At the VA hospital in Topeka. Gambrel broke pulling a coyote skin down over the back of its head. Broke my right leg and two places in the ankle. Good thing is I pulled all my traps first. Was going to lay out a new line.
Gambrel is fine thank goidness. Hook broke I put the chain on.
Boco, It was half froze. Caught in a snare3 days ago. Thawed some today. Had my hands in the leg holes pulling the hide over the back of its head. Was leaning back hard when it broke. My body twisted but my foot did not. Dr called it a mayonnaise fracture or something. Said it was a french word.
I'm30 days into my broken ankle. Do you need surgery? Keep that sucker in the air and just take it easy Are you on blood thinners? If not I'd start taking a low dose aspirin everyday Blood clots aren't fun. Rest up
Crikey Boy!! That's a tough one. At least you weren't out in the field. Gonna get plenty of rest for a few weeks. The VA won't mess around, they'll take care of you.
Of all ways to break a leg, only YOU would do it skinning a coyote, lol. Sounds like you're going to need to put your grandsons to work for you until you heal up. Hope it heals up quick for you.
Wow, major bummer. How many of your 9 lives do you think you burned on that one?! Heal up fast but GOOD!
Wetdog, have been wondering how your ankle has been doing. That was a pretty good bust you had.
I think a lot of us keep feeling (or acting) like we're young studs and then something like this happens or we just a seriously longer look in the mirror and wonder where this old(er) dude came from...?
Sorry to hear that, Danny. I had a trip like that, the cowboys watchin me skin gota kick out of it. I was a lot younger then and just got skinned up, but ever since, I been packin a skinning machine. Sure saves you fromgetting hurt! Heal up quick, bud!
Hey! You and I both got hurt skinning coyotes! Last year I pulled down hard on a tough old male dog and wham, tore the pec muscle tendon right off my right arm bone. Had to stitch and pin it back down then a long road of therapy and recovery. Good as new today plus I got a neato 4" zipper scar on my right front shoulder to show kids where the coyote got me. Good luck and heal up soon, Danny. Warm open water fishing will be there before you know it. Jim
That’s no good Danny. Hope it heals quickly for ya. You picked a good time to be laid up and out of the weather anyway. Is it your clutchin ankle or your gassin ankle?
I can crutch around a little. Put a splint on me last night from the bottom of my foot to my groin. Ortho is supposed to call today with a treatment plan. ER doc said he is sure I need surgery.
Sorry to hear of your injury. As a person who had similar injury's all I can say is do what the doctor says. If you are a reading man p.m. me your address and I will send you a book my older business partner had written about his life. It is an interesting read if you have a bit of down time. He would be thrilled I am sharing his story. Get well quick!
Hope you get well soon.After busting up my leg and ankle in august iam getting around,maybe slowly but getting around. Wishing you the best of luck,there is light at the end of the tunnel.
USMC I see the orthopedic surgeon Monday. VA isnt doing it. They authorized me to see a local DR and hospital. I had a back surgery in 06 at the VA hospital in Leavenworth. Civilian Dr did surgery there once a week. I have had very little back trouble since then. That Dr has a private practice only now about 15 miles from me. I asked if they could get me him again and they did. Set it up yesterday. I called his nurse this morning to make sure the VA secretary hadn't forgot to tell me something but its all set up.
Man oh Man Danny I am sorry to hear that. At least you got some time out in the field, I don't think I will make it this winter. Still recovering here. I hope for the best for your recovery and healing. We will be thinking of you here.
Yeah I was just starting to think I was pretty well recovered from the covid. I did get a little trapping in and my traps are pulled. Spent time with my grandsons. I am REALLY going to need to work out a little now once I get past this mess.
Got plenty of time to think about how I want to build my skinner. Another plus
Before I forget, that VA program to go outside the VA hospitals is called Community Care if somebody reading this is interested. I think you have to live more than 45 miles from a VA clinic to be eligible or need a treatment that the VA system is overloaded on.
