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Started as a great day and almost ended horribly #9905540 04/14/14 01:42 AM
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slimpickens Offline OP
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Me and the family along with our 6month old blue lacy Ranger Decided to head to Amistad for a day of fishing we got there around 11 and got everything loaded and hit the water. We fished all day and my 10yr son caught a 5lb LM, and we caught a few more threw out the day and drove around the lake and up Devils river to check it out. This is the first time Ranger has ever been on a boat and did great it was a great day. We decided to stay the night and fish today also. We got up this morning and loaded everything up and got fuel and went to boat ramp and started our day. We headed up the river and to go fish a place I had seen the day before and were moving along pretty good when another boat was coming at us so I started to slow down before I hit his wake and lost my hat I turned around got my hat and was starting to go again when Ranger was acting uneasy so I told my oldest boy to put his leash on him but before he could get him he jumped off the front of the boat and went under the boat. I stopped motor and my heart just stopped, we were in about 20-25ft of water. I was shocked and then I saw him come up and I didn't even think I dove in and went and got him, he was scared and all over me and I was struggling to keep him and myself above water I had a life vest on and it was still a struggle with him, the boat was getting away from us so I was yelling at my wife and kids to turn the boat and come get us. I got on my back and had Ranger on my chest and calmed down finally and was trying to tell my wife what to do to get boat back to me. My wife and both boy's were in panic mode and my 10yr was crying badly. I had remote to trolling motor on my side and My 15yr son remembered what I taught him and started boat and turned around and came and got us. I grabbed the side of the boat and they were grabbing me and I told them to get Ranger and I would get in. they got Ranger in the boat and I was going to slide to the back and get back in when my Wife thought she was helping by trying to reverse the boat and hit the throttle by mistake, thank god I was holding on. Finally I was back in the boat. I went and checked on Ranger and made sure he was ok , we were both freezing the water was 65deg and it was a rainy morning. We headed back to boat ramp and called it a day.
It all happened so fast I didn't have time to think and wasn't going to loose my buddy he is a part of our family and he goes with me everywhere.
I got the family calmed done and my kids are asking if we are ok and my wife is asking me if its worth dying for and I told her that I wasn't going to let him drown.
Would I do it again? yes I would in a heart beat!
Lessons learned:
Teach everyone in my family to operate boat and show them where everything is.
Get a life vest for Ranger
And no matter how good I think Ranger is doing on boat do not take off leash.
Put phone in bag like I usually do as soon as I get in boat my iPhone didn't make it we were in the water a while,
Kick flip flops of before I jump in, I lost those and went barefooted the rest of the day.
Thanks and sorry for long read.

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9905576 04/14/14 01:50 AM
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Glad you and Ranger are okay. That's what life is about, experience. Teach your kids sand wife how to drive the boat.


At least my boat and truck are paid for, woo hoo!
Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9905637 04/14/14 02:11 AM
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slimpickens Offline OP
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My wife will be learning for sure. lol
I'm just glad I had been teaching my oldest son.

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9905856 04/14/14 03:48 AM
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dmunsie Offline
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wow...what an amazing story & situation to be in. I struggled with my reply here, because I'm not trying to offend, ridicule, etc, your decision so please don't take this the wrong way. Just trying to think how I would have handled this. I probably wouldn't have jumped in the water with the wife & kids watching, I'd hate for them to witness something worse. Do you think if you stopped/slowed down the boat, Ranger would have swam back to you and you could scoop him up with a net?

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: dmunsie] #9905878 04/14/14 04:10 AM
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Originally Posted By: dmunsie
wow...what an amazing story & situation to be in. I struggled with my reply here, because I'm not trying to offend, ridicule, etc, your decision so please don't take this the wrong way. Just trying to think how I would have handled this. I probably wouldn't have jumped in the water with the wife & kids watching, I'd hate for them to witness something worse. Do you think if you stopped/slowed down the boat, Ranger would have swam back to you and you could scoop him up with a net?


I'm not offended in any way.
We were going slow when he jumped in and I stopped the boat. I had my life jacket on and when he came up from being under the boat he was panicking and going the other way he is only 6mths old and I couldn't set there and watch him go under again, he is part of our family and like one of the kids. I didn't really think about it at the time I told my wife I'm going in and went. I don't regret what I did because if I wouldn't have I would hate to think what would happen and couldn't live with myself if I just sat there and watched him drown. Would I do it again yes but better yet I will find ways to prevent it in the future.

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9907363 04/14/14 07:15 PM
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Hard to prioritize everything in that split second. They are family like you said. I would have went in as well with a jacket on.

I have shown my 6yr old son what to do if dad ever falls out. I try to quiz him on it every so often.

Glad you are all okay!

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9907550 04/14/14 08:15 PM
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first i must say i am glad that you and your pup are okay. It would have been a sad thing to lose the pup but by no means should losing a dog ever compare to losing a kid, which is implied when you say he is "like one of the kids". many folks have forgotten that animals are just that, animals. they are not people and the value of an animals life can never compare to that of a persons life. the only reason i say this here is because too many people when faced with the choice to save their dog or a drowning person they don't know, would choose their dog; which shows how out of line people's value for life has become.

again, i am very glad it all turned out well for you and your pup, but i'm sure you will have some fear to drive out from your wife and kids as they may worry about you next time you go out on the boat alone with your pup. what if no-one was around to turn the boat back to you...you could have lost your life too.


