A sad situation

TimJ

TimJ

Well-known member
One brother was found dead and another is missing and presumed dead after their boat capsized on Monday near Brookings SD. Tuesday was the last day of the season. It was fairly nice on Monday but the wind came up late. Now with the cold weather it might be spring before the one brothers body is recovered.

http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2016/12/07/hunter-presumed-dead-after-boat-overturns-victims-identified/95084000/

I'll just about bet it was a very small boat. It scares me at times what I'll see hunters going out in. My 14 foot V hull looks huge compared to some boats around here.

Be careful and please use the proper equipment for the situation.

Tim
 
Tim, about this time 2 years ago I put my 14' Lowe into a large local lake. I was feeling a little intimidated by the ice, dark and wind.

The group behind me was three people and 2 dogs loaded into a 15' canoe to paddle 3/4 mile to an island to hunt. They had maybe 4 inches of freeboard on the canoe in small whitecaps and maybe 15 mph wind.

I watched them closely and they made their destination safely. I hope they made it home safely, but they stayed after I quit for the day, so I'll never know.
 
my wife and I were just talking about the subject this past weekend. It had been my last hunt for this year and I left the canoe at home due to high winds, instead i hiked in (a long way in even in those breathable waders).

We talked about the group I have started to hunt with and the safety of having others near by as i get a bit (just a bit) older.

She cringed when I told her about some of the foolish chances I took as a young duck hunter, and I am sure the same is for the younger ones today, I hunted no matter what the conditions and I still remember a couple times I sat for a while when I got back to the vehicle thinking I was glad to have made it out. That does not even count some of the dangerous road conditions I took on at 0 dark thirty to get there in the first place.

Waterfowling is inherently a more dangerous form of hunting than most. Cold water, storm fronts and sudden changes make it so.

But youth is invincible, we were as kids and the elders shook their heads as we do looking at them now. It would be great to be able to talk to them and get the message through- hunting - driving fast, a dozen things we did then we know now was at the least risky.

several years ago near here, a young man was killed driving his dad's Corvette to a football game at another school. Many of his classmates were on the bus he was passing. As they waved at each other he took an unseen truck head on. Someone wrote a letter to the paper expressing the thought that he basically was acting poorly and paid for it . Some woman wrote a wonderfully worded reply which i have since misplaced - but I remember her conclusion - that all kids can do and will do something they should not - and its not the good kids, or the bad kids that survive - its the lucky kids

we should keep trying to teach and should set an example - we lost a family member this year to a momentary lapse in judgement - my heart goes out to these young men's families, eventually they will realize there is no why to explain it
 
A sad situation indeed....If one's spent many years duck hunting, we all probably have some stories to tell and not-so-wise decisions we've made. I know I have. With age comes wisdom, and imparting that on some of the younger generation, as a "caring", not "I know more than you" attitude may be needed. If nothing else, if you see a scary, loaded boat you might mention your concern, and ask if they wear their PFD while underway. (so authorities can find your bodies when you don't return)
Another blessed, safe season behind me.
Louie
 
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