On a clear July evening in 2025, a seasoned hunting guide scouting for mule deer in Utah's Uinta Mountains felt his side-by-side begin to tilt at zero miles an hour. Minutes later, he lay on a steep slope with a shattered leg, his satellite messenger, radio, and phone scattered somewhere in the darkening brush, and only one companion left. What followed was an arduous journey of cold creek crossings, yipping coyotes, and a light no bigger than a quarter. Jake Schmitt thought he understood his dog, but somewhere in the dark, Buddy started doing something Jake still can't explain.

Jake's GoFundMe Link - https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jake-rebuild-after-his-5mile-crawl-to-safety

References

  1. FOX 13 News Utah, "Man crawls 11 hours to rescue himself after getting injured on Uinta Mountains," July 29–30, 2025. https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/northern-utah/man-crawls-11-hours-to-rescue-himself-after-getting-injured-on-uinta-mountains
  2. KSL, "Ogden man crawls, drags self for 11 hours after side-by-side rollover in Uintas," July 31, 2025. https://ksltv.com/local-news/ogden-man-crawls-drags-self-for-11-hours-after-side-by-side-rollover-in-uintas/802952/
  3. The Park Record, "Hunter crawls 11 hours to safety after a crash in the Uintas," Aug. 12, 2025. https://www.parkrecord.com/2025/08/12/hunter-crawls-11-hours-to-safety-after-a-crash-in-the-uintas/
  4. Outdoor Life, "After Rolling His UTV, This Man Crawled 11 Hours Through the Mountains with Only His Dog to Guide Him," July 31, 2025. https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/utah-hunter-crawls-mountains-with-dog/
  5. WIVB News 4 Buffalo, "East Aurora native survives serious accident in Utah," July 30–31, 2025. https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/east-aurora-native-survives-serious-accident-in-utah/
  6. The Salt Lake Tribune, "How a dog helped a Utah man survive an 11-hour night crawl through the Uintas," Aug. 10, 2025 https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2025/08/10/he-shattered-his-ankles-utv-crash/
  7. Outside, "After Breaking Both Ankles, a Utah Man Crawled for Hours with His Dog Beside Him," Aug. 14, 2025. https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/hunter-crashed-utv-dog-helped-survive/
  8. Mike Force Podcast, interview with Jake Schmitt, published around Aug. 4, 2025. https://youtu.be/Xu95PrMOoDM
  9. Hushlife Podcast, interview with Jake Schmitt, early August 2025. https://youtu.be/kKLHd8GEUvg
  10. Team Never Quit Podcast, "Jake Schmitt," around Oct. 1, 2025. https://teamneverquit.com/podcast/jake-schmitt/
  11. GoFundMe, "Help Jake Rebuild After His 5-Mile Crawl to Safety," organized by Kaitlynn Cline. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-jake-rebuild-after-his-5mile-crawl-to-safety



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