near death, PLEASE READ

[dukhunter]

I went hunting this morning Sunday, December 28, 2008, and I almost died, I backed down the ramp and launched my boat by myself this moring about 430am I pulled away and headed down the lake at a normal pace, I went about a mile down the lake and pulled into a break that I wanted to hunt but there were decoys in there that had been left over night and instead of haveing to worrie if they were comming and the argument that would come with that, I just decided to back out and move down the lake a little further, as I pulled back out onto the main lake I was at just a little over idle speed because I new there were pilions out in the lake, as I stood up to shine the spot light to find the pilions the nose of my boat stood straight up, and out the side of the boat I went. I came to the surface in the middle of the lake in the dark and watching my boat idle away from me. I had on my waders, wader bibs, pull over fleece, and a 4n1 browing jacket, MY WADERS SAVED MY LIFE, I realy mean that, if had not had the belt pulled thight I belive I would have drowned. After I got my head together I kept tell myself to just stay calm and swim, I was able to get on my back and back stroke toward a bank, I was in the water about 30 mins before I got to a tree, I was out of breath, cold, and extreamly dizzy, I stood there still in chest deep water and I saw a light on the other side of the lake, I began to scream HELP, after a min. the guy replied and a few min. later he was on his way to find me. (THANKS LEE) with out him i do think I would have froze to death. He finally found me and gave me a ride back to the ramp and my truck, helped me get in touch with my friends to get them on the way to me with a change of clothes and a boat, We did find my boat still idleing, it had run a large circle and was actually only a few hundred yards form the boat ramp, about a 1/2 mile in the other direction form where we parted ways, and other than a dent and lost GPS nothing was damaged. I will never forget this day, or the the people that helped me, if any of you are on here, THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I will never again leave the ramp without the kill switch attached to me and a life jacket on I hope that everone on here reads this and takes this to heart, I am a big, strong guy in pretty good shape, I was not clowning around or being foolish it was just an accident that almost took my life, It could happen to you too. PLEAS BE CAREFUL.

[Blackduck]

We don't get stories like this one very often. Thank goodness. I'm glad ur ok. Just reading it make my pucker sweat. I've always heard that u should never ride in a boat with waders for this very reason but it looks like they might have saved ur life. Kill switch is an excellent idea unless ur waders fill with water.


Helluva a way to end out 2008.

[River Hunter]

Glad your ok
I wear boots and keep my waders in the boat until I get to my spot on the river. With a dog I usually never put them on anymore.

[RedEyed Duck]

Sorry you had to go through such an event, but truly glad to you are OK and get to spend some more time with your family and friends.

[Drake2]

Thanks for reminding us how quick things can happen! Glad you made it through such an accident! Do you mind mentioning which lake/water you were on so maybe others can avoid hitting those things?

[mmkenty]

Glad to hear your ok and nothing happened to you

[Jeff]

Very happy to hear that you made it out okay from this event. Things can go wrong so quickly. Once thing I have learned over the years is that safety must be your number one priority especially when boats are involved.

Kill switches, life jackets (I prefer a float coat this time of year), EPIRB's, and waterproof communication weather it be cell phone or GPS are invaluble.

Just last week I swamped a pirouge excitedly trying to help the dog pick up 14 gray ducks. Took a big wave in the middle of a front and lost a bunch of stuff. However we had extra clothes, and such in the boat, and other than loosing the transmitter to my tritroncs collar we are in great shape.

I am so glad to hear you made it okay.

[craziehunter]

Thank God for friends and other hunters.

[duckkiller]

Glad to see your ok but always always always wear that kill switch, it would have killed the motor and it would have been there by you instead of running down stream. Several years ago my grandparrents had a boating accident while fishing on lake Fergason and if he wouldnt have had the kill switch on the boat would have ran over both of them, insted my grandpaw was ok and my grandmom sufferd minor foot injury from the prop.

[MemphisStockBroker]

wow... that's scary. Glad that someone found you...

[msbigdawg1234]

Glad ur safe and another hunter was there to help

[sunnylab]

Glad ur ok.

You couldn't find anybody to go with you to hold the light???????

[Deltaduk]

glad you were ok,sent ya a pm

[ducksplorer]

Glad you are ok.

Someone once said A smart man learns from his own mistakes but a wise man learns from other peoples mistakes. I will put that on the lessons learned in my book.

[Doc & Nash]

Five yrs ago on Arkabutla Lake I had pretty much the same thing happen to me. To this day I still refuse to get in a moving boat with out a life vest on, no matter what the situation or how far we have to go. It is amazing how something like that makes you really think about what all is important in life.

Glad you OK,