Stay safe out there chaps!

[Hayduke]

Don't use Celox on eyeball

Or a stomach wound, end up losing the bowl and needing a bag!

 

[Olaf]

The animal was so close to being dead that it took me a while to realise it was still alive. I think it would probably have satisfied your definition of "totally incapacitated". Yes, I'm wishing now that I'd simply put a bullet in, but at the time I was thinking I didn't want to ruin my chances for the rest of the morning just for the sake of an animal that was already 7/8 dead.
We live and learn!
View attachment 397986

Im sorry to hear of your hand injury, they can take a while to heal. I’ve once almost completely severed an Index finger from my hand and had my whole arm in plaster for about 3 months after the surgery. I got to keep the finger though and it’s still pretty handy.
What’s with the deers eye ?
I hope you recover and get better soon .
Kindest regards, Olaf

 

[Rasputin]

Bad luck these things happen. Hopefully the plastic surgeon can sort it. I. had need twice for them and both times the outcome has been excellent minimal scarring hopefully yours goes well.

 

[AndrewT059]

wishing you a speedy recovery

 

[Loki]

Hi VSS

Sorry to read of your unexpected/unplanned incident, but good to read you are being 'mended'.

Hope the repair and subsequent R&R goes well and to plan.

L

 

[Klenchblaize]

As the Op is set to be incapacitated for a while, it's the perfect opportunity to wack in a Variation for one of these wholly safe alternatives to a knife in the neck dispatch:

K

 

[63]

Agreed, training is key, equipment to some extent secondary. The problem is FAW courses generally deal with treating casualties, not yourself (haven't yet done a + forestry so they may cover it?)
Oddly, having been 1st aid trained for the last 30 + years, it was only on a scouts 6hr course last year (the shortest I've done) that catastrophic blood loss was covered (only as an aside to the main syllabus) the trainer emphasised "if you carry the kit, practice with it on yourself so you can use it all on yourself with either hand"
He came from a police / firearms background.
P.s. in general scouts aren't too dangerous!

I’ve found the same - ‘civilian’ first aid courses rarely cover catastrophic bleeding, and in my experience are pretty poor on a number of other areas too. I have a suspicion that many first aid instructors have little practical experience to draw from - I did once do a mountaineering first aid course taught by a retired paramedic that was significantly better than all the FAAW type courses I’ve done.

I am by no means medical, but I have had to give first aid to severe trauma victims several times, including a gunshot victim. For what it’s worth, the lessons I took from this are:

1. Don’t worry about the damage tourniquets will do, that’s a surgeons problem. Stop the bleed.

2. The military CAT tourniquets are easy to self apply (literally hundreds of soldiers in the US and UK military have self applied them to traumatic amputations and stopped the bleeding) BUT you have to set them up right. Thread them through one hole so they just need pulling tight, and have a go in your boots etc. Especially have a couple of goes with your weak hand onto the other arm and both legs. Make sure you store it in a pocket you can reach with either hand.

3. People with severe trauma may try and fight you off or get up and walk away, due to shock. The motorcyclist I treated had an extra right angle in one leg (amongst other things) and I had to hold him down in a wresting lock to stop him trying to stand up. It was a complete surprise as up to that point I’d only done first aid courses where your compliant partner flops around while you treat them. I have never heard an instructor mention that this is (paramedics tell me) quite common casualty behaviour.

4. CPR is surprisingly exhausting, even when you’re 27 and super fit. I’d probably die too now.

5. ‘Israeli’ bandages and Celox gauze are good, but you do need to take some instruction on using them, or at least watch a few YouTube videos and then practice to build some tactile memory. Stuffing a wound with celox properly is likely to be horrifically painful for the casualty and therefore requires a bit of chutzpah on the part of the first aider to actually do properly.

6. Elevating a limb injury (as in this case) as far above the heart as possible, whilst still applying pressure, makes more difference than you’d think.

 

[Trickyd66]

I’ve found the same - ‘civilian’ first aid courses rarely cover catastrophic bleeding, and in my experience are pretty poor on a number of other areas too. I have a suspicion that many first aid instructors have little practical experience to draw from - I did once do a mountaineering first aid course taught by a retired paramedic that was significantly better than all the FAAW type courses I’ve done.

I am by no means medical, but I have had to give first aid to severe trauma victims several times, including a gunshot victim. For what it’s worth, the lessons I took from this are:

1. Don’t worry about the damage tourniquets will do, that’s a surgeons problem. Stop the bleed.

2. The military CAT tourniquets are easy to self apply (literally hundreds of soldiers in the US and UK military have self applied them to traumatic amputations and stopped the bleeding) BUT you have to set them up right. Thread them through one hole so they just need pulling tight, and have a go in your boots etc. Especially have a couple of goes with your weak hand onto the other arm and both legs. Make sure you store it in a pocket you can reach with either hand.

