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I shouldn't be here tonight.
#2356843
01/03/18 07:14 PM
01/03/18 07:14 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,273 Marshall County
PRB
OP
Aldeer Sponsor
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OP
Aldeer Sponsor
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,273
Marshall County
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There's no other explanation, for me being here, other than God was watching over me today and saw fit to send me back home to my family.
I've been sick the entire deer season, had gallbladder surgery three weeks ago, and haven't hunted at all. Today was my first hunt of the season and, given the circumstances, could've very easily been my last.
I had all day to hunt so I decided to take the boat and head down river to some TVA land that I've hunted all of my life. Uneventful hunt with no deer seen.
I'd watched a large houseboat move up river earlier in the afternoon and could hear the wake rolling up the bank and thought to myself, "I hope my boat isn't washed up when I get back". Well, sure enough, I get to the boat after dark, the water has dropped, and 3/4 of my 1860 aluminum G3 is beached. That's a lot of boat to be moving alone but I can usually manage to shimmy it back in, on my own, but today it wasn't happening. It's after dark now, cold, and my phone is dying so I make a quick call to my cousin and he heads my way.
Once he's there, a few minutes of prying and pushing and the boat is back in the river. As he's headed back to his boat, mine now decides that the battery is weak and doesn't want to crank. I go to the front deck and drop the trolling motor and gather the rope to toss him so we can get to the ramp and put an end to what had suddenly turned into the deer hunting trip from hell. Little did I know how much worse things would get.
I had the nose of my boat pointed up river so as he's headed to me the current is pushing his boat from behind, toward me. As he goes to turn the back end of his boat to me, between the current and the darkness, the back end of his boat doesn't come around quick enough and I can tell that we're going to hit, although I didn't think that hard. I wasn't really concerned about the front of my boat but I reached down to put my hand on the cowling of his motor to soften the blow.
The next thing I remember was the jolting from the impact and looking at the sky. I flew off of the front deck backward and landed flat on my back in twenty feet of water with layered clothes, bibs, jacket, Lacrosse knee boots, and no life jacket. In the haste of pushing the boat in and the battery being dead, I'd forgotten to slip it on. I remember the water knocking the breath out of me and gasping and the next thing I remember is sinking while I'm flat on my back. I'm not sure exactly how far I went down but I was completely submerged for awhile before I could get my bearings straight, Once I was upright I tried to reach the surface but I couldn't get there. I tried again and somehow got my mouth and nose above water to take a breath but I still couldn't breathe. I could see my boat but it had drifted several yards down river. When I went back under I knew which way I had to go so I swam. I somehow swam as hard as I could swim, and when I surfaced again I was almost close enough to reach the boat. The next time I came up I grabbed the side and held on for dear life. I barely had the strength to hold on, much less pull myself over the side. Luckily, my cousin was able to maneuver his boat to where I could grab the back of his and was able to pull me in.
Now that I was in the boat, I was able to vomit some of the water I'd inhaled but I was spent. My adrenaline was gone and I was cold. I had a dry coat in the boat so I took all of my upper layers off and put on the dry coat. Luckily, we were only a couple of miles down river and were able to get to the ramp relatively quickly so I could get the rest of my wet clothes off and get in the truck.
That was the first time I'd actually had time to grasp what had happened and the fact that I should be dead. I'd fallen in 20' of 38° water, with an air temperature of 26. I literally poured a half gallon of water out of each boot. Given that, and the amount of clothes I had on, there's no logical reasoning to why I didn't sink straight to the bottom, to be found later. I've been physically sick since just thinking about it.
I've never been so glad to walk in the door and hug my wife and kids. I'm physically, and mentally, exhausted but I doubt I'll sleep a wink tonight. I'm just thankful the the good Lord allowed me to come home.
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356847
01/03/18 07:18 PM
01/03/18 07:18 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 36,359 alabama
BhamFred
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 36,359
alabama
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Glad you are ok, that was a close call. Thank the Lord.
I've spent most of the money I've made in my lifetime on hunting and fishing. The rest I just wasted.....
proud Cracker-Americaan
muslims are like coyotes, only good one is a dead one
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356848
01/03/18 07:20 PM
01/03/18 07:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 10,074 Northport, Al.
BOFF
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 10,074
Northport, Al.
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Praise the Lord!
That's some scary stuff when one takes the time and realizes how little it would have taken, for the story to have death or a major injury in it.
