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OutdoorSafe, Inc Newsletter
By Before I forget let me draw your attention to our new email addresses. Info@outdoorsafe.com, and sales@outdoorsafe.com . We’ve had to change because of the difficulties I have had over the past year with ATT Mary and I are a bit weary as I sit down to my report to you on the OutdoorSafe Inc state-of-affairs. All in all we’ve had a busy, productive year and once again have added names to the list of people who have used my training and Mary’s survival kits in emergencies. As usual we began the year by traveling to the Pacific Northwest to participate in the four big sports shows that we have been a part of for over ten years. This year things were a bit different. As you may remember two incidents that drew national interest this year took place in Oregon -the Kim family saga and then the three climbers that died on Mt Hood. There was also another incident that didn’t make the national headlines but was just as tragic – father and son snowmobilers who took off one Sunday morning for a quick ride that resulted in the father dying and the son would have as well if he hadn’t been found in the nick of time. Because of these incidents there was a much higher level of interest in survival and survival training this year throughout the area. Consequently my seminars were often standing room only. I spent a lot of my teaching time answering questions about these people and what I thought of their actions. In addition to the sports shows I spoke at many venues in Washington and Oregon. For the past couple of years I have presented an evening program for the C.C. Filson clothing company in downtown Seattle www.filson.com . This year about 45 people showed up to hear my “Could You Be a Survivor” program. C.C. Filson is a first class company who produce some of the finest outdoor clothing available. Great people who really care about their customers and customer service. If you’re in the area stop in and say hallo to Jennie, David and Brad. I also spoke to the Oregon Equestrian Trails Association, several Mormon churches, Scout troops, Search and Rescue team and at the Oregon Hunter Education Association annual conference. The time we spent in the North West was busy but very productive. We arrived home in mid-March just in time to board a plane and fly to South Africa for a three week holiday. This trip was a bit out of character since we usually spend our time overseas in the November – December time frame. For one reason or another this period turn out to be the best time to go so we did. It was wonderful. I grew up in Kenya and had forgotten how interesting the African continent is. We flew to Durban, South where we began a three week odyssey touring both national and private game parks. With the exception of a four day self-guided tour of Kruger National Park we were guided everywhere we went which took all of the worry of traveling in a foreign country away and we could enjoy the people, the scenery and the best of all the wildlife. It was first class. We stayed in a variety of accommodations from tented camps to very nice B&Bs to lodges in the national parks. We saw all of the African animals you would expect to see except leopard. In the course of the time we were there I took 2600 digital photographs most of the animals but also to document our experiences. I still working my way through the photographs trying to cull out the bad ones and print the good ones. On the way home we stayed over in London for a couple of days which we probably would not do that again because it is very expensive. We did enjoy one fun evening attending Mama Mia at one of London’s play houses. Excellent show. Mary and I will be going back to southern Africa, probably South Africa, Botswana and Namibia next November-December only this time we will be taking a group with us. So if you’re interested in going give us a call. The Wyoming Fish and Game Department invited me up to Casper in May to present two, day long survival training programs to their employees. Good group who were a bit skeptical at first but warmed up when they found out I had a different perspective on survival and surviving! Following the training Mary and I spent a most enjoyable day with one of their biologists floating down the North Platte River fly fishing for trout. We’d never fished that river before and came away impressed with the caliber of the fish and the camaraderie of the other fishermen we met along the way. For the forth year in a row in late May we headed north to Jackson, Wyoming to spend the summer teaching at the American Wilderness Leadership School. I was disappointed this year in the lack of wildflowers. The snow pack wasn’t as great as in previous years, run-off came early and the spring rains were spotty. Lacking flowers to photograph I turned my attention to birds, butterflies and small game! After photographing elephants in South Africa taking pictures of a chipmunk was a little underwhelming – but no less difficult trying to take a “good” image not just a snap-shot. I was also busy this year training US Customs and Border Protection
aviators and US Coast Guard rescue swimmers. This training was
conducted in various parts of the country including Puerto Rico
– a place I had never been before. I spent two weeks there
in September teaching two jungle survival courses. Yes they do
have a jungle in PR only there they call it a “moist, humid
forest.” It was both “moist” and “humid!”
