# i could of died today



## Milla Tha Killa (Dec 11, 2006)

I was duck Hunting with a buddy of mine from school, we were puttin out the decoys when it got shallow i got out to make it easyier to put out the decoys, well it was up to my hips and i had chest waders on and my next step could of been my last. i steped into a muskrap hole. i went down and i was just lucky anought to have cought the side of the boat, if it wasnt there would not be here to tell about it. The water was well over my head. i feel someone was watchin me today. Im only 16 and i could of died doing something i love the most. when i got into the boat. i quickly took all my cloths off and got in my rain suit and put that on. so as i was just gettin warm again. a single goose came in and i shot it. i think god was with me today. i just want to say i was lucky today and that to charis evey time out.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

Yea, you gotta becareful out there. Never know.
I'm glad you're still with us all this evening. :beer: 
Dan


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## Burly1 (Sep 20, 2003)

Three things:
1. I'm glad you're OK.
2. Get and use a wader belt. It could save you in the future.
3. The fact that you recognized the fact that you owe your well being to God, indicates that you're on the right track. 
And, oh yeah........... you got a goose!
Learning from our mistakes is one of those blessings that's sometimes hard to accept. You're gonna be alright pard.
Burl


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## Sportin' Woodies (Jun 26, 2006)

you cant swim?
if i couldnt swim i wouldnt be wading without a life jacket.


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## Milla Tha Killa (Dec 11, 2006)

i can swim just that i had chest waders on


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## johnsona (Dec 4, 2003)

Good stuff to know from the Maryland DNR website:



> Staying Afloat
> It is common belief that someone dressed in heavy clothing or waders will sink immediately if they fall overboard. This is not true. Air trapped in clothing provides considerable flotation, and bending at the knees will trap air in waders, providing additional flotation. To stay afloat, remain calm, do not thrash about or try to remove clothing or footwear. This leads to exhaustion and increases the loss of air that keeps you afloat. Keep your knees bent, float on your back and paddle slowly to safety.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

Wader belt great idea, second unclip from the waders and swim real quick like.


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## hoots120 (Aug 18, 2005)

This fall my buddy and I were coming down teh river from a morning duck hunt and we came around the bend and saw a man standing chest deep in the midle of the river. He was waving franticlly and ended up falling backwords. It turns out he was stuck in the mud. We rushed over there and righted him so he would not drown and helped him get unstuck. This river has nasty mudd flats in it and this gentlemen was not farmilar with the river. He found a spot he liked and hopped out of his boat to put out decoys Mistake number 1. When he broke through the top crust of the mud layer he sank through 3 feet of silt to the bottem mud layer and became hoplessly stuck. He panicked and let go of his boat. Mistake number 2. He called all morning for help but there are no houses in the area. By the time we came out he was hoarse and could barely talk. We taook him up to our club to get cleaned up and get warm. it took a hour before he could walk. We found his boat and drove it to the landing and helped him load up and took him home. He was vary lucky if we had not come along he would of drowned. The next day we came in and in the bed of my truck was a case of high class booze and a thank you note. This was a good reminder to me to RESPECT NATURE AND HOW FAST YOU CAN GET IN ALOT OF TROUBLE IF YOU ARE NOT CARFUL.

Hoots


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

That would be one helpless feeling. Good story and way to be there! :beer:


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## Danimal (Sep 9, 2005)

I agree, get a wader belt!


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

That mud is terrible stuff. I use to work on a suction dredge, and have seen mourning doves land on the spill we were pumping and get stuck and not be able to fly out. What's a dove weigh - 4 ounces maybe?

My old huntin' buddy in Ohio has had to extract me a couple of times from hip deep ooze while wading into a slough for some wood duck shooting. What a helpless feeling it is to not be able to move your legs.

Becareful out there.
Dan


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## water_swater (Sep 19, 2006)

You will probably never drown in a field! You maybe could pull it off in a rice field in Lousiana in a hurricane.


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## dfisher (Oct 12, 2007)

water_swater said:


> You will probably never drown in a field! You maybe could pull it off in a rice field in Lousiana in a hurricane.


That's how we use to feel when we finally come to our senses and stopped hunting geese on the ice, so much, in Ohio.
Nothing better than terra firma under you in December and January. Heck of a lot warmer too :lol: 
Good gunning, :beer: 
Dan


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## just ducky (Apr 27, 2005)

keep in mind folks, this time of year it isn't necessarily drowning that will get you. Exposure and hypothermia can be a real killer. In my neck of the woods (Michigan, especially the great lakes waters) we have hunters die periodically because they get wet, and hypothermia gets 'em.

Yes, we all need to be careful out there.


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## 9erfan (Oct 18, 2007)

several years ago while stationed in Spokane, Washington, a buddy and I tipped over the canoe while putting out goose decoys in the lake. Near Thanksgiving and snow on the ground. No life jackets as we were "only" 10-15 yards from shore but in 20 feet of water. thankfully, we had put everything that wasn't a decoy on shore so we didn't lose anything. held on to the overturned canoe and swam back to shore in our waders. wader belts are a good thing!! also, neoprene does have quite a bit of buoyancy so that helped as well. anyway, cold as anything, we stripped down and got to the truck and tried to warm up. headed home and took hot showers. came back to get our stuff and shot a couple of birds. haven't been in a canoe since!! point being, "let's be careful out there"

:eyeroll:


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Glad your okay. Been a few too many times myself.


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## Whistler31 (Feb 1, 2007)

My Dad never allowed us to wear waders in the boat while crossing the water. That is why. I too stepped in a rat hole a few years back and there must have been enough air trapped because I floated like a cork until I could get my wits back.


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## Aythya (Oct 23, 2004)

I never hunt from a boat without wearing a float coat. I have a Stearns model I bought years ago. The benefit of this vs. a life jacket is that the coat provides extra protection against hypothermia.

And while most of the wetlands I hunt are shallow, when I am wading I do wear a life jacket.


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