Dumb or dumbest thing I have done ( Pics Added )

[Snapshot]

This is the "Dumb or dumbest thing I have done", and whats your story? I have been seeing all the posts by Vetto at his new deer lease and thought I would make a run to mine and do some weed eating and cleaning around the trailer. I took my grandson Lakota as this was his first afternoon out of school for the summer. We packed up and headed out about 5 pm and stopped for supper in Dayton. Then we drove on to the lease which is another 35 or 40 minutes away. I was extremely blessed in that the arrow did not hit a bone nor any vitals that could have caused extreme damage or even excessive bleeding.

After stopping again to pick up some worms (Just in case) we drove the last two miles to the camp. We plugged in the electrical connections and turned on the frig and AC units. Cleaned the trailer a little and then went out to unload the pu. Lakota retrieved the bow target from the trailer as I was getting the weedeater out and gassed up. He pulls and lets fly the first arrow and so I reached into the pu and grabbed my bow and an arrow. I did not look or think about the arrow except it had a broadhead on it and I though it would be nice to see if I could pull the broadhead from the target easily. HE stepped aside and I drew back and about the time I hit the break down point with the arrow, I pulled back just a little more and saw the arrow had pulled back through the whisper bisquet. This arrow was to short for my bow and now I had to deal with it. I then decided to let the arrow and bow string go forward slowly (without firing it)back into the arrow rest. AS it started forward it hit that break down spot and lunged forward quickly, moving the arrow about 8 inches before I stopped it. By that time it had bounced off the arrow rest and to the left, making the arrow go left instead streight ahead. Well that is when I said "OH NO" as I saw the arrow had penetrated through the meaty tissue below my left thumb and sticking through about 7" or so with the broadhead covered with blood; My blood that is. I had put my hand on a scewer without any veges. I removed the broadhead and the pulled the arrow back out of the hand. I went inside for a towel and Lakota turned off the power, grabbed a bottle of water and washed the wound and then I wrapped it tightly and headed about 18 miles to the Cleveland hospital. I passed my favorite supper spot. It was about 8 pm and we were tempted to stop, but kept going. I love thier chicken fried steak and soup bar and their deserts are tops.

Once in the hospital, the admitting nurse took the usual vitals to see if I was gonna live. The answer came quickly as my BP was at 134 over 84 and she was surprised that it was so low. Guess my keeping calm and or being almost passed out kept me calmer than some of her incoming patints. Anyway, I was stitched up with about 50 stitches and told to go home and was on the road by about 9PM. The people in the emergency room were very efficent. They were excellent and if I ever have to go into another ER, I think I wanna go to the one in Cleveland. Anyway, today I feel pretty good but sore. Also Luck, dumb and supid and blessed too. I can move all the fingers but cannot shift the thumb to the side or it hurts some.

Sorry Ben, I did not think fast enough to grab the camera first as I know you want picutes. IF you really wanna see what a broadhead will do to human flesh, I will take a couple pictures when I change the bandages Saturday. **** Vetto, feel free to test out the Cleveland ER yourself if needed as they may be the closest place to your new lease. My grandson says that he doesn't like a bow and arrow now. *** Yes, I know how lucky I am and I thank God for carefully guiding that arrow in and out of me and the skillful hands of the doctor.

Anyone wanna buy a bow and slilghtly bloody arrow set? Cheap.




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[BrotherDoug]

I'm really sorry for your accident. I've done something just as dumb, but it was back when I was a teen ager. I went flounder gigging and decided I'd take my speargun instead of a gig. Everything went fine until I stabbed a crab instead of shooting it. I then proceeded to kick the crab off the three pronged fish spear and you can figure out the rest. John Sealy also has a pretty effecient ER....

[SKsCrappie]

Dangett SS, got to be more careful!

Although it sound bad it could have been a lot worse with the broad head on the arrow so you have to be thankful for that.
Make sure you only use arrows cut for your length & while practice shooting always use field points until hunting season gets close.

I know that didn't fell good & probably scared the bajeebees outta your grandson!

