Survival Situation

[Frank46]

Hunting in Pennsylvania I got lost in the woods. Had on very heavy farmer jough pants, down vest and a heavy hunting coat,hat and gloves. Well I was truly lost and also had a Ruger 77 in 308 with about 20 rounds of ammo plus about 15 rounds of 7,62 Nato ball for signaling. Heavy hunting boots as well. Small backpack held coffee mix, trail mix I made each year,small axe, water 2 quart, heavy cup and usually started out the day with 4 peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches. Found myself in a small clearing so cleared the area, and made a small fire and had some coffee and a jelly sandwhich. About two hours I hear someone yelling in the woods. Popped off three rounds into the ground and distinctly heard stop shooting. Just as I'd fininished the coffee and sandwhich the the local fire department came into the clearing and asked for my name. Great one guy said last one for the day. They told me if I had continued the way I was I'd been walking into a swamp. First thing I bought the next day was a topographic map of the area and a compass. And guys used to joke about my backpack. They said they left me for last as my buddy told him I was wearing very heavy clothing and had food and coffee in my backpack. I was planning to go to sleep after eating. Never felt cold as was heavily dressed. So yeah, getting lost was no fun. When we came out of the woods I asked one of the fire fighters where was the nearest restaurant. Gave me directions. Had a great meal. Restocked the backpack before I went to sleep in our hotel room. Frank

 

[peyton]

Sometimes it is hardest to sit down and be still and think of waiting for someone to find you. We have had several tragedies with soldiers getting lost on land navigation exercises and despite being told not to cross any roads they still do. The courses are set intentionally so this man made divider will stop them.

 

[steelslaver]

I have spend a few unplanned nights outside. A few matches were nice to have. Now days I don't get far from my truck or Polaris Ranger.

 

[Jerry M]

My experience traveling out west is that GPS on phones and autos are not usable in the mountains and boondocks. Compass and old fashion paper map are very valuable. Also pack a hand ax and shovel in your vehicle.

 

[arjay]

Sometimes it is hardest to sit down and be still and think of waiting for someone to find you. We have had several tragedies with soldiers getting lost on land navigation exercises and despite being told not to cross any roads they still do. The courses are set intentionally so this man made divider will stop them.

Making the decision that you're lost and you need to make camp for the night can be tough.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I teach survival for a living.
The young guys love to spend money on fancy gear. The older dudes know the difference between the "best" gear and the "right" gear.
I have gone to the proper wilderness, and had mishaps that would surely have ended my life if it were not for a few pieces of specific kit.
I am no gear guy, but I am never without a few specific things. They have saved my bacon.

Well put, I too am not a gear guy but carry the things I need: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

 

[delcrossv]

The closest thing I had to a real survival situation was when my car's clutch failed at I 290 and Independence Avenue.

No cell phones then.

If you're from Chicago, you'd too.

 

[delcrossv]

Well put, I too am not a gear guy but carry the things I need: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

Wow, you could have quite a party with that stuff.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Well put, I too am not a gear guy but carry the things I need: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

Well played. Well played indeed.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Wow, you could have quite a party with that stuff.

In Vegas no less!

 

[Chukar60]

Typo correction

My experience traveling out west is that GPS on phones and autos are not usable in the mountains and boondocks. Compass and old fashion paper map are very valuable. Also pack a hand ax and shovel in your vehicle.

I bought the OnX hunting app for my phone this year.
Just returned from an elk hunt here in Idaho. I wont go without it again.
Stupid easy to use. We were out of cell range. Switched the phone to airplane mode and the app performed flawlessly. Connection to satellites was instant every time I used it. Battery usage was minimal. 3 days without a charge and still had about 30% battery left when I charged it again.
You have to buy the map for whatever state you are in and also have to download a map of the area you will be in if operating without cell service, but it is highly accurate and a great navigation and scouting tool.
My Garmin is now a dust collector.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

One more time - an excellent GPS Smartphone APP is maps.me.
It's free right now, you down load the maps you'll need free.
Pure GPS, no Cell Signal required.
Probably not as good in the Woods as Onyx.
But if works great out on dirt roads out in the Boonies in my SUV!
Don't recall if this is Indian Land or BLM.
The tagging is everywhere!
Probably some on the Moon!

 

[mtgianni]

An old fashioned GPS still works and uses AA batteries.

 

[Onomea]

Well put, I too am not a gear guy but carry the things I need: one forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Russian phrase book and Bible; one hundred dollars in rubles; one hundred dollars in gold; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings.

Yep: Major Kong - Survival Kit Contents Check - YouTube

 

[jcs266]

What VONN quoted is at the heart of this tread as I see it. A true example just happened to a friend. He and his wife are older and in horrible shape. While visiting a very remote cabin, the lost their only set of truck keys. After several days they had no option but to walk the 45 miles back home. Fortunately they were seen and given a ride home by an off road rider. I myself have 3 sets of extra keys in every vehicle. Two hidden outside and one set inside. So when that happens to me, the lost keys, in less than 1 minute there is no survival situation as my friends had. So many people never own or load their guns till a burglars is inside their bedroom with them. So many never put gas in their cars till it is empty or have ready cash at hand till the need is upon them. Watch how many people look for plywood, water, batteries and food only after the hurricane is upon them. As politically incorrect it is to call people names, I have a word for such people. I call them by the name their inaction has bestowed upon them. I call them "victims". I am always prepared for anything so I stay out of these situations. When I get into pickles, often it is work in dangerous jobs but often I enter into survival situations by my own hubris and non thinking. From crawling into a bear den with a wounded bear, to falling through ice while fishing, to going over a cliff on a snow machine. I have ran for my life from bears and moose and been knocked cold on 4 occasions. Good times.

I keep a hidden key outside the vehicle plus a spare Chevy key in my pocket with my change. No such thing as being locked out or without a key. That's just too easy.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

I'm covered:

Rusty,

Can you ship those dehydrated guns in the mail? I could PM you my address.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[Sebago Son]

I don't want to live in a world where a fella can't get lost when he needs too....