Injured in the backcountry

[bpitcher]

Thanks for sharing your story. Getting injured way back in the rough stuff is always on the back of my mind.

I hope you have a speedy recovery and get back after it.

 

[Pharmseller]

Man, bunch of pussies on this site.

Rub some dirt on it and walk it off.

I lost a leg from the knee down packing out a big 6x6 from the Three Sisters Wilderness. Tumbled down a rock face at it tore right off. A little duct tape to keep the ends together and I was fine.


Look carefully, my left leg is gone.





P

 

[OKHunter84]

I am currently lying in bed several hours post surgery. I am zonked on hydrocodone but unable to sleep, I've got an immobilizing brace on my left leg which has made falling asleep a seemingly laughable proposition. I don't know exactly why I intend on summarizing what happened to me here on rokslide, but I believe it'll help me close the door on the injury and motivate me to attack my rehabilitation. And, if somewhere down the line my story can help someone else, great.

If you couldn't tell by my username I am a huge fan of difficult hunts. I'm a bow only guy and the more difficult the terrain and the animal, the better. I am a fairly experienced ultrarunner and a life long gym rat. Some may call me a glutton for punishment, or perhaps a masochist. Back in May I was so stoked to have drawn an archery ibex tag for the Florida Mountains of New Mexico.

As October was approaching the excitement was growing, my hunting partner Steven was meeting me out there and we intended on giving er hell for at least a week to try and put one of these elusive goats on the ground. Considering that Steven and I hunt deer in Southern California, the fact of low population numbers, heat, and rattlesnakes didn't bother us one bit. We are used to chasing ghosts and our hometown hunt is the most overgrown, hot, dry, snake infested country I've ever hunted.

We spent the first few days trying to understand the animal and the country, neither of us had any experience with ibex and had never been to the Florida's. It was the 4th day of the hunt that we got our first real opportunity.
View attachment 780182
I was unable to get above this goat given his location but I was able to get below him, about 90 yards. He ended up winding me and taking off, never offering a chance at a shot. But confidence was growing.

The following morning I hiked up to the top of mountain with 3 gallons of water and my camp. The goal was to start at the top and hopefully get lucky. Steven found the biggest ibex we had seen thus far on that day. He was tucked into a cave on a cliff face that seemed impossible to get to.
View attachment 780183

We waited all day to see if he would move and he literally sat in the cave for 12 hours. The next morning, October 6th, there was about 15 ibex feeding on the mountain about 600 feet below me. Steven and I were in communication and as I peaked over the edge of the cliff, they saw me. They began to move up the mountain and to my right. I knew exactly where they were headed so I busted my ass over there hoping to intercept them. My plan nearly worked, I was able to get to 88 yards from a billy but as I drew back he took off. It was really exciting, but I was feeling dejected knowing that Steven had to leave the following day, I thought that that may have been our last chance.

Not long after, Steven called me to tell me that the big billy was not with the group and was actually back in the same cave from the day before! Unbelievable! We were set on figuring out a way to get as close as possible. I was walking heavy-footed down hill on some loose gravely type of terrain when my left foot slipped out, my knee hyperextended and I felt a pop. The pain was really intense and I hit the ground hard and immediately knew that I was in trouble. I've never had a serious knee injury but I knew that I had just ruptured my patellar tendon.

I called Steven and told him he better start hiking up with an empty pack. It's hard to even explain the roller coaster of emotions that I was going through in that moment. Would I have to hit the SOS button? How the **** am I going to get off of this mountain? I nearly passed out from the shock and the pain, I did some very deep, heavy breathing that I think kept me conscious. Despite the warm weather I got really cold and sweaty to the point where I had to put on my windbreaker (the only layer I had considering the hot temps) and wrap myself in my tarp. I'm not going to lie, that was a tough 2 hours sitting there waiting for Steven. I shed some tears, talked to Jesus, and had a pretty emotional phone call with my girl.