3. People with severe trauma may try and fight you off or get up and walk away, due to shock. The motorcyclist I treated had an extra right angle in one leg (amongst other things) and I had to hold him down in a wresting lock to stop him trying to stand up. It was a complete surprise as up to that point I’d only done first aid courses where your compliant partner flops around while you treat them. I have never heard an instructor mention that this is (paramedics tell me) quite common casualty behaviour.

4. CPR is surprisingly exhausting, even when you’re 27 and super fit. I’d probably die too now.

5. ‘Israeli’ bandages and Celox gauze are good, but you do need to take some instruction on using them, or at least watch a few YouTube videos and then practice to build some tactile memory. Stuffing a wound with celox properly is likely to be horrifically painful for the casualty and therefore requires a bit of chutzpah on the part of the first aider to actually do properly.

6. Elevating a limb injury (as in this case) as far above the heart as possible, whilst still applying pressure, makes more difference than you’d think.

Not that I've had to do it, would think it takes some strength of mind to apply your own tourniquet or stuff your own wound with celox. Trainer pretty much said if you're not screaming more from applying the TQ than the injury, it isn't going to work.

 

[willowbank]

WTF too many pages to read, hope you’re ok fella

WB

 

[Will the chippy]

Not that I've had to do it, would think it takes some strength of mind to apply your own tourniquet or stuff your own wound with celox. Trainer pretty much said if you're not screaming more from applying the TQ than the injury, it isn't going to work.

My trainer said if it’s not hurtin it’s still squirtin. And you’ve got less than 4mins to do it. Don’t keep your first aid kit in your truck, you could be dead before you get to use it.

 

[justmike]

Glad you're alright, and something we should all consider!

 

[Dickie]

You are a silly Sod . I guess my "to do" list will be even longer than usual when I'm home in a few days!

First job sharpen the knife after cutting that old hide it must be quite dull now.
Second convince dad a sound moderator would allow a quiet dispatch and thus not spoiling the mornings stalking opportunities and the stalker remains intact.
Cheers

 

[hendrix's rifle]

Not that I've had to do it, would think it takes some strength of mind to apply your own tourniquet or stuff your own wound with celox. Trainer pretty much said if you're not screaming more from applying the TQ than the injury, it isn't going to work.

The reality is, unless you have an extremely high pain threshold, you probably aren't going to get there tourniquet tight enough to stem an arterial bleed.

We all cut corners but given what we do, it would probably be wise not to... I'm frequently without phone signal so there's another issue. If you've got an arterial bleed, no signal and miles from civilisation, you're probably fooked.

@Kjf changed my mind on risks while stalking a little while ago, probably without realising it. He Shot a deer, fell in a ravine. Said no point getting it because you'd probably break a leg. I'd have climbed down without thinking about it. I've got quite a bit of first aid training/trauma training so should really know better

 

[Selous]

Tourniquets are for an uncontrollable bleed, a last resort. If you can stop the bleeding with pressure then do so. The tourniquet may cost you your limb below the tourniquet which is preferable to losing your life but they are not for general use.

 

[63]

Not that I've had to do it, would think it takes some strength of mind to apply your own tourniquet or stuff your own wound with celox. Trainer pretty much said if you're not screaming more from applying the TQ than the injury, it isn't going to work.

I’ve not done celox but while tourniquets certainly look unpleasant, self applications happened frequently in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bear in mind they would have mostly been done by 18-22 year old infantrymen rather than SAS type super soldiers.

I see this as a positive that it is perfectly possible with a bit of grit.

 

[Trickyd66]

I’ve not done celox but while tourniquets certainly look unpleasant, self applications happened frequently in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bear in mind they would have mostly been done by 18-22 year old infantrymen rather than SAS type super soldiers.

I see this as a positive that it is perfectly possible with a bit of grit.

Not served myself, but have plenty of friends who do / have. By the time they have hit active duty they have it ingrained to stay alive at all costs (special forces or not)
I dont think one can really compare the willpower and mentality of Joe public stalker to anyone who has served. (With the possible exception of a farmer)

 

[SCB]

Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery. Glad you are ok.
SCB

 

[63]

Not served myself, but have plenty of friends who do / have. By the time they have hit active duty they have it ingrained to stay alive at all costs (special forces or not)
I dont think one can really compare the willpower and mentality of Joe public stalker to anyone who has served. (With the possible exception of a farmer)

I did 17 years, hence the practical experience of first aid. Whilst I appreciate the sentiment, I think you are giving the lads far too much credit and the average ‘joe stalker’ far too little.

 

[coire lochan]

Sorry to hear of your accident Tim, hope you have a speedy enough recovery.
Have a nice Xmas and new year to you, Mouse and family.

 

[Deermanagement]

Going to stop complaining about bashing my left hand thumb (right-hander, just before I set off stalking a week and a half ago . Might have fractured the end and it’s in a made up, toilet roll protector most of the time. Shot with the injury but managed a nice sika calf and fallow maiden doe with the bonus of having a colleague along to help sort and process.
Nothing like your excitement but understand how you feel
You’ll hopefully get sorted and back to work asap