Fortunately our training area ran right down to the ocean and
at the end of a sticky day we could cool of in the Atlantic.
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I have just completed the videoing of an update to my DVD. It needed updating! The information in the 1997 edition was accurate but some of the equipment I demonstrated was out-of-date. In the new version I was also able to include a few things that were left out the last time i.e. the use of the plastic bag shelter. I also picked-up one or two useful survival tips in recent years that I have included. I expect the updated DVD to be out in the next few months so be looking for it. As a side note, I was sorry to hear that the producer of my first video/DVD had passed away since we had worked together. Apparently he was a victim of a compound bow that blew-up sending a jagged piece of the bow through his neck severing his carotid artery and resulting in his death!
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WHAT’S NEW IN
THE WORLD OF SURVIVAL?
OutdoorSafe
Inc. receives no financial support from
any of the companies discussed below.
The comments made about the products are
based on the author’s use of the products under field conditions.
Two products of note came on
the market this year that you should be aware of – Sawyer water disinfecting
bottles and a new personal locator beacon (PLB) manufactured by ACR
Electronics.
ACR Personal Locator Beacons. www.acrelectronics.com I am a firm
believer in the use of personal locator beacons (PLB) to effect your rescue
when you are in a “life threatening” situation and need help. Of the PLBs available, those made by ACR set
the standard for the industry and have saved many lives since the introduction of
the technology. If you work or recreate
far from help carrying a PLB makes a lot of sense. The following information was extracted from
the ACR website.
· Smallest, lightest, most function-rich PLB alerts Search
and Rescue to your precise location in an emergency.
· Transmits on 406 MHz (COSPAS-SARSAT) with your
registered, unique, digitally-coded distress signal, and 121.5 MHz (SAR homing
frequency).
· Exclusive built-in GPS technology is finely tuned for
optimum performance.
· 100 meter position accuracy when GPS coordinates are
present.
· Easy to activate by novice user, simply deploy antenna to
reveal “ON/OFF” activation button, hold for 1 second.
· PLB has circuitry, battery power/voltage and GPS
acquisition test features built in.
· Exceeds required 24 hour operating life at -20°C (-4°F),
typical operating life: 40 hours @ -20°C (-4°F), 8 hours @ -40°C (-40°F).
· Attachment clip mounts to back of PLB to easily clip onto
life jacket, belt, backpack, etc.
· Flotation pouch attached to prevent loss if dropped in
water, easy to remove from pouch, simply pull down on lanyard.
· Bungee lanyard allows for PLB to be easily secured
preventing loss, comfortable to wear around neck.
· ACR beacons are used by the
· Exceeds RTCM waterproof requirements for Category 1
(buoyant) PLBs, tested to 5 meters.
· High impact plastic case designed to withstand exposure
to UV rays, oil, sea water and raft packing.
· 5-year limited warranty.
· 5-year replacement life lithium
battery.
Sawyer Bottles. www.sawyer.com The prudent person always
disinfects the water they are about to drink if the equipment is available to
do so. Disinfect means to remove or kill
harmful pathogens in the water. Of the
methods that could be used boiling is the most effective but not always a
practical solution. The use of halogens,
iodine and chlorine, is practical alternative, but an option that some people
object to since chemicals tend to leave a “taste” in the water and require
contact times varying from 30 minutes to four hours. The third option is to use a filter. I have been using Sawyer filters since they
first came on the market. Sawyer
manufactures two products: one that takes out everything including viruses and
a second that takes out all the big organisms (giardia, cryptosporidium
etc,) but not viruses.
- Viral Purification: The first and thus far only portable filtration device to physically
remove viruses. Which it does at a >5.5 log (99.9997%) rate exceeding
EPA and NSF recommendations.
