Thread: Big thanks to the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Service and Team

@LBD Glad it all worked out OK, how is the leg mending ?

Back around 20yrs ago l had 2 nasty instances that changed the way l hunt ,both were back in the day when you were a Safety Sam if you actually showed your missus etc where you were going on a map & both meant long painful waits for the injured .Both showed how quickly things can turn to shit.

I had a mate nearly cut his big toe off & sprain his wrist when he then fell under the weight of his pack, while trying to cross a strong flowing stream crossing bare footed to save getting his boots/socks wet, as we walked into our targeted hunting valley on a much anticipated week long hunt ,with months of planning for the trip & we only set off after a prolonged wet spell that had seen the rivers flooded & the hunt postponed twice .Luckily as it turned out with time from the weather delays for a series of phone calls ,we had been given permission by a land owner to drive in to a spot ,closer to the bush edge to start out , there were 4 of us & while we stayed with the injured mate another took off back to the vehicles & we eventually got him out 9hrs later on one of the farm horse's back to the cars.
Since then l have always taken Dive Booty's for use on creek crossings & use them as my camp shoes.

The other was a when l stopped carrying out carcasses unless vehicle access is close handy ,although l was not there .Around 16+ yrs ago a mate blew his knee out & twisted his back into spasm carrying a carcass out when it got caught up in the scrub ,his was much like your accident ,the ground was slippery & his foot got caught in a tree root when the carcass threw him off balance .

They had to spend a cold night in the bush & he had to be left alone next morning while the other walked out to the truck to get help, with panic stations with their families & from memory it took 6 guys to stretcher him out in agony ,he had the knee redone only just before the first Lock Down & his back has given him shit ever since.
@flock Would be interesting to hear direct from your mate on " the the rescue crew did voice a preference to use an EPIRB over the Garmin SOS function" I went to a NZDA Southland meeting many years ago when the inReach etc were first coming in & they had guys from the rescue groups talking on the various options & they recommended them over the EPIRB for hunters ,maybe change in tech/size with the EPIRB's or inReach technology types not living up to expectations ?