Sheep Hunter dies in Alaska Range south of Fairbanks.

[pa-pride]

Sad.

No disrespect meant but we can use situations like this to learn. The article said the guide pulled him from the water placed a jacket on him then LEFT and returned with help an HOUR later. Do some of these guides have no first aid training? I know I would not leave for help until the victim was stable.

I know I don't have the whole story and talking with the guide would clarify things but man it just seems like mistakes were made.

I agree with the guide. You can't fix those nasty trauma wounds with a band-aid. He did the right thing by getting the rescue folks notified as fast as he could.

 

[Snyd]

This is a bad deal. Prayers and condolences for the family and loved ones.

Regarding judgement of emergency care, since I am trained to a degree and some here are questioning the guides judgment, I'll comment.

We don't know what his injuries were but we do know the MOI so we know what to expect and what to look for. When he pulled him from the stream there may not have been any signs of life. Even if there were signs of life, the article says "serious injuries to his legs".

Getting hit by a 1000lb boulder is a pretty severe Mechanism of Injury (MOI). He probably had multiple injuries that caused internal and external bleeding. We can't see or control internal bleeding in the field unless it's a femur fracture. If it's an open Femur Fracture that has severed the femoral artery it's worse. He needs the OR. It's very possible he could have had a femur fracture (or 2) and/or a crushed or broken pelvis which means he probably would have been bleeding internally. He needs rapid transport asap. Getting help as quickly as possible is really the only thing you can do besides elevating his feet and keeping him warm. That and minimize it by not moving any more than absolutely necessary. Call for help, then get busy. I do wonder why the guide did not have a sat phone with him or at least a SPOT or PLB.

IF he was alive when he pulled him from the creek, and IF he ONLY had a femur fracture and IF he was not bleeding internally from a pelvis fracture or anything else and IF the guide would have known how to make and apply a traction splint to control internal bleeding and IF he would have had a sat phone, SPOT or PLB on him and IF S&R could have gotten there in a couple hours then MAYBE the outcome could have been different.

When he pulled him from the creek and covered him up he may not have known it but he was treating him for hypothermia and shock. The only other thing he could have done would have been to raise his feet and it doesn't sound like that would have made much difference. One doesn't die from falling in a creek in less than an hour but one can bleed to death internally in that period of time. You can't fix Hypovolemic Shock in the field.

Lets not judge to harshly here guys.

Peace to family.

Perry

 

[Daniel_M]

Well said, Perry.

 

[Mike7]

It sounds from the info available that the guide/guides did the absolute best thing that they could have done and at least gave the hunter a fighting chance. In that situation I'm not sure that a trauma surgeon could have done any more (ie. put the hunter with massive crush injuries in a warm safe place and get help). Staying with someone to watch them die will not help and is just wasting valuable time. Sad story and reminder of the ever present potential danger in the backcountry...and the decreased safety net out there if something happens.

 

[Matt W.]

Perry,

Agree. Hindsight is 20-20. But let's use this to learn. Even if its a bit harsh sounding the intent is to learn. We should all should all question the heck out of this and perhaps a life will be saved someday. Arm chair QBing can force us to look at this from many angles. Every situation is different but we can always gleam something for future possibilities...

What ifs are a great tool....

 

[Snyd]

Perry,

Agree. Hindsight is 20-20. But let's use this to learn. Even if its a bit harsh sounding the intent is to learn. We should all should all question the heck out of this and perhaps a life will be saved someday. Arm chair QBing can force us to look at this from many angles. Every situation is different but we can always gleam something for future possibilities...

What ifs are a great tool....

Yes, I agree. I'll chime in with this first..... Get help coming quick!

In a backcountry emergency we need to get help on the way asap because it's gonna take awhile even if everything goes right. One other poster mentioned having your sat phone, plb, spot, whatever on you at all times, not in your pack. I agree totally. I keep my SPOT in my pants pocket unless I'm in my sleeping bag.

In the ems world there is "the golden hour". It's the first hour after the accident. After the golden hour things can get bad quick. They might seem okay or stable during that time so maybe for some reason help was not called. But, an hour could have been wasted that could make the difference between life and death. Get help coming quick!

