Sometimes They Do Listen

by Ed Rodebush

The sun had been down for about an hour when my cell phone rang. My son Matt was a deputy at that time and he told me two hunters were lost near Shady Grove.

This was before muzzeloader season and the weather was still warm. Matt told me the general area where the lost hunters were last seen. When Matt was telling me directions, I told him that road only went north and not south as reported. I remembered back to the 80's when Bullet Burns and I put some spotlighters in jail from that area.

I told Matt I would start that way and to be careful of the only mud hole in the road for it was a spring and never went dry. I told Matt I would pull him out of the mud if he didn't make it.
It has been my observation that as a rule some people never listen to directions and alas it seems like men are usually more prone to this genetic defect.

At hunter education classes I always give a few minutes of instruction on replacing your card. There actually is a receipt attached to the card and in an emergency this information can get you a replacement card issued. Every year someone from last falls class will call and want to know how to replace their card. My first question is what numbers are on your yellow card receipt. 99.9% of the time they have no idea, even though I was very specific about their need to keep the receipt.

During these same classes during the survival chapter, I always tell the students that when they realize they are lost to stop immediately and wait for help. Every search I have helped with the lost person will keep going, getting more and more deeper in trouble and hindering our rescue attempt.

The phone rings again and Matt tells me he found the hunter's truck about where I told him it would be and he would be out with the truck for a minute. Within a few minutes the radio reported that two lost hunters had been located and were in good shape and driving home.
I called Matt and asked how had he found those guys so quick. Matt told me that these guys figured out they were lost and sat down and using a cell phone called for help. I asked how far were they from the truck. Matt told me about 100 yards. I was within 5 miles of their location and decided to cancel my part of the rescue.

I found out later these two young men were from Wagoner. Upon hearing this I thought of my buddies Don and Marvin and of how I bet one or both of them had given these guys the stay when your lost speech at their hunter education class.

I guess the moral of this story is "Keep teaching and don't give up on people. because SOMETIMES THEY DO LISTEN!