- Biological Filtration: removes 7 log (99.99999%) of all bacteria like salmonella,
cholera, and E. coli. And 6 log (99.9999%) of all Protozoa such as Giardia
and Cryptosporidium. You will find these removal rates equal or exceed competitive
options. EPA guidelines allow ten times more Protozoa left in the water
than we allow.
Hypothermia, Frostbite and other Cold Injuries by Wilkerson
M.D. and Giesbrecht Ph.D. This is an updated edition of a book first
published about ten years ago. The earlier edition was an excellent
source for up-to-date information and this new edition is even better.
Gordon Giesbrecht not only talks the talk but he is the foremost authority
on working and recreating in cold weather. Known, particularly in Canada,
as “Doc Popsicle” Dr Giesbrecht uses himself as a test bed
to research human physiology in cold conditions. Gordon’s findings
have revolutionized our understanding of what we should and should not
do in the outdoors in winter. Dr Wilkerson is one of the founding members
of the Wilderness Medical Society whose contributions to outdoor safety
and mountain medicine has saved lives.
Lightning Strikes by Jeff Renner. In a typical year about 3000 people in the US are hit by lightning and of those about 300 die. Lightning is the most under appreciated threat to our safety when we work or recreate in the outdoors. Jeff Renner, a professional meteorologist and outdoorsman, has put together a very practical, easy to read guide to lightning safety.
The Complete Book of Fire by Buck Tilton. As long as you don’t believe that, when you are in trouble, you can start a fire by rubbing sticks together or banging the back of your knife against a piece of flint as shown as in this book I recommend it. There is a lot of interesting information found between the pages.
The Book of Fire by William H. Cottrell Jr. This is a very good illustrated book that answers the question “what is fire?” The clear drawings and diagrams help to make understandable the complicated science of fires. It begins with the basic chemistry of fire and then walks you through phases of combustion, fire in forests and ends with a discussion on the value of fires in today’s society. I like this book and use it as one of my primary resources when collecting information for my training programs.
Practical Guidelines for Wilderness Emergency Care 5th edition edited by William W. Forgey, M.D. In the foreword of the book it states “The guidelines propose the best methodology for handling pre-hospital care for illness and injury occurring in wilderness areas.” This book presents what the Wilderness Medical Society Panel of Expert Reviewers feels is the best approach for the management of remote-area injuries and illness. It is easy to ready and is a useful resource for anyone who ventures into the outdoors and have to treat an injury or cope with an illness.
Outdoor Navigation with GPS by Stephen W. Hinch. In
the every changing world of technology trying to keep up with all of
the electronic equipment we have available is difficult. This Christmas
I venture to say that many will receive a GPS receiver as have many
people in the past. Most of these devices will stay at home unused because
the owner finds them “too difficult to use.” Outdoor Navigation
with GPS. printed in 2004, covers both the use of GPS receivers and
the use of a map and compass to navigate successfully in the backcountry.
By the way if you really want to learn how to navigate using a map,
compass and GPS receiver consider attending the 2 ½ day program
sponsored by the US Forest Service (406-626-5201) that Ralph Wilfong
and I teach each September in Montana. We’ll also be teaching
this course here in Colorado during a program offered by the Practical
Shooting Academy (970-323-6111) also in September.
OutdoorSafe Inc - US Forest Service Survival/Navigation Course.
29 August – 2 September 2008
Once again the US Forest Service and OutdoorSafe Inc will be offering
a survival program at the Nine Mile Heritage Training Center, Huson,
Montana. The 2008 course is actually be two programs in one. Two and
half days of survival training followed by two and a half days of map,
compass and GPS training. You can sign up for one phase or the other
or both. The 2006 and 2007 programs were very successful with most people
attending both courses. For more information or to sign-up please call
Linda Carlson at 406-626-5201. Since I limit this course to 15 people
it tends to fill quickly - I recommend signing up early!
