Preparing For Unexpected Key To Woods Survival

By Bob Frye

 

Creek Stewart, standing, host of The Weather Channel's
“Fat Guys in the Woods,” said hunters can prepare for an
unexpected night in the woods by focusing on fire
and shelter first, with water and food the next considerations,
in that order.

The potential is there every time you step into the woods.

You're out hunting, maybe for deer, and start following a buck, one you've seen or even shot and are trying to recover. You walk a long way — how far and in which direction, you're not entirely sure, focused on the animal in front of you more than the surroundings — when it hits you. You're lost.

It's getting dark, it's getting colder, and you're facing an unexpected night in the woods.

Could you survive?

That's a question a handful of hunters in Pennsylvania have to answer every year.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources handles search and rescue missions on state park and forest land. It had to find 143 lost people between 2010-13.

Statistics show October, November and December are the busiest for searches — accounting for up to 40 percent in some years — with hunters and hikers the most likely in need of rescue.

“It's not excessive, but it does seem to be pretty consistent,” said Jason Hall, forest program manager for the department.

Those who get turned around don't have to worry about being out there long term, like the deer hunter who spent 23 winter days alone in the woods of Manitoba in 2012.

“We have some remote areas in Pennsylvania, but we also have so many roads and streams, it's kind of hard actually to get lost to the point where you're going to be out there for days,” said Cory Wentzel, forest assistant manager for Forbes State Forest in Laughlintown.

But being lost overnight isn't out of the question.

There's a time lag between when someone fails to return to their camp or vehicle and when a rescue mission begins, Hall said.

Someone has to notice they're overdue and call for help, then search crews have to be assembled, reach the site and get organized. They might go out immediately, depending on age and health of the lost person and weather and terrain conditions.

Some “hasty search” rescues can be wrapped up in eight hours.Others can take 24 hours or more, he said.

So what can you do to be prepared?

Survival experts say honing a few particular skills and carrying a handful of tools is enough to get through a night or two.

Creek Stewart, host of the Weather Channel's “Fat Guys in the Woods” and owner and of Willow Haven Outdoor in Anderson, Ind., talks about the “core four:” shelter, water, fire and food. Dave Canterbury, owner of Self Reliance Outfitters and the Pathfinder School in Jackson, Ohio, and former co-host of “Dual Survival,” suggests providing for those needs by focusing on the “five Cs:” cutting tools, combustion devices, containers, cover elements and cordage.

“It's pretty simple, really,” Stewart said. “If you've got some basic needs covered, you're easily good to go for a 24- to 36-hour period.”

Being able to make shelter and fire are top priorities, both agreed.

For shelter, a reusable space blanket is OK for emergency purposes, Canterbury said, though he suggested spending a little more to get a good one. A couple of 55-gallon trash bags can be used to make a shelter, sleeping bag or impromptu poncho, and having an extra wool sweater never hurts, he said.

Carrying a good knife and some cordage can turn those items into a shelter, he added.

As for creating fire, that often is one of the hardest skills for his students to master, Canterbury said.

“Anyone can build you a fire if you give them all of the materials and a flame,” Canterbury said. “If you send them into the woods and tell them to collect all of their own materials and turn that into a fire, that's another story.”

He suggests carrying three fire-starting tools: a lighter, a “ferro” rod — a firesteel that produces sparks when scraped with a metal striker—and a magnifying glass.

Stewart suggests adding what he calls “PET” balls to your kit. They are cotton balls smeared with petroleum jelly and carried in a plastic bag. They light easily and burn for five to 10 minutes.

“It's the best fire starting tinder you can make,” he said.

When it comes to hydration, Canterbury recommends a metal bottle capable of purifying water by boiling. Stewart also suggests one of the straw-type filters available commercially. Small enough to fit in a pack, he said they allow you to drink directly “from a creek or pond or puddle.”

Food is not the highest priority, Stewart said, but having some high-calorie, high-protein energy bars can boost energy levels and morale.

That's not a lot to carry, the experts said. Each tool is indispensable, though.

“Our survival needs are pretty simple,” Stewart said. “But it's a crapshoot if you don't have a few critical items on hand.”

Canterbury agreed, while offering one last caution.

Filling a pack with gear isn't enough, he said. You have got to practice with it before going into the woods.

“If you're not very familiar with your gear, if you don't know the ins and outs of it and the processes involved, you could be in trouble,” Canterbury said.

Survival resources

• Dave Canterbury just published a book titled “Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival” ($16.99, Adams Media Co.).

It offers a lot more detail than what's necessary for an overnighter in the woods, focusing on everything from knots to cooking to trapping. But if you want to learn primitive skills, it's a treasure trove of information.

