For those of us that have been privileged to hunt with Alan -- there is a thread on the AR Hunting Report Forum as to his encounter with a wounded Cape Buffalo. I only post this here to bring the incident and related posting to the attention of those that have had the honor to hunt with Alan and might have missed it.
I am sure we all wish him the best and a speedy recovery.

I am just back from taking over and finishing Als hunt and wanted to up date the many of you that had hunted with Al on his condition and what actually happened. Been hopless on computors I have been unable to find the thread that Woodmncty said was posted- however the below is from Al and Chad and the team.

Chad ( Als client) and Al wounded a buff early morning in thick bush. The shot looked good and they both expected to find it dead with in 100 yards or so. However unfortunatly the shot was a little low.

They then followed the old dugga boy for the better part of the day till 3pm where they caught up to it again in quite thick bush. Both Al and Chad shot it and the buff started running paralel to them where upon they both emptied their magazines into the buff.

As bad luck would have it as soon as they both had fired their last rounds the buff stopped and then charged them. The buff was coming directly for Chad who managed get behind a big mopani tree. Al then got the attention of the buff to draw it away from Chad. The buff then went for Al who fell over and was kicking the buffs bosses as it tried to gore him.

Unfortunatly the buff did manage to toss Al but credit to the game scout who managed to put a few shots in the Buff with this AK . Chad then got in the final killing shot. I think the important thing to remember was that this all took only a couple of seconds to play out. It was very unfortunate that the buff ,from running parallel, then charged them just as both Al and Chad finished their last rounds not giving them enough time to reload before it was on them.

I have heard the story from Al, Chad, the trackers and game Scout and from every account everyone involved did everything they could and behaved in a professional manner under extreme circumstances. Had it not been for the fact that Al diverted the buff attention it may well have got Chad and likewise had it not been for Chad and the Game Scout who stood thier ground and managed to shoot the buff off Al it may have been a much worse tale.

Luckily for Al there was a pilot close to camp who diverted and took Al to Harare where he was met by the Mars ambulance. He went into surgery that evening and it was decided that the following moring that Al should go to South Africa where he is now. Rosy and thier two boys, Chad and Kyle are with Al also.

With regards to his wound I have copied an email that I got from Rosy today

Hey everyone - sorry no comms for so long. Al finally out of ICU and in a ward. He is doing very well but has a hectic injury - as you can imagine. He goes in for exploratory surgery this afternoon to see what the full damage is. The recovery will be a long road but he is alive and because he is young and so fit he is healing well. No idea how long he will be in hospital and how long we will be here.

Basically he was hooked up from just next to his bum to slightly left of his scrotum. It looks like someone has taken an axe and split him open down to the bone. He has alot of bruising and its a nasty wound but luckily did not perforate the rectum or bowel or testes etc. He has to wear a bag for the forseeable future which is very hard on him (and not something to be mocked you PH's!!) but we just have to deal with that and be thankful that he is alive to wear it at all! As and when the wound has healed and plastic surgery completed they will reconnect the bowel and do away with the bag once and for all.

Thanks to you all for the phenomenal support. Has made the biggest difference to us. All love. The Shearings xxxx



I will keep you up dated as I hear from Rosy and am getting around to all the private emails that we have recieved from you all- it is just taking a little time.

Thanks once again for all your thoughts and concerns- they are much appreciated by all and I am sure Al will be up and chasing buff and eles at the beginning of next season with his normal enthusiasm!! Cheers for now Buzz

Sorry Buzz.

Please tell Al that I am so, so sorry for his plight and I would guess many others feel the same.

I sincerely hope he recovers quickly.

Buzz,

please pass along our best wishes and prayers for a full and speedy recovery. We will keep Rosy and the boys in our prayers as well.
See you in Reno.

Rich

alan and rosy , you are in our thoughts and prayers ...it can happen to anyone and we all think it will never happen to us..

wishing you a speedy recovery

Best of luck to a brave man for a swift and full recovery.