American Wilderness Leadership School. June 10 – August
15 2008
Each year the Safari Club International Foundation hosts a series of
six teacher training sessions at the American Wilderness School located
about 45 miles south-east of Jackson, Wyoming. The six day long programs
are designed to provide elementary, middle and high school teachers
credible information on the environment, conservation, the responsibilities
of the federal and state land management agencies in overseeing the
use of public lands and the role that hunting plays in the management
of game animals. During the six days the teachers are briefed by representatives
of the Bureau of Land Management, Us Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife,
National Parks, and Wyoming Fish and Wildlife. Dr Gene Decker, Professor
Emeritus, Colorado State University, heads the training program and
shares with the students a life times worth of conservation experience
ranging from the US to Africa, South America and New Zealand.
Any of you who are teachers or know of teachers who might be interested in this program should contact Don Brown at 520-620-1220 and ask for the application material or go to www.safariclub.org. Click on Foundation. Click on Education and then American Wilderness Leadership School. Scholarship funding is usually available to underwrite course costs.
Practical Shooting Academy. 24 – 28 September 2008. New this
coming year is a five day course that I will be presenting on behalf
of the Practical Shooting Academy here in Colorado. This program will
be a mirror image of the Montana course. For those of you that might
be interested my program will be preceded by a practical shooting course
designed to improve a hunters shooting skills. Contact Ron Avery at
970-323-6111 for more information on the shooting program or to sign-up
for the Survival and Navigation programs
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
FOR 2008
Host Organization Location Date
Washington Sportsmen’s Show*
C.C. Filson Company*
Pacific NW Sportsmen’s Show*
Evergreen Sportsmen’s Show*
Central Oregon Sportsmen’s
Show*
Kansas Hunter Education
training Day Hayes, KS 10 May
International Hunter
Education Association
Safari Club International –
AWLS Jackson, WY 9 June – 30 Sept
Wilderness Medical Society
Conference
US Forest Service/OutdoorSafe
Inc*
Practical Shooting
Academy/OutdoorSafe*
* Open to the public.
If you would like me to speak
to your group please give me a call as soon as possible to make the necessary
arrangements.
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THE PROCESS OF SELF-RESCUE - getting yourself out of trouble.
If you work or recreate in the outdoors, sooner or later you
my find yourself at the fork-in-the-road having to decide if you should
attempt to get yourself out of trouble or wait to be rescued. You should always be prepared to self-rescue
and not rely on others to come to your aid when you find yourself in
difficult situations and only call for help when you have tried your
best to get out of trouble and failed or when you are incapable of self-rescue
because of injury, illness or other circumstance.
Always remember that when you
call for help you are putting other people’s lives on the
line on your behalf!
Every life threatening event is different and the mechanics of extracting yourself from danger will be different in each case. While the mechanics used may be different the actual process of getting yourself out of trouble is the same. This article looks at the mental and physical processes of self-rescue.
Certain verses Potential
harm. When confronted with
potentially dangerous circumstances you must then be able to differentiate
between those situations that are going to affect you right now and
those that are not as immediate but will still have to be confronted
at some point in the future. Certain
harm might include for example, the crashed plane that you find yourself
in is about to explode when the fuel in the ruptured fuel tanks ignites.
Or perhaps, you find yourself in an avalanche chute with a cornice
above that is about to break loose.
Potential harm on the other hand could be the onset of inclement
weather later in the day or the lack of water in an arid area.
Taking Action. When faced with a sudden, life threatening situation,
any immediate action in the direction of safety is better than deciding
on the best action that comes
too late! John Leach, author
of Survival Psychology, writes that “In an emergency 75% of people have to be told
what to do. Only 10-15% of the people act appropriately leaving the
remaining 10-15% sitting on the sidelines acting inappropriately!” Those in the top 15% had prepared for the events
that they found themselves in.
The Steps to Self-rescue
Assuming you are able to extricate yourself from the event
that precipitated you into a crisis situation your first step is to
deal with any life-threatening medical conditions that are present -
your medical condition and the medical condition of any others that
you may be with. Take care of yourself first.
