Thread: Bloody lucky

Injured hunter rescued after 30 hours


A hunter who spent 30 hours alone in Urewera National Park with a badly broken leg has been airlifted to safety this afternoon.

The Rotorua-based BayTrust rescue helicopter was called at 3pm to pick up a 30-year-old man who had fallen and seriously injured his leg.

Another hunting party found his gear at the hut and had not seen anyone else in the area.

They started searching and located the man further upstream.

They stabilised him and were able to relocate him to the hut, where the helicopter could land.

Pilot Ben Fry said the man was airlifted as he had spent 30 hours on his own by this stage. He was taken to Rotorua Hospital in a stable condition

Very lucky man

Pays to have a locator becon when one hunts in the bush like that alone.

Originally Posted by sakokid

Pays to have a locator becon when one hunts in the bush like that alone.

+1 should be standard equipment if you hunt solo....IMO

Glad to see he made it and was found. Inherently dangerous activity but as Scouser adn Sako said, locator beacon it is!

Big ups to the other hunting party that put 2 and 2 together and went looking for him.

Lucky alright but wouldn't one take there gear with them? Unless he was planning on staying for a few nights,I personaly wouldn't leave gear in a hut these days.

I'm in rotorua hospital with him now. Had operation on my elbow

His leg just broke for no reason

Wtf? No reason???

lucky man

was looking at those plbs in hunting and fishing kinda expensive but would be good to have

if they save a life they are cheap

Originally Posted by Dynastar27

lucky man

was looking at those plbs in hunting and fishing kinda expensive but would be good to have

If you were lying there with your leg wrapped around your neck, would you think they were too expensive? Mind you, I only got mine last year, because I thought the same as you, and now that I am "not so young", I have one

My locator on me any time I'm out hunting even rabbit hunting (break an ankle etc) it's cheap insurance and peace of mind to me over all not the most expensive item in most peoples hunting kit ,it was a priority to buy before binocs and r ange finder for me any way that's my 2cents worth

The guy is Chris, 30yrs old. He went for operation11.30 today to clean out more crape around the break and will be like that for 10 -12 days then have a plate fitted. They will transport him to Waikato for skin and muscle reconstruction

Awesome that the other party did what they did - very they definitely deserve some cold ones