(EP:32) Hunter Rasmussen's Hunting Accident Story And Lessons Learned

In this episode we sit down with Hunter Rasmussen and he recounts his hunting accident story to us. Hopefully, through this podcast we can all walk away learning something a little more about safety and gun handling. Thanks for listening everyone. Enjoy!

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Transcript

Tyce: 0:34

Hey folks, welcome to the bird dog podcast. My name is Tycerics and I'll be the host of this show today. And I got a couple of good friends with me, for this show. And I'm excited to, have them, here with me and also. Our guest, Hunter Rasmussen, who will have him do a little introduction here in a minute. Just a few things, follow us on Instagram at the bird dog podcast. If you have any, questions about dog training or topics you'd like to hear, you can DM us there. You can also follow us at Utah bird dog training. That's our training, um, handle on Instagram. So we put a lot of cool pictures and information up there about training. So if you're looking for help training your dog, you can check us out there and also our websites, the same thing, utahbirddogtraining. com or you can send us a email at the birddogpodcast at gmail. com. Um, something kind of cool. We're going to be doing this coming up here in a couple of weeks, just kind of putting it out there. We're actually going to have a booth at the Western hunting Expo, which is a February 13th, We're going to be in booth 7, 1 0 1. Um, it's kind of a new, uh, it's kind of in a new, um, room area that they've opened up, uh, Hoyt's kind of over there close by us. We're going to have some dogs there. We're going to have, uh, some cool taxidermy, uh, hopefully some cool shirts and hats and stickers and. for those that want to stop by and say hi and talk, uh, dogs and hunting and all that good stuff. So check us out the Western hunting expo. It's a again, February 13th, 14th, Thursday through Sunday. So we'll be up there with the team, um, and, uh, have some dogs there for you guys to pet and say hi. And so drop on in, if you have time. Uh, that'll be fun. We're looking, we're looking forward to that. So, um, Also, if you're looking for an awesome, uh, dog bed, look at Corunda Dog Beds. If you follow the link again in the show notes and you copy that and go in and buy a bed through that, that helps us out. So, if you could help us out with that, that would be awesome. Also, Gunner Kennels. If you're looking for a Gunner Kennel, hit us up. We can help you that, help you with one of those and get one drop shipped. Uh, to your, to your place and, uh, get you a discount on one too. So, um, that's about it right now. I think, uh, we're just going to go ahead and jump into the show here. Um, Josh, do you want to say anything, start us off? Josh, this is your second time on a podcast. Ready for it. He's a, he's a pro now. So, um, no, Josh been grateful to have him on the team, uh, uh, teaching him how to train dogs and he's already a slayer of, of, of the foul. And so we're just getting them to be a, that much better of a dog trainer. And we're grateful for his help around here. And thanks Josh. So six month old pup I'm starting right now. It's been a. It's been a riot. It's been fun. Yep. And then he's getting planning on getting a pup from me too, so. Yep. Black lives, you're gonna have, you're gonna have your hands full, you're gonna have a cho, he's got a little chocolate female. And, uh, tell us about what's the female, your female's name again? Male. Oh, male. Your, your male's a, no, with the female down at the property. No, the one you have is a chocolate. Oh yeah, the property. That's a, is it, it's reddish. Okay. Yeah. I was thinking it was chocolate for some reason. Yeah. That's right. It's B. Yeah. Yeah. Her name is B and I raised her. It's like bred her and I kept one of her pups and then I'm just able to keep her down at work with me. And what are you working on right now? We are working on command with an E collar. Um, we're just E calling E collar conditioning her just because it's, um, she's only been in training process. She's just starting out. And so then hopefully here soon, probably starting next week, we're going to get her in the upland field and shoot in a few birds. Um, just Get her hunting around trying to have just a really positive fun time with her and she's loving it. She's a crackhead. She's crazy She loves birds. Yeah looking good with guns. Oh, yeah, she she went through birding guns great and she loves the birds It's not soon as I pull out a bird. She just goes psycho, but to a day I was working with her With the long lead on here, just getting her comfortable and our work is right next to a, I don't know, a 20 acre lot of corn But there's probably four to five hundred ducks cupped up and she just was locked in just staring at the birds for like five minutes and she was just watching them and I was just working with her and then she kept on looking to the right and I'm like, what are you looking at? And I look over there and there's just a bunch of ducks just cupped in and she just loves it. That's awesome. I mean it makes my day just working her at the end of the day. It's fun. Yeah, especially as a young dog not really even knowing the hunting game if she's already like watching the sky and kind of noticing Things around her that's Oh yeah. That's cool. It's, it's, it's just, it's fun. Yeah. I'm excited to see her progress. We're gonna help Josh get her to those higher levels of, you know, that senior master type level and then, and then he has a little blackmail he is getting from me. That should be awesome that they're just about four weeks sold right now. You gotta check'em out here. Yep. Come see him. Maybe after the podcast. Check'em out. Yeah, they're getting big, they're starting to nibble on food and water and all that stuff, so. It's going to be a busy summer. Yeah, it's going to be busy. You're going to have your hands full on top of work. But, it'll be good. Okay. All right. Well, let's, uh, Hunter, welcome to the podcast, man. Thank you. I'm glad to be here. Yeah. Thanks for taking the time to be here and tell us, tell us your story. So, um, I met Hunter, Josh, how did you guys meet? I guess we should We went to high school together. Oh, you did? Okay. And, um Did you guys hang out? Were you same grade or different grades? No, Josh is, Josh is a couple years younger than me. Yeah. I graduated in 2021, so I'm 21. Okay. So And he, um Wrestled with Tate, and so he knew Tate probably better than he knew me, but you know, me and Tate are best friends. Yeah, and I played baseball with his brother in law, too, Andrew. Oh, okay. Yeah. So you guys are just kind of tied together through school and common friends and stuff like that, too. I feel like we started talking more after I got home from my mission. Uh huh. And, uh, Where'd you serve your mission at? Arizona. Arizona, okay. English speaking? Spanish, actually. Spanish, okay. So, I was in the mountains of Arizona for about a year and then the valley for about a year as well. And it's crazy, the elk up there are nuts. I don't know if you've heard of like, Arizona elk hunting? Crazy. Some of the biggest bulls I've ever seen in my life. We're just in person in town, just chilling in people's yards. Yeah. It's crazy. I want to go there. I want to hunt. I haven't started putting in for points in Arizona. That's one state I haven't, I need to start putting in. But I gather a lot of times too, like it's really not that hard of like hiking. No. Like it's kind of roly poly flat stuff or whatever. It's weird because you go from the valley. Or like canyons maybe. Right. You go, you go from the valley of Arizona and then you take. I mean, there's one kind of main highway. There's a bunch of different places you can go. There's one main highway you go up past what's called the Mongolian Rim. It's in Payson, Arizona. And then as soon as you get past that, like It's pretty much just flat and it's kind of like you said like rolling hills and kind of bigger hills But it's like one big plateau for a long ways And there's and I heard it's super thick though. It is really really thick It's pretty thick in some areas you get those big tall I can't I can't remember what kind of birds are called now, but they drop they drop all their needles every year. They're weird Hmm, and so I remember that was some way to do it is They're, they're a certain kind of pine tree. I can't remember what they're called now, but they still lose their needles. I didn't know we had, I didn't know we had any of those in like the lower 48. I know. So, no, I'm, I'm glad to be here on the podcast. I mean, I think I started following you guys not too long ago. Oh cool. Before, before I came hunting with you guys. Yeah. Cuz I was interested cuz I got a drought horror and a And a short hair. Okay. Yeah. So I, I love my dogs too. My, my dogs are awesome. Like I was saying, um, I open her waterfowl. They come with me when I shed her. Yeah. They do everything with me. So that's, that's the way to do it. Yeah. Awesome. I met Hunter. Um, yeah, we had a, we were hunting that cornfield Josh talking about on the property that we, that we lease and, and Hunter came out and it was pretty fast and furious. I don't have a lot of time. It was like my friend Hunter. I'm like, Hey, yeah. We jumped in our blinds and we killed ducks and then we all got pictures and left. And it was kind of, uh, we had to get back to life. So, but something different about Hunter is he is missing one leg and, uh, he has a story behind it that I have. Not heard yet. And, um, I'm excited to, to hear about it and hopefully we can learn from it and, uh, and kind of go and go from there. So tell us first about your dogs though. Have you been a dog guy your whole life? Yeah, I mean, my dad, my dad's always had dogs growing up ever since I can remember. We've always had a hunting dog, upland and waterfowl guy or just both mostly we've mostly done upland. I feel like I've really hunted. Um, waterfowl more the last three or four years than I have any other time in my life. But, um, upland for sure. I mean, we love chukar