My GPS has a moving topo map with track recording... In other words, I can follow my rabbit trail exactly (within reason and error correction of the GPS) back to where I started.
That being said, I still don't leave home without my common sense... batteries have a life and often fail at most inopportune times... I have had the software freeze up on the GPS in the middle of a trip... You could drop it in the lake/river...
Sure don't want to place all of your eggs in one basket so to say
Okay,
I Forgot a lot of stuff in my intro. it should have included.
-LED Head light
-Gerber saw and extra blade
-Hatchet
-101ounce camel-back, backpack
-Cell phone (I dont have good luck with minecoverage wise)
-Heavy Wire
-machette
-GPS
-TOPO map
-Brain
-Im sure I have forgot something...
, I dont like to use swiss army knifes because they brake easy. I was scouting a hunting spot and found a shooting lane. I went to go cut a bush in the way and I had a swiss army knife. I started to cut it at the base and the handle started to come off.
One time I was gutting a trout I had caught and my swiss army knife had the same problem with the handle. This is why I like to use a good 4 inch Gerber Gatar hunting knife. i never have trouble with this knife, it stays sharp and strong.
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trout, bass, sea bass i dont care its fishing. <><
GEE wiz with all these things you would need a 70 liter pack to carry it all. Knife, multi tools, extra socks, toque, first aid kit, bear spray. and an LED flashlight. If you have that you can survive. I always have Cliff bars, cookies and cream, and cholate chip.
Never where shorts in the back country if you do have pants to.
My kit is as follows.
Stored in a one quart ziplock baggie:
Magnesium/flint block
vaseline soaked cotton balls in Blueflycafe.com plastic fly container.
100 feet 20 pound test fishing line/hooks and sinker.
survival blanket.
emergency poncho.
small compass.
jack-knife.
whistle.
band-aids, gauze, and antibiotic cream.
Here are the ingredents for fire, shelter, food, and getting home. And it fits in my coat pocket.
nick0danger and Sagittarius62:
AMEN!!! I believe that if it isn't convenient, light, compact and already packed, the one time you need it you will have either forgot to pack it or took it out to save weight!
Find a pocket in your pack or vest and dedicate it to your survival gear and leave it there! You don't need much to survive... you would really be surprised how well you would do..
Indeed, as a pilot, the basic premise is that if you don't have it on you (in your pockets) you probably won't get it out of the plane. For example, if a plane crashed on the water (water landing ???) your focus will be getting out, not gathering your survival pack.
I recommend that you go out and honestly try out your survival gear/skills. Don't get lost or wait to get lost before you do... but simply go camping overnight with the bare minimums as stated above and see how it goes.
It has been my experience that those who want to be found rarely will spend more than one night out... of course there are always exceptions, but if you are prepared to spend that unexpected night out... life will be good.
Alaskanfishguides, you've hit it big.
Go out and try to spend a night with just your small pocket survival kit. I've done many solo trips and the first night alone is where you fall apart.
It is also where my survival students fall aprat when I put them in the bush. Every sound is louder, every shadow darker. Flight or fight kicks in and that can cause troubles... big fires get out of hand (although you get found!?!), you forget how to use the items you have, you burn out batteries, you get sloppy.
No gun or big knife will help you then.
Proper clothing, a flint, and a hatchet will keep you around if you know what you are doing. (Know where the rivers flow, the roads and bridges, whats in the Valleys, etc) If you don't know... well you gotta be sure your "kit" is up to snuff.
FWIW, I alway carry more then the minimum but not enough to wear me down... outside of a Survival Instructors course, the longest I spent was 4 nights in the bush with no gear... it was a long 4 nights.
I have a CRKT, mo Skeeter knife (folding 3.5 inch blade) and one of my leatherman on me at all times. If you have a decent pocket knife, you dont need the hatchet (i really cant see what a hatchet is for?) if you have to split a log, you can place the knife on the log and use another stick or log to pound the top of the log to get a spilt going than use a rock with a wedge shape and work that in there.
Ive gone in to the back country with a 40 liter bag, with a few CLIFF bars, a tarp and my fishing stuff, and WARM clothes and spent 2 nights with a buddy we just made due (and it was not that cold got to 7 degrees celcius on night). and we are doing it again this year.
Nick,
The hatchet serves as hammer, blade, flint striker, axe (duh), shovel when needed, tool to move things near the fire, etc. A good hatchet is the best tool you can have in the woods, and one of the most overlooked.
In many palces holding the handle is more comfortable than a knife or rock. It is also more safe... cold numb hands on rocks or knife handles are awfully close to the object being hit. Lost and cold isn't fun... Lost, cold and broken is worse.
Are your trips in the Castle area or is that to Fortress, Nick0?
We are going to fortress lake LOL, me and buddy do ribbion lake every year in june, cut throat heaven. Most back country campgrounds have an axe chained the wood pile.
LOL the fortress lake did stir some up some S***.
I can't resist getting in on this.
After teaching hunters'ed for several years, and the survival part as one of my "expertise" parts, I have to say the most often mistake that we have heard in the classes is the STOP and admit that you are lost!!!!!!
I will be the first to admit that I AM NOT AN EXPERT!!! Yes, I have been "lost" or at least turned around. Overcast days or snow storms are great for doing this to you in heavy timber, or even the Sands area in a truck.
Common sense to stop and admit that you are not sure where you are is also what has saved most people that the local search and rescue have looked for, that and TELLING SOMEONE WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHEN YOU SHOULD BE BACK!!!
I won't even attempt to list all my gear as it varies with the time of year, where I'm going, what I'm doing,and a lot depends on how far and long I plan to be away from my truck.
There are several great books out about survival, check your local library.
Safari Club International puts out a great little book with both First Aid and Outback skills and Survival Techniques, I don't know the price as the ones we pass out come from our Game and Fish Dept. as part of the Classes.
The one other feed back item we here the most from the adults is the Practice It Before You Need It. It always pleases me to hear how surprised the Experienced People, read the I Know It All type, are when they go out with their children to practice and find out that most of the time, the kids do it much better than they can.
Okay, I'll get off my soap box, just please, people, use common sense, admit when you are lost, And let someone know where you are going and when you should be back.
I will Not say always go with someone, as I go by myself frequently, but my wife knows where I am going and when to expect me back.
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Wyo-blizzard aka Bloody Tom Bonney
Wyo-Blizzard
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