Missing Hunters

k folkman

k folkman

Well-known member
Unfortunately I'm following a local story here in South Jersey about missing hunters. The latest news reported one hunter found dead along with their overturned boat. The two others are still missing. Aparently they went goose hunting late Saturday and never returned spawning a search by local agencies along with the Coast Guard. Lets hope that the others found safety and are waiting for rescue. The weather turned yesterday with high winds and temps in the teens. Keep them and their families in your thoughts. Kevin
 
As a hunter and ex-Coasty it makes my heart drop hearing about this kind of stuff. I've seen this scenerio played out to many times. I'll be praying for those guys. Its amazing how much of a difference a PFD can make even if the water is cold. Keep us posted
 
Hi Kevin,
Yes, this is a sad story. I saw a picture of the boat, and it looked like a few orange life jackets had spilled out...
They must have been hunting snows, because from the look of where they were found, they would have been "outside" the winter Canada zone. Bridgeton and Fairfield Township are just East of Carmel Rd./49 right?
Prayers are with them.
Dave
 
Thanks for posting that. Do you have any information on the make and model of the boat?? Plese let us know how this comes out.
 
Hi All,
Here's the photo i mentioned.
http://cbs3.com/local/Hunters.Missing.Coast.2.650866.html

Lookd like a very old (tumblehome stern) sturdy riveted AL boat.

I have mixed feelings about those orange around-the-neck life jackets. No hunter in his right mind would wear one, so they are never used. I threw mine away and bought jackets that real people would wear.

Buy a life jacket that feels good to wear!!
You are more likely to have it on when you need it.
 
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Link did not work. I hope someone can give us some good news on this, their families must be really feeling it. How many were in the party hunting?
 
As of Tuesday morning the two are still missing. The search will comence this morning with sonar equiptment. I purchased a wearable life vest about five years ago and wear it always. I never wore one before that and consider myself lucky. It appears that these guys were rowing a 12'er. "Three guys in a 12"er, and rowing at that." The news reports have their ages listed at 45, 59 and 69 years. It just does'nt sound like something that experienced hunters would do. God bless them and their families. Kevin
 
It's a sad situation. Search effort have now turned to recovery efforts. The Delawre bay( or any area of big water) can be a cruel mistress. The area they were in had a high flood tide on Sat. then a brutal NW wind Sun and a blowout tide. Most likely after they got in trouble had no way to get back to the landing.
 
David, your right about those older bulky lifejackets that people drag around since they were a kid and never wear. A comfortable lifejacket is one that you will wear, I have am old mustang lifejacket that fits me like a glove that I've been wearing since the 90's, but it's time for a new one because the color has faded. Does anyone wear floater coats while hunting, I've been considering one.

Bill G.
NB, Can
 
This is a horrible story that you hate to hear about. I take slack from my girlfriend every weekend when I hunt from the boat by myself. I wear the mustang survival coat. I have a friend that wears an old suit that swears by it; that is why we started to sell them.

www.classicbarnegat.com
 
I hear ya Dave. My wife hates when I go by myself, which is most of the time. I always leave my launch location as well as my intended hunting spot in writing for my wife as well as the name and # of someone who knows the spot. This may not save me if things go bad early but if I'm stuck somewhere waiting for rescue it just may. We need to prepare ourselves as if we will be there for a while. And always wear a PFD!!!
Kevin
 
you should have them in your boat....wear the ones that are comfortable and camo'ed and allow you to shoot with them on because otherwise you won't have them on if you need them in one of those, "oh crap!!! how in the heck did I get in the water"? situations......

But in those situations where you have TIME to get prepared to spend some time in the water, or you swamp and can still get to them then PUT THEM ON....the Coast Guard REQUIRES that type of life jacket on any boat operated by a Guide. They don't do that just to take up space in your boat....they do it because they have more buoyancy, they keep your head outof the water, they keep you face up, and will roll you that way if you can't, and they are highly visible.....

Personally I wear an inflatable horsecollar, and often forget that I have it on its so wearer friendly...but if I was "in the water and expected to spend some time there while hoping to be rescued I'd sure hope that tI had had the time to get that big ugly orange horseshoe out of the drybox before I found myself in the water.....go in the water once in one of the "wearer friendly" vests and spend any time there and you'll believe me....