and pheasant hunting for sure. And grouse. Do you have one that's your favorite or, or, or? If we can get into the chukar, I love chukar hunting. Yeah. But they're just, you know how they are. Chukar are hard. People swear a lot at those birds. Oh my gosh, man. I used to be a chucker nut all through high school, and if I had any day, I was chucker hunting, so. It's the worst when you, when you, when you bust a covey on accident, and then they fly across the canyon and you hear them giggling at you. Like, screw you. Yeah. You know, and you're like, oh. Those singles they make like this, wee, wee. It's like almost like, yeah, they're like laughing or something. I call them giggle chickens because they just laugh at you when you, when you miss them. And then it just makes you more frustrated and you want to go kill them. Chucker are fun. It's hard when you get places that you get hit a lot because they get jumpy, but if you find a pocket where They've been hit very hard or They're so fun if they're not educated. Oh, yeah, you can really beat them up like a dog They just, you break that covey up and they're holding tight. You know, you can just, you get those singles and doubles and Really hit them hard. We used to call them mother chuckers Mother chuckers We didn't swear, but we called them mother chuckers Mother chuckers Those mother chuckers, man Get you every time. Yeah, so, I've always, I've always done that growing up. It's been my favorite thing. I feel like, you know, after the big game hunting is over, we spend every weekend, November, December, you know, doing that. So, it's been a core memory for sure. Yeah, I'll, I'll share my story. I, this story is pretty crazy actually. I mean, the more, the more I tell it, I'm like, the more I'm like, Ah, it's a pretty crazy story, so. I mean, like I said, growing up has always been a passion of mine. Hunting, my parents named me hunter. I feel like it's just ingrained in the person that I am, which is kind of crazy. Yeah, it's just, it just is not all your name, but just, yeah, that's cool. Like, I mean, ever since I can remember, we, like I said, I was telling you before we hopped on the podcast, we hunt with horses and my parents threw me on a horse at three years old and gave me the reins and so. Your dad just dragged you along on all the hunts? Yeah, on all the hunts. He took me. Is your mom hunt or just your dad? She used to go with us a lot until, you know, she had my siblings. She still goes with us every once in a while, but I think she'd rather prefer to stay at the cabin and chill out. Yeah. Which is okay. Sure. She loves doing that. That's as long as she likes doing that. But yeah, I mean, ever since I can remember I've been doing it. So then I got into high school. I played sports. I played three sports. So I was baseball, football, wrestling. I didn't feel like I had as much time to hunt as I would have liked. Yeah. Which it is what it is. I knew there was going to be a point in my life where I could hunt more. So then, you know, the time came where I decided to, did you have a favorite sport? Baseball, baseball and football, um, were probably my, my favorites, but I feel like wrestling taught me a lot about life. Yeah. Like I learned a lot from wrestling. I think it's tough. One on one, man. Like it's bad. I'd put my boy in it and I was like. You know, I didn't wrestle, but man, he was wrestling and he's going out, you know, he's 10 years old and having to scrap it down to another kid. It's like, there's only one winner, you know, it's like, it's a battle. It's kind of, it's kind of a little scary sport, a little bit, I guess you could say, you know, tough sport. I feel like I would have liked it more if I didn't have to cut like weight every year, but I decided to cut weight every year so I could wrestle lighter guys, which was my decision. But I mean, you put all the garbage sacks on you and sweat it out. My buddy's doing that all the time. Running miles. Yeah. That was sick. That was the sucky part. But other than that, I loved wrestling too. It's, it's hard to say what sports my favorite cause I learned so much from every sport, but yeah, I mean, so after, after high school I decided to serve a mission for two years and kind of set aside and sports and wrestling. So I want to come back and play, um, college baseball and walk on somewhere and play college baseball or football. And I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. So then just came home and started working out for my mission. And so I was working. As an electrician, and as a concrete laborer, and I remember I hated my concrete laborer job. It was, it was rough. I was working probably 60 hours a week, and I was making good money, but I, like I said, I spoke Spanish my mission, so I was also speaking Spanish all day long, because everyone that I worked with did not speak a lick of English, so. Mentally and physically draining because, you know, English or Spanish isn't my first language. So, I just come home dead dog tired of it. Like, I didn't want to do anything else. Like, speaking another language is mentally demanding. Oh, yeah. So, I just remember I told my dad. I was like, Dad, I'm done with this job. And this was like A week before Thanksgiving. He's like, okay, well, we're heading on this trip to South Dakota. We're going to, we're heading to South Dakota. Cause we had planned this trip about a year into my mission. I'm like, I want to have a big trip when I get back and go hunt birds in South Dakota and turkeys and stuff. So we planned this trip to go to North, South Dakota to go hunt and. He's like just tell him that you're done like a day before that way we can pack and get everything ready And I was like, all right, so I told him like hey, I'm leaving on this trip You know and I was gonna tell him on the trip that I'm done And so we I left a day earlier than we were gonna leave And so me and my cousin actually decided to go duck hunting that day before I was like why not go eight eight eight days In a row worth of hunting instead of seven. So yeah, that's what we did like a good idea I know so that's what we did and we went up to That's Spanish Fork Canyon. I have a cabin on Schofield Reservoir. Oh yeah. And so, we're hunting up there and it was an awesome morning. I mean, we, I think we're one bird shy of limiting out between the two of us, but I mean, it's hard up there. It's pretty fast and like, it's between shooting light and like, 830. It's like pretty fast and furious and then. If it's if the weather permitting then they'll they'll be flying around for a good part of the day But it's like generally speaking up there doesn't like there's not really bad weather until december. So yeah yeah that first 30 40 minutes we shot 13 I think and then we Decided to pack up all of our decoys and stuff. And then we saw these ducks fly right over the corner from us. Were you guys just hunting over on the, like, off the shoreline? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, so then, I just remember I said, Hey, let's go check those out, cause those are in public too. And it just seemed like all the ducks were flying either at us, Or on this piece of private to the left of us, or around the corner to the right of us where these other ones flew. And I was like, let's go check it out and see what it looks like over there. See if that would set us up better. So that's what we did. To get over there, you kind of walk up and over this hill and then cross this like, old, old fence that was in the water. And so we were walking up the hill and he was behind me about 15 yards. And Ryze, we were about to crest up over this hill. I remember I started like kind of crouch down and he he said that he went to see if his gun is on safety And his gun is the mossberg 780 so the safety and fires on the stock on the top of the stock, you know what i'm talking about So he went to see if his gun is on safety and It wasn't, and he still doesn't know what happened, but I mean, it went off. I don't know if, he doesn't know if he got caught in his glove, or the stick, or something, right? Because I know he was wearing huge mittens, because it was freaking cold that morning. I think it was zero degrees, so And he doesn't really know what happened, but it went off, and I knew exactly what happened. I mean, I dropped automatically. My whole left side of my body just dropped, and I Is he behind you? Yeah, he's behind me, so Hit me from behind. And then I knew that I had been shot, so I, I stood up and I couldn't feel from like halfway down my shin and below. I mean, come to find out later down the, later down the road in the hospital. I mean, it's because basically all my nerves had been gone. They were blown through and severed. So I was just like, all right. But in that moment, I knew that I didn't have cell phone service because of where we were at. Because we'd hunted there a bunch of times. We don't have service unless we get to like a certain point of the hill. And so if we ever need to make a phone call or something like that, we'd always have to go to that part of the hill, and I was like, probably 30 yards away from that. So I stood up and I'm like, hobbling up the hill. And then he's yelling at me because Like i'm bleeding through my waders like that's how bad I was bleeding that he could See from the bolt holes that were through my waders that I was bleeding from those holes from my waiter So like I was bleeding pretty good. Wow, so he ripped him off me made a makeshift tourniquet He ended up saving my life, which is pretty dang cool. Wait, so when you were Hobbling up the hill like was it pretty good you put weight on it then like like I like how painful It wasn't it was I mean my adrenaline was going and I just remembered like I'm just like I got to get there because I knew I knew we had to call. I know I mean, I knew we had to call someone right? Yeah, so I don't really remember what it was. This was so November 22nd 2023 So it's been just like a year and a couple months Okay. Yeah, so No, like seriously, three months after I got off my mission is when it happened, so So, um, I just remember he ripped him off me, grabbed a stick and