Oregon hunter rescued after hanging upside-down for 2 days

His heart stopped beating about halfway through the rescue because blood flow had been cut off.

  • By Wire Service
  • Thursday, August 30, 2018 1:29pm
  • Northwest

Associated Press

LA GRANDE, Ore. — An Oregon hunter who fell out of his tree stand and got tangled in his safety harness has been rescued after hanging upside-down for two days about 30 feet (9 meters) from the ground.

The Union County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday another hunter found the man and drove to a nearby highway to get cellphone reception to call 911.

Rescuers used a bucket truck and ladder to reach him.

The La Grande Observer reports that the man’s heart stopped beating about halfway through the rescue because blood flow that had been cut off to his lower body was suddenly restored.

Rescuers were prepared for that possibility and had established a landing zone for a helicopter to airlift him to a local hospital.

Union County is in rural northeast Oregon.

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