Ruthie made me sit through "The English Patient".
I took a flask..
I took a flask..
Survival Situation
- Thread starter walkinghorse
- Start date
When I am camping I am usually within 10-20 miles of cell coverage.
I was elk hunting with my Dad and younger brother over sixty years ago
up in SW Montana. The terrain was mountainous and heavily timbered.
I came upon a big bull elk that looked like he had a royal rack, so I got
excited and started stalking him. First thing I knew, I had lost the trail
of the bull and was all turned around. In other words, I didn't know where
in the Hell I was at. I wished a had a compass, but I didn't. I remembered
I had heard or read that if you get lost in the mountains, find a creek or
a dry creek bed and follow it down hill. So I found a dry creek bed and
followed it all the way down. It was way after dark, when I finally came
to a road. I could hear an engine running, like a car idling. I walked in
that direction, and sure enough there was a car with the parking light on
and the engine idling. It was the Beaverhead County Sheriff. His warm
car sure did feel good. I asked him how he knew I would come out where
I did. He said I knew if you had any sense at all that is where you would
come out. The lesson in this long-winded post is when tromping around
in the boondocks always carry a compass.
up in SW Montana. The terrain was mountainous and heavily timbered.
I came upon a big bull elk that looked like he had a royal rack, so I got
excited and started stalking him. First thing I knew, I had lost the trail
of the bull and was all turned around. In other words, I didn't know where
in the Hell I was at. I wished a had a compass, but I didn't. I remembered
I had heard or read that if you get lost in the mountains, find a creek or
a dry creek bed and follow it down hill. So I found a dry creek bed and
followed it all the way down. It was way after dark, when I finally came
to a road. I could hear an engine running, like a car idling. I walked in
that direction, and sure enough there was a car with the parking light on
and the engine idling. It was the Beaverhead County Sheriff. His warm
car sure did feel good. I asked him how he knew I would come out where
I did. He said I knew if you had any sense at all that is where you would
come out. The lesson in this long-winded post is when tromping around
in the boondocks always carry a compass.
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THE PILGRIM
Member
If you use your Smartphone as a GPS and you go to the Boonies,
You need an APP which does not require Cell Service.
I often get out yonder here in NM and don't have a Cell Signal.
All Smartphones have GPS capabilities, it's just a matter of using it.
I use MAPME. You download the Maps you'll need, that means where are you going.
I have NM, AZ, S half of CO, S end of UT.
Texas around Lubbock, Amarillo and down around El Paso.
You select areas of States or complete states.
And The Maps stay in your memory!
Some of the Nav folks play games with Maps timing out, disappearing!
My only Neg Comment is untethered, it burns through a lot of battery on my iPhone.
I use it mostly in the car plugged in.
You need an APP which does not require Cell Service.
I often get out yonder here in NM and don't have a Cell Signal.
All Smartphones have GPS capabilities, it's just a matter of using it.
I use MAPME. You download the Maps you'll need, that means where are you going.
I have NM, AZ, S half of CO, S end of UT.
Texas around Lubbock, Amarillo and down around El Paso.
You select areas of States or complete states.
And The Maps stay in your memory!
Some of the Nav folks play games with Maps timing out, disappearing!
My only Neg Comment is untethered, it burns through a lot of battery on my iPhone.
I use it mostly in the car plugged in.
When I was in my 20s myself and a friend leased some hunting land in southern Oklahoma. We left early one morning to go scout it out and after a few hours of walking it we were hungry and headed back to the truck to find a place to eat breakfast. We then got lost and walked all day and the only thing we had were the jeans and T-shirts we were wearing. It was early October and we were starving and luckily we found a pond and drank a little water but we were getting really worried. It was getting dark and we knew it was going to get very cold that night and we were totally exhausted. We finally found a road and a pickup came by with a young guy and his girl friend and we rode in the bed while he took us to find our truck. I have never been that hungry in my entire life, so anything, especially a snack or a $2 compass would have been a big help.
I don't go out in the wilderness anymore because of my physical condition and medical issues. But I remember one thing I did back in the days when the family was making the fishing trips into rural Canada. I've been wearing glasses since I was about 10 years old. When I started driving, I made it a point to carry a pair of my old glasses in each glove compartment. Realizing how helpless I would be out in a backwoods Canadian lake if i lost my glasses, I started keeping a pair of my old glasses in my tackle box in the event I was out in the boat and my regular pair of glasses fell off my face into the lake.
Sistema1927
US Veteran
It has been my experience that if I don't have it, I will need it. If I do have it, I won't need it.
I've heard/read that TR had seven pairs of glasses sewn into his jacket when he charged up San Juan Hill with his Rough Riders. Just in case.
On the other hand, a quick Google search did not turn that up, so the story may be apocryphal.
Yes,didn't have a gun and didn't have nearly enough clothing,(it was going to be a 2 hour hike)but I had a lighter,space blanket,light fleece,raingear,food and water. Spent the night tending a fire on top of 4' of compacted snow at 12,000' and found my way out the next day. The temps were probably in the 20s. If a snowstorm had blown in,I doubt I'd still be here. Bought a gps a few days later and found my way back there to see where I'd gone off track
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Frank46
US Veteran
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
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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.
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
Member
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.
Making the decision that you're lost and you need to make camp for the night can be tough.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
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.
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.
No cell phones then.
If you're from Chicago, you'd
too.
CAJUNLAWYER
Member
In Vegas no less!Wow, you could have quite a party with that stuff.
Typo correction
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.
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.
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THE PILGRIM
Member
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!
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!
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jcs266
Member
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
Absent Comrade
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
Member
I don't want to live in a world where a fella can't get lost when he needs too....
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