What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

It was 4 a.m. as brothers Dan and Trent loaded up their vehicle, boat and trailer in preparation for a day of waterfowl hunting. The weather was about 36 degrees, cloudy, and a little breezy so warm clothes were a necessity. Their boat, a 14-foot flat-bottom jon boat equipped with a 15hp motor, was the perfect setup to access backwater areas from the river. The river was in a remote location of the county so no houses or traffic were present.

Upon arrival at the launch location, the two brothers transferred equipment from the vehicle to the boat. Included were the most important items, four guns with shells, followed by food, drinks, and duck and goose calls. Two of the guns that were brought were handed down through generations and were of special meaning to both brothers. Dan and Trent would take those guns each year as a memorial to their family and to the sport they grew up with.

As Dan dropped his boat into the river, Trent held to the bow line until the motor was started. They were all set, so Trent shoved the boat off as Dan reversed the motor and they backed out into the current. It was going to be a perfect day, what could possible go wrong?

What could possibly go wrong? The fact that the river had been flooded in recent days couldn’t have been a factor. The fact that the motor had not been started since last season and had not been properly maintained could not have been a factor. How about the absence of any form of personal flotation device or safety equipment on board? And how about the fact that Trent could not swim!

As Dan put the motor in forward it began to sputter and then died. He quickly began to yank the pull start while realizing just how swift the current was, and that they were headed downstream. It was light enough out that they could see ahead and realized there was a log jam in the middle of the river, and they were headed right for it.

As the boat hit the jam, it turned sideways and the water began to overturn the boat. Both brothers went into the water, along with everything in the boat. Dan was able to swim to shore and pulled himself out of the water. He then saw Trent, desperately hanging onto a limb and about to be swept away in the current. Dan panicked and ran up the bank not knowing what to do. As luck would have it, there was an old, abandoned cabin sitting in the woods, and hanging on the side of the cabin was a garden hose. Retrieving the hose, Dan threw the life line to his brother, saving his life.

There were so many precautions that could have been taken to prevent this accident from happening. In the end, everyone went home. Trent was a lucky man!

Please! As you prepare for your next outdoor adventure, plan and prepare properly. It will never be a good trip if you don’t make it back.

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Retired Lieutenant Eric Bumgarner spent 24 years with the Illinois Conservation Police. Eric is an avid outdoorsman and has a passion for protecting the natural resources.