Be Careful Out There

[Lucky]

3 hog hunters from Florida die trying to rescue dog from cistern in Texas: officials

Three hog hunters from Florida died in an underground tank filled with sewer gas after one of them apparently tried rescuing their dog after it fell into the hole, followed by the other two jumping…

www.wfla.com

 

[Brute 23]

This is a very sad deal that hits close to home.

I've read some things from people and apparently it was filled with sewer water/ waste. A lot of people don't realize that sewage gives off the same deadly gas, h2s, that we deal with in O&G wells. It has no smell but is deadly to breath. I met a guy once whose whole job was to monitor and treat h2s gas in the San Antonio sewer system.

Basically the dog jumped in and then the guy jumped in after the dog, two other jumped in each try to save the one before.

From a hunting stand point I have never understood this. I have hog hunted since I was 12 or 13 and I have never understood this. I love my dogs but I am not going to put myself in jeopardy to go after them. They are probably more capable than me, if they can't make it back, I probably wont make it back. I grew up hunting along the SA River. Some times dogs crossed the river after hogs. I saw a guy swim the river at night to get his dog and swim back. I've seen these guys do it over and over.

On the other side of it, they always said over and over and over at our safety meeting at work... do not go in danger areas to try to save people. Get a plan, get the right gear, and go in. Situations Iike this have happened before with h2s, electricity, grain bins, etc.

There is some talk that they did not have permission to be on the land and what not which is not good but it's still a very sad deal. It's tough to be in those situations and sadly it didn't work out for them.

My question is who keeps pits like that exposed out on their land?

 

[puzzled in oregon]

My question also

 

[Warren Allison]

Why is there and underground tank to hold sewage in that field? What is its purpose? Who put it there, and why?

 

[farmerjan]

From what I heard in the press release that was referenced on another forum, the cistern was supposed to be completely covered by law... but that the place also was owned by a recently deceased elderly person... probably leased the farmland for the corn... who knows where and who will be considered at fault... but I have to agree with @Brute... you can love your animal, but to put yourself in that sort of jeopardy is just foolish... and for 2 more to go in to try to save the first one .....
I am sorry for the families for the tragic losses of life....

 

[MurraysMutts]

Why is there and underground tank to hold sewage in that field? What is its purpose? Who put it there, and why?

From my understanding it was a cistern to collect rain water. Over the years it collected many animals who died in it. All animals emit sewage when they die.

It really should've been filled in years ago. Was never gonna be used anyway.

 

[Brute 23]

I keep seeing that the owner had recently passed but some one owns it. It was leased out to farm and some one collected the check.

Hope they have insurance.

 

[Lucky]

The place we bought next door to us has an old home place on it with an open cistern. We also have to go on a landowners place for work purposes and it has a cistern 100' from the gate. Both are always empty except for trash but I see no reason to fill them in. At work we are trained to have a "hole watch", test the air with a sniffer, and never go in on a rescue mission if someone has fallen out for unknown reasons. I'd guess 75% of the guys I know that don't work in an industrial setting wouldn't think not to go save someone. It's just your natural instinct to help out. This situation is unfortunate but understandable to me.

I swam a creek to get a coon dog in my early 20's with those old brush buster ruuber boots that pulled up to your waist on and nearly drowned. The creek was maybe 100' wide and we thought knee deep. Well it dropped off suddenly to over my head right in the middle. Luckily I had a dog on a leash with me and he pulled me across. Closest I ever came to drowning and freezing to death. You can't guess every situation right everytime....sometimes things just happen.

 

[Brute 23]

Rubber boots, hip waders, etc will all get you.

We were hunting the SA River and there was a little drainage feeding it. You could tell it was muddy so we eased across it. 3 of us ended up stuck with 2 younger kids. The more you moved the more it just fell apart.

We lifted the kids out the mud and threw them on the banks. We had to send them back to my buggy where one more guy was still. He had to dive to us and pull us out with a tow strap. It was a scary feeling. If a person would have been alone it would have been a bad deal.

I've seen a lot of mud like that along the river and creeks.

The tracking systems have come a long way. We can link several handhelds to the same collars. A lot of people would put collars on their belts or make sure you catch a dog so other people can track to you.

 

[Brute 23]

The place we bought next door to us has an old home place on it with an open cistern. We also have to go on a landowners place for work purposes and it has a cistern 100' from the gate. Both are always empty except for trash but I see no reason to fill them in. At work we are trained to have a "hole watch", test the air with a sniffer, and never go in on a rescue mission if someone has fallen out for unknown reasons. I'd guess 75% of the guys I know that don't work in an industrial setting wouldn't think not to go save someone. It's just your natural instinct to help out. This situation is unfortunate but understandable to me.

I swam a creek to get a coon dog in my early 20's with those old brush buster ruuber boots that pulled up to your waist on and nearly drowned. The creek was maybe 100' wide and we thought knee deep. Well it dropped off suddenly to over my head right in the middle. Luckily I had a dog on a leash with me and he pulled me across. Closest I ever came to drowning and freezing to death. You can't guess every situation right everytime....sometimes things just happen.

They are a huge liability. We have old hand dug wells that are covered up now. If some one falls in its on you.

 

[Lucky_P]

Had a local couple, a couple of years back, who went on a fly-fishing vacation in Idaho to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Both wearing fishing waders, husband slipped crossing the river and went under, wife tried to save him... both drowned. Sad event, both were nice folks.