Do you have a Survival Kit?  #8

How many times have you gone into the woods, whether it be for fishing or hunting, and brought the proper gear in the event of an emergency?  When you read this question, did you say, I bring everything I need including my fishing pole, rifle, shotgun, food and maybe a compass or GPS.  When I say “Survival Kit” what comes to mind? Many of us think we are going into the woods and will be returning home after the day is done. But, how many of you have been turned around while walking in the woods or have been involved in a medical emergency while hunting or fishing with someone? On the fishing side, it could be a fishhook stuck in your arm, finger or your eye. Hunting poses an even greater danger. Have you ever been lost, fell on that stump or just cut yourself with your knife?

I ask these questions, because I attended a course last week that advocated a survival kit every time you are in the woods, no matter if you are riding in your truck or walking through the woods.  The course was entitled, the Maine Hunters Safety Course. Now, I have been hunting and fishing for over 40 years but had never taken this course. It wasn’t necessary because I was grandfathered under current Maine law due to the fact that I have had a Maine hunting license consecutively for many years. Last year, my wife decided that she wanted to accompany me on my hunting trips. She spent a good deal of time just walking with me in the woods during my hunting excursions. She didn’t have a license and did not carry a gun. She just wanted to see the sights and sounds of the woods and this allowed her to do just that. Over time, she has really learned to respect and appreciate the natural world. Now, I did have a secret agenda too. If she liked it, she might get her hunting license and we could go hunting more often.  Our treks did turn out to be a lot of fun and I really did enjoy her company. See, it had all started several years ago when she began following me fishing. At first, she just sat in the boat and watched. It quickly turned into her wanting to try it for herself and now she goes with me almost every time. She has her fishing license, but getting her hunting license was another matter.  In order to do that, she had to attend and pass a hunters safety course.  So, in anticipation of hunting season, she signed up for a course in April. The course was offered by the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club and spanned over one full week. You attended a Monday night session and got your books and assignments. Then you had homework for the entire week which brought you back to the clubhouse on Saturday for a full day of review, instruction and of course a test at the end. Well, not having taken the course before, I agreed to join her for the week. What could I learn, right? Forty years of hunting experience and I knew it all. What could they teach me? WRONG, I could not believe what was covered in the week’s course.  The instructors covered topics like, hunting safety, first aid, topo maps, compass reading, landowner rights, conservation, preservation, proper gun carry, maintaining an ethical hunting image and much more.  Dave, Tom, Pete and Dick were extremely helpful and knowledgeable and were there to help each and every one of us, all for no pay I might add.  They even covered something called a survival kit that we were required to make and bring to the class on Saturday. That leads me to the point of my blog. First, what is in a survival kit? You can add anything you might want that you think could be helpful in making you feel comfortable in the event you get lost or if you have a medical issue. Your items could include an additional compass, batteries, flagging tape, twine, protein bars, first aid items, bobby pins, flashlight, whistle, pocket knife, tealight candles, space blanket, waterproof matches and bandana. This is just a short list, but there are a lot of additional items that make perfect sense.  Take all of these items and put them in a fanny pack or other pack and put them in the truck for both fishing and hunting season, and make sure that you bring them with you in the woods or in the boat. Hopefully, you will never need them, but if you do, you will be glad that you have them.

I would like to thank the instructors and the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club for donating their time to put this very worthwhile course on.  I was amazed at their knowledge and what I leaned that week.  If you have never taken one, consider it. It might very well save your life in an emergency or if you do get turned around in the woods. And, oh, by the way, we both passed the course and got our certificates.

http://www.presqueislefishandgame.org/

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