MCKINLEY TWP. (WWJ) — Two duck hunters are back safe on shore after they had to be rescued from the water on Saginaw Bay.
The Huron County Sheriff’s Office got a call from a duck hunter around 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, saying he and a companion were in need of help because their boat was swamped on Wild Fowl Bay in McKinley Township, just southwest of Caseville.
The sheriff’s office says the hunters had apparently taken several waves over the bow of the boat from the strong east/southeast winds. Their 14-foot boat was submerged but still “somewhat floating,” the sheriff’s office said.
The men — a 64-year-old from Fenton and 31-year-old from Kalamazoo — had life jackets on. One of them stayed with the boat, while the other tried to make it back roughly two miles to shore, officials said.
The Fairhaven Twp. Fire Department was called out, along with sheriff’s deputies and the Caseville Fire Department, who brought the sheriff’s office’s rescue airboat and their own large rescue Zodiac boat.
But before they could get to the boat launch, Fairhaven firefighters had already quickly gotten to a private airboat and were on their way to the distressed hunters.
Both men were retrieved and brought ashore to an awaiting ambulance to be checked out due to being in the mid-to-upper 40-degree water. Both men refused further treatment.