ripped his shirt off and made a makeshift tourniquet, which is a complete miracle. So did you just take the, did you take a strip or did you take the whole shirt? What did he do? Yeah, it was the whole shirt. And he took a stick and twisted it? Just twisted the crap out of it, and I remember he just kept twisting it, twisting it, twisting it, which, I mean, it hurts so freaking bad, but And where did he put that at on your leg? It was right here. On your thigh? On your thigh. Above your knee? Because, I mean, everything was kind of Where I was shot was like from basically like my I want to say it was they measured like eight inches above above my knee and below So he put it pretty much on that line, which is cool. I mean he did it super fast So he didn't really know but so where did you get hit mainly and mainly like behind my kneecap? Behind your kneecap pretty much that was where the main blow was and um and like the top of my calf as well because He was using a I want to say he had a mod choke in that day like a mod So his pattern was pretty tight. I mean, yeah, how close was he 15 20 yards? Okay. Yeah So pretty pretty tight. I mean it was honestly a miracle that it didn't hit my other leg either Yeah. Which I've thought about that as well, Mike. That's crazy that it went, it was a spread this way and not that way. Hmm. So. Up and down, not left to right. Yep. Yeah, you think 15, 20 yards at that distance, you maybe get a. A little bigger spread. A little bigger hit both legs possibly. I know. But, yeah. So. Maybe, depending on his choke and everything. Yeah. I'm sure there were some miracles, blessings behind that too. Oh, totally. For sure. I mean, and so. We called the police station and lost service to them three times, which I'm like, that, that's when I really got frustrated. And that's when you start thinking to yourself, like, all the bad emotions that you can feel, like, hopelessness, anger, whatever, right? You just, I felt them all in that moment. And I just had to take a second, like, take a deep breath. Said a little prayer. I'm like, okay, it's gonna be fine, right? And so then we end up calling my mom. My mom was super calm, which is like a miracle, too. She's usually not Love her to death if she listens to this, but she's usually not super calm in those type of situations. How did that go down? You're like, mom, I got shot. Yeah, I mean, I just and she's like, okay, well, where'd you get shot at? And I'm like, my leg? She's like, okay, that's good. It's far from your heart. Okay. I mean, I guess you're right. Way to be positive. Not, not in the main organs. I was like, yeah. So then she called my dad and my dad knew exactly where we were. So he told, he, he called the, I think I want to say that's Carbon County police, like, um, like department up there, department or something and told them where we were and they got there and it was about 30 minutes later they got there. And then about 15 minutes after that life, I got there. So I was on the ground for about 45 ish minutes. And how long did that 45 minutes feel like to you? It felt like, looking back at it, it felt like the shortest, but like longest 45 minutes of my life. Because people always ask me like, did you pass out? And I didn't. But then I look back and I'm like, I don't really remember a whole lot. Yeah, which is crazy because I know I didn't pass out like they told me general your adrenaline and trauma. You're just kind of like, yeah, what the heck they told me I didn't pass out. And I remember I had a feeling like there was a thought that popped in my head. If like that said, if you if you pass out or you close your eyes, it might be the last time that you do. And so I just remember I was doing everything I could to stay awake. I was looking at the sun. I was Like did you feel tired or not really I remember there there was definitely a couple times where I was like Oh, I just want to freaking sleep, you know, but I just had to I had I knew I had to stay awake So yeah And they showed up put a regular tourniquet on me and I got life flight at the hospital went right into emergency surgery and Hold on, backtrack a little bit if you don't mind. Did you, so did you just, so from where you got shot to like the road, like where the road was or where they were, how far was that? I mean, did they come down there to you or did you, did you end up making it to the truck? Yeah, so our, the road, the road that where our trucks were parked at was like 150, 200 yards from where we were up above us though, up above the hill. And then they were the line, they were the land, the helicopter. Like a hundred yards straight to the right of where we were. So you didn't end up getting, you never got up to your truck then? No, no, we never did. So they, they ended up carrying me on like a tarp, like six or seven dudes carried me on a tarp to the helicopter. And then, um, did you just, while you were waiting for him? Were you just laying down, did you put your leg up, did you put it just flat, or what were you doing? No, I mean he was, he was tightening it as much as he could every, every chance he got, but I mean, I was just laying there, just. And was it like snowing, or was it dirt, what was? It was, so I, it was like frosty still, because it was like nine ish, ten. And it was still pretty cold, it was six or seven degrees I think, if I remember right at that time. Did you look at your leg, or did you I never, I really couldn't, because it was like behind me. Oh, okay. And like it, it was on the back of my leg, so I really couldn't see like what it was. But was your leg dangling? Or was it, or it was still kind of No. Was it, was, it was intact. Which is weird because, huh, with a, with shot, I mean with the shotgun, you think the bone would just have been, looks, it just looks like a bunch of like. Black holes in the back of my leg, like it looks like the skin. I don't know. It's weird. It's because it's not like one big open wound It's like just a bunch of little black holes all on the back of my leg It's just and you wouldn't think I mean you look at that picture. You're like, yeah, that's pretty bad But you wouldn't think oh, you're gonna have to get your leg amputated because of that, right? And so I never heard the word amputate or amputee or cut off anything like that for probably a good two and a half Two weeks, probably, probably two weeks, close to two weeks, like ten days, two weeks, that, that timeline of like, they didn't even bring that up. And, because I remember, after I got life flight, I ran, ran emergency surgery because my leg was swelling really bad. So they had to do what's called a fasciotomy surgery. Where they basically just cut your leg open from the top of your ankle all the way to your knee, just like flap your leg open so your leg can expand and swell. Mm-hmm And then'cause what, what happens if that doesn't, if, if you, if they don't do that, it's called compartment syndrome. Mm-hmm Where your leg, I mean, it can damage a lot of things if you don't like your leg swelling. Just the pressure, the pressure of everything. Mm-hmm Makes sense. So then they had to do that, and then a day later they had to do it again on the other side. So they did it on the inside and outside and then, I mean, it was, it was honestly miracle they did that too, because then they were able to see. How my leg was doing from an inside perspective, right? Okay, let's go back. Can we go back a little bit though? So, you got carried on a TARP to life flight. Do you remember the flight at all much? Did that seem long? No, I do because I remember, I remember they, they automatically put me on an IV with like mass painkillers. Did it start hurting, I mean, when you were sitting there 45 minutes? I'm sure in the beginning it was like, just shock and it probably just, I don't know if it was probably hurting to some level, numbness, whatever. Right. Did it, like, did the pain start settling in? It definitely did. Yeah, I mean, about, about the time that they showed up, the first responders showed up, I remember I was in, I was in quite a bit of pain. But, like I said, from like halfway down my shin and below, It was numb because my nerves were gone. So it was really just that portion like behind my knee that I could really feel it. And were your parents calling you a lot through this whole time? No, so they were, they were on their way up to where we were at. And it's like a, it's a 50 minute drive. Almost an hour drive from, from really Spanish Fork, like Main Street to where we were at. And so My dad was in pro while my mom was just at our house in Benjamin, Spanish Fork. And they were at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon when they called and said, Hey, we're putting him on life flight right now. Like, don't just meet us at the hospital. And right when I got to the hospital, they were right there on the landing pad of where the helicopters land. And I remember they were right there and they walked into the emergency room with me as I was getting wheeled in there. And they're like, Hey, everything's gonna be good. You're gonna be fine. Right. And I'll work out. And so that was a backtrack a little more too. What was your friend doing through all this? And did he, did they just like leave him there and like, all right, drive home or what did they, his, his parents came up and, and, uh, were with him and consoled him and try to make sure he was everything to be all right with him. Cause for, for a long time, he was freaking out. Yeah. For a long time. He struggled for, for a while. Um, cause he just, you know, that guilt that you feel. Sure. Yeah. Like you changed your life. I've never, it was an accident obviously. Yeah, it was. And that's, that's the hardest part I think is that, It was an accident, but he felt like, I, I, I don't really know how to explain it because he, he felt like he could have changed it. But from my point of view, I knew this had to happen just from everything that I've done from this, from like that point to today. I've been able to, like, I'm a motivational speaker now and I, I went to Nashville over Thanksgiving this last year and spoke in Nashville. I'm speaking, like, I spoke at a bunch of schools and I'm sharing my story. And I'm helping people that maybe have physical disabilities, right? But more or less, I feel like people nowadays struggle more with things that aren't visible, right? And so, and people ask me all the time, like, how do you do it? Like, why, like, how do you keep going, right? And so I've been able to help people out a lot that way. And I just, I don't want to say it's almost been like my destiny for this to happen, but it kind of feels that way. Like, it just feels more like this was meant to happen instead of like No, this, like, this is just a freak thing. Could have been in the cards, yeah. To help other people. Cause I was just, I mean, like I said before, like, hunting is my passion. Yeah. And it's just weird that my name's Hunter. And the one thing I love to do changed my life drastically, right? And it just like, there's just, there's There's like, that's no coincidence. So, yeah. Weird. Do you still keep in touch with your friend? