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View Full Version : Deer Season Is Saved!


BOB@BBT
08-10-2004, 07:22 PM
As I mentioned in a couple posts earlier, I really screwed my left knee up while working on a food plot about 3 weeks ago. To make a long story short, I did a stupid thing and was trying to kick the top of a big stump that I cut 99% through and when I put all my weight on my left leg to knock the stump off with a decent kick from my right heel, something gave way and it wasn't the stump. (BTW, I've cut and kicked off literally thousands of stumps and they always come off, but not this time. And I don't suggest it anymore) I don't know if my foot turned around in the sand or what, but my left knee buckled in and then out and I heard several pops or cracks. Needless to say it was really stupid and ironically, my friend Rick was there and was right in the middle of saying "don't do that you'll hurt...". That's the honest truth. He never got to finish his warning before I hit the ground like a sack of sugar beets. Anyways, you can visualize the scene, lots of swearing, pounding the ground with my fist while rolling from side to side, and more swearing. Since then, I missed like 2 weeks of work because the knee swelled up like a volleyball. And without an MRI, the Dr guessed it was torn cartilage. He seems good, he's the supposedly the knee guy for GVSU sports teams. However, I have great news! I got my MRI results today. There was no major damage! It appears that the upper and lower leg bones popping out and back into joint at the knee was that sound I heard. The bones basically torn apart from each other and went back into place. I think it was the femur and the tibia that kinda came apart and popped back and forth. And there was some minor muscle tearing and bleeding. But, he said that's where the severe pain and later severe swelling came from. And trust me, there was pain. Yet, my knee is 10 times better than it was 2 weeks ago, but still only about 75%. But the Dr said he would suggest no surgery of any kind and that I should take it slow and should be 100% in a month or less. DEER SEASON IS SAVED! You can't imagine how silently depressing the thought of scrubbing the whole deer season was, for a stupid mistake that was all my fault. If I needed ACL or other major surgery timed at the end of the big salmon run sales, that would have been around October 15. And then I'd have missed weeks. To those that will miss the season due to an injury, I now understand the funk. You want to put on a strong face for yourself and everyone else, but in reality, it's a really depressing prospect. It's funny how you have to laugh at odd times. About a minute after I hit the ground, Rick started laughing. Of course he had to say "I'm sorry man, but I can't help it, I tried to warn you and you should have seen it." I laughed too, mixed in with more swearing. At least I came up with a name for the field that had eluded us for weeks. As soon as I got up and grabbed Ricks shoulder so I could hobble to the truck, I said "we're calling this place 'wounded knee'". We got a good laugh from that. Anyways, DEER SEASON IS SAVED!

J.T.
08-11-2004, 05:24 AM
That close to missing deer season.............and then the surprise of good news. Knowing how big deer season is for you that must be like a mini near-death experience. I bet the smell of the woods will be just a little bit sweeter this year.

BOB@BBT
08-11-2004, 07:41 AM
I don't know if I was ever actually close, but as the weeks went by and I still couldn't walk right, and I talked to countless guys that had major knee surgery, I started to get bummed. I was suprised to hear how many guys have had major knee surgery. It sounds like that ACL is pretty bad, with like 4-6 month rehab. Now that would kill a season. I dodged a bullet. I still couldn't climb a tree right now, but by Oct 10 I should be just fine.

TheFishingNut
08-11-2004, 08:52 AM
When I wrecked my knee many years ago and had to have my MCL put back together (I went through a window with it and cut the MCL in half) it it took me about 8 weeks to be able to walk something like normal, still limping but at least mobile. I missed a lot because of that particular injury. Good for you that you don't have to miss something you enjoy as much as deer hunting.
Since I already have my own "Wounded Knee" next time I am out on the Pine Farm remind me to AVOID that area.

BOB@BBT
08-11-2004, 01:12 PM
Fishingnut, as you and others know, the evil spirits at the deer camp (AKA Pinefarm) can usually be warded off with a cooler full of icey beer. When the "incident" occured, we had virtually no evil spirit "repellant" with us. We have a rule about no chainsaws and beer. Same with all dangerous activities. Have all the beer you want at camp or slowly 2 tracking within the compound, during the off season. But when the guns, saws or treestands are involved, once the 1st beer is cracked, those activities are over. I feel it's a good, safe and sane rule. Of course, beer is always welcome the very moment all the dangerous activities are over. :)
I hope all camps have similar rules.