Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) enforcement agents and Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office (NPSO) deputies successfully rescued a hunter following a tree stand accident in Natchitoches Parish on Jan. 14.

LDWF agents and NPSO deputies received a call around 3:25 p.m. about a stranded hunter that was injured after he fell from his tree stand.  Agents and deputies responded immediately to the area and found the injured man.  Agents and deputies then extracted the hunter from the woods and loaded him into a helicopter and he was airlifted to LSU Health Shreveport hospital with rib and back injuries.

LDWF agents will be the lead investigative agency for this hunting accident.  Due to the terrain, it took agents and deputies about two hours to extract the hunter from the woods to the awaiting helicopter.  The hunter was not wearing a safety harness at the time of the accident.

According to the hunter, he finished his hunt and was climbing down his ladder stand when he lost his footing and fell 12 feet to the ground striking a limb that was lying in front of his ladder stand.  He was able to call a friend who was then able to call 911 for help.