Shhhh, don't tell the Brady's.  They will want to ban arrows next...


Resident injured with arrow
18-year-old flown to Denver after stepping on hunting arrow

By Tamera Manzanares, Pilot & Today Staff

Monday, September 27, 2004

A Steamboat Springs man was seriously injured after puncturing his leg with a hunting arrow while cleaning an elk in the Buffalo Pass area Saturday night.

Sam Spillane, 18, suffered heavy blood loss and was transported to a Denver hospital, where he underwent surgeries to seal the wound, said 17-year-old Clay Whiddon, who was with Spillane when the accident occurred.

Spillane, Whiddon and 18-year-old Dillon Dennis were hunting about 4 1/2 miles off of Buffalo Pass Road south of the Rocky Flats area when Spillane killed the elk. The three men proceeded to prop it up on its back with an arrow for cleaning, Whiddon said.

At about 6:30 p.m., Spillane cut open the elk, accidentally puncturing the animal's stomach, which released foul smelling gases. Backing away from the smell, Spillane stepped on the broad tip of the arrow, which apparently had been exposed during the cutting process, Whiddon said.

The 1-inch diameter tip entered Spillane's leg behind the ankle, puncturing a main artery before coming out the other side, Whiddon said.

Dennis and Whiddon elevated Spillane's leg and applied pressure on the wound to control the heavy bleeding. Whiddon used his cell phone to call Spillane's father, Jim Spillane, who called 911, Whiddon said.

Under the direction of Routt County dispatch, Whiddon hiked to the group's parked car about 1 1/2 miles away to meet paramedics, while Dillon remained with Spillane, who had managed to pull the arrow out of his leg, Whiddon said.

Authorities with the Colorado Division of Wildlife were in the area and responded to the accident first, Whiddon said.

A Routt County Search and Rescue team and the Steamboat Fire Department officials arrived at about 8 p.m., about an hour after they were notified, said Randall Hannaway with Search and Rescue Team 2.

Complicating the rescue was steep terrain, which rescuers had to hike while carrying Spillane on a stretcher before reaching four-wheelers that took Spillane to a waiting ambulance, Hannaway said.

The ambulance took Spillane to Yampa Valley Medical Center, where he received a blood transfusion before being flown to a hospital in Denver, Whiddon said.

Because of privacy issues, officials would not specify the hospital caring for Spillane, Whiddon said.

"They think he is going to make it out all right. ... We're not sure how well he is going to be able to walk," he said.

Spillane and Dennis are students at Lowell Whiteman School. Whiddon, a student at Steamboat Springs High School, said he and Dennis were pretty shaken up by the incident.

"We'd never been in a situation like that," he said.

Whiddon was thankful for the cell phone he had bought just several days before the accident. He purchased the $200 model to ensure he'd have reception in remote areas, he said.

He did regret, however, that he and his friends didn't prepare themselves with more clothing, food and water.

"It hit me hard that you should always really be prepared because you never know when something like this will happen," he said.

-- To reach Tamera Manzanares call 871-4204

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Hope he is going to be okay.

CRC

Under the direction of Routt County dispatch, Whiddon hiked to the group's parked car about 1 1/2 miles away to meet paramedics, while Dillon remained with Spillane, who had managed to pull the arrow out of his leg, Whiddon said.

Some first aid training may me a good idea too.

Best wishes to him.

Quoted: if there is anything that will cause bleed-out faster than a bullet...it's a razor-sharp broadhead.

For real -- major dangerous thing a sharp broadhead arrow. They will go through bullet proof vests .

My cousin cut himself on a broadhead once. Nasty.

Quoted: Quoted: if there is anything that will cause bleed-out faster than a bullet...it's a razor-sharp broadhead. For real -- major dangerous thing a sharp broadhead arrow. They will go through bullet proof vests .

Cop-killer broadheads?  Man, they ought to ban those things.

So what brand of cell phone did he use? A real life saver!

Quoted: Under the direction of Routt County dispatch, Whiddon hiked to the group's parked car about 1 1/2 miles away to meet paramedics, while Dillon remained with Spillane, who had managed to pull the arrow out of his leg, Whiddon said. Some first aid training may me a good idea too. Best wishes to him.

yeah, you never remove any object impaled in a person. it is VERY dangerous. you are supposed to stabilize the object and then bandage the wound.

Quoted: So what brand of cell phone did he use? A real life saver!

Ha I heard that Id bleed to death before I could get a signal.....

Quoted: Under the direction of Routt County dispatch, Whiddon hiked to the group's parked car about 1 1/2 miles away to meet paramedics, while Dillon remained with Spillane, who had managed to pull the arrow out of his leg, Whiddon said.

I know!  I saw that and cringed.

Quoted: Be careful guys.  Any bowhunter who has killed a deer (or other animal) is always in awe of the wounds created by sharp broadheads.  A little carelessness goes a long way--especially in remote and/or rugged country.  Best wishes for the kid.

BIG + 1 on that.....

Cutting myself on a broadhead from one of my arrows, has allways been a big concern of mine....something I hope never happens....

