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*Record scratch* *freeze frame* You're probably wondering how I got into this situation.
A deer hunter was rescued from a tree in Tyler County after being stuck upside down and 18 feet up for over an hour on Monday (October 31), the Tyler County Sheriff's Office told KFDM. The hunter called 911 shortly before 4:30 p.m. and told dispatchers he needed help getting down from the tree after falling out of his deer climb.
"He was trying to reach his hunting partner but couldn't. He was able to call 911 and we made contact with him. His friend helped us reach the exact location. We had the Spurger Volunteer Fire Department, DPS, Texas Parks and Wildlife on the way, all trying to help," said Deputy Cory LeBlanc. The officer added that the hunter's right foot was wedged in the framework of the climbing stand, which turned out to be a good thing. "He's lucky his phone didn't hit the ground. He'd been hanging long enough that his fluids and blood were rushing to his head. He'd been hanging an hour and a half," LeBlanc said. He was brought down at about 5:30 p.m.
The hunter said his phone was in his mouth. "I was 18 feet up and my ankle was the only thing that was holding me up. I held my phone in my mouth. I knew if I dropped this, I'll die," he said.
Thankfully, the man was rescued safely and didn't need treatment, although an ambulance was ready nearby.
The sheriff's office is offering the following advice to any hunters: Use a harness.
General Hunting Season in Texas begins this weekend on November 6 through January 16, 2023.