Before I forget, that VA program to go outside the VA hospitals is called Community Care if somebody reading this is interested. I think you have to live more than 45 miles from a VA clinic to be eligible or need a treatment that the VA system is overloaded on.
I've got Pete set up for that now. Goes to the regular town doc and local specialists instead of driving the 2 hours to the VA. Bit of a hassle to get it set up, but it's pretty cool.
Those coyotes are probably the toughest animal to skin, especially when they're cold. Sorry to hear about your condition. Hopefully, you'll be up and at em soon.
Yep Jayme, those are the “bomb”, especially if you have low roof situations. Another thing is weight. I haul mine everywhere I go trapping. It knocks down into small pieces, and slide under the yota in the trailer. Built much lighter than any I’ve seen. Lighter is better as you age!
Trapper 7, I disagree. I think the hardest critter to skin is a big bobcat. They never have much fat on them, and pull harder than H when cold. I’d take five yotes for every cold big cat over 30-35 pound's!
Yep Jayme, those are the “bomb”, especially if you have low roof situations. Another thing is weight. I haul mine everywhere I go trapping. It knocks down into small pieces, and slide under the yota in the trailer. Built much lighter than any I’ve seen. Lighter is better as you age!
Trapper 7, I disagree. I think the hardest critter to skin is a big bobcat. They never have much fat on them, and pull harder than H when cold. I’d take five yotes for every cold big cat over 30-35 pound's!
Agreed Lee but I would rather flesh a big bobcat than a big coyote
Im thinking I just want to peel the back legs a bit then pull the hide with a winch. I am thinking it can still be on my pickup. Just square tube inside square tube and a pin so its collapsible.
Yep Jayme, those are the “bomb”, especially if you have low roof situations. Another thing is weight. I haul mine everywhere I go trapping. It knocks down into small pieces, and slide under the yota in the trailer. Built much lighter than any I’ve seen. Lighter is better as you age!
Trapper 7, I disagree. I think the hardest critter to skin is a big bobcat. They never have much fat on them, and pull harder than H when cold. I’d take five yotes for every cold big cat over 30-35 pound's!
Could be, Lee. I've never skun a bobcat before. I know from experience the toughest critter I ever skun by hand was a cold coyote.
Yep Jayme, those are the “bomb”, especially if you have low roof situations. Another thing is weight. I haul mine everywhere I go trapping. It knocks down into small pieces, and slide under the yota in the trailer. Built much lighter than any I’ve seen. Lighter is better as you age!
Trapper 7, I disagree. I think the hardest critter to skin is a big bobcat. They never have much fat on them, and pull harder than H when cold. I’d take five yotes for every cold big cat over 30-35 pound's!
Agreed Lee but I would rather flesh a big bobcat than a big coyote
Ken, you haven’t lived till you have scraped some of these rubber band yotes from this area. Now I’ve caught enough yotes up your direction, that you get an occasional rubber bander up that way, but overall your yotes are much nicer to scrape! The percentage of tough ones up there are just about the same as the better ones down here. And the farther south you go, the higher percentage of rubber band yotes!!
I think the hardest critter to skin is a big bobcat. They never have much fat on them, and pull harder than H when cold. I’d take five yotes for every cold big cat over 30-35 pound's!
I'll second that. With bobcats I always have a wrestling match getting over the front shoulders and legs... Always seems tight right there. Of course after dispatch they ride around in the back of the truck getting cold and stiff which adds to the joy.
Those fellas using a receiver-mounted skinning setup who undress 'em at the catch site might be on to something. Not sure how it would work time-wise for a guy running a long line... Might be easier to do during the day while you're still "fresh" versus at the end of the day when you've got 200 miles of road weariness and a bunch of cold stiff cars to skin.
Mike if your running more than 40-50 sets you wont want to skin as you go. Pulling a warm coyote or big tom bobcat either one by hand isnt a big deal. I like doing it as I go. Less mistakes that way. toos em in a freezer. Then when you start fleshing and stetching the fat comes off easier and thats the only thing your doing. I make fewer mistakes that way.
