Wilderness survival, would you survive ?

Question

all of us hunters and outdoorsman/woman should have a basic understanding of how to survive in the wilderness, anything can happen.

Your truck, ATV, or snowmobile can brake down miles from town, that pretty much forces you to spend the night in the woods (happens more then you know along with many other scenarios).

What sort of training have you had in the ways of wilderness survival ?

Do you always carry your basic survival tools, like a knife, fire starter, small med. kit, map & compass, water and snake, etc.(basic day pack) when you go into the woods ?

I ask these questions because I find so many people rely on today's technology (cell phones, GPS) and other people to guide them

Answer 1

Yes I carry survival gear in all my outdoor adventures not just hunting. I live in Alaska and here you can end up in a survival situation any time of year. And we have people here die for being unprepared just as others have in remote areas of the lower 48.

Putting a survival bag together can save a life or lives. But the right gear of high quality,is paramount for survival. There are many good survival links online, listing what is needed.

I applaud you and others that spread the news of this vital means of survival in the outdoors. I have been in survival situations quite a few times.

I would like to point out that most die in the outdoors from ways few would consider, like just falling or a heart attack. Here is a link about that with lots of survival data;

http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/m...

One would look pretty green horn to have all the survival gear and die from a fall on the trail. Mother Nature isn’t a video game as you well know; unfortunately millions of people don’t take her serious enough and risk the lives of themselves and others. Even on a nature walk they need to be prepared.

I have survived stranded on an Alaskan costal island in a bad storm for weeks, blizzards in -65 below temps, falling through the ice in -40 temps (trapping) and have spent 6 months at a time alone in the wilderness.

Yes I could survive, so can my wife.

Note; I strongly suggest bringing a locater beacon of some kind. Here is one for an example that will allow search and rescue to locate the person;

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0051330518...

I also suggest survival blanks to retain body heat in an emergency, the Mylar reflective type take up little room and can be used for many things like a solar still. Also water filtration or water treatment tablets are important. And if one is allergic to bees or bug bite or are diabetic, they need to bring their injection kit and any other meds they may need if stranded.

Answer 2

I always carry that stuff you say, but I tend to rely more on GPS because it is there. I could use a compass as a backup though. I have actually had people scoff at me because I said something about a survival kit. I later found out he only hunts in fields that you walk for maybe an hour and hit a major road, and he thought that is what everyone did.