A solo hunter who ‘‘took a tumble’’ 10 metres down a slope in the Fox Glacier area was rescued on Thursday within 15 minutes because he was carrying a personal locator beacon, police say.

West Coast Police Land Search and Rescue (LSAR) lead Senior Sergeant Mark Kirkwood said emergency services were tipped off at 11.15am when a hunter on Bullock Creek near Fox Glacier fell down a slope, battering himself including around the head.

Snr Sgt Kirkwood said the Queenstown Rescue Helicopter was quickly notified and LSAR engaged Fox and Franz Heliservices to uplift and ferry in a South Westland Alpine Cliff Rescue team.

Within 10 minutes of searching they had located the hunter, a visitor to South Westland who had been out operating alone.

‘‘They were on-site within 15 minutes — you can’t ask for a quicker response than that,’’ Snr Sgt Kirkwood said at 12.30pm.

He said the response time only served to prove the value of hunters and trampers carrying PLBs when headed into the back country.

Snr Sgt Kirkwood said the outcome for the solo hunter could have been entirely different outcome given his ordeal without a PLB.

Given the circumstances and the fact he had a PLB meant he was ‘‘a lucky guy’’

‘‘We ask people to always carry a PLB then we can be on our way in a very short time.’’

The hunter had been left ‘‘pretty bashed up’’ following the ordeal but luckily was on his feet as ‘‘the walking wounded’’.

He was flown to Franz Josef and attended to at the medical centre. — Greymouth Star