your basic survival kit

[Titan_Bow]

Where can you get Dermabond? Everywhere I look online its hundreds of dollars usually.  Is a doc just going to give it to you?  I've always carried superglue, after reading years ago that it could be used instead of sutures. Is it safe to use in an emergency?
  Has anyone ever used, or seen, those little adhesive strips that are supposed to replace sutures?  I had to have an infected hair folice removed from my jaw recently, and the 1-2" inscision was closed with these little strips and no sutures.

[Butts2]

Did anyone mention a compass that is illuminated in the dark? If you have it in your pack all the time and then when you need it would it still be illuminated?

[JBiorn]

After asking my mother(who has been a nurse for as long as I can remember), she says that plain ol' super glue will work just fine. Dermabond is just a different grade of superglue with a fancy name.
 None of these products will sork on a bad wound--think arterial bleeding. This is why I carry a suture kit. I was trained to use one though I suspect a guy wouldn't be all that hot about having a crazed green-faced man knitting on their parts!

[Brian Krebs]

I think the most important thing is to have whatever you have - with you all the time when you are hunting. If you have a 40 pound survival pack; the third day of the hunt; your likely to leave it in camp. It best to have a small survival pack; or lots of pockets with the items in them- that you take with you all the time.
 I have been wounded in the woods before; probably the worst injury was just a simple delivery of some pack horses back into an outfitters camp about 7 miles back in. The outfitters equipment sucked; and I had a run-away horse ..well I ended up having the horse roll over me while we were falling down the mountain. I laid there- realizing the 'snap' I heard: was my shoulder blade.
  I had my wallet; a cigarette lighter; my knife; and the clothes I was wearing.
  Afterall; it was just a trip in and out.   :rolleyes:  
  I caught the horse ( put the saddle back on it) and rode to the camp; and then out in the dark. I really think pain killers would have helped.
  I think what saved me that time was determination. You have to stay focused on a goal.
  But back to the point; what is on your body is what you have; not what is in the saddle bags; or in the pack in camp.
   

[Titan_Bow]

I cut into my hand the other year while turkey hunting.  I was clearing branches out from a juniper to make a makeshift blind, slipped and sliced my thumb to the bone.  I was able to control bleeding with a tshirt and duct tape, but luckily was not far from things, and a buddy and I got to the hospital where I had to have stitches.  The thing that really opened my eyes is if that would have happened 5 miles in a wilderness area on a solo hunt, it would be alot different story.  The Rocky mountains have a habit of turning a bad situation into a life-or-death situation pretty quickly.

[wmcclendon]

Titan_bow...those little strip things are called "steri-strips" I believe.  

I cut my thumb this past weekend and decided to just use those instead of paying the $500 copay to go to the ER for stitches (I could get a nice bow for $500!).  Anyway, 2 of them placed across the wound and all is good.

I haven't been able to find them in the stores though, but my wife says I need to ask the Pharmacist.

[tomh]

how about some basic training in woods first aid. types of bleeding and how to stop it. splinting broken bones, immobilizing sprains etc.

did any one mention a cell phone for the places it might get a signal?

leaving details of your hunt with someone in case you are unreasonably late in returning.

rehearse in your head the steps you will take in the event something happens. it always helps to have a mental plan before the mishap. it will help you to stay calmer and utilize the training and equipment you have.

[woodchucker]

I agree with Brian 100%!!!!! It's not what you carry "on you" that will keep you alive.....But what you carry "in you" (your head and your heart) that is going to keep you alive in the long run.

I hunted for years in NY's Adirondack Mountains. The Moose River Recreation Area/Cedar River Flow was nothing but woods for 40 miles in any direction.This was back in the 1970's and 80's,before cell phones and GPS units were invented.(available?????)

For "survival" gear I carried.....

A good knife (my old Marine KaBar)

A RELIABLE fire starter (actualy 2, matches and a candle stub,and a magnezium fire starter)

A compass (usualy 2,the first was a Silva Orienteering compass and the other was a Silva "key chain" compass that was attached to the zipper of my hunting coat)

Now.....For "survival skills".....

I new the area VERY WELL!!!!! (I REALLY don't think any of you wood go hunting without at least SOME pre-season scouting. I didn't carry a map,when your in the middle of a nothern cedar swamp and visability is about 20 yards it's real hard to pick out land marks to orient yourelf.However.....I had practicly memorized the area maps and knew exactly where all of the major rivers/streams/logroads were.)

I ALWAYS dressed appropriatly(i.e. WOOL LAYERS,and was always up to date with the 5 day weather forcast,and prepared for bad weather anyway.)