For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all menthe testimony given in its proper time.- 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: General Jigs] #9907735 04/14/14 09:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: General Jigs
first i must say i am glad that you and your pup are okay. It would have been a sad thing to lose the pup but by no means should losing a dog ever compare to losing a kid, which is implied when you say he is "like one of the kids". many folks have forgotten that animals are just that, animals. they are not people and the value of an animals life can never compare to that of a persons life. the only reason i say this here is because too many people when faced with the choice to save their dog or a drowning person they don't know, would choose their dog; which shows how out of line people's value for life has become.

again, i am very glad it all turned out well for you and your pup, but i'm sure you will have some fear to drive out from your wife and kids as they may worry about you next time you go out on the boat alone with your pup. what if no-one was around to turn the boat back to you...you could have lost your life too.



It's a figure of speech! And he is a part of our family and I will do what it takes to protect him and my family!
I had a life jacket on and knew the situation I was getting into and knew my oldest son could handle the boat My wife and kids know I make good decisions and if I was by myself I wouldn't have left boat without a way to get back in.
I would never choose my pup over another human and this really has no bearing on this situation! It was just my pup and I knew I could get him and knew I would be ok. I would not have went in without a life jacket!
We learned from what happened and will prevent it in the future.

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9908333 04/15/14 12:41 AM
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Losing a dog that you care about is no different than losing a human in my opinion. I'm sure I'm in the minority but compared with some of the folks I deal with, a dog rates way above some people. Not talking about family members(humans)but if it came down to saving my dog or a stranger, I would go for my dog first and then the stranger. Hope I never am put in that situation. I'm glad it worked out for you.

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: RL206] #9908457 04/15/14 01:24 AM
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Originally Posted By: RL206
Losing a dog that you care about is no different than losing a human in my opinion. I'm sure I'm in the minority but compared with some of the folks I deal with, a dog rates way above some people. Not talking about family members(humans)but if it came down to saving my dog or a stranger, I would go for my dog first and then the stranger. Hope I never am put in that situation. I'm glad it worked out for you.


Thank you
I agree.

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9909009 04/15/14 11:36 AM
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Originally Posted By: slimpickens
Originally Posted By: dmunsie
wow...what an amazing story & situation to be in. I struggled with my reply here, because I'm not trying to offend, ridicule, etc, your decision so please don't take this the wrong way. Just trying to think how I would have handled this. I probably wouldn't have jumped in the water with the wife & kids watching, I'd hate for them to witness something worse. Do you think if you stopped/slowed down the boat, Ranger would have swam back to you and you could scoop him up with a net?


I'm not offended in any way.
We were going slow when he jumped in and I stopped the boat. I had my life jacket on and when he came up from being under the boat he was panicking and going the other way he is only 6mths old and I couldn't set there and watch him go under again, he is part of our family and like one of the kids. I didn't really think about it at the time I told my wife I'm going in and went. I don't regret what I did because if I wouldn't have I would hate to think what would happen and couldn't live with myself if I just sat there and watched him drown. Would I do it again yes but better yet I will find ways to prevent it in the future.


Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. Knowing how well dogs can naturally swim, I'm going to stick with the idea of sticking a net out and scooping the pup up if I ever get in a similar situation. lol..

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: dmunsie] #9909342 04/15/14 02:09 PM
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Originally Posted By: dmunsie
Originally Posted By: slimpickens
Originally Posted By: dmunsie
wow...what an amazing story & situation to be in. I struggled with my reply here, because I'm not trying to offend, ridicule, etc, your decision so please don't take this the wrong way. Just trying to think how I would have handled this. I probably wouldn't have jumped in the water with the wife & kids watching, I'd hate for them to witness something worse. Do you think if you stopped/slowed down the boat, Ranger would have swam back to you and you could scoop him up with a net?


I'm not offended in any way.
We were going slow when he jumped in and I stopped the boat. I had my life jacket on and when he came up from being under the boat he was panicking and going the other way he is only 6mths old and I couldn't set there and watch him go under again, he is part of our family and like one of the kids. I didn't really think about it at the time I told my wife I'm going in and went. I don't regret what I did because if I wouldn't have I would hate to think what would happen and couldn't live with myself if I just sat there and watched him drown. Would I do it again yes but better yet I will find ways to prevent it in the future.


Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. Knowing how well dogs can naturally swim, I'm going to stick with the idea of sticking a net out and scooping the pup up if I ever get in a similar situation. lol..


I'm going try and keep it from happening in the future. Lol
But if it does he will have his new life vest on that I picked up for him yesterday for a little added insurance And give me time to get him so I don't have to go in.

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9909714 04/15/14 04:27 PM
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Should have been wearing Jordans in case there was any hungry alligators nearby. bolt


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Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9911638 04/16/14 06:31 AM
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Originally Posted By: slimpickens

I'm going try and keep it from happening in the future. Lol
But if it does he will have his new life vest on that I picked up for him yesterday for a little added insurance And give me time to get him so I don't have to go in.


Awesome idea! And I'm sure that's something the misses can get on board with too. smile

cheers

Re: Started as a great day and almost ended horribly [Re: slimpickens] #9911824 04/16/14 12:30 PM
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My pup is 5 months old and I feel the same as you, I would have went in too. I do have a life vest for him, he will be my fishing buddy.


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