According to Saguache County Search and Rescue, an archery hunter required rescue after getting stabbed by one of his own arrows, thrusting him into a very scary situation.

The hunter was injured while climbing over a downed tree in the northern end of the San Luis Valley near North Decker Creek of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on September 7 at about 11:30 a.m.

As the hunter tackled the obstacle, an arrow was dislodged from his quiver, with the broadhead tip getting pushed into his right calf muscle, becoming fully imbedded.

Thankfully, another hunter was in the area and able to call for help, allowing search and rescue to speak directly to the injured hunter and the bystander.

The medical team immediately directed the hunter not to remove the arrow from his calf, as this could result in uncontrollable bleeding that could result in death. Instead, the hunters were told to apply direct pressure to the wound and stabilize the arrow to keep it from moving.

Two different devices were used to confirm exact GPS coordinates of the hunters, with a description of the terrain also given to search and rescue teams.

A vehicle was used to transport rescuers to within a mile of the hunter’s location, with the crew then able to hike in to find the injured man.

Due to the rugged terrain of the area and a lot of downed timber and still-standing fire-killed trees, a rescue helicopter was unable to find a spot to land close to the hunter, while a litter-carry device to bring the hunter to safety was also determined to be an unfeasible option.

Thankfully, the search and rescue team was able to coordinate with a National Guard Blackhawk helicopter that had hoist capabilities. The hunter was packaged up on-site and hoisted to the helicopter. He was ultimately transported to a Reach Air Medical Helicopter and taken to receive further medical assistance.

The mission was wrapped up by 8 p.m., with search and rescue crews expressing thanks to all of the parties involved in the complicated mission, including the Good Samaritan hunter who was a ‘tremendous’ help, also responsible for calling for help.

This situation goes to show why it’s so important to always have a means of communicating with the outside world while in Colorado’s backcountry via a satellite communication device. Accidents happen, even among those who are very experienced, and in a situation like this where there’s an extreme puncture wound and a risk of bleeding out, the ability to communicate can be a matter of life and death.

If you’re interested in supporting Colorado’s volunteer-powered search and rescue operation, one way to do so is through the purchase of a CORSAR card. It’s cheap, at only $3 per year.

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