Sheep hunter rescued...

[Snyd]

Glad to hear this was a rescue and not a recovery.

Sheep hunter rescued after getting stuck on steep terrain in Knik River Valley

The man flipped his camouflage jacket inside-out to be more easily identified by the medevac aircrew, the Guard said.

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By Anchorage Daily News
Updated: 13 hours agoPublished: 17 hours ago

An Alaska Army National Guard helicopter crew rescued a hunter Wednesday after he was stranded on unstable, steep terrain at a high elevation in the Knik River Valley near Cottonwood Creek, the Guard said in a statement.

A man hunting sheep became stranded on a 3-foot-by-3-foot ledge on a 40- to 50-degree slope, and he was unable to move up or down the terrain, the Guard said. He was stuck in snow, Alaska State Troopers said in an online report.

The hunter activated an SOS using an inReach satellite communication device, according to the Guard. Troopers said they were notified of the alert at 1:25 p.m.

Troopers then requested assistance from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

A UH-60L Black Hawk medevac helicopter left JBER with a rescue crew at around 3:30 p.m., and was directed to the man’s location by rescue controllers with the Alaska Air National Guard, according to the Guard.

The hunter was at an elevation of 5,500 feet when he was hoisted up by the medevac aircrew, the Guard said.

In the statement, Staff Sgt. and flight paramedic Damion Minchaca said the helicopter made two passes over the location before spotting the hunter. The crew at first did not see him because of his camouflaged hunting gear.

“He used quick thinking, turning his camouflage jacket inside out to signal us down with the inside fleece’s bright orange color showing,” said Minchaca, with Detachment 2, G Company, 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment.

The ledge was so small that there wasn’t enough room for both him and the hunter to stand, Minchaca said.

The hunter was outfitted with an aviation rescue vest and hoisted into the helicopter, and they flew to the Palmer airport, according to the Guard.

The man declined medical treatment or evaluation, troopers said.

 

[Rich M]

That's pretty intense.

 

[Red Letters]

I wonder if the hunter gets a bill for the uber ride

 

[beachbunny]

I wonder if the hunter gets a bill for the uber ride

me too,how does that work?
sure glad he is ok

 

[BBob]

I'm not sure what happens in Alaska but it varies depending on where you are and who comes to get you. In AZ if the state helicopter (AZDPS) comes it's free (we get taxed on car registration to cover DPS) but if they are busy and someone else has to come you get billed. The NPS at Grand Canyon helicopter ride is free. I think CO has a program for a small annual donation that covers SAR expenses if you need them. Insurance is available and Garmin offers a plan with inreach service that'll cover you.

 

[FLATHEAD]

Rifle and gear still up there?

 

[SummitsCalling]

From my understanding, if the military/guard responds with a hoist no bill. State comes, I'd expect a bill

 

[WoodBow]

You can also buy insurance through inreach for this kind of thing. It is not expensive.

 

[Bambistew]

If the guard its free, they are usually the last resort. Many of the extraction services will only land during the day on flat terrain. I've talked with a few guys in the guard on this over the years.

If its not a guard helo, wave them off, or expect a bill. haha

 

[fmyth]

I have an Inreach and pay an additional $25 a year for 100k SAR insurance policy.

 

[Snyd]

This makes me think of how us sheep hunters (goat hunters too) are in the habit of breaking some basic mountaineering rules. Like, don't go down what you haven't come up. One can get cliffed out. Who knows what happened here other than the hunter, but I'd bet he was headed down and cliffed out. Glad he made it out ok.

 

[grfox92]

"The crew at first did not see him because of his camouflaged hunting gear."

Damn, I wonder what camo he was wearing, sounds like it was working

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[Still Hunter]

" Like, don't go down what you haven't come up. One can get cliffed out. "...

Wise words. Almost went down a route that would have put me in a petty precarious position this year elk hunting. Thank God my "old age and wisdom" part of my brain overruled my ", youthful "still thinking I can still do everything" side of my brain!

 

[eddielasvegas]

I wonder if the hunter gets a bill for the uber ride

Garmin offers an insurance plan when signing up for their service. It's cheap, but no idea what it covers if it is like most insurance.


Eddie

 

[Sourdough]

Rifle and gear still up there?

I "doubt" it. But that is the law. If they come and rescue someone and use a Super Cub, then all their gear can legally go with them. If they come with a helicopter, "only" the person can be rescued, then they go back in the future and get their rifle and gear. Or they can hire someone to fetch their rifle and gear.

 

[PNWGATOR]

What law? Never heave heard of such a mandate. Is this Alaska specific?

 

[Sourdough]

What law? Never heave heard of such a mandate. Is this Alaska specific?

The one I am referring to, is an Alaska hunting "regulation". A helicopter may "NOT" be used in "ANY" way in a Hunting application. To the extent, that is a fisherman leaves his fishing camp that transported him, and then "WALKS" in a month later and uses anything that a helicopter had transported into there even a year or more earlier, it is a violation. We long ago serviced mining company summer exploration sites. They would sometimes leave some stuff over winter, maybe only a plywood wall tent frame, "NOT" the actual tent, only the frame. Because that was flown in by helicopter in the summer, and the mining company was gone for the season. It would be illegal to use "anything" for hunting by any hunter. There is a valid reason for this.

I kind'a understand that "now" in special situations, for hunters with handicaps a helicopter can be used. But I am not use about how that works.

 

[ColeyG]

Rescuing hunters, to include their equipment, is not hunting, it is an emergency operation and so the AK hunting reg that prohibits heli use for hunting doesn’t apply. The State and feds have used helicopters to rescue hunters many, many times in the past.

If a private party were to use a private helicopter for similar purposes, self rescue, while on a hunting trip, that could be problematic.

Needless to say, once you’ve been “rescued,” your hunting trip is over.

Whether or not the rescuing party decides to take the gear of the party being rescued is entirely up to them and is based on policy and pilot/crew preference, not law or regulation.

 

[Sourdough]

Rescuing hunters, to include their equipment, is not hunting, it is an emergency operation and so the AK hunting reg that prohibits heli use for hunting doesn’t apply. The State and feds have used helicopters to rescue hunters many, many times in the past.

If a private party were to use a private helicopter for similar purposes, self rescue, while on a hunting trip, that could be problematic.

Needless to say, once you’ve been “rescued,” your hunting trip is over.

Whether or not the rescuing party decides to take the gear of the party being rescued is entirely up to them and is based on policy and pilot/crew preference, not law or regulation.

I disagree, and I know guys who have been rescued, and had to leave their gear and rifles. Sheep season September 1980 there was four foot of snow dumped in 30 hours, they sent military helicopters to extract everyone in the Delta area. We were on the Robertson Glacier, and had been trapped mid way up the glacier for three days. They told us we had to leave everything. We declined the extraction.

 

[Bearwhisky]

I disagree, and I know guys who have been rescued, and had to leave their gear and rifles. Sheep season September 1980 there was four foot of snow dumped in 30 hours, they sent military helicopters to extract everyone in the Delta area. We were on the Robertson Glacier, and had been trapped mid way up the glacier for three days. They told us we had to leave everything. We declined the extraction.

Thats a bold strategy, Cotton.


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