[Bgbluecat]

Oh boy, arrow injury stories --- hunting at the Aransas Natl Wildlife Refuge, one of my hunting buds was up in a tree over a deer trail. Doe comes along and stops almost straight down. Tough angle and he had to do some contortions to make the shot. He says he was at about 3/4 draw on his Outback when his finger accidentally hit the release trigger. Would have been better if he had been at full draw, the arrow may have completely passed through his foot. As it was the G5 forged 3 blade broadhead was just beginning to peek out the bottom of his boot. It entered his left foot at the junction of big toe and next toe. He was having real issues getting back to truck and arrow made driving problematic so he unscrewed the shaft (***** up#2). Then he sits around camp til the rest of us come in (#3 he should have gone to ER). Popular opinion leaned towards trying to stick the shaft back in the hole, feel around and thread arrow back to broadhead, cut the shaft a little shorter and hammer in on through (#4 he actually listened to everyone and tried it). Meanwhile he has been bleeding for about 3 hours now and it only took one whack on the shaft to convince him that ***** up #4 was not gonna work. He finally came to his senses and let someone drive him to Victoria and get it taken care of properly.

So, Ray, you did explain to Lakota that this was a learning experience??

[Snapshot]

Mike, I was much luckier than you partner. And yes, I did talk about safety for a couple hours and how accidents can happen to the most or least experienced people. He now understands why I don't let him take the bow or bb gun out without some supervision. Notice that I did not say anything about the quality of my supervision here. We talked about accidents in general and how they can happen even when walking down the street and that we must be thinking and watching what we do all the time. My daughter is a nurse and has heard from a few of her friends that this particular accident is more common than we may think. Guess I am not as original as I thought.

[TexasT]

Snapshot, I think I would rather be in a truck wreck again than go through what you are. I know that hurts big time.
Take care of yourself and keep us posted on the progress.
By the way....what's the name and location of your favorite supper spot? I might be hungry the next time I'm in that area.

[Snapshot]

The Plantation is across the street from a Berkshire Brothers grocery store on the South end of Cleveland as you are traveling South from down town on 105 and 321 towards Dayton. It is a home style cooking buffet that will knock your sox off. And I think supper runs about $7.00. Almost all of the guys on the deer lease will go in at least once a weekend to keep from cooking and cleaning at camp. Yes, peoples taste differ but for now, we really did think of stopping there before the hospital visit. Actually was had talked about it before the hospital visit was needed. I am hoping that I can get out next week but may not be ready after cutting my hand so badly. It looks really bad and feels about the same at times.

[vett0111]

WOW SS that is crazy... Sorry to hear you got hurt. Glad you are all patched up now.

two questions
First
Are you more careful shooting guns?

second

You have pics of bow your selling cheap.. LOL JK Buddy

Prayers going up for quick healing

[ruskeltheblackbassman]

I second that SS, the plantation is awesome!

[KingTut]

Wow Snapshot-that's gonna leave a mark! Honestly if that was me, I'd been screamin' for a Life Flight helicopter!

Did it look kinda like this? This foopa resulted when an inexperianced Gander Moutain sales clerk was assiting an inexperianced potential customer. You can see where the arrow not only went completely thru the hand just below the thumb, but also clean thru the finger.

Is that the picture you were hoping for Ben?

33339

[ruskeltheblackbassman]

Wow, whoever that was, i feel sorry. That hurtttt.

[kingwoodcatfisherman]

Dang , I bought my daughter a compound bow . I had no idea that they were so dangerous. !! Sorry to hear of your misfortune Ss . Hope you get healed up soon !! Great BP though !!:applause:

[Snapshot]

KT, that photo looks way to familiar and hurts just seeing it. Maybe old men don't rule. I am amazed that you could come up with that picture. I noticed the person holding that bow was holding it correctly, with the fingers and loose grip. I hold the bow with a tight grip and fingers wrapped around the handle so I missed my fingers. Like I said, I missed all vitals and the fingers are vital or at least very important. I did not bury my arrow more than 7-8" past the thumb as I was holding onto the string and never let it go. I also used a broadhead and the wimp in the photo apparently had a targer arrow. Great picture and I will be wearing some scars and remember what happened for a long time.

Jeff, accidents happen and that is why they are called accidents and it does not matter how safe or unsafe we are. Teach proper mechanics and practice safety and your daughter will be fine, just don't show her the picture KT added.

Russell, glad someone knows about the Plantation besides me but I hope it remains our secret spot. Sometimes a couple carloads will go to lunch there and then go back to our deer lease for the afternoon hunts and everyone doses all afternoon.

[SKsCrappie]

Wow Snapshot-that's gonna leave a mark! Honestly if that was me, I'd been screamin' for a Life Flight helicopter!

Did it look kinda like this? This foopa resulted when an inexperianced Gander Moutain sales clerk was assiting an inexperianced potential customer. You can see where the arrow not only went completely thru the hand just below the thumb, but also clean thru the finger.

Is that the picture you were hoping for Ben?