Mike if your running more than 40-50 sets you wont want to skin as you go. Pulling a warm coyote or big tom bobcat either one by hand isnt a big deal. I like doing it as I go. Less mistakes that way. toos em in a freezer. Then when you start fleshing and stetching the fat comes off easier and thats the only thing your doing. I make fewer mistakes that way.
Always like to hear from someone with first hand experience Danny. Thanks.
How are you holding up? I reckon your pain is probably decent about now. Seems like the first two days after trauma like that are usually the worst.
Pain is tolerable today. No pills. This crutching around is getting old. Taking a dump is a real challenge when you can not bend one knee.
Lol. Ouch.
Whoever owned my house before me must've had a hard time getting around... There were grab bars in the shower and the toilet looks like it was one for a handicapped person.
Still got some of the grab bars if you need 'em. I'll even come and install em for ya.
Go easy on the pain pills as much as you can... No need to add anymore problems to this mess.
Mike, I have always hated to skin as I go, especially when glanding too. I feel like I’m burning daylight! I do better, trapping in daylight, skinning in the fur room, freezing and putting up after trapping. JMHO!
Glad the pain is better, Danny. Are you home or still at the VA?
I am home. They made a plaster splint and wrapped it all up with ace bandages so nothing can move.
One reason I have been skinning on the go is I have always just pulled them by hand. Time for a change from that. I have done it both ways. Skin on the go and at night. All depends on how hard I am trapping. Heres a picture of a guy I was partnered up with in IA some years back. We had freezer space but no fur shed. Makes for long days and short nights.
I quit pulling by hand in my early fiftys. Was skinning coon, and ripped a muscle deep in my left arm. That pretty well finished the pulling, even though it is faster. Even now, if I try to pull anything, that tear starts hurting. Feels about like your arm would feel with a heart attack! So I’ve been using a skinner ever since. The first one I built was in the late seventys, and was a tank. Skinned for many years with it, then one year at the Ks rondy, I bought a Herron skinner. The thing is light weight, and scary fast. But I do like it’s portability as much as anything. Take it on all my in state or out of state trips.
Danny, you know anyone that has one of those plastic stool risers? They are the deal when you can’t bend a leg to sit. Wife just reminded me, she borrowed one from a cousin when she had a hip and a knee replaced. Even kinda nice for old geezers in general!
Well had surgery Thursday morning. Told me to unwrap it in 48 hours. Have not needed a pain pill since yesterday afternoon. Still a bit swollen. Have to use crutches and this kneeling scooter thing for 6 weeks but I am definitely on the mend now. Thanks for all the kind words from everyone. Makes a little unpleasantness a lot easier to take.
At least this happened toward the tail end of the season, so you'll be all ready to go for next year! BTW, people always want to know how injuries and accident happen. What did the doctors, nurses, etc. think of your story?
That doesn't look to ugly but I still wouldn't go jogging on it. What are they doing for the bone break in you leg? I've seen some people that really get moving on them knee scooters. Might want get a helmet if you're planning to go fast 🙂 If you start using one them booster seat on toilet. You won't ever want go back. I have had the two inch taller stool in my house for years. Not sure why they even make them short one any more? Not good for your back where sit with your knees in your face.
Mac got a railing that goes on each side of the stool. A u shaped thing. I havnt got out to look for a stool extender yet. Think a few more days I may be able to drive. take crutches up front with me and put the scooter in the bed. Made arrangements to get my jeep detailed when that swelling goes down a bit more
When I had a hip replacement , I went to our local legion, they have a supply of most mobility stuff That people had donated to them. I got a hospital bed, a walker , a toilet riser and crutches. All they asked was a donation to the Legion if I could afford it. I was very happy to support them. I also installed a new higher toilet shortly after. Hope you get back to normal, quick. old243
Good to see you on the mend. Seems trappers have a habit of making some of the medical staff shake their heads. Some folks just lead a sheltered life i guess.
Get well soon
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