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Almost punched the final ticket

accman

By accman,
in General Hunting

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accman Newbie

accman

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On Sunday, had a work day at camp to cut wood for the landowner.  We had 3 chain saws going, and one of the senior members noticed this old telephone pole, bout 20' high, all rotted, woodpecker holes all over it, and was slated to be taken down.  He goes to me, "C'mon, we can push this over".  I took a look, pushed it, and it was giving at the base, seemed easy enough, so we began to push.  One, Two, THREE, but on three, instead of falling down, it broke about 9 ft up, bottom half fell forward, but I heard a big "SNAP" and the top came backward.  I turned, began to run away covering my head and the upper half of it cracked me in the back, and got me on the head and neck real good.  Knocked me to the ground, didn't lose consciousness, on all fours, bleeding like a pig on the top of my head, I began to take inventory.  Back ok, neck ok, arms ok, I knew I got nailed hard, but still a little dazed.  Everyone ran over, saying "don't move".  Got the first aid kit, took me back to camp and worked on me.  Nothing but a lot of blood, gouges in the head (good thing there's no hair upstairs) but thank god no concussion.  Felt okay that day, sore but nothing you couldn't handle and the next day was sore enough to say to heck with it and got a CAT Scan.  Mainly because my doctor told me I was an aSS for not going the day it happened, but I chalked that up to thinking I'm superman and I've had worse. 

 

When you put it in perspective, a little thing like that can turn out so wrong that you can buy the big one, a lot of prayers seem to be in order for giving me a second chance.  Will shoot the bow this afternoon to make sure everything's in order backwise and on Sunday, will sight in the gun to make sure the eyes still work together.  Lord willing, it'll all work like a charm.  Unfortunately, I win the prestigeous "OHWHATANASSIAM" award for 2014!!!

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Two Track Newbie

Two Track

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Someone was looking out for you to come out with just scrapes, cuts and bruises from that.

 

Never do tree work alone for that very reason.  Some trees look perfectly healthy.  All branches have leaves, nothing looks dead, etc.  You start cutting through and find out it is hollow in center.  Goes from a normal job to a dangerous one in a few minutes.  Can't always tell on some of those 100 + year old oaks. Glad we called a tree service for that one (girth was too big for our saw anyway)

 

I have to check around where I set up as there a still a few widow makers around from Sandy on some of the parcels I hunt.

 

If I am stalking and the wind picks up, I stop and look up.  Had few branches crash down nearby a couple weeks ago.  Makes you a bit cautious (or is it paranoid - the sky is falling)

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growalot Newbie

growalot

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Way lucky you should have bought a lottery ticket! but you and the crew with you all get the ole "swift kick in the a$$ " for not going to the Dr or ER...they should have known better for you!...one blood clot or a slow bleeder and you'd be looking down at the rest of us hunting....Take care and good luck...

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Paula Mentor

Paula

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Way lucky you should have bought a lottery ticket! but you and the crew with you all get the ole "swift kick in the a$$ " for not going to the Dr or ER...they should have known better for you!...one blood clot or a slow bleeder and you'd be looking down at the rest of us hunting....Take care and good luck...

Close call, glad your ok. I was also going to say, but a ticket
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accman Newbie

accman

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It wasn't me, cause I always figure that time will heal everthing, but with 6 kids and the 3 girls (youngest just turned 21) look at you and say "That's okay, don't go to the ER, I'll have my new daddy walk me down the aisle"!!, well that's just downright dirty pool. lol. No pics, the top of the head still bleeds every now and then, and the people at work call me Mikael Gorbachev.  I'm like the new poster kid for what not to do.  All the guys at the hunting club called me to make sure I was alright.  Real nice of em.  I know they were thinking of taking a piece of the wood and have it mounted.  Hunting club humor at it's best.  One of the guys was wondering if I go, can he have my stand?  I'm sure I'm going to never hear the end of this, specially on November 14th before rifle.  Guess God's got something else for me to do, so I keep following his lead. 

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Pygmy Experienced

Pygmy

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Glad you are OK...

 

Falling trees ( or rotted poles) is an inherently dangerous activity..

 

A lot of freaky stuff can happen.

 

Lots of folks with lots of experience have bought the farm due to incidents just like what happened to you.

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accman Newbie

accman

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Thanks folks, the fact is I should have gone right after it happened to the ER.  As was said, the risk is always there no matter how careful you are.  I'm in construction (granted the financial end of it), have a hard hat right in the back seat, as do alot of our members who are in the trades.  Do we use hard hats on our hunting work site?  No. OSHA would have had a field day. If this pole were just a bit bigger, even with a hard hat, I would have been cracked in the back and neck, and could have shut out the lights.  Freak accidents are gonna happen.  Trying to knock down the percentage and use safety ropes, hard hats, etc can lower the possibilities of accidents.  In hind sight, we should have waited for the chainsaw, he's in is 70's and I'm in my 60's and we should have known better.  Next time we'll know and thank god, there will be a next time.   God bless.

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LuckyPickle123 Newbie

LuckyPickle123

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I had a scare myself this summer.  Fell 25 foot off a roof while doing a roof job on one of my dads apartments.  Was lucky enough to land on my legs.  Broke my left leg clean in half, compound fracture.  Got a rod and bolts from my knee to my ankle now.  Real lucky, I know the feeling, land any other way and a funeral was calling my name.

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growalot Newbie

growalot

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Thanks PT is keeping me going...not as much as normal but it's a work in progress...laughed the other day they had me do a bunch of balance stuff and other clients yelled out ..look at her go!! aparently balance with these injuries is a big deal..aahhh but it back fired...they put me on the trampoline next...still feeling it today...lol

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