33339

I always wondered if that guy got that bow free after that happened at GM???

[Snapshot]

I just showed the picture to my wife and she almost went into hysteria. I am very glad she was not with me or I might have had to leave her there, passed out and all. *** Fred, I too was wondering about how they removed the bow so they could remove the arrow. Pulling it through would really hurt as the fletchings are burried too. I suppose they had to take a Bowie knife or something sharp and cut the arrow in to and then leave the bow behind as they went to the ER. Can you imagine pulling the arrow through and the pain it would cause? I feel his pain just thinking about it.

Lesson for all of us: The doctor said I should not have removed the arrow because I could have bled to death if I had cut an arteory or vein. I was very lucky and blessed that I missed the vitals again.

Maybe John 3:16 can advise us of the proper way to resolve this issue safely and what we should have done on the scene.

[SKsCrappie]

One thing I do after shooting a set of arrows is check all of them too make sure they are not cracked or have any damage to them in any way. If you shoot a damaged arrow you'll take a chance of some serious damage.

[Snapshot]

Just changed my bandage for the first time and it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would. So far the stitches did not stick to the bandages so I didn't pull any of they when removing the bandage. It looks far better than it did when I was watching the doctor stitch it up. So far, no infections or problems except that I can still see my hand with the arrow in it and the blood running all over. I will have to send pictures to someone to post here as I have not figured out the new system.

[vett0111]

Send them to me SS I'll post them for you

[vett0111]

Pics posted on First post


SS looks painful..

[BassingtxLady]

Okay just to make sure ....none of you "professionals" will be bringing any of this so called "equiptment" to the muster will ya....? or i might have to rethink my position on this....sheesh....
well SS....it definately could've been worse...and i'm really glad your okay.....and i really think that's a very shifty way to get out of cooking at the muster and all....:crossarms: speedy healing friend....

[vett0111]

I think he needs to be the Official muster hand shaker. LOL

[Snapshot]

I don't think I will be offering to shake anyones hands with my left hand. The stitches should be out a few days before the Muster so I will be able to show the scars off. Yee ha, I am a marked man. I will leave the bow at home, as I don't want to give any safety demos of what not to do. Vetto, thanks again for posting the pictures.

[vett0111]

Not a prob SS..

[Gentleben]

Snap cRack you better stick to Arcade games where no one gets hurt............. man that had to hurt I sure would no thave shared tha twith my friend s ..I Love thsoe kind of bloody pics there Tut keep them coming!!

[Snapshot]

Ben, I never felt a thing during entry or exit of the wound. I never had time to think about pain. The doctor asked what I was allergic to and I told him nothing but "PAIN". He said he had just the pill for that. KT did make me feel better when I saw that picture. I have been told by medical people that this in not an uncommon accident.

[KingTut]

Snap cRack you better stick to Arcade games where no one gets hurt............. man that had to hurt I sure would no thave shared tha twith my friend s ..I Love thsoe kind of bloody pics there Tut keep them coming!!

I have pictures of a hand that got ground-up by a stainless steel prop, but I'm hesitant to post em as they are graphic-extreme! My co-worker was thrown from his boat while in a high speed turn, as the boat passed him he covered his head for impact and his hand took one for the team! I always wanted to post them in an effort to get you fellas to use your kill switch teather religiously! But they are VERY nasty. The good news is that his hand works and looks fine after surgery and six months off work healing-up.

[Bgbluecat]

Been around archery and archers since I was knee high - seen a bunch of these things. A very nasty one was a night bowfishing trip on Colorado between Austin and Bastrop. Guy missed a fish and hit a rock, he looked at tip and said "it's ok, let's try again". Next shot about half the solid fiberglas shaft separated and went into his hand but it was not a clean in/out exit like Ray's. Half shaft in/pocupine slivers coming out. He had to have extensive surgery to have all the FBglas splinters/shards removed.
Last season at my lease on the day before archery season a fellow shows up with brand new crossbow. Sets up a target, walks back to truck, loads it, kneels and shoots and promptly drops the crossbow and starts rolling around on the ground. We put our beer down to go see the sight and appears he had left his left thumb sticking up. Crossbow string got it, as in literally, got it at the last joint. Some of us looked for it but appears it was vaporized - it just vanished - didn't even find the nail.

Tell these experiences so Ray don't feel too lonely with that puncture.... and yes, there are a lot of archery related incidents that result in injury.

[Snapshot]

Thanks Mike, I feel so much better..... ya gonna come over to the Muster and win the knott tieing contest so we don't have to listed to that young en again?