Missing hunter survives by doing everything right says CASARA

Thomas D'Arcy McGee

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Missing hunter survives by 'doing everything right,' says CASARA

'His survival skills were really good,' said Vaughn Skogstad from Civilian Air Search and Rescue Association.

SaskToday
Lisa Joy
about 14 hours ago

WOLLASTON LAKE – A hunter who went missing about 100 kilometres north of Wollaston Lake did the right thing and survived, said Civilian Air Search and Rescue Association [CASARA].

A hunter became separated from his hunting group for about 22 hours and spent the night alone in temperatures that dipped down to minus 19 °C.

“His survival skills were really good,” CASARA Provincial Dispatch Vaughn Skogstad told SASKTODAY.ca in a phone interview Wednesday. “He did everything right. He made a really big fire and he did the smart thing and waited until daylight.”

Skogstad said CASARA’s aircraft spotted the hunter on his snowmobile at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 12, about 22 hours after he became separated from the group that he was hunting caribou with in a remote area.

The hunter became separated from his group at approximately 4 p.m. on Dec. 11. The other hunters had looked for him but weren't able to find him so they contacted Wollaston Lake RCMP at approximately 5 a.m. on Dec. 12. The RCMP called in CASARA and gave them the hunter’s last known location.

Skogstad said that their plane spotted the missing hunter about 10 minutes before searchers on snowmobiles would have found him on the trail.

Cpl. David Chamberlain from the Wollaston Lake RCMP said that partnerships with Rangers and CASARA are invaluable when policing a remote location like the Wollaston Lake detachment area.

“By working together, we located this missing male safe and sound – despite the rugged and remote terrain, and the 100-kilometre distance from our detachment area.”

Skogstad said CASARA members are all volunteers who take time off work to help with searches.

“We don’t get paid,” he said, adding that they do get reimbursed for their meals and aircraft expenses.

He said they help search for missing hunters, campers and missing people.

CASARA Saskatchewan is part of the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, a volunteer non-profit association that provides air search support as part of Canada's National Search and Rescue program.

Its membership is open to all pilots and/or aircraft owners, as well as to anyone who wants to receive training. Typical roles include Spotters, Pilots, Navigators, Ground Search Crew positions, and Base Support.

https://www.sasktoday.ca/north/local-news/missing-hunter-survives-by-doing-everything-right-says-casara-6280202
 
This was an SAR that was done properly! The hunter started a large fire and stayed close to his snow machine and the search team located him on a timely basis. A lot can be learned from a successful story.
 
Kinda guessing that he stuck with his sled...that lil bit of Fuel was pretty nice to have I'll bet. Sure be nice to have a lil accelerant to get a fire going at -20
 
The average person would probably die or have serious health issues if lost for 22 hours in -19C...

An average person would not be out hunting caribou in northern Sask. I would bet a night in the woods would be manageable for any hunter in the area.
 
Years back my brother and his brother inlaw guided some older guys from eastern Ontario. The stupid questions asked was enough to question there safety in the bush. I bowed out, shaking my head but they all made it back . Never under estimate stupid! Glad to hear this had a happy outcome.
 
I can understand why this happened in the first place.
I was surprised this fall-winter that amount of standing water that didn't drain off this summer, with virtually zero petroleum survey crews out exploring new areas, trails were left overgrown from nearby foliage and there was no one cutting paths with chainsaws and the like.
And there was no one clearing drainage culverts.
Many of my crownland hunting locations were a nightmare of fallen trees this year. Especially off trail.
Tiring to navigate. Hard to recognize the landscape. Had to use the sun for guidance a few times.
 
The last guy from Wollaston Lake who ran his sled out of gas hunting walked a couple miles back to the power line and used the last of his gas to cut down a power pole. Knocked out the power to the community for a couple days, but the helicopter quickly found him sitting by a fire on the line right of way.
The town has generator back up, so he figured it was a safe bet hahahaha
Needless to say, they send SAR out a little sooner now
 
Spent a night in the bush as CO of air cadets in Sask and it was -25F. We had sleeping bags and survived and had 2 days of activity before leaving. No magic. Just a good sleeping bag and a few boughs off trees.
 
The last guy from Wollaston Lake who ran his sled out of gas hunting walked a couple miles back to the power line and used the last of his gas to cut down a power pole. Knocked out the power to the community for a couple days, but the helicopter quickly found him sitting by a fire on the line right of way.

I'd sooner die from the elements, than of embarrassment.
 
The average person would probably die or have serious health issues if lost for 22 hours in -19C...

Yep, they sure would. Don’t let the Internet cowboys know though. They could live for a year in those conditions with a Bowie knife and a stick of chewing gum!
 
People always over estimate their abilities. I've spent a crap ton of time sleeping outside in -20/-40. With proper equipment, sure, not an issue. With what the average person takes sledding? No thanks!

The average Cgn'er would be very humbled if they were to spend a night out at -25 with nothing but a sled and a fire to keep warm.
 
I had a chainsaw pile up on a fly in moose hunt. The plane was coming through in a couple days so I thought I’d be ok with a folding saw and burn branch wood. HA! Full time job gathering enough for a night. If you had no saw at all you’d keep warm just gathering.
 
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