Canterbury, owner of The Pathfinder School, rated by some as one of the top 12 survival schools in the country, also has instructional videos on his website, selfrelianceoutfitters.com, and on YouTube and Facebook.

• Creek Stewart also has a couple of books, including “Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag” ($16.99, F+W Media). It's geared toward packing a bag for disasters, but there's lots of helpful information about fire starting tools, shelter and the like.

He's on Youtube and Facebook, too, and has a website. Find it at willowhavenoutdoor.com.

• The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has a section of its website devoted to “staying safe in the forest.”

It offers advice on planning trips, avoiding hypothermia, maps, and what to do if lost. Visit dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/recreation/searchandrescue/preventivesar/index.htm.

• The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has a free 72-page download titled “You Alone in the Maine Woods: The Lost Hunter's Guide” available at state.me.us/ifw/education/pdfs/aloneinmainewoods.pdf.

Much of the information within it is applicable to outdoorsmen everywhere.

— Bob Frye

Bob Frye is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at bfrye@tribweb.com or via Twitter @bobfryeoutdoors.

Attention Camp Cooks: Game Recipes Wanted

A new edition of the Pennsylvania Game Cookbook is in the making.

          What’s cookin’ in your camp?

          Are your sherried doves to die for? Does your venison pot roast define “good eating?” Do others always rave about your sweet-and-sour pheasant? 

          The Pennsylvania Game Commission wants to know.

          Wild-game recipes are being collected and considered for inclusion in a new edition of the Pennsylvania Game Cookbook.

          The cookbook, which was last printed in 1979, is being brought back by popular demand, said Lori Mitchell, who heads up the Game Commission’s Public Information & Media Services Division.

          “Quite often we get phone calls and letters from people asking if we still sell our cookbook,” Mitchell said. “Some of them are looking to replace a well-worn copy, others might be looking to pick one up for a gift. 

          “As more years pass there seems to be more and more interest, too, so we decided to bring back the cookbook, and make it better than ever,” she said.

          To that end, the Game Commission is looking for a heaping of help from all the camp cooks out there.

          Whether fired on a spit, browned in a pan or charred on the grill, the Game Commission is interested in any big-game, small-game and migratory-bird recipes you’d like to share as your favorites. 

          The deadline for submissions is June 30.

          All submissions should include the recipe title, the ingredients and measurements, preparation instructions, the number of servings, and the name or initials of the person submitting the recipe, as well as his or her hometown. A photo of the finished meal also may be submitted.

          Recipes can be sent by email to pgccomments@pa.gov, or mailed to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.

          Cooks also are welcome to submit their favorite recipes from the previous edition of the “Pennsylvania Game Cookbook.” Those recipes might be included in a “Tried, True and Tasty” section.

          Those submitting recipes should note that not all submissions will be included in the book, and recipes will not be returned and might be edited.

          The cookbook is planned for publication later this year.

          All submissions are welcome, said Game Commission communications specialist Brittany Howell, who is compiling recipes for the book.  The aim, she said, is to include a variety of game recipes sure to please any palette. 

          “In many ways, this cookbook is a celebration of Pennsylvania’s rich hunting and trapping heritage, and every additional recipe we get only will make it better and better.” Howell said. “You might say that, in this case, there’s no such thing as ‘too many cooks.’ So please send in those recipes.”

Pennsylvania Outdoors Groups Fighting Stubborn Bills

By Bob Frye

This has gone on longer than anyone expected.

Months ago, lawmakers in the state House of Representatives and Senate introduced companion bills that would change how the state identifies threatened and endangered species and designates wild trout streams. House Bill 1576 and Senate Bill 1047 would require the Independent Regulatory Review Commission and a legislative committee to review any designations proposed by the Pennsylvania Game and Fish and Boat Commissions.

Both, I was told in spring, would go away quickly. It hasn't happened.

Proponents of the bills say they would make decisions on species and trout streams “transparent” for the public's sake. They also would make it possible for industry to better know what it's up against when looking to operate.

Sen. Richard Alloway, chairman of the Senate game and fisheries committee, said in a recent op-ed piece that the bills “strike the right balance between species protection and economic considerations.”

Opponents say the bills are nothing more than an attempt to put conservation second to industrial interests.

“These disparate groups don't often agree, but they are unified in their opposition to these bills. Outdoorsmen and women from across the political spectrum are united in opposition to these bills,” reads an alert from the Hiking Association.

The Game and Fish and Boat Commissions oppose them, too. They say their processes of designating species and streams for protection already are public.