Steven showed up. It was about 10 am now. My leg was completely useless, I couldn't bend my knee at all, but fortunately I could put weight on the leg and the pain was manageable, but only if I kept the leg completely straight. The slightest bit of bend in the knee was 10/10 pain. Steven brought up some gorilla tape with him which ended up being clutch. We taped the knee in a straight position and I was determined to get off that mountain on my own 2 feet.
View attachment 780191

The route down was awful. It was only 2 miles but it was down 2,000 feet, all off trail and loose as hell. I had to move so slow and given the situation, I actually had to step with my bad leg downhill, anchor my poles and essentially do a pistol squat with my good leg. Rinse and repeat. It took us 8 hours to get back to the truck. What a slog. Steven carried all of my stuff, my camp, my bow, he even strapped my pack to his. I still get emotional thinking about the gratitude I felt that day. He didn't save my life but he sure made a shitty situation much more manageable for me.

To put salt in the wound, the next day I had to drive 14 hours back to southern California. The driving wasn't too bad considering I was able to scoot my seat back and keep my left leg straight. It was getting out to get gas that sucked the most. Well I made it back, saw my doctor, did the mri and eventually consulted with an orthopedic surgeon and he confirmed my suspicion. Ruptured patellar tendon, one of the worst sports injuries there is.

Like I said, surgery was today and the rehab begins asap. I'm looking at 12-18 months for a full recovery, but I should be good to hunt next fall. Everything is a blessing with the right perspective .

Thanks for reading and if I can give any advice it would be find yourself a hunting partner like Steven.

I fully ruptured the same tendon walking down a steep rocky hill. Me and a friend were running a trot line in a river in Arkansas and there was a creek at the bottom of the hill that had crawdads we were going to use for bait. Not near as cool as chasing ibex. The rocks slipped and when I planted I felt a pop and almost felt like I could audibly hear it. You're not kidding about the pain when that leg would bend. I've had a few other injuries (torn pec, torn ACL in my other knee) and nothing touches that. It takes a good solid 6-8 months to feel somewhat normal. My quad on that side was 2" smaller then the other for a long time. You'll get back but it'll take time and hard work, sounds like you're used to the hard work aspect. Good luck.

 

[type2bowhunter]

I fully ruptured the same tendon walking down a steep rocky hill. Me and a friend were running a trot line in a river in Arkansas and there was a creek at the bottom of the hill that had crawdads we were going to use for bait. Not near as cool as chasing ibex. The rocks slipped and when I planted a felt a pop and almost felt like I could audibly hear it. You're not kidding about the pain when that leg would bend. I've had a few other injuries (torn pec, torn ACL in my other knee) and nothing touches that. It takes a good solid 6-8 months to feel somewhat normal. My quad on that side was 2" smaller then the other for a long time. You'll get back but it'll take time and hard work, sounds like you're used to the hard work aspect. Good luck.

Hey thanks, it's good to hear from someone who's been through it, I didn't realize how rare of an injury it was. I am feeling really confident about pt. Lfg.

 

[butcherboy]

Just found out late last night that my BIL was thrown from his horse. Broke his shoulder and it may be dislocated. If it is dislocated he will have surgery right away. I’m not sure of all the details yet but I do know that NM G&F had to go in and help get him out of the backcountry. His best friend drove him to the ER. Game warden said he will check on their horses for them this morning. Crazy how fast stuff happens! Horses, love them and hate them.

 

[Amos Keeto]

Ouch!
Best wishes on a speedy recovery.....but take your time and "DO IT RIGHT"! Don't rush it.
Too many folks poo-poo off the PT or try the Gung Ho, "I don't need no stinking PT!" method.
The surgeon who replaced my shoulder gave me a 25 pound lifting limit. AFTER completing PT and a year healing.
He had one patient who was out bucking bales 2 weeks after surgery! HE was in having repair surgery a couple of days later!

 

[AlphaK9]

I can personally attest to knee injuries being extremely painful (MCLs, ACLs and meniscus for me) and they seem to happen at the worst time even to the most prepared folks. Hope your recovery goes well and kudos to your hunting partner. You seem to be wired kind of like me- so I bet I know what you will be hunting again when you get the go ahead to do so...