 

[Becca]

This is a bad deal. Prayers and condolences for the family and loved ones.

Regarding judgement of emergency care, since I am trained to a degree and some here are questioning the guides judgment, I'll comment.

We don't know what his injuries were but we do know the MOI so we know what to expect and what to look for. When he pulled him from the stream there may not have been any signs of life. Even if there were signs of life, the article says "serious injuries to his legs".

Getting hit by a 1000lb boulder is a pretty severe Mechanism of Injury (MOI). He probably had multiple injuries that caused internal and external bleeding. We can't see or control internal bleeding in the field unless it's a femur fracture. If it's an open Femur Fracture that has severed the femoral artery it's worse. He needs the OR. It's very possible he could have had a femur fracture (or 2) and/or a crushed or broken pelvis which means he probably would have been bleeding internally. He needs rapid transport asap. Getting help as quickly as possible is really the only thing you can do besides elevating his feet and keeping him warm. That and minimize it by not moving any more than absolutely necessary. Call for help, then get busy. I do wonder why the guide did not have a sat phone with him or at least a SPOT or PLB.

IF he was alive when he pulled him from the creek, and IF he ONLY had a femur fracture and IF he was not bleeding internally from a pelvis fracture or anything else and IF the guide would have known how to make and apply a traction splint to control internal bleeding and IF he would have had a sat phone, SPOT or PLB on him and IF S&R could have gotten there in a couple hours then MAYBE the outcome could have been different.

When he pulled him from the creek and covered him up he may not have known it but he was treating him for hypothermia and shock. The only other thing he could have done would have been to raise his feet and it doesn't sound like that would have made much difference. One doesn't die from falling in a creek in less than an hour but one can bleed to death internally in that period of time. You can't fix Hypovolemic Shock in the field.

Lets not judge to harshly here guys.

Peace to family.

Perry

Very well said Perry.

This situation breaks my heart. It's easy to second guess a story from what gets reported in the news. It's much harder when you were the person laying there injured, or the person trying to care for the person who is hurt. I once lay on the side of a mountain with a broken leg and thought I might die there. Quick thinking on the part of my hunting partner and Luke, coupled with the fast response of the USCG saved my life and my leg. I was very blessed. Sometimes despite our best efforts and utmost caution the worst happens to us.

I offer prayers for the client, his family and the guides. I also hope it gives all of us pause. Going into the backcountry isn't a risk free endeavor...we all do what we can to mitigate accidents but sometimes things outside our control happen. If the account of the situation is accurate, this sounds like something out of any mortals control.

Hold your loved ones close, and be careful out there...

 

[keep]

Prayers sent for the family, sad

 

[Matt W.]

Very well said Perry.

This situation breaks my heart. It's easy to second guess a story from what gets reported in the news. It's much harder when you were the person laying there injured, or the person trying to care for the person who is hurt. I once lay on the side of a mountain with a broken leg and thought I might die there. Quick thinking on the part of my hunting partner and Luke, coupled with the fast response of the USCG saved my life and my leg. I was very blessed. Sometimes despite our best efforts and utmost caution the worst happens to us.

I offer prayers for the client, his family and the guides. I also hope it gives all of us pause. Going into the backcountry isn't a risk free endeavor...we all do what we can to mitigate accidents but sometimes things outside our control happen. If the account of the situation is accurate, this sounds like something out of any mortals control.

Hold your loved ones close, and be careful out there...

You do have an unique experience in that you are both well trained and have been a victim. I think you wrote up a pretty decent lessons learned and tips article on this event somewhere. ??? Could you point me to that link? Always looking to learn... Thanks!

 

[Stid2677]

For me one of the things that makes me seek out the high places, is that I never feel so alive as I do when I'm walking on that razors edge seeking out a mature Ram or Goat. I know all to well the effects of gravity and the risk involved with the endeavor that is mountain hunting.

If I should ever perish while in this pursuit, I want my friends and family to know, that I could think of no better way to pass than doing something I love. I would just hope for a quick and clean death.

May the peace of the Lord be with the family of the fallen, and may the hunter be welcomed into the Kingdom of God.