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Hunter rescued after hanging upside down for two hours

Posted at 6:25 AM, Nov 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-20 06:25:47-05

A hunter went out in the woods Monday at the Pinckney Recreation Area, but his trip was turned upside down when he slipped while climbing a tree and dangled in the air for hours.

“A self-climbing tree stand had collapsed on him and pinching his feet between the two”, said Chelsea Are Fire Authority Captain Scott Basar.

Fire officials say they got the call just after 7:00 a.m. and found the man in the compromising position.

“I went up in a harness and I put up uh overhead anchors and then we started working and getting this guy up from upside down”, said Officer Stave Walgren from the Washtenaw county Technical Rescue Team.

Captain Basar told News 10 the hunter fell out of his coat and was exposed to the cold weather conditions until help arrived.

Officials say the rescue effort was carried out by roughly 30 people and took about two hours to complete.

“Luckily everything worked out great. He's a tough guy, didn’t get no complaints out of him dangling from a tree like that. We just got up there and put him on our system, lowered him down and got him to the University of Michigan Hospital, Officer Walgren explained.

In addition to knowing your equipment and being familiar with your hunting area, officials say it's important to attach your phone to your body before heading out in the woods.

“Have a cell phone on you for situations like this because if he didn't have a cell phone and it wasn't in a secure spot where he could reach it no matter what position he was in, there's no telling what could have happened”, Captain Basar said.

The hunter suffered minor injuries and he is expected to make a full recovery.