 

[fatlander]

I partially tore my patellar tendon on day 1 of an 8 day hunt last fall. It was absolutely awful. By the end of the hunt, I’d favored my good knee so much that I couldn’t tell good from bad. Did a lot of resting for the next 4 months while refusing to get cut on, and it just wouldn’t heal. I did a month of daily bpc157 injections coupled with an ozone injection in the joint. Felt better than I ever have one month after that. 10 months snd another elk hunt later, I’m stronger than ever.


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[type2bowhunter]

I partially tore my patellar tendon on day 1 of an 8 day hunt last fall. It was absolutely awful. By the end of the hunt, I’d favored my good knee so much that I couldn’t tell good from bad. Did a lot of resting for the next 4 months while refusing to get cut on, and it just wouldn’t heal. I did a month of daily bpc157 injections coupled with an ozone injection in the joint. Felt better than I ever have one month after that. 10 months snd another elk hunt later, I’m stronger than ever.


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Yeah I would have loved a partial tear...

 

[Wyo_hntr]

As someone who has dislocated my patella 4 or 5 times and partially tore my patella tendon one of those times, you are a bad motherf'er for walking out of there. I would’ve used my inreach lol.

Good luck on recovery and rehab.

Too bad such an awesome hunt was cut short.

 

[OKHunter84]

As someone who has dislocated my patella 4 or 5 times and partially tore my patella tendon one of those times, you are a bad motherf'er for walking out of there. I would’ve used my inreach lol.

Good luck on recovery and rehab.

Too bad such an awesome hunt was cut short.

Yeah dude, i was thinking the same thing. That's why I buy the insurance and hit the SOS on that one

 

[Wrangler13]

Not the way you want to end a hunt. I was aiming for a 12 day VT long trail thu last month. Day five my knee gave up feels like it must have been a partial patellar tear. Couldn’t walk down hill for a few weeks. Still popping alittle but the pain is all gone and can go down hill again. Hoping another few weeks of taking it easy and doing the YouTube pt will have me ready for deer season.

 

[Snowwolfe]

Glad you made it out OK and hopefully your rehab will go well and you will be back to doing what you love soon.

No shame with asking for help if it happens again. Our guys and gals in the Coast Guard will do an awesome job to get you our safe.

 

[roosterdown]

Quite the pickle; good luck with your rehab. The fact that you are very athletic and in excellent shape should put you at the good end of the bell curve for recovery time.

 

[ChromeHound]

I spiral fractured my right fibula backpacking about 4 miles in with no cell service. I ended up hiking out on it. I will say the one good thing that came from that is the confidence in knowing that when it hits the fan, I have the constitution to manage it. You would not believe the number of people that just ask me "what did you do" when I tell them about the break. The only option was hiking out. No one was coming to get me. Good luck in your recovery and know you have ultimately grown as a person dealing with this. Also, the worst experiences make the best stories .

 

[Jmillgreen]

I am currently lying in bed several hours post surgery. I am zonked on hydrocodone but unable to sleep, I've got an immobilizing brace on my left leg which has made falling asleep a seemingly laughable proposition. I don't know exactly why I intend on summarizing what happened to me here on rokslide, but I believe it'll help me close the door on the injury and motivate me to attack my rehabilitation. And, if somewhere down the line my story can help someone else, great.

If you couldn't tell by my username I am a huge fan of difficult hunts. I'm a bow only guy and the more difficult the terrain and the animal, the better. I am a fairly experienced ultrarunner and a life long gym rat. Some may call me a glutton for punishment, or perhaps a masochist. Back in May I was so stoked to have drawn an archery ibex tag for the Florida Mountains of New Mexico.

As October was approaching the excitement was growing, my hunting partner Steven was meeting me out there and we intended on giving er hell for at least a week to try and put one of these elusive goats on the ground. Considering that Steven and I hunt deer in Southern California, the fact of low population numbers, heat, and rattlesnakes didn't bother us one bit. We are used to chasing ghosts and our hometown hunt is the most overgrown, hot, dry, snake infested country I've ever hunted.

