Happy New Year to all of you. 

Another busy speaking year is about over for Mary and I.  It continues to amaze me how popular my programs have become.  But then, when I stop to think about it, there are more and more people growing up who never had the opportunities I had to develop the woods craft skills I have learned over the years. It also takes a few gray hairs and some “mileage” in the backcountry before you have attained the experience necessary to be able to draw conclusions, to make comparisons, to evaluate procedures and make the decisions that will determine the successful, or unsuccessful, outcome of a survival situation

“Survivor” Show comments. 

Lets get something straight.  The popular TV “Survivor” show has very little to do with real survival!  I was asked by one of our local newspapers to comment on the show and here’s my answer. 

            “The show was a made for TV social experiment.  It does not portray what a real survival situation would be like. Nobody was hurt, dehydrated, hypothermic or lost! The most glaring difference however was the interpersonal dynamics.  In a real survival situation survivors pull together for the benefit of all.  In the TV show it was every man or women for themselves and to h…with everyone else!”

Needless to say I didn’t watch much of the program.  If you want to see some real portrayals of what survivors have gone through watch the four-part Discovery Channel’s “Survival Science” programs and the “Survivor” programs on the Outdoor Life Channel.

Books that I read this year.

Spy on the Roof of the World by Sidney Wignall, published by The Lyons Press.  $16.95.   From the title you might wonder why I list this book. The truth is  “Spy on the Roof of the World” is a fascinating story of survival under extreme conditions.  In 1955 Two British mountaineers with intentions of climbing in Tibet were contacted by representatives of the Indian military and asked to report back on the activities of the Chinese who were in the process of subjugating the Tibetan people. Shortly after crossing into Tibet they were captured by the Chinese and spent several months imprisoned under very austere conditions.  In the dead of winter they were released on the north side of the Himalayas and had to cross back into Nepal.  This journey records a remarkable feat of human endurance. The Chinese fully expected them to die.  Throughout the book it is evident that their humor played a major part in enabling the two climbers to continue when others would have died.  A good read!

Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West by Gregory L. Tilford, Mountain Press Publishing Company, $21.00.  As most of you know I am not an advocate of spending a lot of time trying to live of the land.  Despite my feelings on gathering wild foods I am still interested in what is available – especially plants!  The advantage of plants being that unlike animals, plants can’t run away!  This book is one of the better one I have come across lately.  The descriptions are well written and the accompanying photographs excellent.  In addition to the useful plants Tilford’s book also includes a section on toxic plants.  Buy this book if you live in the west or plan on visiting the western states.

Desert Survival Skills by David Alloway, University of Texas Press. $21.95.  I have been waiting for some time for this book to be published and now that I have it the wait was worth it!  I hesitate to call anyone an “expert” but David comes as close to deserving the accolade as anyone I know when it comes to desert survival.  The book is a nice mix of modern and primitive skills.  As he puts it “we would all like to be picked up quickly but sometimes recovery can be delayed and the survivor may have to revert to more primitive technologies to make it through.”  I agree.  I was pleased to see that he debunked the value of desert solar stills as a reliable way to obtain water in an arid environment!  For those of you that live in or recreate in arid regions Desert Survival Skills should be mandatory reading.

New Seminars

Survival Strategies …when you travel overseas.  Learn how to minimize the chances of becoming a victim of crime or terrorism when you travel overseas.  This program addresses all of the steps that you need to take prior to vacationing beyond the shores of the United States.  It teaches the methods of maintaining a low profile, recognizing when you are being targeted, hotel safety, traveling safely on public transportation, how to cope when things go wrong and many other topics pertinent to returning home safely.

Could You Be a Survivor?   This seminar looks at the characteristics of those that have survived in the past and provides an opportunity to compare your own traits, strengths, weaknesses, against those that have been there, done that, didn’t enjoy it, but survived.

“You can read, attend seminars, and listen to the experiences of others but unless you change your ways you have not accomplished much!”

More fire craft rubbish!