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, like, so like I said, he's, he's actually my cousin. Oh, he's your cousin. Sorry. No, you're good. And so he, he's on a mission right now, but from that and he just left last October. But from that. Point on until he left. I mean, I don't think there's a day that we didn't talk, you know? So he's younger than you, obviously. Yeah. Two years younger than me. So he, do you feel like up until that point he, he was always pretty safe with the way he keep his gun or do you feel like you'd have to remind him or like, was he new to hunting or did he grow up hunting and just happen to have the gun in the wrong direction at that point? Or. Yeah, I mean, we, I mean, prior to this, we had gone a lot, and he, he hadn't grown up hunting, um, he really had just gotten into it maybe a couple years prior while I was gone on my mission, and so, but I mean, he always loved to go hiking, he's always been a big fisherman is what his big thing is, and so we, we've, we've fished and shed hunted, A ton, but then when I got home with my mission is really when we started hunting a lot. Okay. I mean we, we chukar hunted, a crab tunnel we got when I got home, pheasant hunted, duck hunted and I never really, like looking back, I never really felt like he struggled with that, so. It was just maybe just the right moment like to say it happened. Mm hmm. I'm, yeah, my son, you know, I'm teaching him how to hunt and he's 13 and gonna be 14 this year and. Ever since I was a little kid, a little kid, I'm always gun barrel safe direction. Um, I lost actually a good friend. He was actually one of my first clients, um, was actually killed in a goose hunting accident. I was not there with him. But I had another client friend that was there with him and that story went down. So it's always, that's always hit close to close to home that I lost a friend. Right. Um, in a similar, they were in layout blinds and he was shot in the side, unfortunately, and, uh, it was lifeline, but didn't, but didn't end up making it and a great guy and just saw it changed his life. And so when I'm like hunting with kind of, you know, you or new people, I kind of, I'm, I'm a little weary. Just because you don't know people, right? And you don't know what they're You don't know how they were taught. You don't know how they were taught, you know? And I've been with people and so it's kind of So you want to I think that's something for people too, you gotta, you know If you're hunting with somebody you don't know their background or whatever, it's okay to have like a little safety gun thing. Like, hey, listen We got to be really anal about gun control here, make sure it's always safe, you know, just cause you don't know him. And most of the time you're probably preaching to the choir, you know, you're probably, yeah, I know that, you know, but. Man, I've been with experienced hunters and they still, well occasional, you know, you're walking, you're deer hunting or whatever, maybe also the guns like at your, like, you're like, holy crap. Like, and it's okay to tell people, like, it's a better to like have someone be told and then, then have an accident happen. You know? Sure. Instead of like try to make someone feel bad or but maybe maybe they feel a little bad But it also like it kind of hits a little home like oh, right. Yeah crap I got to remember, you know, and I would expect the same thing if I'm pointing my gun at someone like yeah Tell me like and kind of get after me. So it kind of some extra cautious, you know I mean, I've even recognized it too. Like sometimes I feel like you just kind of get lackadaisical with it where You just kind of forget at times and it's like you don't you don't mean to yeah, right Like you generally don't mean to and then you think yourself like what am I doing? Right, and I I kind of feel like that's kind of what happened and I don't blame him You know, I really don't like I know accidents happen and he's gonna learn from it and like one day I want to be able to teach like a hunter's ed safety class with him and say like just this this is what's gonna happen if you don't write not not to make him feel bad, but like Yeah, we, we live and we learn. I'm, I'm, I'm extremely lucky to be alive. I really shouldn't be. I, you know, for, for how much I bled out and stuff like that and the stuff that I dealt with in the hospital. I'm, I'm really lucky to be alive, so. Yeah. And the angle of like the gun, you know, like it was pointed at your leg and not your back. Not my back, yeah. Or any other part of your body, you know, and like. Oh, it totally could have been worse like your mom said. Well, I was, I was thinking about it. I'm like, it was an uphill angle. And I was like, what if we were flat, like walking flat, right? Like that would have changed the angle of the barrel and it could have been my upper back. And it could have shot me and gone through my lungs and I would have, you know, wouldn't have made it that day. So I'm like, there's just a lot of things that I know that God is definitely in the details of it for sure. And he was definitely watching over me. And I know that. I've been able to learn a lot from it. It's definitely not been easy whatsoever It's probably been the hardest year of my life for sure, but for sure. It's definitely It changed my perspective on life in general, and just how, how people go through things that you don't get to see every day, right? Like, it's crazy. It's probably also, like, changed your perspective on hunting. Oh, yeah. And on, like, everything. Uh huh. How big gun safety actually is, and maybe You're, it's probably a lot harder now for you to be able to go hike five miles and go kill chukars. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, it's a whole, it's a whole new change and it's gonna probably take a while to figure out how to get used to it all. But, I mean, you're still killing birds. You're still doing it. I'm trying. Yeah, I mean, that's motivating. Yeah, just to get out and try not to, I mean, that motivates people to, you know, to keep trying. Like you say, I think a lot of things these days are not physically, Physical challenge that we see on the outside where yours obviously, obviously a physical and I'm sure, you know, internal to like we all do, but, you know, it's, that's, it is motivating to be able to, you know, to take those trials and make them into something positive and be able to help, help others out. Yeah, it's, um, yeah, I mean, I, that experience happened with my friend and, you know, and, you know, every time I. You know, maybe I, I used to guide a lot of pheasant hunts down at pheasant run outfitters and the kids would show up and you don't need a hunter safety. And, you know, and it can be a little sketchy, but I, you know, I'd, I'd, there were times I would tell this story to not necessarily scare, maybe a little scared, but also educate, like, listen, like, just let it sink in. Yeah. Like I lost, this is serious. Like, this is a really fun activity. Like hunting is awesome, but it can change like that, you know, like if one just, and you can, accidents can happen. And luckily you weren't 12 miles in, in the back country or whatever. Elk or deer hunting. And I mean, I had. Back, you know, this is not too long ago. I didn't even have an in reach kind of a side note, but my buddy was on a mule and the mule started jumping logs and he hit his head on a tree and, and it knocked him and his foot got caught in the stirrup and he got dragged in front of me. And I had to hurry, you know, get out and look, his foot fell out, but he was just laying there like groaning and we had no cell phone service and like 12 miles in. And my, and I thought he was like. dead almost, you know, he's just sitting there, uh, wouldn't even like couldn't talk. And, and I'm just like, now I have an injury. I just, it trained me to be more prepared. Like I gotta be more prepared and now I have an in reach and so I could reach out. But I mean, that could be a, a scary situation. You know, gun, gun control is, is huge. Yeah. I remember, I mean, This is a little embarrassing on my end, but when I first started working for Tice, we went, I mean, this was probably like first few weeks of the duck hunt opener. We went and we're jump shooting a saloon. We were in a line and I mean, I've, I've hunted my whole life. I've, I've shot a lot of deer. I've shot. I've shot elk, I've shot a lot of, um, birds, a lot, a lot of birds. And I'm always like, try to be careful with my gun. But I mean, we were chasing after a wood duck. And so I got super excited and I'm like, Oh, I start running. And Tyson's like, Hey, like put your gun up. Like it was down. And, and I remember like, I mean, just like that point at me or something for a sec or something, or I can't remember. Orlando. Like my, just like that little second where I had it down, and Tyce caught me where it was down, um, Just like that, he, he got after me a little bit, he's like, dude, put that up, and then he told his story. And, I mean, that was, I don't know, a few months ago, and ever since then. Like, without a doubt, I remember that, that he