Up at 4:30a.m. and in the woods, parking the truck just before 6a.m. We got our individual gear together, loaded up and headed out.
I hadn't taken ten steps from the truck when all of a sudden, my feet went out from under me and I hit the ground in a full frontal position, very hard.
As I lay there on the two-track, hunting partner Bill Semion, who was walking with me said "Roger, are you all right?" He asked the same thing two or three more times until I was able to say give me a minute.
I knew right away I had injured my right knee. I began to hurt very quickly. My shotgun had been on a sling over my shoulder. The fall forced it loose. It hit the ground three or four feet ahead of me.
I finally figured not too much got hurt, rolled over onto my side and stood up. The knee really began to hurt at this point.
Incidentally, I've had both knees completely replaced. I've fallen on them before skiing, ice fishing or like this trip, slipping on ice.
My orthopedic surgeon, Jeffrey DeClaire told me I would have to hit the knee as hard as I could with a ball peen hammer to damage it and then it would be a matter of removing some screws, taking the damaged part out and replacing it.
I stayed in my stand until 11a.m. At that time we left the woods and return to the warmth of the cabin and some soup.
I packed up to head home. The knee had swollen quite a bit by then. At home I began icing it right away which relieved the pain.
Today I went to Urgent Care. They made a movement limiting cast, instructing me to take it easy for a week or so. Moving on the leg caused more swelling.
I see the surgeon tomorrow just to double check that all the parts are in place. Hunting season could be over for me.
If you're still out in the woods, be aware of packed snow on some of the two-tracks that has become slippery.
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