SURVIVAL & SAFETY
Washington D.C. statistics say that more than 2,500
hikers and hunters get lost in North America every year.
small branch snapping under his snowshoe brought him
back from his thoughts, Jim became painfully aware that
he had been standing directly between the bull’s cow and
their young calf.
The bull charged. Jim raised his rifle and shot, but it was
too late. The half a second it took him to spot the cow and
calf in his peripheral, was a half-second too long. Jim’s shot
grazed the bull’s right antler, only angering him more. Jim
braced himself for the impact, and like a bus hitting a cyclist, the bull slammed its antlers into his chest and ribs.
Jim flew into the air and landed on his back, buried in the
snow and feeling paralyzed, perhaps from the cold or the
hit, he couldn’t tell. His legs were solid slabs of flesh with
no feeling, so he decided to do what any other defenseless
creature who couldn’t run would do: play dead. He lay there
in silence, trying to catch some of the wind that had just
been knocked out of him, and he prayed that the moose
would leave.
Jim hadn’t planned on this. He hadn’t seen this coming. He
lost his gun under the snow somewhere and didn’t pack for
an accident, as he was sure there wouldn’t be one. He had
taken the trip solo, and told his wife that he’d call her from
the lodge once a day to check in. Jim waited for the sound
of hooves to dissipate, all the while thinking about how he
was going to survive, if he could, until help arrived. Help
will come, he thought, won’t it?
Washington D.C. statistics say that more than 2,500 hikers
and hunters get lost in North America every year. Even
the most experienced and devoted outdoorspeople often
go missing during a trip they’ve made several times before.
You should always take into account the possibility of an
70 Summer 2015 Adventure Outdoors
accident, even if you’re 100% sure nothing is going to
happen. Preparing for the worst will always bring back the
best results. To give you the upper hand, we’ve put together
some tips and techniques to prepare you for going off-grid,
because you’ll be away from people and consequently away
from help as well. When it’s just you and Mother Nature
out there, don’t be like Jim, be ready.
First, you should know what to stay away from in terms
of preparing yourself before you leave. For one, don’t trust
those guide books that walk you through edible plants,
mushrooms, and seeds. If you’re hungry enough, you’ll find
reasons to say that the picture matches the plant, and end
up gambling with your life. While these books are helpful
in some cases, nothing will prepare you more than actual
practice. Know your area ahead of time, especially when it
comes to plants and wildlife. Being familiar with your surroundings will be a much bigger help and you will enjoy
being able to identify things on your own. Another important thing to remember: Bring your cellphone. Even without service you can still be located because it constantly
sends out signals. GPS devices are also good to have, but
they don’t always work, so just in case all else fails, carry a
laminated map of the area you’re in at all times.
If you’re going for a day hike or hunt, you’ll likely have
planned out your time and estimated how long you’ll be
gone. Double that number for two reasons. One, obviously,
something may go wrong. Two, you may lose track of time
and get so wrapped up in your day that before you know it,
you’re trying to race the darkness back down the mountain
and hurried actions usually go hand-in-hand with accidents. Instead, make sure you’ve packed for overnight. If
you are going camping for a few days, then be prepared to