What Would You Do?

[ssc]

I will try to keep it short.
I was on a hunting trip in CO. We were staying in town. It was in the 30's and snow possible. Left for our hunting area about 4am. Area was at much higher elevation and very primitive. I was with a friend. We hiked in a short ways and decided to meet up at that spot at 4:45pm. We both went our separate ways. Lots of black timber--this is 1993--compass time.

I get to meeting spot-no buddy. Wait for an hour--no buddy. It is getting dark and very cold. I blow whistle, shine light, yell--no response. Another 30 minutes goes by. I hear noise behind me in dark timber. It is a pissed off bear popping his teeth. I move further into meadow, so if he charges, i will have time to see him coming in my flshlight and hope I can mortally wound him. He seems to move on and another 30 minutes goes by. It is now snowing. I hike to truck and put on my heavy duty cold gear-replace my 357 with my .44. I turn on the truck and honk horn and flash lights. i have cold weather gear in truck, including sleeping bags and enough food and water for three days.

What to do??? It would take me at least 1.5 hours to get to town to get help and another 1.5 hours back. Suppose I leave and he shows up? He isn't equipped to spend night in these conditions. Track him?? it would be almost impossible with snow falling. wait and hope he shows up?? Suppose he has been attacked by a bear or fallen and broke leg? If I don't go look for him, he will die.

What would you do?

I will finish the story after hearing your responses--I did have a cb, but no answers to my call.

Regards, Steve

[BorregoWrangler]

That is a tough situation. Like you said, I'd have my cold weather gear on and do my best to look for him. Try to get a call for help out, either by cell, cb, or ham? I wouldn't leave the area at least until the next day if I couldn't get a call out. Keep the truck running and lights on while I search, very well armed of course. Seems there's not too much one could do. Alot would depend on how well you knew the area. Maybe if there's a hilltop or vantage point not too far away, park the truck there so it easier to spot?

Yelling is only effective if people are nearby. The human voice doesn't carry well, so I'd save my vocal cords and strength. Also, any series of three signals is a universal call of distress: Three whistle blasts or three gunshots, for instance, will alert others that you or someone else needs help.

If I don't go look for him, he will die.

There's not much gettig around that.

This why whenever I have hunted with someone else, I've made sure that we both had two-way radios with us. You can get lost, hurt, or may be tracking an animal you've shot (of course then you'd probably hear the gunshot).

So how did it work out?

[ssc]

John,
I left out some facts due to posts disappearing if too long. The truck could not be used for a search. It was at least a half a mile through the dark timber to our meeting spot. We were hunting in the dark timber. Very steep and thick. No way to get a truck in there. Horses and feet only way. Pitch black--not very familiar with the area--snow falling which covers possible tracks. We had agreed that even if we put a bullet in a critter, go to meeting place at time agreed to formulate a game plan. The only way to get elk out is to skin and quarter and take a few days to drag it all out depending on how far it is from truck or down in ravine.

I did fire off 3 sets of 3 rounds while waiting--no response. It crossed my mind that if I did go look for him and we missed each other, what would he do when he got to meeting place--thought about leaving note and or placing keys for him. Suppose he didn't find note due to injury or suffering from hypothermia. Also, the route from the meeting spot to the truck was a tough and difficult route itself. There was not a path--you picked your way through the timber. This was 16 years ago and 50LB's ago.

As part of my conclusion, I decided that trying to go look for him was a recipe for disaster. But then I reconsidered, suppose he was injured and needed help?

Regards, Steve

[DaveK]

Well..........at this point, I guess its too late to equip you with the gear or clothing that could help. I assume that neither of you were carrying HTs, GMRS/FRS radios, GPS, PLBs, or even a SPoT, Correct? I also assume that he was not equipped with some minimal survival items such as fire starting materials, space blankets, food or water and he was not wearing or carrying clothing that would help him survive a night in the outdoors. Did you each know where the other was going? Did you have a cell phone and if so did it work. I also assume that your truck did not have a ham radio.

So with all of those assumptions out of the way and proceeding on the knowledge that your buddy would die if he is not found, here are your options, as I see them:

1. Leave the truck to look for him. Serious downsides are that you risk getting lost in the dark with snow falling and conditions getting worse (I assume). Unless you had a general idea of where he was, the prospects of finding him (especially since you say that the snow probably covered his tracks) seems rather low. If you had the gear and were prepared to get stuck and survive a night or two, then looking for him might be an option. The other serious downside is that hiking around at night is a great way to enter the food chain. Remember Mr. Bear?

2. Even though it may take 3 hours to mobilize help, this may be your best option. Unless you are trained and equipped as a search and rescue professional, you may not be able to give your friend the best chance of survival.

3. Wait at the truck and continue to send out signals for him to follow. Build a fire, assuming it is safe to do so. Fire three shots in the air (or ground) at reasonable intervals as a signal to him any any others who may be in the area and can help.

4. Pray.

[ssc]

Dave,

I did mucho number 4. I kept hoping that little voice inside would give me some direction. I firmly believe we are animals and have some instincts left, so I try to listen to what the gut says.

This was many years ago and it may have been 1991. I remember the truck I had. Cell phone was a hardwired unit-no cell phones as we know them today and no service. He had a small pack with him, but not enough to survive. I was most concerned with his ability to find shelter and keep warm.

Looking for him had many downsides--I was very aware of Yogi and Mr. Couger. Also, if he was severely injured, I only have basic first aid info and gear. I had rope, but no rescue hardware if he was down a steep ravine. Going for help was out at this point since it was almost 9pm and I figured the return time would be 4 hours or even morning and I couldn't leave him, since there was a chance he would return.

Number three seemed to be a good choice, but the truck was still a half mile from our meet spot.

Regards, Steve

[socal_rubi]

Well there are only two posibilities to consider here.

1: He can make it back to the truck on his own.

2: He cannot make it back to the truck on his own (for whatever reason) and will need help.

There are too many variables against your finding him if you were to go look. Night time, dense woods, no clear direction to search, etc.
Waiting at the meet spot is clearly dangerous, and you can't do him any good if your dead or hurt.

The only option is to wait at the truck and continue to do the signaling and try and get someone on the radio. The next choice to make is how long do you wait. I would wait the night. In the morning I would wait long enough for an able person to walk back to the truck. If he's not back at the truck by then, then I would leave and go call out the search and rescue.

[ssc]

Hi All,
My final decision was to spend the night and make a couple of trips to the meeting site, marking the way with ribbon. At the truck, I did alot of horn honking, blinking lights and shining my spotlight skyward. Trying to find him was out of the question given the circumstances.

Somehow he had gotten turned around. When he figured he was lost, he headed up and at some point saw the spotlight. He made it back about 11pm.

I must say it was very unnerving for a few hours.

Regards, Steve

[BorregoWrangler]

Yeah, I can imagine. Other than the nerves I'm glad it turned out alright.

[DaveK]

Steve:


So...........now that your buddy is safe, where are the pictures of the Elk?

[ssc]

The elk gave us the slip that year, but a couple of bucks paid the price.

Regards, Steve