lost one of his good friends from that. Because we were out in North Dakota a few months, uh, maybe just a month or two after he shared that story with me. And that's the only thing I could think about was gun safety. Like, how big of a part it is. And I was so careful out there. And I mean, and I honestly was happy that Tyce was able to tell me, Hey, dude. Like, be smart, keep your gun up, like this is fun, but I, uh, you can lose a life so easy. You can lose a leg. I mean, I just remember like, just that little thing he said to me has stuck with me every time I've gone hunting now, and I'm, and I'm, and I'm honestly grateful for that little experience. Yeah. Right. And I, I forgot about that. So, I mean, but yeah, you never know when it influences someone. Yeah, right. Such a big impact for just a little, little I think little kids too, like watching my kid grow up with guns and stuff. Like, I think sometimes parents like tend to like shelter their kids from guns. But like, what a good opportunity, like with a BB gun, that really probably like a one red rider, start them off on the red rider one cock. I mean, you get a shot at right point blank. It's going to go on your skin a little bit, you know, if it wouldn't hurt, but you're located. If he shot, he's going to learn his lesson and then he's gonna, and then he, but it allows you just to, in a safe way with something. And that's how I was raised. Like my dad let us. Pack a BB gun and then we'd pack a 22 and we'd go like deer hunting with him and stuff like that. And so, and, um, but yeah, I mean, I was probably like, I don't think I was probably as anal about, I mean, I, I, I felt like I was always like, you're like most of us here, like you were trained to, we went through hunter safe, you know, through hunter safety and all that stuff, but. But that's still being said, I think that search, that situation, my buddy, obviously really influenced because he could still be here today, had two young kids, you know, and obviously it just disrupted a whole family and generations. Right? So it's just crazy. The human brain remembers things like that, you know, about how important it is, you know, I mean, it's, it's crazy because I think about it. Um, I remember I thought about it before, because I had heard stories, like my dad was fed hunting with a guy and he got, he got shot in the arm, right, like just point blank in the arm. Wow. Um, probably from me to, me to Josh away almost, so just a couple yards away and he ended up surviving. I mean, but it changed his life because his arm, he had to go through therapy to get feeling back in his arm and stuff like that. And I remember, I mean, after that story, every time I fed something, I remember that, right? Specifically fuzzy hunting, because that's what they were doing. So, I mean, now with anything, I remember that and I, my uncle might be mad for me telling this, but, or for saying this, but I remember there was one time where you're, we're ducking actually in the exact same spot, like, but 11 months later. So it was like the opening weekend of the duck hunt. We went to the exact same spot. It was me, my best friend. Um, And then my uncle and my cousin, my same one, went to the exact same spot. And I was like, this will be a great opportunity to like, to move past that. Because I had no, I had no like PTSD or anything like that. I didn't know how he would react. I was going to ask if you've had, yeah, if you've had a lot with that or not too bad. Right. And I don't, I don't think, I don't think he did because Um, I mean, we went and we shot, we shot a three man limit and it was, it was awesome. And after that he went a lot more just around Utah and stuff like that with some of his buddies. But I just remember thinking, you know, there, there was one time where we're packing up our decoys and maybe my uncle's gun wasn't even loaded. I didn't know that, but he was holding it at a, at a way where he, when he walked. By me because I was a little slower walking, but when he walked by me that his gun was pointed down at my Prosthetic like the same leg. Yeah, and I was like not not part slay gas and bad luck I know I'm like not part two. So I'm like he shoots your prosthetic So I'm like hey I'm like, Hey, let's check your gun, bud, you know, and then I, I can, I mean, he's older than you are younger. Yeah. He's older than me. My, my uncle is my, my dad's youngest brother. And it's okay to call people out older than you, man. I know it's okay. Like it's your life. Yeah. Protect yourself. Right. And I say it might, it's good to be reminded that it happens. I mean, my, I remember my dad doing that to me a couple of times when, you know, when we were pheasant hunting, I mean, there'd be times where he would. He would let us if our dogs locked up on a bird He'd let us walk up on it and you know, he'd be like, hey check your gun, right? And so it's always been a big part and I just I think it is probably the most important thing while you're hunting I don't I mean there's no amount of birds or bull or buck or whatever that is worth For sure anything that you shoot right your life anything I was gonna, well, on a little side note real quick, not meaning to cut you off, I was, I was hunting with a, but we were hunting, I think it was one of our field hunts and a buddy, we were picking up guns and he'd put his gun. And I think it was still in the layout blind or something where, like, I thought it was empty and, and I checked his gun for him because we're picking stuff up and I was up and it was, and it was, you know, it was loaded. And I think it was actually my truck or something. I can't remember it, but it's something like that. Like me personally, I would have. Had unloaded now, you know, in the jumble of stuff, he just hadn't unloaded it, but a tip, I think we can give the audience and what I actually start doing now is, and I think is a good practice to do when you're done hunting, your gun is there like. Unload your gun and have your action open or another thing to do is put a shotgun shell like in the action, like sideways. I usually put an empty one in the side. Yeah, I usually put a full one, but it's probably good to be an empty, but it's something that just the actions open. You can see visually, Hey, that gun's okay. So too, if someone happened to swing at you, they, you can, Oh, okay. I mean, but still it's good obviously to always. Practice that but that's something I think with like new hunters or even older hunters like just so visually people see Like this gun is safe, you know so because with the mechanism with the mechanism of a of a shotgun and and some rifles, right, um, obviously like gas gas powered ars and stuff are a little different but the mechanism rifle and a shotgun it's it's that lever action, right that hits and so it's like if you have that open and You have like that bowl on the side or whatever, right? Like, it's not gonna fire at all. Like, you physically have, like something has to pull the trigger. Like, it's not just gonna get set down and it's gonna go off, right? Cause I've heard of some ARs where, I don't know what happens, but like, you'll set it down the tailgate and it jumbles it and then it'll shoot, right? Because it's gas, or it's, it has that, that spring load, right? Um, but I mean with the shotgun and stuff like that, like you have to physically pull the trigger, so it's just, I think that's, that's a great tip for sure. Yeah, tell us more about, okay, so jump us back, you kind of got, went off a tangent here. No, it was a good, it was a good tangent. Lead us, lead us, uh, so you got lifelight, you're back at the hospital, parents were there, they lanced open your leg. Mm hmm. Tell us kind of from there what the journey was. So then it was a couple days after those surgeries because I had one surgery the first day in the hospital and the second one the next and then I kind of, it was, I feel like it was like a four or five day break where they were going to see what my leg was doing. They kept checking to see if I had any pulse down to my foot. And, okay, so question there's little holes in the back, anything in the front? No exit, no exit, none. Wow. So everything was in my leg. Like I had. How many BBs were in there? I think at the beginning they counted over 150. Holy cow. And I still have like Is he shooting 7 shot lead? No, it was 3 inch, 3 shot. I'm just kidding. 3 inch, 3 shot. Steel. I mean, that's another thing too. It was a big, big blessing that we were duck hunting and it was steel. Because lead would have probably poisoned me in some way or another. And they would have taken that one by one, which they said would have just shredded my leg. Having to take out each single BB and, you know, stuff like that. So, that's a, that's a big, that's another big blessing too. Do you still have pellets in your leg? Yeah, almost. They said, I did a CAT scan about a month ago and I still have like 60 or 70. Wow. Crazy. So like that many BBs in a shell, I didn't, I don't know how many are in a shell. A three inch, three shot. Yeah. I, he was shooting a three shot, three inch, three inch. Probably most of it probably went into your leg then. Yeah. No, I would guess 60 percent or more at least. That kind of number. I'm curious to know how many BBs are in a shotgun shell, a three inch, three shot. I know. I almost want to, cause I still, I still have the boxes that we were using that day and I almost want to cut one open. And just, and just, and just dump them out and see how many there are because I want to see, I bet you could search it up. I wanna see the majority search up on my phone while you're talking. Yeah. So I mean, a couple days went by, they were just seeing if I had a pulse from down to my foot at all. And I only had one main artery that was intact. Holy cow. And I mean, out of everything. Right. And it was the main artery that runs from the inside of your groin on the inside of your thigh, all the way down your foot. It's the only, it is the only pulse I had throughout my whole leg. Wow. And so, pretty much what hap what was happening is my leg was. Basically going septic is the best way I can explain it. I mean, they