As for getting hurt.....Be VERY CAREFUL!!!!! (accidents happen but basic first-aid skills will keep you alive.PANIC and SHOCK will kill you)

I always carried the knowledge that I new where I was and I was going to walk out of there.I would never be "lost" just "turned around". It might take me a day,or maybe a week,But I was walking out.

[S. Brant Osborn]

I knew an older gentleman who mended a cut finger with super glue.  A couple of days later and a trip to the doctor and he nearly lost his thumb.  Doc said to never use super glue again!

Just saying, I won't use it.
Brant

[UKarcher]

For everyday situations where the correct use of traditional methods of wound dressing would suffice then I would use them. But if you're out in the woods with a gash from a broadhead in your leg, and all you have is super glue then I would use it. The medical and household glues are slightly different compounds and the household glue has a tendancy to cause heat and tissue damage. One thing I would suggest for your survival kit is knowledge. A good basic training course in first aid is worth thinking about.
Graham

[John C Keith]

As I was reading the previous replies something I was told once was playing in my head.

During some medical training in the Army, I asked the senior medic if the bandage was sterile.  Her reply still sticks with me today.  "Our goal on the battlefield is to save someones life. . . use what ever you have, bandages, shirts, what ever to stop the bleeding.  They can treat them later for infections, but only if you save their life at the time giving them a chance to treat them later."

I think the relevance to this thread is that you need to do what you have to in order to survive.  If the situation is dire enough, surviving is the key.  If other bad things happen because you survived. . . at least your still alive.

As for the GPS vs compass debate.  I will simply say navigation by map and compass is a perishable skill.  Anyone can follow the arrow on a GPS.  I think they work best when used together, but think you should always work on land nav skills to keep them up.

[GingivitisKahn]

Where I hunt, you are never very far from a road and so forth (dang it all).  I carry a knife, compass (with a whistle and a magnifying glass), para cord, leatherman, and a lighter (in addition to game calls and assorted other hunting debris).

A few years ago, I sliced the heck out of my index finger on a broadhead while out hunting with a buddy.   Rather than ruin the hunt by leaving right away, I applied direct pressure on it with my thumb, experimented with shooting two under and just sucked it up.  Three or four hours later, my buddy and I were ready to go, so I stopped by the ER on the way home for stitches.

I still wear that pair of camo net gloves with the sliced right index finger.

[S. Brant Osborn]

I agree John....But if there is a sterile product out there that can be packed just as easily then that is the point of the kit, to have the proper tools on hand.

Brant

[the not so straight arrow]

Im with woodchucker i what hunting the adirondack is like and agree with "knowledge keeps you alive philosiphy". One thing i would like to add that my dad always told me is "cotton kills", so i always were wool or flece. Great kits though guys, cant add much more.

-cor

[Migra Bill]

I have one addition. Moleskin - for blisters or hot spots for that long stalk or still hunt.

[Russ Clagett]

From what I read here everyone seems to be convinced of the ability to walk out. Most anyway. What if you cant?

I carry some basic first aid stuff, nothing fancy. I carry some basic shelter stuff. I always have at least two compasses and some type of map.

But I also have signalling mirrors, a whistle, a small signal panel, and LED strobe lights. No big deal, doesnt take up much room at all. I always thought worst case scenario, I'm stuck with a broken leg, have a tourniquet on, and cant walk 6 miles or more back. But I can walk out to the nearest clearing, arrange shelter, start fire, and begin signalling. Any aircraft will see my strobe, fire, and international distress VS17 panel.

Hopefully.

[JDinPA]

For you guys going out to buy condoms remember you want non-lubricated condoms.

I'll leave it to personal discretion if you prefer the stimulator variety or colored.

[PurpleCajun]

Russ, let me tell ya.. The SAR guys love a man with a signal device.  I was on a search once where we used cell phone screens (the new super bright color ones) to communicate locations with the subjects.  There was no reception out there, but the screens still turned on.

Whistles are in three different places in my pack.. one in the survival pouch, one on my neck, and one on my pack itself.  Searchers use them to locate each other.. as well as make a noise that carries for the subject to hear... They certainly are audible much further than a yell.. especially a yell coming from a man who's weak from injuries.

In any case... multiple signal devices of any sort, for various times of day are a good thing.

[Dave2old]

1 pound elk jerky
1 very large bottle George Dickel

(depending, of course, on what it is we're trying to survive)

[Snakeeater]

PurpleCajun,

Great comments about SAR teams, how they work and what they look for.

One note that I got from a Civil Air Patrol SAR team was to try and use the ORANGE space blankets instead of the silver ones. The silver ones just look like water from the air and may be ignored or overlooked. It made sense to me and I use an orange one now in all of the kits that I make up.

Snakeeater