"Snowball" Makes an Easy Rescue HARD

Executive Summary

Pam contacted me about "Snowball" who had been stuck for 5 days in a tree near Flora MS. When I arrived, Flora got into her car and led me down a long road in a wooded area to the neighbors trailer (used as a deer camp). The deer camp was only used during the season so it was deserted. Snowball was in a smallish tree about 25 feet up and the rescue looked to be easy. However, when I set the rope, Snowball climbed up the smallish trunk to an even higher point. There was no way to reach him there, so I prepared for a pole rescue. Once I got to my tie-in point, I went a little higher and then tried a pole grab. Unfortunately, small limbs and Snowball's position cause the pole grab to fail, and Snowball climbed about five feet higher. At this point, I should have aborted the rescue and tried something else like tying into a neighboring tree, but it was getting dark and I did not have my head light. So, I took a risk and went a bit higher on a lanyard in the small top, half-way expecting it break under me (I was tied into other limbs via my main rope and lanyard). Pam and her adult daughter were holding a tarp underneath in case Snowball fell. I tried the pole again, but small limbs kept preventing me from lassoing Snowball, who eventually lost his grip and fell, missing the tarp. On hitting the ground, Snowball dashed off underneath the deer camp house trailer. Snowball was an inside kitty who had never been outside, so I was very worried about him not finding his way home. Pam put food/water under the trailer and returned each morning/night to call for him. After three nights, Snowball finally showed up at Pam's door --- whew! The theory is that Snowball was comfortable hanging out underneath the deer camp and finally got brave enough to make the short trek home.