used a bunch of doctor terms and stuff like that, but. Yeah. Basically I was going septic and dying because all my veins and all the blood flow everywhere else that runs to my muscles and stuff like that were just gone due to how many shotgun shells or shotgun bullets had and pellets had gone through the back of my leg and cut all that off. Um. And so Did it pretty, did it pretty, almost, almost penetrate, I imagine, mostly to the Oh yeah. Almost to the front. Half, half, like, for sure halfway, um, through. But I'm, I was, I was thinking about it, I'm like, I had pretty thick waders on that day. Oh yeah. Um, and then I had It's a blessing to have some waders on. Then I had a layer, then I had a, a layer of like, the um The XKG, like, tan, um, hiking pants on, and then I had, like, leggings underneath that, and then, I don't know, I had, I had layers, which is nice, um, but, I mean, I, I think those waders really stopped the blunt of the blow, which is, which is nice, because, I mean, they found, they found a bunch of pellets in, inside the, the boots of my waders that I was wearing that day. Wow, that like didn't penetrate my skin, which is kind of crazy. So, um, what kind of waiters did you have on? I can't remember. They were old though. They were super thick dude. Like they were they were meant for like cold cold cold weather Yeah, how many pelts did you say you had in your leg? I said around 140 or 150. What's it saying? Well, this is just saying This is off Kent, so I don't know what I'd say. This is shot size 3, 1 ounce of shot. This is 117 pellets. Shot 5, 157, if I'm reading it right. But, I mean, yeah. We were using, um Hold on here. Oh, that's a 12 gauge, 20 gauge. Okay, no, we're, okay, okay. I don't know what this, this is heavy shot ballistics. I don't know the difference on this, but this is 3 inch. 4 shot, you said? 3. Oh, 3 shot. 2 shot, 2 shot has 1. Oh, 1, yeah, I mean, there could be, because you're like, 4, uh, 4 shots, 161. I dunno. Regardless, there's a lot of pellets in your leg. No. Yeah, I was just more curious. They said they, they said for sure 120. Wow. But they, they were positive. There was more, they couldn't see on the x-rays that were like. Because of how close they were together. So, they guesstimated anywhere from 120 to like 140. But, um. That's a lot of pellets. That's a ton. So, anyways. So, then they realized that my leg was going septic. Because I started to get really sick too. At the end of like that first week. I had like a hundred and four degree fever for that next week straight and they're like, okay, something's definitely going on So they went in were you in the hospital this whole this whole time? Mm hmm. Yeah, so they went in and Basically like just to see what was going on and they're like, yeah, I mean they kind of knew they were like Yeah, you're like dying, right? And so before I went in for that third surgery to see what was going or no So they went in the third time looked at looked at it didn't really do much they took out some of my muscle That was already dead. And then for that fourth surgery, I went in there like, Hey, we might have to amputate your leg. And this really random doctor, right? Like random surgeon says this to me. Wow. And I sit up and I'm like, what the hell? Yeah You can't just say that just drop that out You can't just say that to me as I take your leg as I'm putting the anesthesia mask on as I'm about to be knocked Out right and like you haven't talked to my parents about it. Nothing. Oh, and I would I remember I I was pissed I was raging and my aunt I mean this, this is another big miracle too. My aunt was a nurse, as a nurse there and has been for almost 20 years, over 20 years. Where was this at? What hospital? Utah Valley Hospital in Provo, so. She comes in, because she was there with me for the three weeks that I was there. She was there almost every day, making sure she was working. Um, and so she comes in and I tell her, I'm like, Hey, Dr. So and so just told me that I have to freaking amputate my leg. And she's like, no he didn't. And just chases after him off the hall and chews him out and is like, You can't say that to someone who just happened to that. Right. I mean, I love doctors and I, and they do amazing work, but they are very blunt sometimes and they say how it is, which is good. But like in the, in that moment, I was just like, that's not what I wanted to Desensitized to it, just being around it. So. That was, but I ended up getting my leg amputated that surgery. They went back in and kind of debrided some more stuff, like some more muscle and tissue. So then, I still had a really bad fever after those surgeries. And they were like, okay, so here's the deal. You're either going to die from infection because it's just getting worse, or you're going to have to get your leg amputated. And, like, we're pretty positive that after that happens that you will You'll be good. Right. And I was like, well, it really didn't seem like any option except the second one you gave me. It's like the only option that has to get my leg amputated. So went along with it. And so, I mean, that, that whole week I had to wait for a doctor, like the right one to come to my aunt told me about. He's like, you want this guy? Like he does the best work. Him and his partner have done over 70 amputations last year. So this is the guy you want. I was like, all right. So waited for him for a week. And I mean, I was miserable. Like I said, 105 degree, 140 degree fever for almost a week straight, six days. He finally got there, got the surgery done. I was, I was still sick, but not as bad. And then they had to go back in another time and debride some more behind my knee cap after they had already cut it off. So, I mean, I think I have, they measured 10 inches below my knee of my leg still, which is, which this was the whole point. Like they wanted me to keep my knee. Because that knee flexion is super important with prosthetics. I mean, I had a guy, I had a couple of different people come in that were above the knee amputees and they're like, keep your knee, like do everything you can to keep your knee. Even if the process of healing is longer, you're young, you'll adapt, like do everything you can. And I was like, okay. So, I, I mean they, they literally gave me a 10 15 percent chance of me keeping my knee, which is the craziest thing. It's pretty low, yeah. And so, my doctor called it, he did an origami job on my, on my leg, is what he said, because they had to debride all the muscle. That was below my knee because it was dead and so pretty much what he did is he just Flapped skin on top of skin on top of skin and he just said he did the ultimate origami job because he's he specializes in plastic surgery and and nerves He rewired my nerves to to basically circuit back up my leg as soon as I hit the end to come back up Because what happens in your amputees you have what's called phantom pain Yeah, and you still like you'll get a shock. It almost feels like you're getting tase in your leg, but it feels and it shoots down your leg and it still feels like you have your foot there in your ankle and there's nothing you can do. Um, you have much phantom pain or I don't anymore because of what he was able to do. It's a new surgery they're doing nowadays where they rewire your nerve to come back up. And I said after over a year, you should hardly have any. And I mean, I maybe get one a week. So, wow, it's crazy. So, I mean, that's, so then after that, you know, they, my leg kind of made a 180 flip where it was dying. And then there's a couple of days where it just made a whole 180 flip, which is a huge miracle too, because I had tons of people rooting for me, praying for me and were there for me. And it just. It just flipped and the doctors were like, go home, like you're good. And I, I mean, did your fever stop pretty quick too? They were predicting I was going to have to be there for well over a month, but I was only there for three weeks. Um, so I was able to be home for Christmas, for New Year's. It's still a long time, man. It was. Still three weeks. It was miserable. But, I mean, then that's when the process started of I had home health care every week for every, Um, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for six months straight, right? Did you have insurance to cover all this? You did? Under your parents or something? Uh huh. Okay, that's good. And so, then we, you know, uh, all that and I had to do what's called hyperbaric chamber treatment. Have you guys heard of that? No, they take the pressure. Well, I know it's like they take the pressure. I don't want really guess 100 you go into a chamber. Yeah, so the best way I can explain it is, um, the blue people avatar movie. Do you know how they go into those, those tubes where they change from normal people to blue people? Yeah, that's kind of what it is, but they will you in from the back of it. And it's like a caps. It's like this, I mean, big clear tube. They will you in from the back and they shove you in and this, Twin size bed, and then they close the cap of the like the back of it. Are you claustrophobic? I'm not, thankfully, because I mean this thing Seriously, I mean you fit you fit a twin bed in it like it's not very big so, but it's clear so it helped I'm sure if it was not clear it would have been a little different But it was clear and so they they pressurize it to where you're It feels like you're 30 feet below sea level. So you, as you're pressurizing to it every time you have to like pop your ears and your ears have to adjust to it because it just fills that whole tank up with straight oxygen or it's like 96 percent oxygen in there roughly. When the air that we breathe outside, I want to say, depending on where you're at, I think Utah is like 12 or 13 percent of oxygen, right? So it just speeds up that ailing process in your body pretty rapidly. And I did that for 72 days, um, two hours a day. So a lot of time doing that. What's that? What's that do supposedly for your leg? So, I mean, it just, it speeds up that natural process in your body of the healing. And because your body needs oxygen to heal. And so you just sitting and