Joined Apr 2009
1,562 Posts | 0+
cental Pennsylvania
Well, it finally happened today, I always feared this would happen and thankfully I was quick enough on my feet to escape almost guaranteed death tonight.
It's a long story, but I'll just start by saying everything that could go wrong today did.
I started mid morning to run some bucks in for a buyer through my newly built live loading system. It went horrible right from the start, the bucks just didn't want to leave the corral to go into the alley. So after an hour, one of the two went in, we worked him through the building and went to get buck #2. Buck #2 was having none of it and by then it was getting way to warm so the buyer and I looked at each other and called it off. If we kept pushing, the buck was going to die from heat exhaustion, we are only hour and a half apart so I agreed to let him leave and I could haul buck 2 to him some other day.
Well, an hour after my buyer left I looked in the alley and seen I left a gate pin off, and I wanted to put it back incase the wind blew it open. I had left buck 2 in the corral to be alone and to calm himself before going back with his buddy. Well, when I went back to latch the gate pin, I noticed him laying several feet from the gate. I approached the buck slowly, he is not bottle fed and I figured he would get up and bolt away like lightening. THAT WAS MY MISTAKE TONIGHT. Apparently he had had his fill of me running him aroundd the corral earlier, when I got within about 10 feet the buck jumped up and ran right on to me. He went for my legs with his rack, I immediately felt the pain, but some how in the instant I was able to grab the top of the gate and pull my body up and over the gate. The buck fought my legs the entire time I pulled myself up. He WANTED TO KILL ME AND NOTHING WAS GOING TO STOP HIM! It was one of the most frightening things I experienced. The raw power of the animal was shocking. I thank God for preserving my life, had I not grabbed the gate i would have been gone. I escaped with one deer puncture to the shin, and 7 other scratches and bruises from my thighs to my ankles. Right now it been 9 hours and let me tell you I am feeling it now the soreness and stiffness is setting in. I hope I can walk ok tomorrow. I didn't see any injury worth going to the ER for, but if I see swelling and more bruising tomorrow I may go in.
I know many things I did wrong today, the number one thing was just assuming this wouldn't happen. It can and does happen this time of year with bucks. Please let my story remind us all to be extra safe, for our families sake. The last thing I want is for my family to walk in and find me gored to death in my own pens. This stuff can be avoided.
It's a long story, but I'll just start by saying everything that could go wrong today did.
I started mid morning to run some bucks in for a buyer through my newly built live loading system. It went horrible right from the start, the bucks just didn't want to leave the corral to go into the alley. So after an hour, one of the two went in, we worked him through the building and went to get buck #2. Buck #2 was having none of it and by then it was getting way to warm so the buyer and I looked at each other and called it off. If we kept pushing, the buck was going to die from heat exhaustion, we are only hour and a half apart so I agreed to let him leave and I could haul buck 2 to him some other day.
Well, an hour after my buyer left I looked in the alley and seen I left a gate pin off, and I wanted to put it back incase the wind blew it open. I had left buck 2 in the corral to be alone and to calm himself before going back with his buddy. Well, when I went back to latch the gate pin, I noticed him laying several feet from the gate. I approached the buck slowly, he is not bottle fed and I figured he would get up and bolt away like lightening. THAT WAS MY MISTAKE TONIGHT. Apparently he had had his fill of me running him aroundd the corral earlier, when I got within about 10 feet the buck jumped up and ran right on to me. He went for my legs with his rack, I immediately felt the pain, but some how in the instant I was able to grab the top of the gate and pull my body up and over the gate. The buck fought my legs the entire time I pulled myself up. He WANTED TO KILL ME AND NOTHING WAS GOING TO STOP HIM! It was one of the most frightening things I experienced. The raw power of the animal was shocking. I thank God for preserving my life, had I not grabbed the gate i would have been gone. I escaped with one deer puncture to the shin, and 7 other scratches and bruises from my thighs to my ankles. Right now it been 9 hours and let me tell you I am feeling it now the soreness and stiffness is setting in. I hope I can walk ok tomorrow. I didn't see any injury worth going to the ER for, but if I see swelling and more bruising tomorrow I may go in.
I know many things I did wrong today, the number one thing was just assuming this wouldn't happen. It can and does happen this time of year with bucks. Please let my story remind us all to be extra safe, for our families sake. The last thing I want is for my family to walk in and find me gored to death in my own pens. This stuff can be avoided.
