Broke the 1st commandment to hunting..

Got turned around , once , many years ago. The weather turned pretty nasty with high winds and threatening rain not to mention it was getting dark.
One desperate move was to climb up a Cedar and have a look see.
While hanging on to a tree top , waving in the wind , I spotted white caps on the lake and knew where to go...if it wasn't for the high winds , I never would have seen the lake.
Came out onto the road a few miles from camp , but I was pretty happy to step onto that gravel road.
The news next morning reported that the lake freighter , Edmund Fitzgerald , sank in Lake Superior that night....haven't forgot the compass since.
 
In addition to the incident I've mentioned, I did have another closer to home and a little more comical in nature. Deer hunting late in the season here on the island a number of years back I drove as close as I could get to a large stand of timber I wanted to hunt. The area and stand of timber was fairly familiar to me and this sizeable stand was surrounded by a slash, much of which I had hunted Blue Grouse in.
Where I stopped the truck there was just over a foot of snow on the ground and it was snowing moderately. Hunting by myself, my plan was to work my way around the stand, roughly twenty or so yards just inside the edge of the timber. Just under half way around, I shot a three point, field dressed it and by 'dead reckoning', started working my way through the stand dragging the Deer back to the truck.
When I eventually exited the other side of the stand, looking/searching, I couldn't see hide nor hair of the truck. I looked around for a while longer and decided to tie my t shirt up on a small fir tree to mark where my Deer was and on another 'dead reckoning' course, headed back through the timber until I located my original trail and then back to the truck. Looking up the hillside, about 150 yards away, there was my t shirt.
Lesson. Hard to see a white truck with white canopy with snow on the ground and while there is still falling:redface:. Solution? I've never owned a white truck since;).
 
Good post...It has happened to the best of us. Good on you for posting this and reminding everyone just how easy it happens.

You don't get a memo before sh*t happens so always be prepared.
 
Yep having been there I now carry about 15 lbs of survival stuff with me, pain but will be well worth it I ever have to spend the evening in the bush. I will have a fire and be warm and dry....Not a very nice feeling while it's happening.

A
 
I have been meaning to buy a compus but never have. I remember the smallest landmarks and dont even know I do until I am heading back and say I remember that, and this.

But one of these days its bound to happen!!:eek:
 
Probably the most important thing in preparation, is mental preparation! When you are in the bush, prepare your mind to think that it is entirely possible that you may have to spend the night out. Thus, if you are lost, or, it is getting late and you have too far to go to get out, prepare for a night in the bush.
Certainly, people have perrished in the bush, in one night. But there is no need to, because those people have panicked and done stupid things, or at least nothing to help themselves. Stop while you have at least a half hour of daylight left and get ready.
You need two things; fire and shelter. Fire from dry wood and shelter is usually obtained from a limby conniverous tree.
The most important items in your day pack is a jacket, warm enough for anticipated night temperature, a small hatchet and waterproof matches. Really, that is all you need.
The last thing you need is food. I have always been in bush where I could find something to drink, but if this is not possible, carry some water. I can assure you that the most thirsty period will be early morning, maybe before daylight.
In summary, a hatchet with about a 16 inch handle is more useful in the bush than the best knife made. Do not try to walk through the bush after dark.
 
H4831 said:
Probably the most important thing in preparation, is mental preparation! When you are in the bush, prepare your mind to think that it is entirely possible that you may have to spend the night out. Thus, if you are lost, or, it is getting late and you have too far to go to get out, prepare for a night in the bush.
Certainly, people have perrished in the bush, in one night. But there is no need to, because those people have panicked and done stupid things, or at least nothing to help themselves. Stop while you have at least a half hour of daylight left and get ready.
You need two things; fire and shelter. Fire from dry wood and shelter is usually obtained from a limby conniverous tree.
The most important items in your day pack is a jacket, warm enough for anticipated night temperature, a small hatchet and waterproof matches. Really, that is all you need.
The last thing you need is food. I have always been in bush where I could find something to drink, but if this is not possible, carry some water. I can assure you that the most thirsty period will be early morning, maybe before daylight.
In summary, a hatchet with about a 16 inch handle is more useful in the bush than the best knife made. Do not try to walk through the bush after dark.
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You're quite right in what you say. Adequate prep for the unexpected definately increases your chances for survival when things go wrong. As I've previously mentioned, I've had a couple of 'situations' in that area. I contend that even with adequate water, clothing and a means to start a fire, the #1 factor that will do you in is PANIC. By keeping a cool head, you've got over half of the battle won.
 
Getting there from here entails knowing where here is. A map is a most useful tool. A compass is necessary, and a GPS quite helpful. All are useless until you know how to use them correctly. 'Til then, carry good survival gear, and remember to stay put for the SAR folks. You are a whole lot easier to rescue if they don't have to run you down!
 
Never been "lost", but had a hell of a time getting the canoe out of a big cattail marsh at nightfall one evening when a ground fog set in ... what normally would be a 20 minute paddle out took nearly an hour ! No landmarks, no stars, no moon, no sounds from road, highway or trains .... just a big wall of cattails and little open water channels. Visibilty, about 20 feet, tops !

Always like the story about the old Native Canadian who seemed turned-around. When asked if he was lost, he replied:

" Indian not lost, Teepee lost ! "
 
Pathfinder said:
Compasses are good, I also noticed you cant walk in thick bush with a gps without it losing signal.

Its very easy to get turned around in the thick stuff.
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An item from the pre GPS days I've found to work really well in those thick conditions is the Silva Huntsman compass. Small, compact about the size of a book of matches and folds out at a 90 degree angle and pins on your jacket. Actually I have two, one gets pinned on the other stays in my pocket, :redface:for conformation checks.

My advance into the world of todays technology has been taking place at a very slow pace. Over a year ago, probably closer to two, I got a gift of a Lowrance i Finder Expedition GPS and Lowrance Map Create 6 GPS Mapping Accessories Pack, :redface::redface:that I haven't even opened yet. I gotta' get at that one of these days.
 
Silva is thee name in compasses. Every BC Forester I ever knew carried a Silva Ranger. In the late 1950s when I began flying their aircraft, they insisted I have a Ranger compass, in case I had to walk out of the bush sometime. They gave me not one, but two! They said keep one in the aircraft all the time and carry the other one on you.
I think it is safe to say that BC Foresters think one should have a compass, if he is out in the bush!
 
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