"wearing a bag" means he's had a diversionary colostomy to decrease chances of contamination of the wound.

Best wishes to him and his family.

My wife, Irra and I hunted with Alan October 2007 in the Deka area for Tuskless. After I shot a tuskless the whole herd charged us. We were out in the open and the whole sequence was filmed and incorporated in CM Safari's Zambezi Extreme video. Alan very calmly told me to get back while he held his ground and fired a single shot from his 416 into the charging matriarch's head dropping her with a perfect frontal brain shot. This immediately stopped the mass charge. I can't begin to describe how cool and professional Alan was along with his overall demeanor of being a perfect gentleman. Our prayers are with him and his family.

Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery.

A Brave man did what's right.



.

quote:

Originally posted by BigBoreCore:
My wife, Irra and I hunted with Alan October 2007 in the Deka area for Tuskless. After I shot a tuskless the whole herd charged us. We were out in the open and the whole sequence was filmed and incorporated in CM Safari's Zambezi Extreme video. Alan very calmly told me to get back while he held his ground and fired a single shot from his 416 into the charging matriarch's head dropping her with a perfect frontal brain shot. This immediately stopped the mass charge. I can't begin to describe how cool and professional Alan was along with his overall demeanor of being a perfect gentleman. Our prayers are with him and his family.

Was that not a single cow and a 458WM? A great shot by the way.

I am the Chad that Buzz is referring to and just returned home. It was quite an experience to say the least. I think Alan definitely saved me by attracting the buff's attention.

Luckily, the buff did not have much time to inflict damage because the game scout bravely rushed in with his SKS. We got the initial bleeding stopped very quickly, but unfortunately, Alan had to walk around 1km to the truck (he refused to be carried out). We got him back to camp as soon as possible, but the walk and/or ride had restarted the bleeding. One of Zim's newest qualified PHs, Antony, quickly radioed for evac and he and I treated Al while waiting for the pickup. Alan was in good spirits during the whole ordeal and even managed to hurl a few jokes/insults at Antony.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Sorry Buzz.

Please tell Al that I am so, so sorry for his plight and I would guess many others feel the same.

I sincerely hope he recovers quickly.

What Will said!

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:

quote:

Originally posted by Will:
Sorry Buzz.

Please tell Al that I am so, so sorry for his plight and I would guess many others feel the same.

I sincerely hope he recovers quickly.

What Will said!

Yea, what Will said!

Best to all involved,

JPK

So sorry to hear this. Rosy was my camp manager in '04. While I didn't get to hunt with Alan, he hung around camp for a couple days between his own hunts. Terrific people, both of them.

Our prayers are with you for a speedy recovery.

Kyler

Hi - Rosy Shearing here. Thank you to you all for your amazing support. Have been posting updates on another page and only just found this one. Sorry!!!

Alan doing amazingly well and has been so touched by everyone's well wishes and concern. He has had the second round of reconstructive surgery and is healing well. More sore than before but am sure in some weird way thats a good thing! A fantastic hospital and great surgeons etc. It feels like our second home now!!

Hoping we will be back in Zim by the end of the month. I will continue to update you all as and when l can.

Kyler - so good to see your post. We often talk about you. Hope you are fit and well.

Best wishes to you all
Rosy and family xxxx

Thanks again for the update. Hope he is indeed home soon and on the mend.

Yes! The good news is he is recovering quick enough to have the surgery. The bad news, he is likely pretty crabby. We pray for all of you, hope he recovers and you can all get back to the house soon. God Bless you all.

Rich

Hi everyone. Al doing really well. I spent afternoon and evening with him yesterday and actually managed to get him in a wheelchair and we then went to the hospital coffee shop on a "date". So nice for Al to have a change of scenery although he was pretty uncomfortable by the time we got back to the ward! Small steps...... The bottom line (no pun intended!!! Ha ha) is that he is really coming along in leaps and bounds and for that we are so thankful. Love to you all. Rosy xxxx

Very glad to hear the news. Fingers crossed that he continues to do well.

