Woods Journal

This time of year draws many out into the wilderness for hunting, fishing, hiking and more, especially in Sanders County. It is easy to lose track of time and one’s whereabouts due to the surrounding natural beauty, loss of light late in the year and enrapturement in what one is doing. This is the time when accidents happen, and people find themselves lost in the wilderness. The National Park Service estimates that over 2,000 people get lost per year in North America, and many Search and Rescue (SAR) professionals say that number is far greater.

Regardless of the numbers, it pays to be prepared. In Sanders County, there is access to hundreds of thousands of square miles of wilderness. It is very easy to get lost, turned around or injured, landing an outdoors person into a survival situation. Fortunately, basic wilderness survival courses teach that 90% of all survival situations last no more than a few hours, and in a very rare few, no more than a few days. This is especially true in today’s world. Chances of being rescued are good, but there are ways to hedge that bet.

The first and most obvious of these tips is to let someone know when and where you are going. It is a common practice for experienced overland adventurers to first create a plan. They always have a team behind them, ready to swoop in after an emergency. For a hunter or a hiker, simply telling a person at home what time they are leaving, when they expect to return and where they will be going can be the thing that saves their life. It can also be the thing that takes days and turns them into hours.

Some basic tips can help you keep warm in the waning temperatures of night, and to prepare for rescue. The first thing a person must do is remain calm. Often in survival, a person will find themselves in a place of mind psychologists call cognitive dissonance. This is where two thoughts are in contention with each other. Many experienced woodsmen will tell themselves, “I am not lost; I have been doing this for years. I recognize that rock, I think. It must be just around the bend.” That is the time people become truly lost. The most common emotions reported by those rescued from a “lost in the woods” situation are actually embarrassment and shame instead of fear. It is hard for an experienced outdoors person to admit that they are lost. However, there is nothing wrong with becoming lost. Stopping for 10 to 30 minutes, sitting down, closing one’s eyes and taking deep breaths are the first steps. This calms the mind and allows a person to take in their situation safely, as it can be easy to injure oneself in the scramble of adrenaline and panic. Doing these things can also allow one to more clearly remember the path in, or perhaps a new path out. Tradition tells people to stay put, but the story of survival cases teaches that it depends on the person and the situation.

The next step is to assess the situation. Prioritize. He or she should find a place to be easily seen by rescue and should wear any bright and “unnatural” colors on the outside. They should sit by a dirt or logging road for the night. A field or opening is another place where a survivor can be seen over a greater distance. Rescue is about being the most obnoxious thing in the environment when it comes to sound and sight.

If night is coming, shelter and fire may need to be built. I suggest a person bring with them a knife and a lighter to help achieve both tasks. Bundling up with another person in a big coat or blanket can also help alleviate the cold of night. The most important part of a shelter for temporary survival is the floor. Don’t worry about building a roof, especially in a short-term situation. If it is not raining or snowing, focus on collecting boughs, brush and whatever else to make a simple pad or bed to insulate yourself from the ground. This will also keep the roof and walls of the shelter from hiding them from rescue.

The last tip for an unplanned overnight stay is how to signal. Though SAR units across the globe are well trained, even at finding unresponsive people, a survivor should always endeavor to aid in their own rescue. The universal sign for aid is sets of three. Carrying a whistle and bleating out three long loud noises can alert SAR to your location. Even three shots into the air from a firearm, three yells, or three car horn honks can notify rescuers. These sounds should be very loud, with clear regular spacing in between. It is advised that a person make the noise, then wait two seconds between each shout or shot. This creates a clear 10-second-long signal that is easy to identify and locate.

Reach John Dowd at [email protected].