Could You Survive Alone?

[Browtine]

what is your theory here?

First of all, I'm no expert, but I do have some experience in the backcountry where bad things can happen to people.

I'm a backpack elk hunter so my theories revolve around carrying your camp on your back which translates into a small and light kit. Most lower 48 rescues are going to happen within 3 days and the body can survive much, much longer without food. Plus, any prepared person should have an energy bar in their survival kit and hopefully a spare thrown into the bottom of their pack (including someone walking a half mile from truck to treestand). I know that I'm 1000 times more likely to die from dehydration or hypothermia than starvation so fishing tackle is just taking up room for more important things like fire starter or water purification tabs. Plus, there are many places, including my Colorado elk hunting area, where their isn't any fish. If you do feel the need for some protein, you can always chow down on some worms, grubs, bugs etc....

Just my opinion, doesn't make it right. Just be confident in your kit and remember what they told you when you were little. Always tell someone where you're going, when you'll be back and hug a tree if you get lost. It's much more comforting when you get turned around in black timber if you know you're lovely wife will be calling out the calvary if you don't call by 900pm on Wednesday! An unplanned night away from camp for the prepared is an inconvenience and somewhat uncomfortable. An unplanned night away for the ill prepared can get them into a crap load of trouble.

My mountain kit contains the following:

Lighter
Swiss fire steel
at least 3 different kinds of tinder and some long burning fire starter (Trioxane)
50' 550 cord
water purification tabs
large trash bag
1 energy bar
small headlamp
signal mirror

Plus a separate FAK and lots of other stuff in my pack....knife, water, more food, rain gear, insulation layer, gloves, warm hat, map/compass and yes, my smart phone...

Now, if I was taking a sea kayak trip in the Gulf of California or doing a 30 day ramble in big Canadian/Alaskan wilderness where getting lost for a significant amount of time and SAR being days away, then fishing tackle would probably make more sense to me.

 

[KeithCross]

First of all, I'm no expert, but I do have some experience in the backcountry where bad things can happen to people.

I'm a backpack elk hunter so my theories revolve around carrying your camp on your back which translates into a small and light kit. Most lower 48 rescues are going to happen within 3 days and the body can survive much, much longer without food. Plus, any prepared person should have an energy bar in their survival kit and hopefully a spare thrown into the bottom of their pack (including someone walking a half mile from truck to treestand). I know that I'm 1000 times more likely to die from dehydration or hypothermia than starvation so fishing tackle is just taking up room for more important things like fire starter or water purification tabs. Plus, there are many places, including my Colorado elk hunting area, where their isn't any fish. If you do feel the need for some protein, you can always chow down on some worms, grubs, bugs etc....

This is good info!

 

[dennishoddy]

Yeah, I can make it on my own. Made a week in the Jungles of Panama in the early 70's courtesy of the US Army with the basic survival kit, living off the land for a training exercise. Once you get past the mental block of eating insects, raw meat, and drinking dirty water, that has only been purified with pills, you realize its not impossible. Of course I was a lot younger, and tougher then, but like browtine, when elk hunting, I take what is necessary to make a few days before rescue that should be on the way.

If its going to be -25 below zero, fishing equipment makes no sense, like has been stated. One has to be prepared to survive with injuries. In my pack I carry a medical kit, that should cover all but the most serious injuries, fire starting material, and tinder, along with high protein snacks, and food.
Fire being one of the most important things to survive anywhere.
I keep a flint and steel, lighters, and most importantly, 0000 steel wool an a couple of 9v batteries.
For tinder I take lint from the dryer, and keep it in a ziplock bag.
This is real interesting. Using the 9v battery, and touching it to the steel wool gives instant fire. It was shown to me, and I've used it many times since to start a fire. It has to be the fine steel wool you get at the hardware store. I know some of you have it at home to remove rust spots from guns, so get some steel wool, put some dryer lint in the middle making a ball out of it, and touch the terminals of the battery to the wool. You'll be amazed how easy it is to start. I've tried it at 10,00 ft altitude, and it works just as well.

A comment was made about making a call with the cell phone. Most places far away from town don't get cell service, so be sure to notify somebody of your destination.
A GPS will get you in serious trouble if your not carefull. A buddy was bear hunting in Montana with a bow, relying on his GPS for directions back to camp when it started getting dark. He finally realized he was lost. It was dark, and starting to rain. He left camp with a little food, and no survival gear.
After a long cold night in Griz contry, he walked up a mountain, and finally realized his GPS would not work in the canyon where he was hunting as the surrounding mountains blocked most of the satelites that the GPS relys on to make it work. Once he got to high country, he found out he had been walking in the wrong direction.
Lesson here is, learn to navigate with a compass and map.

 

[FTK87]

When I go Hunting I keep Charged cell phone and a couple of lighters, cigarettes, chew in a ziplock, also usually have at least 20-30 rounds of ammo on me.(I know this sounds crazy but this one time on a deer drive I only brought 8 bullets, and I got my doe on the 8th shot, luckily)

 

[yousa]

How about a walking stick, so your leg doesn't get hurt in the first place? No more space than a lighter or steel take up, why not both? Not only are both in my BOB, so are a 44 hour candle (in a can) a magnifying glass, a matchcase full of vasolined cottonballs. The latter are for 1-2 extreme emergencies, with very wet wood. Normally, the candle will suffice to ignite some fuzzsticks.