SAGUACHE COUNTY — On Sept. 7, Saguache County Search and Rescue was notified of an injured archery hunter who needed medical assistance. The hunter had climbed over a downed tree, dislodging an arrow from his quiver and sustained serious injury. The hunter was in the northern end of the San Luis Valley in the vicinity of North Decker Creek in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

A rescue team leader spoke directly to the hunter by cell phone. Medical instructions were given to apply direct pressure to the area of the wound, stabilize the arrow with gauze, and keep it from moving. The injured was advised to not attempt to remove the arrow; as doing so would lead to uncontrollable bleeding. GPS coordinates were obtained and verified by two different devices.

Saguache SAR activated numerous ground personnel with utility vehicles to the search area. Rescuers traveled by vehicle within one mile of the location of the hunter. A search and rescue medical team consisting of five rescue and medical personnel and a Colorado Parks and Wildlife officer carrying medical gear started hiking to the location.

A Reach Air 29 medical helicopter was requested for a fly-over of the survivor’s coordinates to try and find a landing zone. Reach 29 was unable to find a zone close to the survivor. It was determined that due to the terrain and the maze of down timber and standing fire-killed trees, a litter carry-out was going to be extremely difficult and not advised.

Staff Sgt. Joseph VonNida, with the Colorado Army National Guard, told the Valley Courier that a Blackhawk helicopter from the 2nd Battalion — 135th based at Buckley Space Force was dispatched to the scene. According to local responders, the helicopter had two rescue technicians from Evergreen-based Alpine Rescue. Once on scene, the technicians were lowered to the ground by winch cable. The hunter was packaged and hoisted safely aboard the Blackhawk. A tail-to-tail transfer of the survivor was made with Reach 29 at a landing zone close to U.S. Highway 285 on Poncha Pass. According to VonNida, this army team specializes in initial hoist rescues and then transfers patients to local non-military teams.

 All personnel were out of the field by 10 p.m. Saguache SAR had a turnout of 12 SAR personnel in the field. The group is grateful for the cooperating responders to the mission: Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Reach Air Medical Services, Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Colorado Army National Guard, and Saguache County Sheriff's Office Dispatch.

This was the sixth rescue incident Saguache SAR has responded to since the start of the Labor Day Weekend.

Interested parties can donate to Saguache County Search and Rescue at www.SaguacheSAR.org. Coloradoans can help fund search and rescue by purchasing a CORSAR card for $3 annually at www.dola.colorado.gov. Residents and non-residents can purchase the cards.