Junkers88

Just wanted to drop ya'll a reminder that a survival situation can happen in a hurry and since this is the "gear" section I thought it might go well here. One of my cousins got lost Monday while looking for a Christmas tree this year, he's fine though. He and an uncle and a close friend of the uncle went up into the Jemez (little mountain range north of here) to cut a tree and he wandered off about 100 yards into the snow to take a look at a nice tree on a little ledge. Well when he went to walk back to the truck he got turned around. The cloud cover was so low that he couldn't see the sun to get his bearings and with the snow fall (light) he got disoriented. Instead of walking 100 yards back to the truck he walked 3 miles the wrong way. It never crossed his mind to just follow his trail in the snow back to the vehicle, in his mind he KNEW which was the right way to go. The odd part is that he packed a survival pack with him in the truck, and it was sitting on the seat the entire time he was lost, he even left his cell phone in the vehicle. When he realized he was indeed lost he started down hill to where the main road came in and was picked up by a passerby in a Jeep and brought back to the rest of the folks. By this time my uncle had been tracking behind him following the trail in the snow and the state rescue folks were alerted. He got back to camp with no injuries other than his pride and a new respect for the outdoors. I'm going to Sportsmans next week to pick up a "pocket survival kit" for him so he'll have at least something on him if it happens again. It doesn't take long to lose your way out there folks. Lots of times the bodies are found within 50 yards of the vehicle or camp. Be safe.

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RB4R Life Member.
1989 SR5 4runner. Tread Wright 31/10.50/15's. 4.56 thirds, an Aussie in the @$$, Budbuilt plate, Marlin Crawler front, modified MC rear, Supra MAF conversion, ZUK coils in the rear and 4crawler BJ's in the front, LCE header.

sa51

very true, thanks for posting this reminder.

glad your cousin is ok

be safe everyone.

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Olive Drab 1995 4WD regular cab pickup,22re, 33x10.5 BFGs,doetsch tech prerunner shocks, all pro shackles,sway bar delete.





TREAD LIGHTLY

the_ocho

it only takes a moment to get lost or lose direction or get hurt. just do your best to think before you act and be safe.

gald he is ok

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My truck will last forever or go out in a fire ball. Ill push it till one of the two happens.

92 4Runner sr5, 3.0, 5spd, 4x4, fully loaded, with lots of speed(rust) holes

muddpigg

Interesting story, I use to teach survival. A few degree drop in body temp will effect thinking to the point that rational decisions aren't made. As you said "it never accrued to him to follow his tracks back." He walked 3 mile out insted of the 100' to the rigs.

This story turned out good, I've seen other that haven't. As the example above of not make rational descisions do you want to wait until a situation gets bad to use a survuval guide? Could you trust yourself to make sense of the direction given in a survival guide, when you are cold and not in a rational state of mind?

If anybody doesn't have a survival background, and beleive me even self proclaimed outdoorsman who have all the most technical equipment money can buy that head out to the "woods" every year, get into trouble. Take a class. Read before you head out. Practice what you learn.

The best plan for a survival I've seen is the acronym:
Sit- a good time to start a fire
Think
Observe- what's availible
Plan

Practice starting a fire, in the rain, snow, wind as you may not have optimum conditions to do so, this is a skill one that was the highest from of technology once in our history it takes practice.

If this is longer or not what you wanted to hear then disregard its content. I can go on and on this is a very passionate subject.

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Junkers88

Very well said. I should add that the "pocket survival kit" is a metal tin containing several esential items. Fire starting kit, fishing line, whistle, mirror, small compass etc.

That STOP thing is a great mental tool. I'll keep that one in mind.

Passionate about personnal survival huh? Yeah I could listen to or read about it all day long, ever watch Survivor Man? *grin* I love that show and take notes while watching.

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RB4R Life Member.
1989 SR5 4runner. Tread Wright 31/10.50/15's. 4.56 thirds, an Aussie in the @$$, Budbuilt plate, Marlin Crawler front, modified MC rear, Supra MAF conversion, ZUK coils in the rear and 4crawler BJ's in the front, LCE header.

muddpigg

Nah, no cable/satelite tv, only internet.

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Balljoints for sale. Open to trades and offers. http://www.yotatech.com/f11/ball-joi.../#post51278784

Junkers88

You can watch some of the shows online. I do from time to time if I've missed something. The guy, Les Stroud, goes out to survive for 5 days and carries only what he has with him (usually a leatherman and whatever is in his pockets as well as several cameras and batteries). I've learned a lot from that show, even more than I picked up in the ARMY. I never realized how much there was out there to eat if you just know where to look. I think the scorpions look tasty.

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RB4R Life Member.
1989 SR5 4runner. Tread Wright 31/10.50/15's. 4.56 thirds, an Aussie in the @$$, Budbuilt plate, Marlin Crawler front, modified MC rear, Supra MAF conversion, ZUK coils in the rear and 4crawler BJ's in the front, LCE header.

muddpigg

Look up Tom Brown, His best-freinds Gpa was one of the last Apaches to be raised as one. Grandfather taught both the boys, Tracker is the best book of his I've read. Good stuff.

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Balljoints for sale. Open to trades and offers. http://www.yotatech.com/f11/ball-joi.../#post51278784