I’m still seeing outdoor writers recommend starting fires using a piece of ice molded into a lens!  If you haven’t seen it here’s how it’s supposed to work!

            “ Simply carve the clearest piece of ice you can find into a convex lens and then use it to focus the sun’s rays onto a pile of tinder.”

I suppose if you were caught out without any other means of igniting your tinder you’d try just about anything!  But if you think this method will work you probably also believe that solar stills are a reliable way of getting water out of the ground in the desert!  It is not easy to get tinder to ignite with a large magnifying glass let alone a piece of ice!  Try it sometime before you’re in trouble!  With a glass, the tinder will smolder but seldom get hot enough to ignite.  Always carry good matches, a metal match and possibly even a cigarette lighter.

Videos

I am happy to report that the videos I made last year are now available for sale.

Preparing to Survive is a 90-minute video that emphasizes the preventative steps you need to take to prepare for and unexpected night out.  It was originally designed to be used during hunter safety programs but it has broad appeal — anyone who recreates or works in the outdoors should see this video

Cost:  $29.95 plus $3.20 s/h

Surviving a Surviving a Wilderness Emergencyis a skill oriented video that addresses the survival skills everyone should practice and be ready to use in the event an emergency, that leads to a survival experience, should occur.

Cost: $19.95 plus $3.20 s/h

Product reviews

Busse knives.  I had the good fortune earlier this year to meet the Busse Knife representatives and have a look at their products.  Because of the cost, these knives may not be for everybody but for those of you that need a very rugged knife Busse knives are worth a close look.   Made from “cryogenically treated modified INFI steel” these knives come with a lifetime guarantee and are easily sharpened.  I used a Busse knife all summer during my survival courses and was very impressed with its durability; it’s edge holding ability and the knife’s general utility.  A good knife is a basic survival tool.  With one, the many tasks that need to be accomplished in an emergency become possible but, without one, life can hang in the balance.  Checkout Busse Knives at their web site www.bussecombat.com, drop them a line at Busse Combat Knives, 11651-12 Wauseon, OH 43567 or call them 800-860-3622 and ask for information.

 Blast match, a one handed metal match manufactured by Survival Inc. (800-292-4707) has been out on the market for some time now and I have been using them in all of my classes.  I like the idea of being able to ignite tinder with a device that only requires the use of one hand. (Never count on having the use of both hands!)  The devices work but I have had problems with them and want to caution those of you that have them to heed the following advice.  When using the device make sure your thumb rests on the end of the striker.  If you place your thumb too far back on the striker it is prone to breaking off.  I have also had the metal rod bend to one side and break off.  Should this happen you can still use the metal match to light tinder but you now have to use two hands and a sharp edge to produce the sparks. 

Brunton Compasses.  I visited the Brunton Compass Company in September and toured their factory with Tom Wilkerson, their Product Support and Design Engineer.  It was interesting to see how the compasses that I have been using for years are manufactured and to meet the people who are doing the manufacturing.  It was also good to see that most of the manufacturing is still being done the old fashioned way – by hand!  If you are ever passing through Riverton, Wyoming stop by and visit.  If you haven’t used Brunton compasses before consider them when the time comes to buy your next compass.   .  Brunton can be contacted at 800-443-4871

Garmin GPS Receivers.  For those of you in the market for a GPS receiver check out the Garmin 12 series of Global Positioning System receivers.  I have been using      Garmin products for about ten years now and up until this year it was a take-it or leave-it situation for me.  I didn’t really get excited about these receivers until I got my hands on a Garmin 12 receiver earlier this year.  Previously I was using a single channel receiver that took an age to lock on to the satellites and give you your position.  Walk under trees and you lost your link with the satellites.  In deep canyons once again your receiver wasn’t much use.  This year I purchased a 12 channel (as apposed to my old single channel Garmin 45) and am thrilled with it’s ease of use, accuracy and usefulness.  Sportsman now have a tool that doesn’t take a degree in electronic engineering to be able to use – a device that is easy to use and should make a huge difference in people’s ability to stay found!  Never forget that GPS receivers are still battery driven device that can fail  -- Don’t leave home with out your compass.   By the way — Brunton is coming out with a combined Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and electronic compass.  I haven’t had a chance to use one yet but hope to soon

