Tom Roberts is an avid hunter in the backcountry of Canada and has been hunting big game for many years. In August 2017, Tom and his hunting partner set off to their favourite spot in the mountains to do some sheep hunting.After his partner shot a ram, Tom took on the job of skinning his hunting partner’s prize. His knife was caught up in the hide so he torqued with his knife. As he did this, the knife came though the hide and he stabbed himself near his knee right to the bone. His hunting partner used quick thinking and cut a piece of canvas meat bag and wrapped it tightly around Tom’s leg to create a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
It was getting dark out and Tom’s SPOT device was left at their campsite which was 30 minutes down the mountain. Tom’s hunting partner ran back to the campsite to retrieve the device, pressed the SOS and ran back to Tom’s location.
While the duo were waiting to be rescued, Tom noticed a bright light that he thought was the helicopter. The bright light turned out to be the northern lights and Tom, with his wit still intact, leaned to his hunting partner and said, “Who would have thought the two of us would be in the mountains together watching the northern lights?”
After being helicoptered to a hospital and treated for his wound, Tom noted, “I would not have been able to walk out. The SPOT and my friend saved my life!”