Hi All,
First start with a personal statement: AOL sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(That is only an opinion and not scientifically proven yet.)
Second, I am trying to type in again what I already did before the connection broke. Sorry guys but I can not resist to use the John Johnston story (see: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000265.html ) to formulate a 'davenportian' survival exercise question:
What would you do if you were 69 year old John Johnston lost in your woods when looking for a suitable cedar log for the porch?
It is an excellent example how these unplanned survival accidents happen in an everyday situation. Nothing was expected, the unexpected just happened. It just caught you unprepared, alone without your survival kit that you meticulously put together during the years based on the suggestions of the Wilderness & Survival Skills Forum. Not even your favourite 12" bowie or side arm is with you and you rely solely on your skills and the few items on you. Additional factor is your age which might make more things a potential health hazard but provides more experience. It might also have something to do with getting lost around the house.
That leads to an other important question: what do you have always on you that you can rely on as a last resource (was an earlier thread)? How can you use those items? You can not always rely on a kit that you are not carrying everywhere. That justifies the importance of the personal skills and the primitive survival skills. That immediately puts 'minimalist survival' above 'overpreparedness' in importance.
I could go on- and-on but let's give plaudit first to the old gentleman who successfully survived despite of all difficulties. He definitely gave me a double surprise: first, by getting lost not far from his home; second, by his skills and will to survive the harsh conditions at his age. I think that merits my congratulations. We all wish him a long life!
But let's see now the real stuff!
For details, read the original post but let me summerize it briefly: YOU......
-are lost in the Minnesota cedar woods, in 30-40 degrees, in January 2000 (Happy New Year!)
-might get some rain anytime (possibly it was not when you left the house for a cedar log)
-have a rain parka, sweater, cotton checkered shirt, white cotton T-shirt that you always wanted to change, cotton pants, a good boot with strong laces, a baseball cap with a fluorescent NY logo
-have in pocket: trusty Case Trapper pocket knife, cotton handkerchief, few coins of change, few dollar notes, NO MATCHES or LIGHTER (since he did not have), driving licence, photo of grandkids
-have a strong raw hide belt with a metal buckle
-have no ax, nor saw
-are very familier with the vegetation and animal tracks/trails and know the map of the area just very much lost in a big body of forest
-see plenty of wet leaves on the ground
-are physically fit (ready to remodel the porch in Jan)
-are expected back by family soon
-eyesight is less than perfect but OK
-just had a hearty lunch
-have a 10 m of fluorescent tape to mark the perfect tree
Please let all of us know how you would deal with the situation. I very much appreciate any input.
HM
PS: Since it is usually easier to ask than answer, I am just going to throw in some ideas:
-what can I do with cedar trees?
-what can I do with a dollar bill?
-what can I do with my belt?
-is raw hide suitable for consumption?
-what do I do with my coins?
-how did I get lost?
First start with a personal statement: AOL sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(That is only an opinion and not scientifically proven yet.)
Second, I am trying to type in again what I already did before the connection broke. Sorry guys but I can not resist to use the John Johnston story (see: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum18/HTML/000265.html ) to formulate a 'davenportian' survival exercise question:
What would you do if you were 69 year old John Johnston lost in your woods when looking for a suitable cedar log for the porch?
It is an excellent example how these unplanned survival accidents happen in an everyday situation. Nothing was expected, the unexpected just happened. It just caught you unprepared, alone without your survival kit that you meticulously put together during the years based on the suggestions of the Wilderness & Survival Skills Forum. Not even your favourite 12" bowie or side arm is with you and you rely solely on your skills and the few items on you. Additional factor is your age which might make more things a potential health hazard but provides more experience. It might also have something to do with getting lost around the house.
That leads to an other important question: what do you have always on you that you can rely on as a last resource (was an earlier thread)? How can you use those items? You can not always rely on a kit that you are not carrying everywhere. That justifies the importance of the personal skills and the primitive survival skills. That immediately puts 'minimalist survival' above 'overpreparedness' in importance.
I could go on- and-on but let's give plaudit first to the old gentleman who successfully survived despite of all difficulties. He definitely gave me a double surprise: first, by getting lost not far from his home; second, by his skills and will to survive the harsh conditions at his age. I think that merits my congratulations. We all wish him a long life!
But let's see now the real stuff!
For details, read the original post but let me summerize it briefly: YOU......
-are lost in the Minnesota cedar woods, in 30-40 degrees, in January 2000 (Happy New Year!)
-might get some rain anytime (possibly it was not when you left the house for a cedar log)
-have a rain parka, sweater, cotton checkered shirt, white cotton T-shirt that you always wanted to change, cotton pants, a good boot with strong laces, a baseball cap with a fluorescent NY logo
-have in pocket: trusty Case Trapper pocket knife, cotton handkerchief, few coins of change, few dollar notes, NO MATCHES or LIGHTER (since he did not have), driving licence, photo of grandkids
-have a strong raw hide belt with a metal buckle
-have no ax, nor saw
-are very familier with the vegetation and animal tracks/trails and know the map of the area just very much lost in a big body of forest
-see plenty of wet leaves on the ground
-are physically fit (ready to remodel the porch in Jan)
-are expected back by family soon
-eyesight is less than perfect but OK
-just had a hearty lunch
-have a 10 m of fluorescent tape to mark the perfect tree
Please let all of us know how you would deal with the situation. I very much appreciate any input.
HM
PS: Since it is usually easier to ask than answer, I am just going to throw in some ideas:
-what can I do with cedar trees?
-what can I do with a dollar bill?
-what can I do with my belt?
-is raw hide suitable for consumption?
-what do I do with my coins?
-how did I get lost?