Axes.  While cruising the isles at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade show I came across a line of axes that really impressed me.  As a matter of safety policy I usually do not advocate inexperienced people using axes.  Rather I recommend they carry a saw with an 18 inch fixed blade.  A much safer device to use.  With that caveat, those of you that are looking for a good axe should check out axes manufactured by and sold by Gransfors Bruks (www.gransfors.com, 843-875-0240) Each axe is handmade (the craftsmen’s initials are stamped into the axe head!) in Sweden and comes in a variety of sizes and styles.

 Lightning Incident   

Mary and I were testing our new Hyde Drift boat on the South Fork of the Snake River during the afternoon of September 1^st.   We had just launched the boat and drifted about half-a-mile down river from Twin Bridges when a severe thunderstorm developed. We   pulled over against a high bank under some Cotton Wood trees and allowed the storm to pass downriver from our position.  We watched intense in-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning for approximately 15 minutes before continuing our float. 

Later that evening in Idaho Falls the TV news reported that a guide had been hit by lightning earlier that afternoon while drifting the Snake River.  Several days passed before I was able to track down the guide and learn what had happened.  In addition to talking to him he also filled out a questionnaire I that I sent to him  -- the questions and the guide’s answers follow.  The italics are mine.

Questionnaire

Where did the incident take place?  South Fork of the Snake between Twin Bridges and the Lorenzo Bridge. (This section of the Snake is about forty minutes northwest of Idaho Falls)

What time did the incident take place?  Approximately 3:30 pm

Describe the surrounding area i.e. trees, open fields, park etc.  Immature Cotton Wood trees line the river with open farmland beyond the trees. (This stretch of the river is approximately 50 – 60 yards wide)

What activity was taking place at the time of the incident?  We (Guide and two clients) had stopped fishing and were rowing out to the take point at Lorenzo.

Were you aware of the approaching storm?  Yes

Did you think you were in danger?  Yes.  The storm cell looked more severe than the average thunderstorms we had been seeing.

Did you consider any other action other than continuing down the river?  Yes.  We had slowed up several times during the day to let thunderstorms slide by.  There was no avoiding this cell.  I made the choice to go ahead and push through it.  It turned out to be the wrong move.

What did you remember about the strike?   Nothing.  When I came to I didn’t know what had happened to me.  (The guide had no recollection of being hit and regained consciousness lying in the bottom of the boat)

Were you struck by the lightning directly or do you think the lightning struck nearby and traveled through the ground or water to you or flashed from a nearby object to you?   I believe I was hit right on the top of my head.

At what point in time were you aware that you had been hit by lightning?  When I asked the guy who had called 911 what had happened to me.  (A guide in another nearby boat witnessed the strike and called 911 using a cell phone he had with him. A Flight-for -life helicopter was on scene within ten minutes and airlifted the guide and one client to Idaho Falls)

Based on the physical evidence where did the lightning hit your body?  My ball cap and rain jacket hood had a large hole blown in them and there were arc marks on the top my head.

Based on the physical evidence where did the lightning exit your body?  Through my arms down through the oars (aluminum) to the water.

What injuries did you incur?  Minor burns of the arms, shoulder and neck.  Blown eardrums and inner ear injuries. (The guide also told me that he had a small “exit” wound on one foot.)

What injuries did the others that were with you incur?  The women in the back of the boat lost consciousness.  (She was evacuated along with the guide by Flight-for-Life helicopter to Idaho Falls and released later the same day.  The guide remained in hospital for several days before being released)

What would you do different if faced with a similar weather situation in the future?

Get off the water; take shelter wherever that may be.

Lessons Learned

While this incident involved a guide and his clients, fishermen wading place themselves at similar risk if they continue to fish as a thunderstorm develops.