Glad to hear there is good news. Our small prayers and best wishes for a rapid and complete recovery!

Good to hear he is doing better and healing well. Say Hi for all of us.

Bill

Glad to hear that all is progressing and everyday will be better..

The best to Alan and family.

Mike

Hi everyone

Al was discharged from hospital last night but on strict rest and has to go back to hospital every 2 days. He is sore and not very mobile but this will all come with time. Hoping to be home early December. Kyle (our almost 4 year old)had really bad day yesterday but seems a lot better today - very swollen.Had tonsils, grommits and adenoidectomy - did not do well with anesthetic etc.

Someone asked if Al had cracked open an icy cold beer on leaving the trauma hospital. Sadly thats not permitted as yet and the only crack has alarge iodine dressing in it!! Ha ha. Forgive me if l seem crass but l have to have humour about these things otherwise the situation would have driven me mad ages ago!!

So good to all be together again!! Thank you all for your thoughts and concern. Loads of love to you all. Rosy and family xxxx

quote:

the situation would have driven me mad ages ago!!

Yeah, these kind of situations are tough on everybody.

Thanks for the updates.

Keep the faith (though it may seem sometimes it is unappreciated).

Its obvious that Alan and son have the right wife/mother to pull them through this situation.

Care like hers is equal to or more important than anything the doctors or nurses can provide at this stage.

Hi Rosey, wishing you guys a rapid return to normal life! It sounds like Alan is a good patient, and you a good nurse!

Regarding that sense of humour thing....just remember this once the merciless PH's go to work on Al! You know he's going to be the "butt" of their jokes. Aw, sorry, I shouldn't be "cracking" jokes just yet...no more wise-cracks from me!

My best to you, Al and the family, Bill

Glad to hear that his progress continues.

Hi Rosy,

What not compromise and pour an ice cold beer over your husband's crack. I bet it would really good!

Cheers,

Mike Core

Glad to hear that Allan's recovery is progressing.

Best wishes to all,

JPK

quote:

Someone asked if Al had cracked open an icy cold beer on leaving the trauma hospital. Sadly thats not permitted as yet and the only crack has alarge iodine dressing in it!!

That is why I love the Rhodesians.

All the best to the Shearing family. I hope they are all back on their feet and kicking ass again very soon.

Dean

Ha ha. Thanks one and all. Mike Core l am chilling a bottle of Millers as l tyoe this and will try your cold and icy compromise. Will let you know result if l survive the experiment. ha ha.

Have been reading all the messages to Al who is very touched by the extent of everyones concern and well wishes. Went to see plastic surgeon today who is very happy with wound and my dodgy nursing abilities so all good. Kyle also doing better today.

Thanks and best wishes. ALan will be dictating a message for you all in the next day or so - watch this space.....

Have a happy day y'all xxxxx

Once again, I am very pleased to hear of his progress.

Rosy, Al and family,

I am so happy and encouraged by your progress. Its hard to keep a good man down!




ddj

quote:

Its obvious that Alan and son have the right wife/mother to pull them through this situation.

Care like hers is equal to or more important than anything the doctors or nurses can provide at this stage.

Well said brother Palmer. All the best to Alan and family. We should all be so lucky to have a wife like Rosy.
Kind Regards,
David

If Al gets any teasing about the ostomy, he can reply that now he doesn't have to squat behind any bushes to answer natures call.

Sounds like he is making a great recovery.

Well wishes and hoping you get well soon, sir.

Damned good show by the man on the SKS, wot?

Continued well wishes.

God bless y'all....Thank god for the MARS system having worked!

Cautionary tale to all of os not to forget our Med-Jet and MARS suscriptions!

This can happen to the best of us (just did in fact)

Good luck Al.....

JW

I am praying for the Shearing family and a prompt uncomplicated recovery.

Alan is a very skillful and prudent professional.I hunted elephant in '06 & '08 with him in Zim. This must have been extraordinary bad luck.

Speedy recovery please!