Hunting Dog Found 70 Feet Underground

Mountain Cur at full cry.

2005-11-17, by Thomas Fraser of The Daily Times, Maryville, Tennessee

Bryan Hepperly's dog is one tough Buck.

The 2-year-old mountain cur --named Buck -- disappeared over two weeks ago while Hepperly was hunting raccoons in Dry Valley. Buck was found stuck 70 feet underground in Panther Cave near Kelley Gap on Monday, not far from the boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The dog was the subject of a technical rescue Tuesday by Great Smokies ranger Rick Brown after campers at Ace Gap heard barking from a hole in the ground.

The dog is ``very skinny'' and exhausted, Hepperly said, but in otherwise good shape. Buck is recuperating at the veterinarian. His prognosis is excellent, despite the fact the dog had nothing to eat for 16 days, ``unless something fell in that hole,'' Hepperly said.

He believes his dog was stuck in the cave all 16 days because there was no signal from his tracking collar, which can be detected reliably for miles -- but not underground. The dog was likely chasing a raccoon, which can run for miles, when he fell into the cave.

``I was really glad to get the news,'' Hepperly said, noting that Buck is one fine coon dog. ``Actually, I was going to put a $1,000 reward out for him,'' he said. He looked high and low for the dog ``every other day for 16 days,'' and had come to the conclusion Buck had been stolen.

Park visitors staying at campsite No. 4 off the Ace Gap Trail first heard the dog Monday and determined the animal was stuck underground some 300 yards from the campsite, according to Park spokeswoman Nancy Gray. With the help of a harnessed worker from the site of a nearby house under construction, they saw Buck about 40 feet underground.

Four rangers responded to the mouth of the cave about 10 a.m. Tuesday, and Brown lowered himself 40 feet down the first shaft of the cave. There he found that Buck had apparently fallen another 30 feet during the night.

He lowered himself into that chamber, fastened a makeshift harness and lifted Buck to safety.