The storm gave ample warning to the guide to get off the water and under cover, limited though that cover was.  It would have been safer for the group to be off the water where they were the “tallest objects around” and therefore the most likely to be hit.

It was fortunate that another guide with a cell phone was nearby and able to call for medical assistance.  In this instance the guide and the client regained consciousness spontaneously and neither were seriously inured.  It could have been quite a different story had the victims experienced the cardiac and pulmonary difficulties commonly associated with lightning strike!  Who would have been there to provide CPR?  With two unconscious victims in the boat the survivor would have had to choose to whom he provided CPR!

There is very little that can be done if caught in a storm to ensure the ones safety.  Moving from an area of greater to one of lesser risk is often all that can be done if those involved have waited too long. 

If possible, those at risk should shelter in a vehicle or a substantial building.  All metal should be removed from the body so as to remove the likelihood of being burned.  If sheltering in trees stand away from the trees that extend above the canopy.  Stand away from the trunks of the trees.  Spread out – don’t stand close together.  If physically possible crouch down on the soles of your feet and hold that position until the storm moves out of the area.  Stay under cover for at least thirty minutes after the last lightning strike in your vicinity.

If is much better not to be caught out in a thunderstorm than it is to rely on questionable procedures to ensure your safety as the lightning strikes around you.       

BE PROACTIVE NOT REACTIVE!

Cellular Phones

If the newspaper reports I read are any indication more and more people are carrying cellular telephones into the backcountry.  Some of those people, those that get into trouble, are using the phones to call for help after an accident.  Personal radios are also becoming more popular and have, in the past year, resulted in several people being rescued.  All this is well and good but what we’re not hearing about are all those who carried a phone or radio into the backcountry but were unable to make contact with the outside!  And I’m sure there are more of those than there are those that made contact.  In any case  — use the phone or radio if you have one but don’t count on them to get you help.  Be prepared, be equipped, and be able to cope with any eventuality!

Teach your kids to survive by teaching them to:

·        STAY IN ONE PLACE, NEAR AN OPEN AREA, WHERE SEARCHERS CAN FIND YOU

·        PUT OUT SOMETHING THAT WILL ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF THE SEARCHERS

·        GO OUT INTO AN OPEN AREA AND WAVE IF YOU HEAR A HELICOPTER OR PLANE

·         STAY WARM AND DRY

-      KEEP YOUR HEAD WARM

-      DON’T LIE ON THE GROUND – BUILD A NEST

-      BUTTON UP AND ZIP UP

-      EAT A SNACK AND DRINK LOTS OF WATER

·        ANSWER WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE CALLING YOUR NAME —THEY ARE YOUR FRIENDS, DON’T HIDE FROM THEM.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THAT “MOM AND DAD ARE NOT GOING TO BE ANGRY WITH YOU – THEY WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU.”  IN THE PAST CHILDREN HAVE CONTINUED TO MOVE, TRYING TO GET HOME, FEARING ANGRY PARENTS.  CHILDREN ARE MORE LIKELY TO SIT TIGHT IF THEY KNOW THEIR PARENTS WILL NOT BE ANGRY.

PREPARE YOUR CHILDREN

·       WHEN IN THE WOODS SET AND ENFORCE BOUNDARIES – DON’T ALLOW CHILDREN TO EXPLORE WITHOUT YOU.

• HAVE YOUR CHILDREN USE THE “BUDDY SYSTEM” AT ALL TIMES
• SELECT BRIGHT CLOTHING WITH HOODS AND POCKETS AND MAKE YOUR
• CHILDREN UNDERSTAND THEY MUST KEEP THEIR CLOTHING WITH THEM AT ALL TIMES
• PROVIDE EACH CHILD AN EMERGENCY PACK CONTAINING:

·        ORANGE, 4MIL THICK, PLASTIC BAG

·        WHISTLE

·        SNACK

·        ORANGE OR BLUE FLAGGING TAPE, WATER BOTTLE

I hope to run in to many of you at the shows, beside the creek or on a mountainside somewhere in the backcountry.

Peter