Wilderness
Safety Tips (First In A Series)
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The following is an
excerpt from my latest article in the April issue of
Outdoor Life magazine, on news stands now!
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This is an exciting time of year for
people to get back into the woods, especially after being cooped
up all winter. But don't just run off without planning ahead.
Keep in mind the following valuable ideas and survival
strategies.
"LOST IN THE BACKCOUNTRY" used with permission from Outdoor Life
Magazine � 2011
by Tim MacWelch
"You�re on an elk hunt with your buddy in Southern Colorado�s
Gunnison National Forest. You were keeping a little distance
between the two of you to cover more ground. Somehow, you get
separated. Since you were bushwhacking and there was no
established trail to follow, you suddenly realize you�re lost.
Evening is approaching and the occasional rain that has been
plaguing you all day is now a steady rain and worsening. What
do you do?"
"This scenario is the most likely threat to any hunter or hiker in remote areas. The simple combination of getting lost and suffering from exposure can be deadly. Very simply put, when you can�t find your way out � you are lost. That�s bad enough. Then we have exposure as the other side of this dangerous combo. Most hunting is done in cooler weather, and even 50 degrees is cold enough for hypothermia (the lowering of your body�s core temperature). The rain won�t help you much either, except to provide a safe source of drinking water. But while the rain is giving you some much needed hydration, the water in your clothes is stealing your body heat much faster than the cold air alone."
"This is already looking like the
details of another lost hunter statistic. But in our scenario,
there is one other disturbing variable. Your buddy is still out
there too. Is he lost like you? Should you walk around calling
for him, or stay put? Is he looking for you? Did he make it
back to camp or the vehicle? It seems like a million questions
run through your mind. Once all of these realizations have set
in, you have a very sobering choice to make. Do I stay put,
make camp and signal for my friend? Or do I keep walking?
What�s the right choice for this situation?"
"In this situation, you should definitely stay put and make camp. With night approaching and the rain coming down, there is a very strong chance you and your buddy will get some degree of hypothermia. The decreased visibility from the rain and darkness make falling down and getting injured more likely if you kept moving. You should find a spot to set up shelter and try to get a fire going."
"If you both have some kind of communications devices, try those. A cell phone, 2-way radio or walkie-talkie can take the guesswork out of your escalating emergency. If you don�t have communication equipment, or there is a problem connecting, use some low tech gear like a whistle. Blow three whistle blasts in a row every 15 minutes. This may attract your buddy�s attention and help him to find you, if he is still wandering around out there."
"If you can get a large bright fire going, the heat will help you stay warm and the light may help your buddy navigate toward your improvised camp. If you cannot get a fire going in the wet conditions and failing light, create the best shelter you can and wait until morning. Keep blowing your whistle periodically. If your buddy is still wandering around in the dark, he will probably need your help."
NEXT INSTALLMENT
The next installment will contain Preventative Measures for this type of emergency.
| SPECIAL NEWS Tim MacWelch has become the
Lead Contributor to Outdoor Life magazine's new
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