Lost hunter survives on worms for five days

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...nting-trip.html

A man who became separated from his friends in dense forest during a squirrel hunting trip in western Tennessee says he ate worms and drank muddy water to survive five days in the wild before he was found.

Bill Lawrence said he gathered rainwater in his hunting vest and tried.... <snip>

And this boys and girls is what not to do when lost. Don't wander aimlessly, instead, hug a tree.

No way of making fire (well, there was, but not to his way of thinking), no food, inadequate water, no PSK... the list goes on and on. A great lesson in what not to do.

The comments under the article are priceless.

I am so glad he had a "can of dipping tobacco." A man has got to get his priorities straight. So much more useful than fire making equipment.

I am wondering how he walked 35 miles to reach a road three miles (about two hours walk at a very slow pace) away.

Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, guess I'll eat some worms!



really? Couldn't just go a few days w/o food? Good for morale maybe, but one wonders the true caloric input.

why not eat some squirrel? Wasn't that why he was there in the first place? And this may sound dumb, but if you've got a gun, you don't really need to chase the squirrels. Especially the apparent miles that he did to be out of sound with his "buddies."

Man, so many things wrong it's not even funny. With the usual caveat that we don't hear everything on the news.

Give the man some credit. Properly equipped or not he showed gut's, detemination and survived.
SAR probably expected to recover remains at that point.

What parasites did he consume along with those worms? Worms are way down on my list of things to eat. Going without for a few days would be preferable.

Probably the usual suspects.
Do you what really gripes me about this? [b]Everyone on this forum except me diss's Bear Grylls at every possible oppitunity, but he, at least, has the brains to carry a reliable fire starter and a metal mug to cook or boil in. [ /b]

Enough said, I think.

He's too stupid to be allowed outdoors off a leash, much less be allowed to carry a firearm! I wonder if it was really water that he had in those bottles?

Google Maps shows the park has a river on the west side and the road down the east side. It doesn't get much simpler than that.

Shotgun for squirrels? Not much of a shot, either, apparently.

Apparently he never thought of using the worms as bait.

He's a Darwin Award waiting to happen. Bill Lawrence -- remember that name.

Sue

Even these hunters got themselves a better meal than worms

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goARbRuLAVo

Looking at this guy's choice of food items. it is safe to say we will not order what he's having. Worms are pretty far down our list of things to eat.

However, animal protein is animal protein. He did receive some nourishment - whether it was really necessary in his case is a different matter.

In a survival situation, we must remember to set aside our learned food preferences and broaden our food choices and treat our palates to some new food sensations.

There are plenty of groups who eat things most of us would consider disgusting - ants, termites, etc. Western culture apparently has a thing against insects, but they are evidently quite nutritious.

It stated he is a Prison guard,I'm sure if the inmates got wind of this Very stupid adventure of his,he'd be laughed out of a job!Inmates have xlnt prowess for survival,& being a supposed prison guard,I'm sure there is some exposure/awareness to the prisoners resourcefulness in fire making ability,area adaptation,mental discipline,etc. 15 rounds of ammo & a shotgun in Tennessee in the summer?Hey JB,what was that about the nuts rolling west,lol!

It does not seem like there is a thing against insects. Here are some recipes: http://www.faculty.de.gcsu.edu/~cbader/ghprecwithinsects.html

Maybe you don´t want to have a look at your flour with a microscope. Most of us may already eat a fair amount of insects.

In the case of the hunter it may have been better to pass on the worms. Going hungry for five days does not require antibiotics.

It looks like he carried just enough to get him in trouble.

I looked up another bit of info on this guy, and it seems he was the star of a news conference, but he was "too weak to talk".

That's funny... Rita Chretien, lost and starving for 49 days, was able to speak as soon as they found her, and she spent at least a week in the hospital afterwards.

And she didn't even have any worms to eat.

Sue

Consider that his weakness may have been due to those "nutritious" worms (and the parasites they carry).

Yes that quite right. We are also assuming that this individual actually could light a fire and cook the squirrel's that he had shot. Since most things he did he did wrong, it quit unlikely that he could have stayed put; boiled some water, and made a meal.

In reality for a few days food is irrelevant and water is essential.

Susan, ease up a bit. I agree he should have had a PSK and water. Should have "hunkered down" and waited. BUT- I've been in that "park". I've talked with numerous local experienced outdoorspersons who know that "park".
It is a hellish thicket of false trails, misleading roads, with too much folliage (once you're in it) to see more than a few yards ahead at times. We all agree that it is very (VERY) easy to get lost in Shelby Forest. Many of us have.. if only briefly. It is like what they call the "hells" of the Smoky Mountains in E. TN. Just a step or two off a trail or path and you are very easily lost. Land navigation skills rarely help get you through the thorns and thickets.
His problem was underestimating the "get lost potential" of that particular park. Should never have tried to find the river or the road.