Hunter Rescued After Getting Stuck in Mud

A man in Maine unexpectedly found himself stuck waist-deep in mud during a hunting excursion and had to be rescued, authorities said.

In a Thursday, Oct. 2, news release, the Brunswick Police Department said it received a 911 call on the afternoon of  Wednesday, Oct. 1, from Matthew Alexander of Topsham.

Alexander, 31, told authorities that he was duck hunting off of Wharton’s Point in Maquoit Bay and shot several ducks while standing on an embankment. 

“He started walking across the mud to retrieve the ducks when he suddenly sank [in the mud],” the news release stated. “He was unable to move and the more he struggled, the deeper he became.”

Video shared by the police department on Facebook showed two officers in an airboat heading to Alexander’s location. They could be seen pulling up Alexander from the strong suction of the mud and into the boat.

Because of the time he spent exposed to the ocean water from Maquoit Bay while trapped in the mud, Alexander was taken to a hospital and later released, the Brunswick Police Department added. Meanwhile, the ducks he shot were retrieved. 

The department advised people that coastal mud flats are unsteady, specifically because of “honey pots,” which cannot be seen until it is too late. 

“Honey pots are areas in the mud that can act like quick sand,” the news release stated. “The more a person moves, the deeper they become.”

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According to the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, Maquoit Bay area is a popular spot for birdwatching, paddling, swimming, hunting and fishing.