Lost In The Backcountry

You'll be safe in the backcountry if you carry the right gear and plan ahead.  Preparation is everything!

The hunter sat quietly through my GPS class.  No questions were asked but he was especially attentive and focused.  He was “pinned to my hip” during the night field exercise where we entered GPS waypoints and navigated through town.  The hunter had plenty of questions as we marched along using GPS and compass.

As we wrapped up the field portion the hunter commented, “I guess you’ve heard of me?  I know your Search and Rescue (SAR) team pretty well now.”  He told me about becoming lost during deer season in Oregon’s Three Sisters Wilderness.  After class he went into more detail.  Much to his credit, during the next class session he shared his experience of being lost in the backcountry.

He helped his sister field dress, hang and skin her first mule deer.  No one wanted the deer’s hide so he wrapped it up, mounted his horse and road down several abandoned logging roads to dispose of it. His route twisted through the wilderness.  The hunter found a spot and rested a while.  The lodge pole pine was thick like a thicket.  The horizon was obscured.

Prior to this trip he had built a first aid and survival kit filled with gear.  But today his pack with the GPS, fire starter and shelter remained in camp.  After all, this was a short trip.  The plan was to be back well before twilight.

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