breathing in that oxygen for two hours straight. It just, it helps you. I mean, it helps with everything. Like the pressure professional pressure off and I know oxygen is good, but was the pressure changing the pressure in the tank? Did that help? That was supposed to help with it. Yeah, obviously it's supposed to help. I mean, because they use it for diabetic foot. They use it for carbon monoxide, um, poisoning. They use it for like, I mean, literally any wound. It's, it's good for a lot of things, which is kind of crazy. Um, was this at home or is it the hospital, the hospital, they, they have a, they, they have a, Uh, clinic there at Utah Valley where they have, like, six or seven different tubes that they're, you know, that you go in, you have a time that you go in, cause there's, those tubes are filled up all the time, there's people in all the time, which is crazy to see, like, how many people are in there that have, you know, physical disabilities or problems that they're dealing with, so. But, so I mean, and after that, I Was healed up most of the way, and then had that process of getting my prosthetic, and that was a huge, I mean, that was a big turn, too, because I was just so ready to be done off crutches, and I was using this knee crutch thing, I put my knee on it, and it strapped around me, and that's what I have right here today, but I used that for the longest time ever. Which, that was nice to not have to use crutches anymore, but getting that first prosthetic and getting able to walk again. I basically had to relearn how to walk again because, I mean, even my right leg kind of forgot how to walk after not walking for almost 7 or 8 months, which is crazy. You know, that you forget how to do those simple things after not doing it for so long. So then, you know, got that and then I, that was in like June and July, August. I really just practiced cause I'm like, I wanna, I wanna freaking bowhunt this year. You know, and then I got. I got on this, I was able to like start walking in, got back in the saddle with the horse. And then, you know, I went and bow hunted and I ended up shooting a deer with my bow and never found it, sadly. Uh, but I mean, it was, it was, it was, it was a cool experience though, being under a year of having this accident happen, hiking a couple miles and shooting a deer with my bow was like the coolest thing ever. And then, you know, confidence and stuff. I can do this again. Yeah. Since then. And then, I mean, then a couple weeks later after that, I shot a deer. I shot an antelope. I mean, then a month later after that, I had my general season deer tag. I shot a pretty good four point and then I went up to Wyoming and shot. Uh, a whitetail and then, I mean, obviously I've done a bunch of bird hunting this year, so it's been super cool. I've been, I've been very blessed in a lot of ways. I mean, it took a lot longer than most amputees because I feel like most amputees, you know, they're It's either accidents or something where they have like a bone cancer or some sort of illness that makes it where they have to get their, their legs amputated and so diabetic. Yeah. Something like that. Right there. I mean, I mean, I literally heard of a guy the other day where I can't, I want to say he was in a motorcycle accident, pretty much just severed his leg, right, in just one spot, and they basically just, they amputated it from that spot, and within a month, he was in a prosthetic, and it took me every bit of eight and a half, almost nine months to get in a prosthetic, so my process is definitely Why'd that take so long? Because of how big the hole, the wound was on the back of my leg after they carved out all that muscle and after they had done so many surgeries and stuff. Cause I mean, by the end of it, I had done five surgeries. Yeah. Five or six surgeries procedures I had done. So that was to keep your knee and that portion of your leg still. So it just took longer for that to, instead of like, Hey, we're just going to chop here and be done with it. Yep. I mean, cause I mean, I would have had a prosthetic two months after I, what was your thoughts when you woke up from surgery and you saw you didn't have a leg? I, it's, it's the, it's the craziest thing because I couldn't feel my leg before because it was numb. And I, I mean, that whole, the whole time I was in the hospital up to that point that they cut my leg off and I had to get it amputated. I couldn't, I couldn't move my toes, couldn't move my leg. And so, I just remember thinking like, it just feels like. From that time I got shot on, my leg was pretty much gone. Already. Oh, okay. Right? So. It just feels like. Did it feel like relief? Like being lighter? Or was it like. It was weird. It was just kinda. It just. It took. Like was it weird seeing like no leg there? Yeah. I guess when you woke up. It took, it took, it took me a long time. Cause I mean. You probably wake up and like think it's there. Mhm. And you're like holy crap this is real. Yeah. And it's gone. This is not. Cause for a long time your brain is so used to it being there. And that's why that phantom pain is so prevalent in amputees, because your brain is playing mind tricks on your body. And so, it was still doing that. Like, I remember there was a couple times where I'd have my leg up on the couch, and my parents would come sit, you know, like, kind of towards where my ankle would be, normally, and I'd like, jolt my leg back, right? Because I'm like, I think they're going to sit on my leg, but it's like, it's not, but like, it's not there. And they're like, what are you doing? And I'm like, I just thought you were going to sit on my leg, but it's not there. You know, so it's taken me, it's taken me and my brain a long time to, like, really get used to it not being there. I think for a long time it took me mentally getting used to, like, this is who I am now. Because I feel like with most things in life that we go through, it's like a hard time that we go through. And you just push through it and then, like, everything's better, right? But with, I feel like with what happened to me, it's like, I just felt like it was going to get better. And, like, everything's be back to normal when in reality it wasn't. And it took me a long time to get to that point where I'm like, this is me now. Like, I have to re adapt to what I was doing before. Like, my life, my life changed. I mean, like, a lot of ways. Like, everything little. Like, from showering to getting up and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. To, like, feeding my horses. To getting in a saddle when I'm hunting. Everything. Everything. Yeah. Changed, right? And a lot of people don't think about it and I, I don't really care if they do, because it sucks having to re like retrain your brain to do so many different things. You know, my parents tell me all the time, like, I wish that, like I wish that we could take this away from you in a week. You go through it. I'm like, no, you don't. Right. Cause I mean, it sucked. I've had to go through a lot, but I'm grateful that I've done it at such a young age because, you know, I mean, supposedly your brain's not done developing till you're 25. So I'm like, hopefully that's the case. 21. Oh, you saw it. Tons of right. So I'm like, hopefully that's the case. I'm past that. My brain's going away. So I'm 43. I was like, hopefully that's the case, you know, where I can just. I can relearn how to do everything, and then my brain can just be used to it the rest of my life. Because, unfortunately, my grandma's an amputee, too. And she's been a big help to me. She lost her leg 25 years ago in a car accident. And that happened when she was 40, right? And she said it was super hard for her to help, like, retrain her brain to do everything. But I feel like I caught on pretty quick, and I think that that was a big part of it. Because I'm so young and that's what they said, they're like, you'll adapt good. Like, everyone that we've worked with that is younger and that. You know, has had been an accident like this, like they adapt really well, supposing the people that are past that age mark of, you know, their brains used to it and they're fully developed of like, you know, they have to readapt to everything. It's just a lot harder. I think in this day and time to, I mean, you think, look, prosthetics, I'm sure are just making jumps and strides and coming around, you know, back in the day. They're probably very much, obviously we've seen old videos, very much rudimentary. They look carved out in this crate. But now it's like AI and stuff. I mean, it's crazy. Like almost these bionic people prosthetic stuff and I mean, I think it's a, if you're gonna have to lose an appendage, I, you know, it's trying to stay positive light, like it's a good time, you know, a good day and time where I think you're going to see a lot of improvement for sure. For sure. I mean, the prosthetic, the prosthetics nowadays are, are pretty amazing. Um, and I'm still getting used to it because that's just how it is, but it's only been, it's only been really since July. So, I mean, every bit of six months and I, I talked to a lot of people now that are amputees and they're like, yeah, I mean, it took me. Took me a while, you know, it took me a long time to get used to it like every bit over a year So they're like you're doing really good for how far you've come. So don't get discouraged. Don't get frustrated It's hard at times, but you'll get used to it. Yeah, so we've been in this podcast for about an hour now It's crazy how time flies When you're having fun, I just I kept I kept like looking at the clock and I'm like I didn't want you to feel pressure looking at the clock on that thing But I should cover that up so time flew by so people don't get I feel like we've only been talking for like 20 minutes, but Well, I want you to, I want you to kind of be able to, um, give an ending here. I think there's so much more even you could even dive into this. Like, you know, there's, I mean, I'm just thinking of other, you know, experiences and prosthetics and how that whole process was and those different things, but I want you to kind of give, just