Are you bleeding severely? If
you are then that needs to be taken care of quickly using standard first
aid procedures. Next quickly scan the accident scene to locate other
members of your party that may need immediate help.
Is the site safe? Do you need to move away from where you find
yourself to a safer area? Once
you have control of the medical issues and the safety of the area you
are in, then you can sit back for a moment and catch your breath.
DON’T PANIC. Easy to say but difficult to do! George Carlin the comedian once commented that
“We should teach people
to panic because that what they are going to do in an emergency!” While there may be some truth to his observation
I am more inclined to suggest that we should teach people that “The onset of panic is a normal reaction.
It’s what happens the moment you realize that you’re
in trouble”. The moment
you realize you are in trouble adrenaline floods though your system
putting you into a “fight” or “flight” mode.
This is your body’s instinctive way of handling danger –
either fight it or run away from it. Out-of-control panic must be avoided
however. The steps you take to
protect yourself from this moment on can make a huge difference in the
final outcome of your situation.
Recognize the threats to your safety and then either remove yourself
from the situation or remove the threat.
As dangerous as things can become, you are seldom
in a situation where you can’t take just a second or two to think
before you act. But you must “act.”
Coping with a crisis depends heavily on the preparations you
have made before your life
is on the line. Put another
way “A person will do what they have been trained
to do when they are in trouble and if they haven’t been trained they
have nothing to guide them to take the correct action.
ASSESS YOUR RESOURCES. All of the resources you are going to have
to work with are those you arrive with plus the resources that you might
obtain from the environment you find yourself in. Despite the advice given in most survival manuals
and that advice provided by such dubious survival experts as “Survivorman”
and Bear Grylls of the TV program
“Man verses Wild” you should never believe that you’ll
be able to gather what you need wherever you find yourself surviving.
Go through your pockets and inventory your possessions. Inventory the contents of your vehicle. What
do you have that will enable you to start a fire, erect a shelter and
signal for help. Hopefully you will have some emergency equipment available
to you that will enable you to do the things you need to do to survive
as you rescue yourself. Evaluate the environment you find yourself in
and identify the natural resources that are available that will help
you build shelter from natural materials.
Is there fuel available to build and maintain a fire?
Is water available? Are
there materials present with which to signal for help?
MAKE A TENTATIVE PLAN
TO EXTRICATE YOURSELF. The
object is to remove yourself from the situation you find yourself in
and return to your family and friends as quickly and safely as possible. To return to safety. To self-rescue. At this
point it is very important that you are totally honest with yourself
and develop a realistic plan that has a high likelihood of success. It is very easy to allow the desire for comfort
and companionship to override what may be a better decision - stay where
you are. Ego, especially with
men, often gets in the way. They
often grossly overestimate their ability to travel to a distant destination
and also grossly underestimate the distance to that destination! Not
a good combination!
Do you know where you are relative to the availability of help?
What time of day is it? Is it too late to try to walk out today? Would
it be better to hole-up for the night and reevaluate the situation in
the morning? Did you let someone
know where you were going and when you would be back?
If so, you can be assured that help will come. Be patient and
allow yourself to be rescued rather than attempting to rescue yourself
– it’s safer.
STEP-BY-STEP, PLAN YOUR
MOVES. At least plan the
first few moves because you might not be able to see the entire journey. Decide what you are going to do and when you
are going to do it. Is your physical
condition such that you can safely accomplish the overland travel you
are planning? If it is, do you
have the clothing you need to protect yourself from the weather conditions
that exist? Do you know where
you are going? Do you have the
energy that you will need to get to your destination?
Do you have the navigation equipment you need to reach that destination
safely?
If you can answer all of these questions in the affirmative
while not allowing wishful thinking to cloud your decision making ability,
then your next step is to:
PLAN CONTINENCIES. Make alternative plans for problems that you
can foresee. You must anticipate
as best you can the problems that might arise as you rescue yourself. These problems may include changes in the weather,
rougher terrain than you expected, heavy vegetation, underestimating
your ability to negotiate the terrain you encounter and many other issues.
