3 Shot Rule

One of our readers passed along this story posted on CharlestonFishing.com in an effort to remind folks to be alert for 3 shots signaling a hunter in trouble. As these cooler temperatures bring even more hunters into the woods, be careful out there! And listen for 3 shots!

Well, got up at the crack of "what am I doing up this early" and headed up to the forest to try and kill some meat for the freezer. Started my way out along a field with barely enough light to see, get about 500 yds. and hear 3 shots in a row, hmmmm, first thought is, how on earth can someone even see to shoot? Stand there a few minutes thinkin bout it and again 3 shots ring out in a row. Bingo, someones in trouble I think to myself, I start to head to where the shots came from go another 500 yds or so and I fire a shot off then listen, 3 more shots in a row ring out and I take off at a run in that direction(with empty chamber) and come up on a gentleman looking to be about 70 yo laying on the ground with one hand on his rifle and another hand clutching his chest. I come up on him and he is soaking wet from sweat and shivering and can barely speak he is gasping for air so bad. Checked his ABC airway, breathing, circulation and he was gasping for air but breathing, heartbeat felt like it was going fast one min then slow the next and he could hardly speak he was gasping so bad. I pull out cell phone, no service. I'm now about 3/4+ of a mile from truck. Gave him some water from my bottle and stuck a aspirin from my first aid kit on my hip and tried to get him to chew it figuring he had just had a heart attack. I debated for a second or two on leaving him and going for help but decided against it so up over my shoulders in a firemans carry he goes and then he won't let go of his friggin rifle. I keep tellin' him to drop it and finally I have to tug it free from him and leave it there telling him I will come back for it. I get about 100 yds and now I am soaked in sweat and it's about 62 degrees out. I debated leaving my rifle at this point then figured if I had to signal someone else that it would be best off to have it. This guy was pushing 200 lbs if he was an ounce, how I ever carried him that far I have no idea or clue, I guess adrenaline just took over, at one point I stumbled and ended up face down with him on top of me (that's gonna leave a mark). Get him to my truck, in the back seat laying down, still no cell service and proceed to haul butt towards hwy 41, finally got cell service and called 911 and was met by ambulance where they took him, threw him on gurney and took off with him. So here I am standing there soaked in sweat, shaking and I think I finally ran out of adrenaline as my old battered knees finally said enough and dang near had to crawl back into my truck and had to sit there for about 20 mins before I could even drive home. I don't know if he was out there by himself or what, all I could get out of him was that his name is Jerry? maybe Gerald? I threw my card into the ambulance as they were closing the doors in hope that they will call me about his condition. I'm still kind of shaking and scatter brained from it all, it scared the heck out of me thinking bout in on way home. am going back to bed now.

Update: Spoke with his son again this eve. and he has been transferred to hospital in Columbia where they live after being stabilized more where it sounds like they are going to put a stint in. Apparently he has a lot of scar tissue buildup in his heart from a previous heart attack a few years back that is a big concern for them as well as any new scarring from this event. His son was able to go out with some of his Dads friends and find his rifle yesterday.
Thinking more about this I realized I did two things wrong, I should have checked for a medical alert tag on his wrist or around his neck and I did not check to ensure that his rifle was unloaded before leaving it out there. I know sometimes people who carry nitro for a heart condition wear a medical alert bracelet. His son told me he used to carry nitro and have a bracelet but stopped carrying it about a year ago. I'm probably going to go up to cola Saturday to see them, will keep ya'll updated.

And again, thanks for all the kind words everyone, I think I did what most people would have done for their fellow man in the same situation.