# Broken wrist- What would you do?



## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I spent the weekend looking at big bucks and bulls. Then my horse lost her footing and took a tumble down a steep grade. The horse is fine but I broke my wrist when I came off. The bone is chipped and currently a piece is floating free. 
I've never broken an arm or leg or anything so I'm not sure what to expect as far as when I'll have strength to pull a bow. Right now I can't even open a soda bottle. What would you do in my situation? Do you think the DWR would trade me a rifle tag for my archery tag? Has anyone ever shot a bow with a cast on?


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2011)

i dont think the dwr will trade your tag. i bet they will issue a COR to use a crossbow though. as far as shooting with a cast on, it depends on the break, where at and how much pain you can ignore while trying to shoot


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## kailey29us (May 26, 2011)

With less than a month before the hunt starts I wouldnt expect to be shooting your bow. I would try for a crossbow if it were me, or turn the tag in and get healed up for next year. If you try to push it to far to fast you could make things worse.


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

You cannot trade your tag straight across. However, when the remaining tags go on sale on the 27th, you can take your archery tag and exchange it for a Northern rifle or muzzleoader tag. They charge you $10 but that's better than not going. If you planned on hunting in another unit then you are out of luck for this year. The crossbow idea would probably work, but if you don't have a crossbow already, then that doesn't make alot of sense either.
Shooting a bow with a cast will probably suck! I have never tried it, but I can't imagine how it will be comfortable or consistant 

Good luck though!


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## RBoomK (Feb 10, 2011)

That's a bad deal, BirdDogger. I agree with k_e_a that you will most likely will not be able to trade your tag. However, I had a buddy hunt with a broken wrist (cast extending to upper forearm) using a release. It was awkward for him, but he was still quite accurate. I believe he had about a month's time in his cast prior to the hunt, and enough room to still curl up his fingers, but he didn't have any extra bone floating around the break. You won't get any practice in for the next few weeks, but if all is going well, a month provides a lot of time for healing of the break.


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

I have a video somewhere in my collection that shows Dwight Schuh shooting a bow with a homemade mouth held release after he injured his arm. I think it was a wrist release mechanism modified to let go when he bit down on it or visa versa, I can't remember. Of course, it depended on his jaw and neck strength and which arm was still good, but he got his deer. Radical maybe, but it's another idea!


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

On PSE show the owner had a strap around his shoulder then the release on his shoulder and that's how he hunted with his broken arm and he killed a elk, I believe...


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## Guest (Jul 25, 2011)

katorade said:


> On PSE show the owner had a strap around his shoulder then the release on his shoulder and that's how he hunted with his broken arm and he killed a elk, I believe...


yeah pete shepley did create a device to shoot his bow with a broken arm. you can also learn to shoot using your mouth. many great target archers that have a disability have attached a strap to their bow string that they bite down on with their teeth. theres lots of ways to do it, it just is going to take some time get use to doing it a different way


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

yeah I broke my wrist playing sports once upon a time and I had surgery and had to wear a cast for 3 months. Which wrist is it? The drawing one or the gripping one? If it's the gripping one I think you're SOL...if it's the drawing one I think you'll be fine. The entertaining thing would be if you actually killed something...watching you try and field dress or debone an animal with one good hand


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Left wrist, the one I grip the bow with. There's no flipping way I can hold the bow through the draw. I'm thinking I'll just see about trading for a Northern rifle tag. It's just too close to the hunt for me to feel comfortable.


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## Guest (Jul 26, 2011)

BirdDogger said:


> Left wrist, the one I grip the bow with. There's no flipping way I can hold the bow through the draw. I'm thinking I'll just see about trading for a Northern rifle tag. It's just too close to the hunt for me to feel comfortable.


you could also shoot left handed with a left handed bow....? ive seen that done before also...


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Talk to the doctor. Maybe he can form the cast to allow you to hold the bow. Normal 6 weeks to heal you should be able to do something with it before then.


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## skeet4l (Sep 11, 2007)

Sorry to hear BD, but I think your out of luck with the crossbow. I called the DWR for a buddy and he had to be permanently disabled. I have an extra left handed bow that your welcome to try if you'd like. Skeet


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I just printed the extended archery units ethics form. It looks like I'll be getting to know the extended units this year.


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## Theekillerbee (Jan 8, 2009)

Do you have a picture of the fracture you could either post or PM me? Some fractures are not biggie, others will take you out for the archery season. Gotta see it to give you an honest opinion.


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

if it's the scaphoid bone then you're pretty much effed...not a whole lot of circulation to that bone and therefore takes a while to heal. Too bad you didn't break your forearm like Albert Pujols...you could be back in the batter's box in 4 weeks...no steroids involved...honestly :roll:


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Just returned from the orthopaedic surgeon's office- I've got 3 little bone chips in the middle of the wrist and a small break around the outside bone. Nothing too bad, no surgery required. I'm in a hard cast right now, but the good doc said he could probably get me into a splint that would allow some movement in a few weeks. I imagine having a splint on might mess up my shot a little bit, butI don't really grip the bow when I shoot anyway. I just kind of cradle it between my thumb and forefinger.


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

well that's good news!!! That'll leave you about a week to practice before the hunt! Hope your hunting set-up is tuned already


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Well, I think I'm destined to hunt the extended units. I just got back from the 3 weeks x-ray and I've got a bone chip lodged above another bone. The doc said it will never come down, but that my body will kind of absorb the chip or accept it after awhile. I'm not sure how that happens. He did put me into a brace for another month and I think I could shoot with it on, but he said absolutely zero heavy lifting. 

TKB- I've not been given copies of the x-rays, but thanks for the offer to check them out. 

Skeet, thanks a million for the offer to use your left handed bow. I didn't notice the offer until now. I think I'll just let myself heal up and then hunt the extended season. That was awfully generous of you, though. Who knows, I might even catch the latter part of the elk hunt in September.


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