By thinking ahead you may already have a solution to the predicaments
that you may face as you rescue yourself.
“DO” THE PLAN IN YOUR
HEAD. Before you start, walk
through your plan step-by-step. Review
each stage of the plan objectively, realistically and with an eye for
anything you may have forgotten. Ask
yourself “Can I really do this or is it my impatience and desire
to be back with my family that is making me want to “get home?”
If you can’t “do” the plan in your head it
won’t work on the mountain! Revise your plan. Find alternatives to those
parts of the plan you have doubts about and when you are comfortable
with it:
EXECUTE THE PLAN. When all is in order put your plan into action.
Do not let the concerns of others, the promises you made to
be home by a certain time, the desire to go-for-help or any other issue
influence your choice of action. Your decision to self-rescue should
not be driven by panic or an overwhelming desire just to “get-out-of-here! The decision to self-rescue must be based on
a thorough, comprehensive, objective review of your situation.
In the final analysis, even if it looks like you can “do-the-plan” it still may be in your best interest to sit tight and let the rescuers come to you.
MAKING WATER SAFE TO DRINK
As an outdoorsman talking to other outdoor men and women I
often hear two statements made regarding drinking water from outdoor
sources. Some claim “I never
treat the water I drink in the outdoors” while others say
“I never drink the water because it’s got bugs in it.” In the first instance not treating water increases
the risk of gastrointestinal illness and in the second instance not
knowing how to make the water safe to drink dramatically increases the
risk of dehydration and the many problems associated with becoming dehydrated
in the field.
While the risk of water
borne disease is much lower in
To be safe water must be disinfected which is defined as “the removal or destruction of harmful microorganisms.”
To do this water must be boiled, treated with
chemicals or filtered. Don’t
confuse “disinfection” of water with “purification”
of water. Some of the methods used to purify water may
not remove or kill enough of the pathogens to ensure a person’s
safety so, to be certain that the water you drink is free from illness
causing agents, disinfected it.
The first step in disinfecting water is to select the cleanest,
clearest source of water available to you. Inorganic and organic material such as clay,
silt, plankton, plant debris and other microscopic organisms reduce
the effectiveness of using either chemical or filtration disinfection. Chemicals used to disinfect water will clump
to any particulate in the water reducing its ability to disinfect the
water. Water containing a lot of material in it will also quickly clog
a filter. For the best results collect water from below
the surface but not off the bottom.
When using murky water allow it to settle and then filter it
through your shirt-tail, bandanna or other piece of cloth.
Better still take a few coffee filters along with you to strain
your water. These steps will
greatly decrease the frequency of having to clean your filter thereby
increasing its life span and helping to ensure that your water is safe
to drink
Boiling. Bringing water to a boil kills any organisms
in it. Contrary to the advice given in many other sources, boiling water
for “ten minutes plus a minute for every thousand
feet above sea level” or for any of the other recommendations you
may have read about is unnecessary!
The time it takes to bring water to a boil and the temperature
of the water when it boils is sufficient to kill Giardia, Cryptosporidium
and any other water borne pathogens.
Recognizing that the boiling point of water decreases as you
climb higher the temperature at which the water boils is still hot enough
to kill those organisms that might make you sick. Continuing to boil
the water wastes fuel, evaporates the water and delays consumption.
Overseas, especially in developing countries where river systems are
still a frequent method of sewage disposal, boiling for a longer period
of time (one or two minutes) is advisable.
Keep in mind that being able to boil water to disinfect it is
dependent on having fuel available to burn; a metal container to heat
the water in and the time it takes to boil the water.
Chemicals. Chemicals that have the ability to disinfect water are known as halogens and include iodine and chlorine. The effectiveness of halogens is directly related to its concentration, the amount of time the halogen is left in contact with the water and the temperature of the water – the colder the water the longer the contact time! These water disinfecting chemicals are commonly available from most sporting goods stores especially those retail outlets that cater to the backpacking community and emergency preparedness.
