Common Backcountry Injuries

4rcgoat

WKR
Joined
Dec 12, 2015
Messages
1,216
Location
wyoming
Last season, coming off the mountain back to camp, I slipped, and re-aggravated an otherwise nearly healed ACL tear. After a few hours it got less painful, but it was pretty scary an hour from camp, and 4 or 5 hours from the truck, in the dark, fog, and rain.

On the same hunt, I started to have a little bit of tooth pain. I always carry floss in my toiletries kit, so I carved away at it, dug some whatever it was that was stuck in there out, and figured it would get better. That night I woke up with the tooth throbbing, ended up gulping motrin all day and night for 4 days, and going to the dentist when I got home. First time in too long I went to the dentist. Ended up having 2 root canals and 7 or 8 fillings done.
Moral of that story is, do the preventative maintenance, so that stuff doesn't sneak up and ruin a trip.
I still keep motrin and T3s in my kit, just in case!
That tooth pain is no joke man!
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,567
I have rolled a 4 wheeler and tore my shoulder in the back country

Had horses throw me. Had another hunting partner fall off his horse and break his face.

Stiches from knife cuts

The oddest was a brow tine from a bull into my tricep area. Got lucky on the one.
 

kid44

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 26, 2019
Messages
238
Blisters, sprained ankles and branches in the eye/face. Break your boots in BEFORE your hunt, watch where you step and what you step on and if with others stay far enough back so you don't get a branch in the eye/face.
Most important thing is to use common sense. Not everything can be prevented but common sense goes along way in preventing a lot of things.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2019
Messages
2,553
Location
Missouri
I've fortunately never suffered any significant injuries in the backcountry. A few scrapes and bruises from losing my footing and a few nicks to the hands/fingers while quartering animals, but nothing major. My greatest risk of significant injury is probably getting impaled by a stob while traversing deadfalls. The area I usually elk hunt is littered with partially burned timber from a wildfire in 2002. I avoid the deadfall patches when I can and take my time and use trekking poles for extra stability when I do have to cross the stuff.
 

Rob5589

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
6,299
Location
N CA
I fall at least once and bust up a shin, knee, elbow. Used to get some nasty thigh rash; that s@#t can be painful. Usually take something in the eye.
 

ELKOHUNTER

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
184
PPE is often overlooked while in the hills. I wear glasses all waking hours. They have saved my eyes from many a branch. I almost always have a pair of gloves on to protect hands from falls etc. Last year I fell on a slick rock. My left arm went over my head and the force of the fall landed near my armpit. My arm was numb for several days but luckily didn't need surgery. This year I was crossing dead fall when my heel caught a log I had stepped over. I was in mid stride causing my weight to pull up on the tapped heel. My Achilles tendon popped, and that was the end to my season.
 
Joined
Oct 15, 2014
Messages
587
Location
Zuni, VA
The most common injury I've experienced is heartbreak. It is caused by shifty winds, unseen sticks, and bad judgement.

The most serious injuries are probably:
1. horse related because its not a matter of if you get injured, but when,
2. slipping on deadfall and getting impaled by a stob,
3. cutting yourself or partner with knife when cutting up animals.
 

Phaseolus

WKR
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
1,359
Ya, have no idea what that means....especially for the 40+ crowd???? Has no one heard of baby wipes? And with merino wool boxer briefs, it's not a problem even without the wipes.
It’s never been a problem for me with the exception of of multi day mtn bike trips So yah, it’s a puzzlement.
 

mxgsfmdpx

WKR
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
5,813
Location
Outside
My main source of pain is an old hockey knee injury. Super heavy pack out down hill climbs are hard on it. I do lots of physical therapy throughout the year to build the supporting muscles up around the knee to keep it going. Also a good quality light weight knee brace has been a life saver on longer hikes.

Lately I’ve been having some arthritis showing up about twice a year. It effects my hips and lower back. I find that keeping moving, adjusting my diet, and relying on Aleve have helped me work through the pain and get out of the “flare ups” rather quickly. Haven’t had it flare up on any hunts yet, but it just started in the last 3 years.
 

Marble

WKR
Joined
May 29, 2019
Messages
3,567
Self caused injury of no SPF in my chap stick and in hot sunny weather at 10k feet for a week or so...
 

rayporter

WKR
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
4,399
Location
arkansas or ohio
on a ten day float i got a pimple on my finger that got infected. my whole finger was turning red and painful. soaking in disinfectant every day did not help. finally got back and took an antibiotic and instantly cured.

four months ago a horse fell with me tearing my knee up. if i had been ten miles in instead of just a mile i hate to think of that outcome.
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
349
Location
Colorado
Broken glasses when in deep. Hiking out wasn't bad but driving 100 miles home via the braille method was sure exciting...
 
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