Article here: http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/14/us/california-missing-man/index.html?c=homepage-t&page=0 .

In a nutshell, a 72 year old deer hunter was separated from his hunting buddy and survived in California's Mendocino National Forest on his own for 19 days.

The article is light on details, but he did several things right: After realizing he wasn't going to find his way out, he stayed put. He knew he couldn't take a deer so he worked on smaller game, including squirrels and lizards. He made a fire. He packed his clothes with dry leaves for insulation. He made himself easy to find by calling out for help. Most importantly, he never gave up.

Sounds like he was pretty smart and did what he had to do. Well done.

That's one tough old-timer. I hope one of the major outdoor sports magazines picks up this story.

To survive that long in those conditions, he must have had some basic equipment, knowledge, and skills, coupled with good decisions, and a little luck.

He did well and it would be nice to see more details about him and his story about what actually happened.

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20131013/articles/131019812#page=0

A little bit more info.

It's nice to read a happy ending to a lost in the woods story.

From the information pieced together from a few articles he knew what to do and kept his wits about him:
He kept a wound from getting infected, conserved his bullets, used a hole under a large log for shelter, stuffed the shelter & his clothes with dried grass & leaves for insulation, started a fire and kept it going, conserved energy by hunting small game that came within range, found a water supply and stayed near it, etc...

The lesson I take from this is knowing what to do in an emergency and keeping your wits about you can save your life.

Most kits are for much shorter stays;

Two useful checklists:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/survival_kit.htm

http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/10/the_ultimate_altoids_tin_survi.html

Listen - if your 72, maybe pack a PLB.

Wow, that old dad did great. Wonderful to hear!



Big +1 on that.

I would say it's even more important to pack a PLB if you are 27. Chances are you will have more opportunities to use it...

Yep, the key word was 'Lost', a map and compass would have provided a solution.

Every situation currently being discussed here started out with getting lost. The mushroom pickers, the 72 yo hunter and the couple from 5 years back. A map & compass or a simple gray scale non-mapping GPS and you have a much better handle on which direction to move. Carry both and you are still just talking ounces -- and you aren't lost.

That said, I have a PLB too

I don't want to overgeneralize or stereotype but it seems like the older folks are the least likely to carry "newfangled" stuff like PLBs and GPS units. Heck, my late dad had trouble with his cell phone!

Unless I am going on a local trail that I know intimately, I generally carry both a topo map and a GPS. In some ways, I still prefer the paper map, although I have been using a GPS for more than twenty years.

Generally, the paper maps are more accurate. Google maps, which seems to be the basis for many folks GPS data, has at least two inaccurate road locations that I have found on very casual inspection. Neither error is so terrible that you wouldn't be able to find your way back to civilization.

Look at this way 72 or 22, he survived for 19 days successfully!

Yes if he carried some type of PLB or SPOT he could have been rescued early, but my Dad still hikes a lot at 77 and he will not take a cell phone with him, let alone a beacon. He figures that he lasted through 65 years of hiking alone without it so why start now. I figure its not worth the argument. But you will never catch him without his Mora knife, matches, leather gloves, toque, and a pack with a few extra items tucked in.

I am surprised this made the news.The media generally only posts when things go really wrong.This is the first story I have seen where there person did the correct things and made it out alive.I hope to see more stories like this....

BOATMAN
John

cliff bars; 10

cost $10-12

weight 2# (~1 kg)

calories ~2,400

Planning ahead? Priceless

Actually, the media makes it seem amazing anyone ever ventures off city streets and doesn't immediately drop dead.

"Wow, he made it 19 days!"

Our ancestors would probably mock us until we died of embarrasment. French Fur Trading Company, East India Company, Oregon Trail ... all of whom had lots of people living off the land (with a heck of a lot less!) for more than 19 days.

That being said, good on him.

I understand the overall fatality rate for travelers on the Oregon Trail was around 30 - 35 per cent. One could follow the route by the line of graves... And I agree, "good on him" - has anyone on the forum done anything comparable? I know I haven't(maybe twenty-four hours).