And yes, I am amazed at the size of the wound a Muzzy 100 grain 3 bladed broadhead can do to a deer, simply amazing......

The three men proceeded to prop it up on its back with an arrow for cleaning

Am I the only one that thinks this is an incredibly STUPID thing to do?

Quoted: The three men proceeded to prop it up on its back with an arrow for cleaning Am I the only one that thinks this is an incredibly STUPID thing to do?

Seemed like a good idea at the time?

Other similar situations:

"Well, we are second cousins... it aint illegal."

- BG

Well, I'm glad he's OK, but I see Beekeeper's BS point, plus even if they DID prop the elk up with an arrow-that still had the broadhead attached to it-that wasn't exactly the brightest thing to do.


I always get a kick out of anti gun/hunter people that give me shit about hunting with firearms, but when I mention that I bowhunt also they say, "Well, at least that's sporting".

Yeah, right. Broadheads kill by hemmoraging-that's bleeding to detah for the uninitiated-and bleeding to death doesn't always-in fact rarely-happen quickly. IMHO, a clean and accurate shot with a sufficient rifle is MUCH more humane. But their anti gun logic just won't believe this.

Broadheads are DANGEROUS. They're 3, 4 or 5 SCALPELS on a stick (sounds pretty catchy-like soap on a rope. Maybe I should patent the phrase). They require as much attention to detail as weapons.

Yup, I am going to use one of my $8 arrows with broadhead as a stick to prop something up.  Not like they were in the woods where real sticks can be found everywhere.

On penetration with a broadhead, I hit a deer once and the arrow went clean thru, length wise! Entry in front sholder area, exited thru one of the glutes.

updated article on arrow man

Man hurt by arrow is OK
By Tamera Manzanares, Pilot & Today Staff
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2004
A STEAMBOAT SPRINGS MAN WHO suffered severe blood loss when he punctured his leg with a hunting arrow Saturday night is in good shape, his brother said Tuesday.

Sam Spillane, 18, severed his Achilles tendon and sliced an artery in his leg when he accidentally stepped on the broad tip of an arrow while cleaning an elk he killed.
He was transported to Yampa Valley Medical Center and was flown to St. Anthony's Hospital in Denver, where he was given blood transfusions and underwent several surgeries to reconnect the artery and tendon, his brother, Johnny Spillane, said Tuesday.
Johnny Spillane expected his brother and parents to be home from the hospital this week.
Sam Spillane, a student at Lowell Whiteman School, was hunting about 4.5 miles off of Buffalo Pass Road, south of the Rocky Flats area, with friends Dillon Dennis, 18, and Clay Whiddon, 17. After killing the elk, the three propped up the animal with a hunting arrow for cleaning, Whiddon said Sunday.
While cleaning the elk, Sam Spillane accidentally punctured the animal's stomach, which released bad smelling gases, causing him to back away and into the arrow tip, which had somehow been exposed in the process, Whiddon said.
Sam Spillane's leg bled badly from the 1-inch diameter arrow, which entered his leg behind the ankle and came out the other side, said Whiddon, who, with Dennis, elevated Sam Spillane's leg and applied pressure to the wound before using Whiddon's cell phone to call for help.
While Whiddon hiked to meet rescuers, Sam Spillane pulled the arrow out of his leg, Whiddon said.
Within an hour, officials from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Routt County Search and Rescue and the Steamboat Springs Fire Department were on the scene.
Rescuers carried Sam Spillane on a stretcher over steep terrain before reaching four-wheelers that took him to a waiting ambulance, Search and Rescue member Randall Hannaway said Sunday.
Sam Spillane has good feeling in his foot, an indication that the arrow did not cut a major nerve, one of doctors' concerns, Johnny Spillane said.

A couple of years ago in Jefferson county, Mo. a bow hunter died of a freak accident simliar to this. He was hiking out of the woods slipped while walking and somehow fell onto one of his broadheads.
He died.
Just goes to show you that when your time comes, it comes.

Quoted: Quoted: Sam Spillane's leg bled badly from the 1-inch diameter arrow, which entered his leg behind the ankle and came out the other side, said Whiddon, who, with Dennis, elevated Sam Spillane's leg and applied pressure to the wound before using Whiddon's cell phone to call for help. Hey, GaryM, have you ever seen those new-fangled 1-inch diameter arrows?  Dang--I shoot the old 2219's, and guys call those "big logs."   1" diameter shaft or width of broadhead?? a 1" shaft would be huge! I used to shoot 2219s but a few years back I went carbon fiber and love them now.

  I bow hunt, those bastards are sharp.  I watch 90% of the deer I shoot with a bow drop within sight of my stand.   I carry a suture kit in my fanny pack.
Laid my thumb open just brushing against one of the blades one time.

Quoted:   I bow hunt, those bastards are sharp.  I watch 90% of the deer I shoot with a bow drop within sight of my stand.   I carry a suture kit in my fanny pack. Laid my thumb open just brushing against one of the blades one time.

Yep, those broadheads could double as surgery scalpels, they're so sharp.