the stand. Like I posted above, the fall was a little over 25 feet, and like your friend I have permanent damage. I really don't know if I'll be able to draw a bow again. Time will tell. I am shooting my shotgun just fine, which is good since duck/upland bird hunting is my main hunting passion.

I doubt I'll ever climb up in a tree again, but if I do you can bet your I'll be wearing a harness.

I hear you IM-13! Well there is always popup blinds. Maybe you can become an expert and give us all tips. I had been physically unable to draw a bow since mid January so it was on my mind. I just started back shooting last week and was pretty sore for a couple of days.

Man that is tough what you have been through. I hope you continue to recover and get to bowhunt this fall. You could always take up a crossbow with a doctor's excuse to get back out there. I know it's probably not your first choice but it is better than just setting and wishing you could get into archery season.

Keep us posted. I wish you the best.

Don't think I would ever be interested in shooting a crossbow, and as I understand it you basically have to be missing an arm or have a major upper body handicap to be allowed to use one of those during archery only season(ie the "old football shoulder injury" does not count).

Things are changing quickly for crossbows in archery season. It is a very touchy subject right now but it looks like Texas will eventually allow crossbows in archery season. I know when I was recovering from my surgeries and unable to shoot a bow that I would have went the crossbow route if it's all I had to get in the woods during bow season.

It's hard to get my adrenalin up with a rifle. I know crossbow wouldn't be the same for me as the bow but to me it would be better than a rifle or shotgun for me.

I have never shot a xbow though so I might be wrong.

Good luck and hope you continue to improve.

There is a bow co. that makes a device where you draw your bow back with your foot and it locks in place with a safetyuntil your ready to shoot. They showed young kids drawing and shooting 60# bows with little effort. They also had a gentleman in his eighties using this with his bow. I cant remember its name but ive seen it on a hunting show a few times.

Draw-locks fall under the same category as cross bows in Texas(ie they are not legal in archery only season). I would never be interested in using either device, frankly. I think I'll probably be able to draw my Matthews eventually. Luckily I bought a 60lb draw bow instead of a 70. If not, I'll sell it.


My shotgun ability is going to be ok. I haven't shot in a long time, but I managed a 78 at Rose City's sporting clays course yesterday.

Glad to hear you are doing better. Time and patience will get you back to normal.

I will second that. Keep up the updates.

So........Immortal13, ain't heard anything on this in awhile....

With hunting season having just opened this past weekend I was wondering, how are you feeling?? (I realize bow season has been open for awhile....)

is immortal already at the deer lease? i havent seen him around sdc in awhile.