Steve
 
This is a horrible story that you hate to hear about. I take slack from my girlfriend every weekend when I hunt from the boat by myself. I wear the mustang survival coat. I have a friend that wears an old suit that swears by it; that is why we started to sell them.

www.classicbarnegat.com
Click to expand...

Do these jackets just float you or do they have some sort of system for keeping you warm?
 
This is a horrible story that you hate to hear about. I take slack from my girlfriend every weekend when I hunt from the boat by myself. I wear the mustang survival coat. I have a friend that wears an old suit that swears by it; that is why we started to sell them.

www.classicbarnegat.com
Click to expand...

Do these jackets just float you or do they have some sort of system for keeping you warm?
Click to expand...


The Mustang coats float you and keep you very high in the water (= warmer). With a pair of waters adn a float coat you draft maybe 3" and float horizontal.

I'm never without my float coat and wear it 100% of the time when alone.
 
I'm with Steve on this one, and it got me out of trouble this season. I wear an inflatable horse collar and keep two zip up sport type vests on board in the open and a throwable and orange horse collar under the bow. I got checked by the warden this season when in the process of pulling my rig for the morning. I had two guests along ( I NEVER hunt three in my TDB, just a strange circumstance) when we got checked. Because of the atypical conditions I forgot to put my PFD back on. They each grabbed the sport vests and I held up my inflatable when asked to show them. I was reminded that the inflatable only counts WHEN WORN! So, I reached under the bow and produced the throwable first, still didn't count and then pulled out the old econo orange horse collar and avoided a fine. For someone who normally hunts alone five PFDs sounds like alot but it was needed that day! I have on occasion removed a vest or two at the ramp to make more room. But as a rule I STORE them in the boat. I'd rather forget to take them out when alone than forget to bring them when needed. On another note, when fishing with my father in-law this summer we were checked by the coast guard and "reminded" that PFDs in the original plastic packaging don't count either. You must be able to put them on unimpeded. He has his captain's license and spent years in the C.G. auxilary, so we all need a reminder now and again! The ones in question were the same econo orange collars kept in the dry box as extras so no fine this time. He and I both have offshore vests with whistle, flasher beacon, glow stick and radio fastened on them for when fishing. We've even been known to put them on a time or two when things got a little rough.

Bottom line is you must have equipment you can and will use. Also remember, we have to be there for each other. Don't forget the throwable just because it isn't required when under 16'. As horrible as this story is... What would you have been able to do if you came on the scene while hunting when there was still time to do something? I can't think of anything worse than being in a position to help and not being able to do so.

Gene Jr.
 
OK, so I agree that the orange horse collars keep you out of trouble with the law (always recommended), but you will never see a rescued hunter wearing one.

Here's the link to Mustang:
http://www.mustangsurvival.com/

I also have a type IV seat cushion and a75FT throw bag with carabiner. Just clip the seat cushion to the rope bag and toss (be sure and secure the loose end of the rope, so you don't throw the whole works out the boat - you'd look like my wife when we go crabbing...she throws the whole thing out the boat..).
 
I have those orange, over the head horseshoes in my hunting cabinet from days long gone when I would take people with me in a 12' v-hull. For some reason I can't seem to bring myself to get rid of them. Why is that?
 
I think it is a good thing to talk a little about winter hunting planning. We should prob. do more of it. I think the life vest is just the start if you hunt in water that is colder than 45 deg..
The vest will do one thing. Keep you floating and that is good. But if I had all you guys come to New England right now and we did a planning drill, the first thing I would have you do is head out to the water and have you jump in with your gear. My point....how is it working now that you are in 35 deg. water and you are going to have to figure this out? You have 35 to 45 min of mobility and 2 hrs of survival time...Start working your plan.
This is the hard thought process that I have been going thru. I can tell you that my waders don't keep water out and feel like a big cold bath when dunked.
I can tell you that my coat system, even wool is not going to be confidence inspiring if totally wet.
I don't have easy answers but I have seen some gear that would make the situation workable and plan on looking at it very hard this off season.
I feel that most of our plans count way too much on the boat not turning over/someone being right there to offer very skilled help in a timely manner.
If you have not looked at this link (Winter Water Safety)I think it will give you something to think about. I recommend watching all three video links. Each will show you some very important cold water survival concepts.

Again, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the men who were hunting. I am sure they were thinking about a great hunt and morning on the marsh when they left the ramp.
 
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