Days GON By October 2015

Each month we turn back the clock to see what was being reported in the pages of GON, both 20 and 10 years ago. Here’s a look back at what appeared in GON. 

20 Years Ago: October 1995

GON freelance writer John Stanley with a buck he killed in Harris County in 1994. In 1989, John had a terrifying fall from a tree that landed him in the hospital and led to multiple surgeries. He told the story 20 years ago in GON.

“I Fell 30 Feet Out Of A Pine Tree”: John Stanley has been freelance writing for GON for more than 20 years. In the October 1995 issue, he wrote a scary story about when he fell 22 feet to the ground on Nov. 7, 1989. At the time, he was working his way up a pine tree and standing on a live pine limb as big around as his wrist. The limb broke.

“It popped like the sound of a .22 magnum,” said John. “The next thing I knew, I was falling backward and bouncing off limbs while frantically trying to grab hold of something to stop my fall. I landed hard on my left hip, and I remember my head slamming into the ground like whiplash.”

After six excruciating hours in the woods, John was discovered by his buddies Randy Long and David Mitsopolous. Once at the hospital, John received morphine, and the pain was finally gone for the time being.

“When I woke up the next morning and opened my eyes, there was a doctor standing there telling me that I had fractured the femoral neck of my leg bone near the hip and would require immediate surgery. I had also broken my right wrist.”

Numerous infections in his bone prevented proper healing, which led to a bone disease. He had to have his hip joint removed to allow for the infection to die. In March 1990, he had hip replacement surgery and was finally on the road to recovery. Two years after his fall, John was finally walking again.

John was climbing a tree when he fell. Today, John attaches a safety belt to him as he ascends and descends from his tree stand. Be safe!

10 Years Ago: October 2005

Ted Parsons, of Dawsonville, with the Dawson Forest WMA bear that he shot at a distance of 5 feet.

“Bowhunter Charged By Dawson Forest Bear!”: Ted Parsons was hunting Dawson Forest WMA opening morning of bow season in 2005. He decided to hunt on the ground from a dove stool. Not long after daylight, the hunt turned scary.

“I heard a rustling of leaves coming from directly behind me,” said Ted. “There was a very large black bear, and like a nightmare it was coming at me like a runaway freight train carrying a full load, and all I had was a stick and string.

“I didn’t have time to think, all I could do was react. I spun around and drew my recurve at the same time. And when I got to full draw and saw those shiny white teeth and heard the clacking against each other as he was growling and charging me, time froze. I did not breathe. My brain was telling my fingers to release the arrow. My fingers wouldn’t work. The bear came so fast, and then he suddenly whirled to my right at only 10 short feet in front of me. Somehow my fingers finally listened to my brain, and I let the string go.”

Ted’s arrow found its mark.

However, Ted was understandably freaked out and ran toward his truck.

“All that ran through my mind as I was running was, ‘Thank you Jesus for watching out for me and protecting me from death.’”

Ted recovered his bear several hours later.