So glad you are still with us.
God Bless, David B.
Premium member #8925 Team Rack Addicts 2016 Aldeer Deer Champions
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356854
01/03/18 07:29 PM
01/03/18 07:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,674 Madison, AL
wmd
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,674
Madison, AL
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Wow brother glad you are all right! That is an incredible story and a just a reminder of how quickly things we do all the time can go south in a hurry. Again, glad you are still with us to tell your story for both you and your family’s sake and for all those that read your story. You definitely had a strong will to survive - hope you are to get some rest tonight.
"Any way you look at it, most of the problems facing baboons can be expressed in two words: other baboons" - D.L. Cheney and R.M. Seyfarth
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356855
01/03/18 07:30 PM
01/03/18 07:30 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 16,499 Guntersville
AC870
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 16,499
Guntersville
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Dang. That’s terrible. Glad it worked out. Guess it just shows the rest of us how quick something can happen. That water had to have felt like a thousand needles.
“Killing tomorrow’s trophies today.”
On the distance I like to walk to my stands: “The first 100 yards is also the last 100 yards.”
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356869
01/03/18 08:47 PM
01/03/18 08:47 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,206 Pikes Peak
JDR4Bama
Chit Show Connoisseur
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Chit Show Connoisseur
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,206
Pikes Peak
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Appreciate your story for the value it adds to those of us who can relate and who might make a better choice.
Been here long enough to go from "bring 'da pain" to " bring 'da pain meds.
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356873
01/03/18 09:14 PM
01/03/18 09:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 31,681 Slidell, La
perchjerker
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 31,681
Slidell, La
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Most don't put their vest on until they get ready to crank the motor. You did nothing any of us would have done differently. It is amazing how quickly things happen, it's just a flash in time. I'm glad your will to live overpowered the your bad luck. We live and we learn. God Bless you my friend. It's lucky you were able to exit the water quickly, hypothermia takes most lives this time of the year.
Thomas Jefferson. The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Life is too short to only hunt and fish on weekends!
If being a dumbass was fatal some of you would be on your death bed!
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356875
01/03/18 09:34 PM
01/03/18 09:34 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,849 Lawrence County
JD_Bowhunter1976
8 point
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8 point
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,849
Lawrence County
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Man what a story. I hunted out of my boat in 8 Degrees weather the other morning, and I know that one little mistake and it’s over. Shane you are one lucky man. The good lord was with you today. Wow no other words, just wow.
It is hard to kill or catch anything sitting on the couch!
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356881
01/03/18 10:29 PM
01/03/18 10:29 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 19,803 Hueytown
MANGLER
2016 Moderator of the Year
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2016 Moderator of the Year
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 19,803
Hueytown
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Glad it worked out and glad you shared it for others to learn from.
One day the right woman will come along and the next thing you know you'll be wearing her underwear!
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: JDR4Bama]
#2356883
01/04/18 12:38 AM
01/04/18 12:38 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,003 Madison
BowtechDan
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,003
Madison
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Appreciate your story for the value it adds to those of us who can relate and who might make a better choice. And glad you're okay man.
Nathan Carl Goff 19 Sept 2016 - 14 Jan 2017.
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356885
01/04/18 01:04 AM
01/04/18 01:04 AM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,410 Elba
Farmer64
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,410
Elba
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Wow glad to hear your ok.
American by birth Southern by the grace of God.....
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356887
01/04/18 01:06 AM
01/04/18 01:06 AM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 65,084 Luverne, AL
Skinny
GUVNER
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GUVNER
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 65,084
Luverne, AL
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Glad you are still with us! Its amazing how fast things can happen.
Never Trust Government
"You can be broke but you cant be poor." Ruthie-May Webster
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Re: I shouldn't be here tonight.
[Re: PRB]
#2356897
01/04/18 02:06 AM
01/04/18 02:06 AM
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 44,211 North Alabama
Wiley Coyote
Freak of Nature
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Freak of Nature
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 44,211
North Alabama
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Shane, it just wasn't your time. God bless you.
I firmly believe that a double gallows should be constructed on the East Lawn of The White House. Politicians who willfully and shamelessly violate their oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America should be swiftly tried and, upon conviction, publicly hanged at sunup the day after conviction. If multiple convicts are to be hanged they can choose with whom to share the gallows or names shall be drawn from the hangman's hat to be hanged 2 at a time.
NRA Life Member
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