A few thoughts on prepardness for an extended trip into the back country. First off, being fmiliar with your gear, knowing how it works, being able to find multiple uses for nearly every item in your pack will help you save weight, bulk and energy.
I teach an outdoors prepardness class at a youth hunter safrty camp every year. I only have an hour block to cover the raw basics. SO I key in on those priorities that will keep you from getting yourself in trouble should you become lost. The biggest 2 things are shelter and fire starting.
How many of you here, who practice with your bows, scout, prepare for the hunt, but never spend one minute practicing some basic survival skills??? Seems kind of dumb if you ask me.
I carry a small fire kit in my pack, with several options to get a fire going. First obviously is a lighter, which i rarely use. I actually prefer my flint striker and knife. Works when wet, doesnt run out of fuel, pretty reliable- if you knwo how to use it. Im always stuffing tufts of fuzz and different stuff for tinder in my pockets while walking in the woods.
A bit of fuzzy dried bark layers, a piece of birch bark, a chunk of bird nest, a ball of pine pitch, whatever i run across.
Hypothermia will kill you far faster than being thirsty, hungry or injured. Knowing how to get a fire started in less than ideal conditions, and make a makeshift shelter can be the difference in just spending a cold night in the wild, or being found dead.
My primary fireset is simple, a cotton ball smeared with vaseline, and my striker kit. Add a piece of pine pitch, or birch bark, a couple handfuls of very small dry twigs and you're good to go.
A little trick I learned, instead of sriking towards the tinder with your knife, hold the knife still and pull back on the flint stick. This will keep you from knocking your pile of tinder and kindling all over. It will still direct your spark forward, without knocking it all over the place.
Lighters are fine, till they get wet. Rain, snow sweat dripping on the end of it and its useless.
Matches are great, but if its windy, they blow out too easily.
None of us expect to end up in a situation we would call a survival situation. But its easy to have happen. Getting lost and not making it back to camp, gettinginjured, or simply finding yourself a lot further than you planned due to a long blood trail or lengthy field dressing job.
A rapid change in weather can do it too. Under dressed, no rain gear etc can find you dangerously chilled long beforeyou make it back to camp. Learn the signs of hypothermia. Stop if youmust, and build a fire BEFORE it robs you of your fine motor skills, less you wait too long and are physically no longer able to start a fire.
You don't have to be in a remote wilderness to get into trouble. take the time to practice those skills beforehand. Learn how to, and build a debris shelter. As you travel through the bac country, take note of things in your area you could use for shelter.
A couple things you should always keep in your pocket is a small fire kit( is use an empty Altoids tin), a good knife, and a whistle. Yelling for help is useless after a few minutes, and your voice won't carry too far anyway.A whistle can go forever, and can be heard a loong way off.
The reason I carry those basics in my pocketis simple- what if I lose my pack? It happens. A couple of bugles down in a drainage. You drop your pack, grab your quiver and dive in after them. They lead you on a little further, and a little further, until they give you the slip a sthe sun starts dropping below the ridgeline.
Now-where was it I left my pack? You get the idea.
Have a plan in your mind before problems arise. If they do,dont panic,sit down, think, observe your surroundings and situation, and plan. Shelter, and fire first. Water and lastly food can wait.
Hunt safe, and hunt smart. Enjoy every minute, and have confidence in yourself.
Topic: DIY elk hunting- how to get started (Read 2299 times)
