01/22/2025
I shared this story the other day but wanted to make it a permanent post.
ALWAYS LEAVE A FLOAT PLAN!
These 2 hunters wives knew to alert authorities when they didn’t return, but they could have been rescued much sooner if they’d had a personal location beacon or satellite messenger. Both can be bought for relatively cheap and with the amount of money that waterfowl hunters spend it is a drop in the bucket.
Great job txgamewardens! Glad everyone made it home safe.
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Last week, after hunting at Bois D'Arc Lake for several days, two experienced duck hunters from Louisiana found themselves in a dire situation. Their mud boat struck a tree around noon and sank, leaving them clinging to trees in 15 feet of cold water.
Concerned they hadn’t heard from their husbands that day, the hunters' wives contacted in Northeast Texas. With darkness falling and temperatures already low, wardens called in Texas Department of Public Safety Aviation, the Fannin County Sheriff's Office and North Texas Municipal Water District staff to help with the search.
Fortunately, the hunters remained calm and resourceful, using wood from the tree they clung to, duck decoys and most of their gear to create a fire in their Yeti cooler for warmth. DPS Aviation was able to spot the flames in the darkness and direct crews to their location. The hunters, who had braved the elements for 13 hours, were immediately rushed to a local hospital for treatment for severe hypothermia.
We are thankful the men lived to hunt another day and thankful for the help of our partner agencies that made it possible. Emergency response is always a team effort. Texas Game Wardens will continue to utilize available resources to respond to calls for service, including engaging with our partners at every turn. Accordingly, we will remain available when our partners need our help, doing our best to ensure the safety of our communities.
