WATSON, Illinois (WAND) — A Watson man recovers at home after being injured in a hunting accident last week. Ron Slifer, owner of Slifer’s Bloodhound Service, tracks down fallen deer for hunters in Illinois.
“Sometimes when they shoot a deer it stops bleeding and they are at a loss. When they are at a loss they call us. ,” Slifer told WAND News.
Last week, Slifer got a call from a crossbow hunter in southern Illinois asking for help tracking down a deer he had shot.
“As usual, I used to do this: pray before every track. Kneel and leash the dog,” Slifer explained.
Slifer and his partner Gary Easley were trying to find a deer when they tripped and fell.
“I looked down at my leg and there was a crossbow bolt piercing my leg through my leg,” Slipher said.
The hunter’s crossbow accidentally detached, severely injuring his leg.
“I rolled him back and it was sticking out of his leg. I told him to get up and calm down.
Slipher was airlifted to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for tibia surgery.
“They did a really great job. We’re so lucky to have someone with an archery education in Burns,” Ron’s wife, Tara Slipher, told WAND News.
But the story doesn’t stop there. The next night, Slipher prepares to leave the hospital.
“We packed up and forgot something, so we had to go back to the hospital,” Tara Slipher said.
“My wife moved the van out of the way and kept it moving. I was like lying in the back. Someone wanted to get in the van and take off ,” added Ron Sleifer.
It took Slifer a minute to realize he had been carjacked.
“The person said, ‘I have security and I can’t leave the van moving. I’m just moving it for you.’ It turns out he wasn’t. Safely,” Slipher explained.
The man parked his car on the main road and started driving.
“I couldn’t defend myself, and I really didn’t know if he was going to pick up his buddies, and they were about to jump in the van at the time. I’m not familiar with St. Louis. , so I was a little scared to tell the truth,” Slipher told WAND News.
After trying to tell the suspect about the ordeal he went through, Thrifah said the man finally stopped the car and fled.
“I couldn’t find my van when I got back, so I went back to the valet parking lot and thought there might be a problem,” Tara Slifer said.
Back at the hospital, the van was not found and Tara began to panic.
“It was a very nice gentleman in the waiting room. I think he could see that I was upset about it. He held out his phone. That’s how I got in touch with Ron,” says Tara. explained.
Hospital security was able to take her to Van and Ron.
“I can’t thank him enough. I’m glad someone is there,” said Tara.
After filing a police report, Ron and Tara were finally able to return home.
“It’s quite an ordeal to be shot one day and kidnapped the next day. This is not a hoax,” Slifer said.
For more information on Slifer’s Bloodhound service, click here.
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