We spent the first few days trying to understand the animal and the country, neither of us had any experience with ibex and had never been to the Florida's. It was the 4th day of the hunt that we got our first real opportunity.
View attachment 780182
I was unable to get above this goat given his location but I was able to get below him, about 90 yards. He ended up winding me and taking off, never offering a chance at a shot. But confidence was growing.

The following morning I hiked up to the top of mountain with 3 gallons of water and my camp. The goal was to start at the top and hopefully get lucky. Steven found the biggest ibex we had seen thus far on that day. He was tucked into a cave on a cliff face that seemed impossible to get to.
View attachment 780183

We waited all day to see if he would move and he literally sat in the cave for 12 hours. The next morning, October 6th, there was about 15 ibex feeding on the mountain about 600 feet below me. Steven and I were in communication and as I peaked over the edge of the cliff, they saw me. They began to move up the mountain and to my right. I knew exactly where they were headed so I busted my ass over there hoping to intercept them. My plan nearly worked, I was able to get to 88 yards from a billy but as I drew back he took off. It was really exciting, but I was feeling dejected knowing that Steven had to leave the following day, I thought that that may have been our last chance.

Not long after, Steven called me to tell me that the big billy was not with the group and was actually back in the same cave from the day before! Unbelievable! We were set on figuring out a way to get as close as possible. I was walking heavy-footed down hill on some loose gravely type of terrain when my left foot slipped out, my knee hyperextended and I felt a pop. The pain was really intense and I hit the ground hard and immediately knew that I was in trouble. I've never had a serious knee injury but I knew that I had just ruptured my patellar tendon.

I called Steven and told him he better start hiking up with an empty pack. It's hard to even explain the roller coaster of emotions that I was going through in that moment. Would I have to hit the SOS button? How the **** am I going to get off of this mountain? I nearly passed out from the shock and the pain, I did some very deep, heavy breathing that I think kept me conscious. Despite the warm weather I got really cold and sweaty to the point where I had to put on my windbreaker (the only layer I had considering the hot temps) and wrap myself in my tarp. I'm not going to lie, that was a tough 2 hours sitting there waiting for Steven. I shed some tears, talked to Jesus, and had a pretty emotional phone call with my girl.

Steven showed up. It was about 10 am now. My leg was completely useless, I couldn't bend my knee at all, but fortunately I could put weight on the leg and the pain was manageable, but only if I kept the leg completely straight. The slightest bit of bend in the knee was 10/10 pain. Steven brought up some gorilla tape with him which ended up being clutch. We taped the knee in a straight position and I was determined to get off that mountain on my own 2 feet.
View attachment 780191

The route down was awful. It was only 2 miles but it was down 2,000 feet, all off trail and loose as hell. I had to move so slow and given the situation, I actually had to step with my bad leg downhill, anchor my poles and essentially do a pistol squat with my good leg. Rinse and repeat. It took us 8 hours to get back to the truck. What a slog. Steven carried all of my stuff, my camp, my bow, he even strapped my pack to his. I still get emotional thinking about the gratitude I felt that day. He didn't save my life but he sure made a shitty situation much more manageable for me.

To put salt in the wound, the next day I had to drive 14 hours back to southern California. The driving wasn't too bad considering I was able to scoot my seat back and keep my left leg straight. It was getting out to get gas that sucked the most. Well I made it back, saw my doctor, did the mri and eventually consulted with an orthopedic surgeon and he confirmed my suspicion. Ruptured patellar tendon, one of the worst sports injuries there is.

Like I said, surgery was today and the rehab begins asap. I'm looking at 12-18 months for a full recovery, but I should be good to hunt next fall. Everything is a blessing with the right perspective .

Thanks for reading and if I can give any advice it would be find yourself a hunting partner like Steven.

Dang! That mountain is no joke! I’ve solo hunted it a couple times. It’ll make you question your judgement for sure!


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