Been A Hectic 2 Months...

[Fletch]

Last 2 months I've been basically MIA due to numerous things popping up which kept me busy... Everything from helping a family member move, to blowing out my knee...

Made it out to Illinois for 2 1/2 weeks in early Nov.. Hunting was the slowest I've seen in 20 years going out there... Kinda thought it was gonna be slow as for some reason we had no deer on camera all year... To top it off comming out of my friends house I missed the last step and twisted my leg when I came down... At the time it hurt but I pushed on and hunted the next two weeks with the help of Advil...Even climbed trees to move stands or take them down... Ended up eating both my tags... But it was great to be back out there after missing two years...

Back to Jersey.... Not much happened here as there was no bear season and the buck I chased last year was no where to be found... 5 cameras running in area he was hanging out in and not a single pic... So Tues. of our firearm buck week I decided to go check cameras and hunt the afternoon till dark... Saw nothing, so it was an uneventful day until the walk out, THATS WHEN THE SHIT HIT THE FAN... As I'm walking though this swampy area I heard a LOUD CRACK.. (Like I stepped on branch)... In an instance I hit the ground like I was shot... My right leg was folded under me... My first instinct was to get up... NOPE... Just couldn't do it and the more I tried the worse it hurt... So now I'm gathering my senses and came to the conclusion that my right knee ( the one I hurt 2 weeks earlier ) gave out completely... I thought shit now I'm in a pickle as I can't get up and THERES NO CELL SERVICE WHATS SO EVER in there... So I managed to push myself over to a tree that had some low limbs and use them to pull myself up... I then used a limb as a cane to hobble out on the good leg... Went for an MRI and it showed I tore both menisus' in that knee... Seeing an orthopedic surgeon next week... Meantime I still have a few cameras to go check... But I'm forbidden to go in the woods... Hmmm gotta figure a way to get out...

Wishing Everyone a HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR....

 

[Jackalope]

Man that sucks. Sorry to hear that buddy. If it's any consolation I've been there with a broken ankle. I cut down a sapling with a fork and put my boot over the fork to make a crutch. Hopefully they get you up and running.

 

[Fletch]

Joe.... It gives you something to think about... Esp. up a tree... Let's just say your knee gave out like that and your stepping off the ladder to the stand.... That's why you gotta have a life line to be attached to the tree at all times...

 

[giles]

Not the update I wanted! Dang man

 

[Fletch]

Oh... Here's a buck that was under my stand the last day out in Illinois.... He needs another year....

 

[Buckmaster]

Glad to hear you’re on the mend. A hunting buddy of mine fell out of his tree about 30 years ago. He was paralyzed from the waist down with no use of his legs. A mile from his truck and no cell phones back then he spent the next 8 hours crawling back to his truck. He then drove himself to the ER. Mike’s alive and well today. On occasion I see him on CLE TV advertisements.

 

["J"]

Sorry too read that Rich, here’s hoping for a speedy recovery

 

[Fletch]

Buck masters and J... Thanks I'll be fine... You know us old farts, we just keep chugging along...

 

[Big_Holla]

Holy smokes, here's hoping for a full recovery on getting that knee fixed!! As for the deerz, they tent to not cooperate every so often so you'll get em next year!!

 

[RedCloud]

That's definitely a crazy chain of events. Glad you made it out of the woods without any further issues. Get healed up and prepare for next season buddy

 

[hickslawns]

Get better Rich. We live to hunt another day. You've had a lot of great years. Sometimes you just need to write it off and plan next year. Sorry to read of your misfortune.

 

[Clay Showalter]

Man that sucks, hope you recover quickly

 

[at1010]

Sorry to hear! Rest up!

 

[Sgt Fury]

Get the surgery as quickly as possible. Next hunting season will be here before you know it and old people take a long time to heal.
Seriously, sorry to hear about your mishap. Hope all goes well and you’re able to get back in the woods soon.

 

[Fletch]

Thanks guys.... George your right old people do take time to heal ...

 

[brock ratcliff]

Dang! Sorry to read this Rich! I used to never think about getting out of the woods if I’m hurt while hunting. It’s a real concern, especially for those of us who have reason. Glad you made it out and will soon be on the mend! I’m currently in a ground blind 100 yards from my truck, but I would t want to crawl through the creek to get there. Best wishes in recovery!

 

[Fletch]

Brock... THANKS... When I fell I was about 300 yds. from the truck... Not far at all... But it seemed to take forever to get back... At least it was flat and not one of the boulder strewn areas I venture in... Funny but the knee never swelled up and two days later felt better but it's weak and at times just gives out, therefore I'm using a cane... Good Luck tonight....

 

[Smawgunner2]

Damn dude….sorry to hear. Keep strong and heal up!

 

[Boarhead]

Heal up quick Rich.

 

[Fletch]

Just had to sneak out and pull my last camera... Took my time walking and was very carefully where I stepped with bad leg... Made it in and out with no problems... Haven't missed anything as the same 3 scrub bucks were there eating the corn every night till it was gone... Not a single daytime pic...

Don't know what happened to the buck I was chasing last year...Both him and the buck I passed on made it through the season, as I had pics of them into Feb... 5 cameras running since March and neither showed up...Oh well such is deer hunting in the big woods....

This Fri.. I go see the orthopedic surgeon...