kind of given. You know, take as long as you want, give kind of a, whatever you want to share, I guess, yeah, kind of an ending message. And then also where people can find you and, you know, continue to follow you and your story. If you're on social media and all that stuff and, and anything you, you don't want to end with. Yeah, no, for sure. So, I mean, we've, we've hit this topic pretty good, but I think the first thing is, um, since this is a hunting, a hunting podcast and, you know, It's super important, barrel safety, for sure. And, like I said It sounds so simple, but yeah, it is. It's serious. And then, you know, I think a lot of people think it's, um, I don't want to say people get lackadaisical about it, but We just get so used to, like, not hearing these kind of stories, right? And then something happens, and so, I hope whoever listens to this can take my, my story and, and, kind of, reflect on what you could do better when you're hunting out in the field, if it's by yourself, or, if it's with other people, whatever, whatever you're hunting, big game, or small game, or fowl, or air, right? Whatever you're doing. Um, I think it's definitely my first message and the next one is I, I would say more on the motivational side is just don't let Those bad things that happened to you in life ruined, you know, ruin your experience that you have with the things that you love to do. I mean, for me, I wasn't going to let this one bad experience ruin all the good experiences and memories that I've had of hunting. Cause I've had way too many of me, especially in this one general spot. Like I have a cabin up there and I was like, I'm not going to let this one bad experience that I've had. Ruin it for the rest of my life, right? It's and then that's why it was so important. And I'm like, I'm going to go back up there next year. We're going to hunt that exact same spot and I'm going to bring my cousin with me and we're going to have a good time and we're going to change that, that bad experience we had to make it and put another good experience on top of that. And not necessarily blame hunting. It was just a, something that happened. Right. Yeah. I think that's some people can blame hunting. They're like. Oh, well, you were hunting. It's like, well, you could, you were cooking and then I fell on right foot. Like now we should never cook. It's like still do those things you love. Just be more cognizant, right? Things. Yeah. Sorry. No, you're good. No. And I, I just think it's important just, you know, to, to keep going. Um, when, when rough times come. It's, it's hard. But, I'm, there's, there's a quote that I, that I want to share to kind of end. And, it's from one of my favorite country songs, actually. Some of you might be laughing, but, it, it's one of my favorites. It's by Cody Johnson. And the song is called, The Fall. And, I mean, what he's kind of explaining in here is just like when you fall in life. Like, what do you do next, right? And so he says, The ride is worth the fall, The fall is worth the miles, Or the smiles, The smiles are worth the tears, Tears are worth the miles, Miles are worth the pain, Pain is worth it all, It's all worth this life, Life is worth the ride, The ride is worth the fall. And I love that because When we fall, just for an example, I remember, like I said, I grew up riding horses, and my dad made an emphasis of whenever we fell off a horse to put us right back on immediately, no matter how bad we got hurt. I mean, I mean, I remember there was one time I fell off the back of my horse, and I kind of split my head open, and he still shoved me right back up on it, because he knew that if he were to, I mean, More or less baby me and be like, oh, are you fine? Like that, I would probably not want to do it ever again. But he made sure he put me right back up on it. And said, like, it's just gonna happen, right? Like, things are going to happen, but it depends on what you do after that, like, really matters. And I think that's my main message is when, when life hits you, right? Don't don't want to, don't want to bring you down. Um, and yeah, that's, I'd say that's my main message. So thank you for letting me be on here though. Yeah, man. I seriously, thank you so much. I appreciate this time for your story. And I think, I think to the audience, you know, just put your arm around front people that, you know, friends and you never know, and. Someone on the outside looks like they're doing okay, but they're really hurting in the inside And I think you can kind of true if you treat people like they're a little wounded, you know And just be we can all be more patient more kind on social media You don't need to say maybe that first thought that comes into the mind because the guy Shot a deer at 90 yards at this bow or whatever like who cares just just you know Try to be supportive one another be kind Ultimately, and, and you never know when you may say something that could change someone's life that they're really hurting, you know, and stuff like that, too. So, yeah, I mean, sorry, just one last, no, one last thing is like going along with what you said, I mean, another quote that I really try and live by, especially now is when you treat someone like they're going through the hardest time in their life, you'll be right 99 percent of the time. And because we're all going through stuff at one point in time of our life. And the next day we could be going through something completely different, right? But it's like in that point in time whenever you're talking to someone they're going through a really hard time in their life Like I said could be completely like anything right but you treat them like they're going through the hardest time in their life You'll be right nine percent of the time. Yeah, so percent Do you find kind of for a wrap up to, um, when I'm having a hard time in life, like it can be hard sometimes, but try to find gratitude, like just allows you sometimes to like, man, life's really hard, but then you start kind of counting your blessings, right? Like having the attitude of gratitude, it seems like that helps me get through. You know, cause there's always going to be someone that's better looking than you. There's always going to be someone that has more money or seems like they live a cooler life or whatever it may be, you know, but that's when that's comes from a lot of envy and maybe not purposely trying to do that. But when I just like, Hey, I need to be grateful for my health that I have right now, or I need to be grateful. I woke up this morning. I need to be grateful for, you know, the, the little money I do have in my account or whatever, you know, type thing. And it just helps us to. I don't know. It helps, it helps lessen the hard times for me a little bit more when I just have more gratitude, but I don't know if that, I assume it probably helps all of us, right? No, for sure. I mean, that's something that I really, I really try to, to be grateful because I'm like, God has given us all gifts that he wants us to use, and I've realized that he's given me gifts throughout this time of me going through my accident, where it's like, he wants me to use these to better other people's lives, right? With like, speaking and, you know, I feel like I'm a pretty personal person where I can talk to people and, you know, I can talk with them whatever they're going through, and it's cool because whenever I speak at an event, or at a school, or whatever, the coolest part of it for me isn't actually speaking. It's like, after I'm done, and talking to people, and I'm vulnerable with them, and tell them like, how, how hard my situation was, but like, that I've made it through it, and that It's still not easy, but I, I keep going. It's super cool to have people come up to me and be like, Hey, thank you for sharing that because I'm going through this, right? Or thank you for sharing that I'm going through this. Or I know a person that's going through this and it's really hard because they're one of my really good friends or family members, right? And I think that's the coolest part is, you know, and it all goes along with what we talked about. Gratitude, treating people with kindness and respect and love and, you know, making them feel like they are, they're worth something. So. Yeah, for sure. It's all about that one on one. Cool. Well, tell us. Yeah. Thanks man for coming on the podcast. Hope you guys all enjoyed this. Tell us where they can, is there a place they can follow you or reach out to you or whatever, if they want to hear you speak or stuff like that. I don't know if, I don't know if you'll put it, um, in the notes on this. Podcast or not. I can, I can do whatever you want. Yeah, that'd probably work best because my username is a little confusing for people to search sometimes. But like, my name is Hunter Rasmussen, but my username on Instagram is the number one underscore legged underscore hunter. Legged hunter? Yeah, one legged, one underscore legged underscore hunter. Oh cool. And it's kind of, it's kind of, kind of a two way meeting. Um, which is kind of funny because, I mean, obviously my name is Hunter, but I'm a hunter as well. So it's like, one legged hunter, because my name is Hunter and then I hunt. So it's like, oh, he's a one legged hunter. So, I, it was kind of a, I don't know, it's kind of, kind of a, I thought it was a creative idea to make a username out of that, that I've been able to really help other people. At least I've thought, I've been able to help other people try and post things on there that are motivational, me getting back out in the field of hunting and just in general, right? Like, how, how good God is to let me Go through this experience to help me learn and grow from it. So yeah, they can find me on there for sure on Instagram. I think it'd probably be the best way. Cool. Thank you. Thanks Hunter for coming on. Thanks for sharing your story and being vulnerable, you know, um, have fun out there, folks, you know, be safe, uh, and, uh, you know, and just enjoy life. Life's good. There's a lot to be grateful for. And, uh, thanks for listening to the podcast today and we'll see you in the next show.