The Pocket Outdoor Survival Guide: The Ultimate Guide for Short-Term Survival (12 page)

 

Panic, a state of sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, results in irrational behavior and poorly considered hasty decisions.

 

Most people think, “Survival training is something I won’t need.” But each year, scores of hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts find themselves suddenly lost or stranded in North America’s backcountry, often not too far from home.

One of the first reactions to being lost or stranded is fear. It is fear that causes many people to panic soon after they realize that they are in a potential survival situation. It is fear that makes people run and discard their equipment.

Here is what research has shown us that most people fear in a survival situation:

Ridicule or Embarrassment —
Those I have interviewed soon after rescue said this was the first fear they experienced. This is especially a major fear of experienced outdoorsmen who want to maintain their “Daniel Boone” image. Put ego aside and get into survival mode.

Punishment —
It is this fear that causes many lost children and senior citizens to hide soon after they realize they are lost. Coupled with this concern is the fear of being late. Most of us live our daily lives as slaves to a clock, and when we aren’t where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there, we face some form of punishment. This fear of punishment is present in every survival situation.

Being Alone —
Many people, including outdoorsmen, have never been truly alone. To them this is a strange and suddenly frightening experience. I once led a small search team for an experienced worldwide hunter. While he was only lost for a few hours, this man was in shock, as he had never been alone except in a room or other such circumstance. The few hours he spent lost, alone, caused him to end his hunting career.

Animals —
Many people have hidden fears of wild animals and sounds in the woods. The fear of wild animals is mentioned by many formerly lost or stranded people, especially children. Most people forget under the stress of survival that wild animals prefer to avoid people and, with a few rare exceptions, wild animals of North America don’t attack people.

Discomfort —
We are so accustomed to comfort that the idea that we may get cold, hungry, thirsty, have to sleep on the hard ground, etc., can cause people to panic. In order to survive, you must accept some discomfort and remember that this short period of discomfort is necessary for you to live the rest of your life. This should motivate you to try hard to build a comfortable survival camp while awaiting rescue. Discomfort can be tolerated until help arrives.

The Unknown —
We all live in a fairly predictable day-to-day world. We know daily, hourly, what we can expect to happen. When we find ourselves suddenly in a survival situation, this comfort of knowing is quickly converted into the fear of the unknown—what should I do now, will anyone look for me, will I die? All these unknowns rush through the mind and cloud common sense. This fear is a normal reaction, but the quicker you overcome it and put your survival training to work the better. Mentally accept, “Yes, there are many unknowns, but I can’t worry about them now as I have a camp to make and signals to prepare. I am going to have a great adventure story to tell when this is all over.”

Darkness —
One of the most common fears, even though many will not admit it, is the fear of darkness in the woods. I have seen some otherwise brave men admit, privately, that they fear a dark night in the woods. It always amazes me that these same people are not afraid of a dark street in a large city where danger is always nearby but become almost paralyzed with fear in the woods at night. There is little to hurt anyone in the woods at night, if they stay in one location. To panic and start walking or, worst yet, running in dark woods can lead to serious falls or getting a stick in your eye. There is little in the woods at night that will harm you. Just stay in your survival camp and get a good night’s sleep.

There have been countless numbers of people who were lost or stranded for weeks without food, fire or shelter. When they were found, they were in good shape. On the other hand there have been cases where people were lost just a day or so, and they perished. The difference between these people was that the ones who made it through in good condition did so because they had a strong WILL TO LIVE. They never gave up on the hope of being found. They made the best of a bad situation. They didn’t panic. They stayed put. They made the best of the resources at hand; and they had, or quickly developed, a positive mental attitude. In today’s terminology, they kept their cool. You have to value life in order to take charge of your mind and the situation in which you find yourself. Give up your value of life and you will not last long.

Once you get over the first shock wave that you are lost or stranded, put a high value on your life and capitalize on your WILL TO LIVE. You will be amazed at what it will get you through.

 

Resist the temptation to start a search for a missing person. If professional help is nearby, let them put their experience to work.

 

Have you been on an outing when you suddenly realized you were lost or stranded and/or unable to return to camp or your vehicle? If not, get ready, because if you go into the backcountry enough, chances are, it will happen eventually. As a wildlife professional, I have spent considerable time looking for missing outdoorsmen. Most of the time, they are simply turned around in the woods and are easily found.

However, some are injured and unable to move, often due to a fall from a tree stand or a slippery rock or log. Once, a guide who worked for me fell into an abandoned well.

Unfortunately, some outdoor enthusiasts are brought out dead as a result of heart attacks, falls or hypothermia. Often the cause of death is brought on by the stress of being lost.

While many outdoor people are learning what to do if they should become lost or stranded, few know what to do if their buddy does not make it back to the car or camp when he is supposed to. Every group, whether it is an outing club or just two friends, should plan ahead for that moment when one of them is missing. This is just as important whether you are exploring your own back forty or are traveling in a remote wilderness.

It should be a policy that every member of the group let the others know specifically where they are going and when they plan to return. All members of the group should agree to sit tight once they realize they are lost. This should be stressed over and over again. Every member of the group should carry a compass (that they know how to use), a GPS, a map of the area, a cell phone or two-way radio, a belt knife and a survival kit.

 

When you plan to enter a wilderness area, always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.