At about 10:45 a.m. on Monday morning the Stanton County Sheriff’s office was notified of a 911 call that a dove hunter was stuck in Mud (Quicksand) up to his waist on the west end of the Wood Duck recreation area about six miles southwest of Stanton. It took nearly 30 minutes to locate the 25-year-old hunter using sirens and yelling before he was located by the Sheriff in a pond that appeared dried out but was actually saturated mud that he sunk into above his waist. The hunter was unable to use his shotgun as it was packed with mud and could not be safely fired to notify responders of his location. He was finally able to be removed using rescue ropes by members of the Sheriff’s office and fire personnel. The male was treated at the scene for dehydration by EMS and declined transport. The hunter was able to use his cell phone to call 911 and that assisted in pinging his approximate location that was a very dense marsh area and wetlands. Also responding to the scene was Stanton Fire and Rescue, Norfolk Fire and Rescue, Stanton County Emergency Management and the Madison County Sheriff’s office both assisted with drones. Also responding to the wildlife area was Nebraska Game and Parks. This is at least the third time that a hunter has gotten stuck or bogged down in heavy mud in the Wood Duck area in the past seven years.