Iodine in tablet form and liquid is available. Choose the tablets. Liquid iodine is messy, the containers are prone to leak, and you are never quite sure whether or not you have used too much or too little liquid. Potable Aqua tablets, (www.potableaqua.com) are used by the US Military, many disaster relief agencies, and those who either work or recreate in the field, as one of their primary ways of making water safe to drink. Iodine kills harmful bacteria, viruses and most protozoan cysts often found in untreated water. Iodine is NOT an effective halogen when Cryptosporidium is present in the water. Fifty gray tablets are contained in a small, dark bottle. The recommend dosage of two tablets per quart or liter of water is sufficient to kill organisms such as Giardia. Use two tablets if the quality of water is suspect i.e. you are using water from river sources along which people live. Once the tablets are placed in the water it should be allowed to sit for at least thirty minutes, longer if the water is very cold, and then shaken to ensure that the iodine and the water is thoroughly mixed. The dissolved tablets do leave a slight iodine taste in the water which some find disagreeable in which case add ascorbic acid (lemon juice or lemonade powder) to neutralize the iodine flavor. Iodine tablets are commonly packaged with a second, similar sized bottle of ascorbic acid (PA Plus) tablets that deactivate the iodine making the water pleasant to drink. One tablet is usually enough to reduce the iodine taste to tolerable levels. Do not add PA Plus or other sources of ascorbic acid to your water until after thirty minutes contact time has elapsed.
- Easy to use
- Lightweight
- Inexpensive
- Tablet form rather than liquid form.
Disadvantages:
- Potable Aqua is not effective against Cryptosporidium cysts.
- Some people are allergic to iodine
- People with known thyroid problems should not use iodine to purify their water
- Pregnant women should check with their doctor before using iodine to purify their water
- Potable Aqua or other sources of iodine should not be used as a long term (more than six weeks) method of purifying water
- No after taste
- Unlike iodine, chlorine kills Cryptosporidium
Disadvantages:
- Four hour contact time
SURVIVAL STORIES
I went to the Rocky Mountain
Elk seminar in
My next step was to get down
out of the tree with two arms and a left leg. I had lowered my bow and quiver
down out of the tree on a 25 foot rope and swung it away from the tree trunk so
I didn't hurt my gear or myself when I climbed down. I splinted the right leg with two sticks and
a rope and decided to try to get somebody’s attention with my whistle. After an
hour I realized I needed to get myself back to my van. I tried using a large
stick and my bow to hop on one leg, but that didn’t work. I tried crawling but
the bones were rubbing together which was causing some pain. I also speculated
that four sharp bones grinding around the inside of my calf could not be very
helpful in the overall recovery. I looked around and there was a four foot
section of a 2x4. I put my leg on it and cut up my long underwear shirt into
2-inch strips to secure it to the board.
They were probably a half-mile
away but I started blowing my whistle , three blasts at a time and waving my
orange bag, which is always part of my survival kit. They thought I was just being a jerk and
trying to scare the deer away. They looked through the binoculars and thought I
was in a wheel chair. One of them started across the field toward me to see
what I was up to. I scooted down into some shade. Joe looked at my splinted leg and immediately
sat down. He said I can’t help carry you out but we know some people up the
road where we can call 911. I said that would be fine, I was a little tuckered
out by now. He gave me a bottle of water, which tasted great then went back to
his truck to tell the other two what, was going on. He came back with another
bottle of water and a candy bar, both of which were wonderful. In the small
world category Joe, and his hunting partners Carol and Frank, live only a few miles
from my house on the west side. They put my stuff in my van and drove it home.
It’s hard to thank somebody enough for that kind of help.
I
went to
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FINAL THOUGHT: Consider placing your Christmas orders early.
Mary and I will be traveling much of November and December.
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