Closecall with almost drowing

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Paul Dobrosky

Active member
Hi Guys One of my bad experences , going agnist my cardnel rule never gun alone in severe weather conditions temp below frezing a lot of ice on the river strong nw wind etc . this close call happend in mid jan.being i was a salesman on the road daily i had the chance to gun when i wanted to being an experence gunner when weather conditions are right such as this dayi always take the day off to gun. i could not find anyone to gun with this day,but i felt i new where there was some open water and glased the river before i decided to go ,ducks were pouring into this open water as the tide started to fall, i knew i couldent pass this up.for there is not that many days like this during the hunting season.All the ramps were iced in ,but i had one honey hole i could get out of without breaking a lot of thick ice ahead of me . precided to go there and launch there, had about 100 yrds of ice to break to get to the main chanel which only had drift ice flowing. i saw where all the birds you dropping into this narrow slew way, i chased out over 100 ducks out my mouth started to water & said to myself this is going to be a great shoot & precided to go there after breaking some ice to make a larger landing area & put out a dozen puddle duck decoys,over blacks, weigon, gadwall, i had to secure my barnagat sneak box.


to the side of the bank with two stackes i stuck in the side of the bank, got settled in & here they started to come back, it was like having a turkey shoot.other then moving the boat to get the downed birds.all i needed was two black ducks to fill my limit.as the tide fell my boat started to tilt to one side where i thought i was going to fall out , so while in the boat i tried to remove the stakes from the side of the embankment but could only get one out from the boat , i had to crawl up on the bank to try & pull the other one out ,well that where everything started to take a turn for the worst,as i tried to with both hands pull out the other stake the bank under my feet let loose & down i went between the bank & the boat over my waderes the boat sprung away i was able to grab onto the motor lower unit,& started to drift with the strong current down the river ,the water was to deep for me to get back in the boat ,but thank there was a sand bar about 50 yrds. a head of me which the boat was headed for ,thank god i reached it & was ABLE TO TOUCH BOTTOM & CLIME BACK IN THE BOAT FREEZING MY AASS OFF & START THE MOTOR & HEAD BACK WHERE I HAD MY CAR & TRAILER.ANCHORED THE BOAT UP TO THE BEACH WHERE HAD I LAUNCHED,LOOKED UP AT THE SKY & THANKED THE LORD FOR WATCHING OVER ME . FROM THERE PRECEIDED TO RIDE HOME CHANGE CLOTHES . & SAID I HAD TO GO BACK & GET MY BOAT & SEE IF I COULD FIND MY DOZEN DECOYS. WELL AFTER RIDING DOWN THE CHANEL I WAS able to find 8 of the 12 & chaulked up the rest . who ever found them later on in the season never called me to return them,even though i had my name burnt in the bottom, they were cork & hollow ceder. I feell very lucky to be writing this story. I hope you all learned something from this true story.
 
Definitely scary time.
Youch.
That Lords watches over us dummy duck hunters.
Been in a couple situations that could have gone really bad.
Lou
 
Paul I understand that feeling completely. Years ago as a much younger man I got my baptism with a close call of my own. One beautiful fall afternoon I decided to do a little river bank stalk on the upper end of my home river. That far north it meanders thru the swamp and is only about 30 yds. wide but depth is well over my head just about everywhere. Was going to try and jump shoot woodies in the little pockets and drainages that flow from river swamp into main channel. Had hip boots on as stalk was mostly thru swamp edge . Well first birds I jumped I couldn't get a shot off but they just sailed down river and pitched into next little cove. This time I was ready and got within gun range of my double when they took flight thru the trees. Now this was back during lead shot days and the sixes found their mark from both barrels but birds fell in river channel. Forgot to mention earlier but this far up the river on surface there is always an outgoing flow and those two birds were slowly drifting away about 15 yds. from the bank. That was about the time I noticed I hadn't quite planned for this. Best I could do was follow the drifting birds down river edge and hope something would steer them towards my bank. Well just so happens down stream there was a fairly large tree fallen completely across river right at water level and both birds hung up mid channel. I being young and well balanced thought it would be no problem to walk that tree across river and retrieve my birds. I Left my gun on the bank and gingerly crept out to the birds. Squatted down to pick them up and very quickly I found my self overboard up to my waist with the current pulling me under the tree from the weight of water in my boots. Couldn't touch bottom so only thing I could do was fight my way back down trunk hand over hand until finally touched bottom at bank. Once I got out of water and dumped boots I realized just how lucky I was to not have drowned. Needless to say I didn't make another try for the birds and took my soaked behind back to the trk! Also saved the jump shooting on upper river to 2 people in a canoe, much easier ! Been over my chest waders several times in the ensuing years but always felt bottom before I was over my head. Been lucky I guess but theres no feeling like the feeling you get when there is no bottom to touch. That's the reason I've remembered it so vividly.
 

Well Paul,
I remember hearing that one from you loooong ago! it made an impact as we gun those same places. I have shared with my son Ryan many times - Do not step off... do not assume the ice is... the boat is only good for... And Pray he never has to find out for himself! Thanks for sharing, Hope you are doing well.

Randy
 
Scary stuff Paul. After falling out of my boat trying to retrieve a small mouth fly I was like you-in the river current hanging on to the boat. After that I made a rope ladder with wooden rungs just for that situation. It stays clipped to the inside of the boat at the stern. I can reach it if I'm in the water. Flip it over and I'm able to climb in no matter how deep the water. Glad your story had a happy ending.
 
Good morning, Paul~


Great tale - and glad you survived to share it.


Although I have never truly feared for my life when gunning, I will someday write my tale of falling through the ice a quarter-mile offshore - whilst dragging my Ice Scooter over 2 fathoms of Great South Bay. The air was 2 above and I clambered back into the cockpit post haste.


The experience was aggravated by a few key pieces of neglected equipment. I spent the rest of the day repairing the stool rack and the scooter hook/pike pole. I had kedged my way back to terra firma - via a Danforth with 6 feet of chain no less. One thing that helped was heavy woolen pants and sweater. I never got chilled to the bone - working too hard - but, I still recall my canvas outer pants standing up on their own - frozen solid - when I got back home and disrobed (mostly) by the back door.


The Big Lessons:



1) Keep all gunning equipment in top shape at all times.



2) Always have a Plan B.


3) Use your noggin' and embrace Plan B when something fails.


All the best,


SJS











 
While I was in college and still indestructible I went hunting with buddy of mine in the week between Christmas and New Years in '91 or '92 I think. Air temp was was 25, wind was 30 knots from the west and the creek from the landing was frozen up. We still went out in my 12 foot tin can with my 6hp Johnson. I guess we had the good sense not to get to far from the ramp. Just after daylight my buddy dropped a bird so I grabbed my Mossberg 500 pump, jumped in the boat and rowed out to retrieve. The wind had blown the duck to the opposite side of the creek and as I leaned to retrieve it a gust blow the boat over with me underneath. Fortunately I was in only in shoulder deep water and was able to push the boat off me. Standing on the wrong side on the creek and soaked I was able to pull the boat to me and dump most of the slush out but not enough to try the row back. My buddy left to find a way back to the ramp. A little while later a clammer came along retrieved my cork decoys and towed me back in.

When I told my Dad I still had to figure out what the duck was he very dryly said "whatever it is it wasn't worth it". I went back 3 days later to try and find my gun. Mossberg was sitting in 6 inches of water. Still have the gun, the motor and a bit more common sense.
 
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