Fish and Boat commissioner Len Lichvar of Somerset County went further, opining in a recent letter that House Bill 1576 in particular represents “the worst single piece of legislation I have ever seen proposed.” The existing rules haven't cost a single job or deprived any business from pursuing its objectives, he said.

“However, if this legislation passes in its current form, our precious supply of clean water will dwindle, recreational activities and sportsmen opportunities will be reduced and the strong economic engines they support will be compromised,” Lichvar said.

Yet, House Bill 1576 recently passed out of committee and could be voted on by the full House at any time. Alloway said he plans to hold a hearing on the Senate version.

Sportsmen and conservationists are rallying the troops, though. If enough speak up, maybe these bills will finally die.

PA State Parks Offer Opportunities To Camp Where Bass Are Plentiful

By Bob Frye, Pittsburgh Tribune Review

What's better than a day spent fishing?

Why, two days spent fishing, of course. Any angler who's ever muttered the phrase, “OK, one more cast,” when told it was time to leave the water knows that.

The good news is that with bass season set to open statewide Saturday — anglers will be allowed to harvest six largemouths, smallmouths or spotteds, combined — there's a way to extend your fishing on waters with good numbers of fish.

A number of the region's most productive bass waters are located within or adjacent to state parks where you can spend the night. Moraine, Yellow Creek, Pymatuning, Raccoon Creek, Keystone and Laurel Hill state parks all offer camping around lakes known to hold good populations of bass. Cook Forest and Clear Creek state parks offer access to smallmouth bass on the Clarion River, while Ohiopyle puts you near smallmouth on the Yough and Casselman.

All get their share of campers.

About 160,000 people spent more than 400,000 nights camping in state parks last year, said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources spokesman Terry Brady. In region 2, which takes in the western quarter of Pennsylvania, more than 40,000 people spent about 104,000 nights under the stars.

“Once school's out, most of our campsites, cottages, yurts and cabins are at or near capacity on weekends,” said Kris Baker, manager of Keystone State Park in Westmoreland County.

Which park is best for you depends on what experience you're looking for and just how far you're willing to go to “rough it.”

Some parks accommodate only tents and recreational vehicles. Some have only cabins, cottages and/or yurts. Some have everything.

The Crawford County-based Pymatuning — which accounted for about 25 percent of all camp nights in Western Pennsylvania parks last year — is one of those with traditional camp sites for tents and RVs. Some are on the lake shore, some are in grassy areas and some are in the woods. Cost per night ranges from $19 to $32 per site, based on a variety of factors.

Often, campers choose their site based not so much on cost as the chance to take along everyone in the “family.”

“The electric, pet-friendly sites are the first to go,” said Jason Baker, assistant park manager at Pymatuning. “They're the most expensive, but they're the first to go.”

Sixteen other parks, including Keystone, get tent campers participating in the system's “first-time camper” program. Under its guidelines, people new to sleeping out can rent a site that comes with a tent, sleeping pads, camp chairs, flashlights, lantern, camp stove, and hot dog and marshmallow cookers, among other things, for $20 per night.

Park rangers sometimes help first-timers erect their tents and get started. But as a general rule, most prefer to go it alone, Baker said.

“A lot of people seem to want to experience things on their own. That seems to be part of the appeal of it all,” he said.

The park system's modern cabins, yurts and cottages all offer something different. The cabins are the most home-like, offering indoor bathrooms and showers, appliances, including microwaves, and other comforts. Campers need to bring only their own bedding and cookware.

Yurts and cottages are a step down but hardly primitive.

“They provide sort of a continuum for people not interested in tent camping but who want something a little more rustic than a modern cabin,” said Ken Bisbee, manager of Yellow Creek State Park in Indiana County.

Yurts are round, Mongolian-style canvas tents stretched around wooden frames. There's no indoor plumbing, but they do have stoves, refrigerators and more.

“People love them,” Bisbee said. “You think you're walking into a tent, but they have hardwood floors, doors, countertops, a stove top. They're kind of a neat thing.”

Cottages are like large, fancy one-room sheds. They have heat, bunkbeds, sometimes a table and chairs, and have covered porches, but you have to cook outside.

How long you can or must stay varies by camping option. Modern cabins have to be rented for a week at a time in summer; cottages and yurts usually have a two-night minimum. Tent and RV sites can be rented for as little as one night.

The maximum stay is one week in some cases, two in others.

So even when it comes to combining camping and fishing, you'll have to go home sometime.

But there are sure worse ways to spend time — such as Father's Day weekend — than camping out and fishing for bass.

“I can't think of a better way for grandfathers and fathers to spend their weekend than outside fishing with their sons, daughters and grandkids,” said John Arway, executive director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.