Archive for the 'Survival' Category

Land from down under.

The bodies of two women were discovered in an isolated region of the Australian wilderness.

Emergency services were called to Lendenfeld Point, an area of Victoria’s alpine region, on Friday, Oct. 3, at about 12:50 p.m. local time after two hikers came upon the bodies, according to a media release shared by Victoria Police.

While the identities of the women are not yet known, police believe they were in their “20s or 30s.” Authorities also believe the women “may have been in the area to hike and camp,” and they said no foul play is suspected at this time, per the release.

In a statement to the media, Inspector Paul Hargreaves said the extreme weather conditions in the region likely played a role in the tragedy.

“The weather in the last two to three days has been down as low as minus [27 degrees], winds were up around [52 miles per hour], and there has been snow falling,” he said, per ABC.

He added, “They are exceptionally hard conditions, blizzard conditions, and it’s likely that the two people have succumbed to the weather conditions, causing severe hypothermia leading to their death.”

Likely in the so-called Australian Alps.

Closer to home.

A 21-year-old man was found dead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park after a multi-day search, according to the National Park Service.

Ryan Lake was last seen in Nashville on Thursday, with officials locating his vehicle on Saturday, the NPS said in a press release on Sunday.

On Monday, park officials said Lakes was found dead at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Sunday in the Big Creek area of the national park.

According to the NPS website, the Big Creek area is a “dense forest” and a “secluded area on the northeast edge of the park near the North Carolina-Tennessee border.”

The area is also known for “numerous streams and waterfalls,” according to the NPS website.

Strange things happen in the Smoky Mountains National Park anyway. Many people have been found dead there.

Florida Hunters Struck by Lightning.

Don’t ever leave your hiking / hunting party. Splitting up is almost always a bad idea.

This man took pictures of the bear that killed him. Dragged away, apparently. He was alone.

What Chuke carries with him on an Alaska hunt. It seems to me that shooting a .454 Casull with a handgun would be unpleasant.

Be careful in the bush. It’s dangerous out there.

Source.

A lost hunter survived two nights alone in a remote and snowy Colorado wilderness area, deputies said.

The man from Illinois texted his group he was lost at 3:21 p.m. Sept. 22 in the Rawah Wilderness area, near the Jack Dickens Trail, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.

His hunting group contacted authorities after 6:30 p.m. to report the missing 57-year-old man, deputies said.

But rescuers couldn’t search for him that evening because of “deteriorating weather conditions and darkness approaching,” authorities said.

The hunter, who has military experience, was prepared with warm clothing, a sleeping bag and water, deputies said.

Search teams spread out to find him the morning of Sept. 23 amid “snowy, cold and windy conditions,” deputies said. They looked for 10 hours but couldn’t find him, describing the area as having difficult terrain.

More efforts continued Sept. 24, and included using search dogs and a helicopter to find him.

During the search efforts, the missing hunter called 911 several times, and he was found at about 1 p.m. Sept. 24, deputies said.

“He was found to be in good health and credited his survival to staying calm, starting a fire, and using his sleeping bag and clothing to stay warm,” deputies said.

This ended nicely, but it could have been far worse. Again, carrying essential survival gear is a must in the bush. Don’t go out without it. Fire starter, large bore firearm, tarp, parka, tactical light, knife, water, energy bars and cordage. He carried a sleeping bag, which was smart and probably didn’t weigh much if it was down-filled. Another good option is mylar survival blankets.

By the way, here’s a nice option for emergency fire starter (although I’ve never done it exactly like this before).

KUIU has a very good article up on methods of water filtration and purification for backcountry hunting, with emphasis on weight and movement. I won’t post it all or even any of it, but they have a nice list of pros and cons on the various methods.

I have most of these methods, from life straw to force filtration through ceramic filters. I don’t have (and haven’t used) tablets. I don’t like the idea of loading my thyroid up with iodine. Some are light, some are bulky and weighty, and leak inside your backpack. Again, there are pros and cons to all of it.

Prior:

Water Filtration for the Hunter and Backpacker

The Best Backpacking Water Filters

Outdoor Life.

If you’ve been out in the bush long enough, you know the difference between a fire that quietly gets the job done and one that gets you spotted or worse. Whether camping or hunting, a smokeless fire is the mark of true bushcraft skill. Clean-burning fires are cleaner, safer, more discreet and better for your health. Most people make the same common mistakes that cause a smoky mess. Large, smoky fires can result in long-term damage to your lungs. They can also compromise your location in survival scenarios and chase off wildlife. Consider whether you’re making these mistakes in your campfire assembly and learn solutions to help you build a responsible fire pit like a pro.

Yep, I’ve made all of those mistakes, but experience is a great teacher. Also, don’t burn rhododendron. The smoke makes you sick. Ask me how I know.

I always carry (when in the bush): water, means of filtration, knife, cordage, parka, rubberized poncho, fire starter, light, and firearm(s). With those essentials, you can get cover (poncho and cordage), defend yourself, see in the dark, keep from freezing to death, have a cutting tool, and start a fire for warmth and food preparation.

Outdoor Life.

When I was younger, I prided myself on always being prepared in the outdoors. Whether it was a backcountry hunting trip or just a casual hike, I always brought everything I could possibly need in case something went wrong. I carried a fire starter, extra clothes, and high-calorie snacks in my kit. I would always charge my phone, and I’d usually throw a satellite device and signal flares into my pack if I was heading into any serious wilderness. Yet, over the years, my preparations began to lapse.

[ … ]

That’s how it all starts. Becoming lackadaisical.

Knowing I’d hit him, I pulled out my phone to text Hayden, only to see that my battery was dead. Cursing myself for not charging it, I shrugged off my mistake and went to recover the buck at the bottom of the canyon.

Dead phone.

I dropped my pack on the ground and looked for my heavy coat before remembering I’d taken it out the day before to help pack out Andrew’s deer. With the cold wind biting into me, I knew that If I didn’t get back to the safety of our tent, I was going to be in trouble.

Improper cold weather survival apparel.

I re-shouldered the pack and dug into my pockets for my headlamp. It, too, was out of batteries.

Dead batteries for your only real source of light.

Looking up toward the rim, I suddenly sank knee-deep into a gap in the rocks and pitched forward, hyperextending my leg. In a panic, I pushed myself to the left and the weight of the buck on my back shifted down, twisting my leg even further. I felt and heard a loud snap as I was pulled from the hole, and I slid through the mud back down to the bottom of the canyon.

Injury in the darkness because of no light and no gear for emergency cover and bedding.

“Dude,” Hayden shook his head. “The tent’s gone!”

We got to camp and saw that the wind had blown our tent completely over, exposing everything inside to sleet and snow. Hayden unearthed a couple damp sleeping bags from the soaking mess, and then we climbed into my truck and flooded the cab with heat. This relief would be short-lived, too, as the truck was low on gas and we still needed to drive back to town. Shivering in our seats with the knowledge that morning was only a few hours off, we both fell into a restless sleep.

Failure to fuel your transportation.

The list of failures is long, and this guy is blessed to be alive.

Learn from his mistakes.

Confirming that FEMA is kicking people out of hotels right now.

On the phone with a man and his girlfriend, hotel kicking him out as we speak.

He's frantically screaming into the phone, "THERE IS SNOW EVERYWHERE AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE A TENT MAN, PLEASE HELP ME!"

— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) January 11, 2025

Also, they’re still living in tents.

You could line up ten thousand employes of the federal government to say that this isn’t happening, and I’d call all ten thousand of them liars to their face.

A neighbor one house down from me made a run to Swannanoa a couple of weeks ago to deliver toys, propane, socks, shoes, food, clothing and other necessities. Folks were lined up for miles.

He told me that he saw a large number of children who weren’t wearing socks or shoes. They were barefooted in the winter in the N.C. mountains.

I told him I wanted to be informed the next time he made a run to the mountains. I’ll be going too.

FEMA is your FedGov at work.

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Source.

A tree well is basically the space under the shadow of the branches of a tree where you will be protected (at least somewhat) from the elements. Tree well shelters are especially great if you can find trees with low-hanging branches, like pines and spruces, that can help block the wind while under them. While tree well shelters can work any time of year, they are particularly useful in winter when the branches of evergreen trees catch and hold a lot of snow, creating a depression underneath the tree with less snow than the surrounding area. While tree wells can be dangerous, especially if you fall into one while skiing, they can also make warm winter shelters that require less work than building a snow mound.

Rather than use the stock photo they include, I’ll include my own from a hiking trip into the Tetons during winter/early spring.

The thought did occur to me that with a tarp or poncho, this would be a sufficient survival shelter. But I would emphasize the danger. I fell into one and almost didn’t make it out.

Of course they are. And by the way, you could line up a million FedGov employees to say something, and if Franklin Graham (or anyone from Samaritan’s Purse) comes along and contradicts it, I would believe Franklin Graham (or anyone from Samaritan’s Purse). I would believe my dog or a small child before anyone from FedGov.

🚨#BREAKING: Samaritan's Purse has now publicly denied FEMA's claims that, "people in tents is misinformation…"

Edward Graham of Samaritan's Purse went on National TV to say:

"Yes, there are people living in tents. The role of FEMA is to help and there's a big gap there." pic.twitter.com/Qdp3zoS3QD

— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) December 7, 2024

There is this disturbing video of local and state officials forcing victims out of tiny homes and into tents because of … wait for it … code violations.

Disturbing story from North Carolina mountains.pic.twitter.com/NDBVZzC1BP

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) November 22, 2024

And then there is this video of folks who had to move out of their home due to the floor being washed out by flood waters.

I want to commend Fox News for flying a reporter down to Swannanoa NC today in the middle of a snow storm.

While FEMA is saying no one is in tents, Fox News is literally talking to them.

Well done. pic.twitter.com/lotiBAkO13

— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) November 23, 2024

So you can believe nothing that the FedGov tells you. Ever. Anyone with two eyes knows what’s going on.