A Nebraska man embarked on quite an adventure during last year’s hunting season, according to Jason Ray, Sublette County Tip Top Search and Rescue

coordinator.

Hunting season is an active time for rescue personnel to deal with hunters becoming disorientated or injured due in part to horse and ATV wrecks. Ray said, however, the season isn’t quite as busy as the summer rush of lost hikers.

Ray said last year a Nebraska man became separated from his hunting party at Pole Creek and traveled all the way to Elkhart Park to reach vehicle lights he had seen.

He made a strenuous journey over almost two days, climbing steep terrain in the wilderness to reach civilization. However, during his pursuit he crossed over several hiking trails.

Most hunters self-rescue themselves before rescue personnel begin searching and many are found within a 24-hour period, according to Ray.

But the Nebraska man’s case is one of interest because of how far he traveled and the fact he reached the search-and-rescue command post in the Elkhart Park.

When the man realized he was lost in the Pole Creek area, he climbed to a high point to get his bearings.

“Then he hiked across the mountain range, even though he could see all of the drilling rigs and the town,” Ray said, explaining panic and lack of knowledge of the area influenced the man’s

judgment.

The man hiked across the mountain range a long way down into Fremont Canyon, then followed it down to Upper Long Lake, Long Lake and to the upper remote area of Fremont Lake.

“We had teams going in all different places searching for him,” Ray said, but because the Fremont Canyon area is far from where the man was reported lost, teams were not searching there.

“(The man) saw vehicle lights up at Elkhart Park and bushwhacked all the way up to Elkhart Park and came walking into our command post at 11 a.m.,” Ray said.

The terrain between Fremont Canyon and Elkhart is rough.

“It has just some of the most inhabitable trails and it had snowed about three inches (that day),” Ray said, explaining in addition to snowy conditions it was also a damp and foggy morning when the Nebraska man began his ascent to Elkhart.

“At least he was in good physical condition so he was able to (climb to Elkhart).”

What the man didn’t realize was just how close he was to civilization throughout his journey. He had crossed over many hiking trails, but the recent snowfall could have prevented him from seeing them, Ray surmised.

If the man had stayed where he was the rescue teams would have been able to find him, according to Ray. He said the man should have built a fire to stay warm, while waiting to be rescued.

The man’s inexperience with the area also compounded the problem.

“Mountains were something he didn’t know a lot about,” Ray said.

Many lost hikers and hunters aren’t prepared to spend a night in the wilderness and often don’t have a map, compass, food, extra clothing, a fire-starting device or water, Ray said.

It is also common for lost hunters to leave items behind, reasoning they will travel faster without supplies weighing them down. However, this leaves them unprepared for the elements.

But miscommunication between hunting parties or hunters and their spouses is what search and rescue often experiences during the hunting season.

Ray said last year a woman called telling them her husband was supposed to be back by dark and was worried because he hadn’t returned.

However, when rescuers found the man he turned out not to be lost at all. It was just a case of misunderstanding. The hunter had thought he told his wife that he would return in two days.

Besides dealing with miscommunication, there are also missing vehicles.

Last year, a party of hunters from Rock Springs

couldn’t find their way back to their pickup truck.

Early that morning their truck had become stuck in a mud hole. The group decided to leave the vehicle and begin hunting.

However, when they were finished for the day they couldn’t find their vehicle.

“Why would you not get your truck out before you went hunting, because when it’s in the middle of the road no one else can get through,” Ray said.

Search and Rescue was able to help the group find their truck.

Ray said he and his team asked the hunting party to describe their location and were able to narrow it down, finding the hunters and their truck.

The key to handle being lost is to not panic, because it impacts decision-making, he added.

Often panic can cause people to head in the wrong direction, further up the mountain. Last hunting season, a lost hunter headed uphill toward Lander and the peaks before he was found.

As search-and-rescuers gear themselves for another hunting season, Ray said one handy tip he can provide is to never underestimate the usefulness of a compass. It has helped him in the past if should he lose his way.

He said if one does become lost, camping overnight often provides a fresh outlook.

“Because if you wander around in the dark, you lose tons of energy. You lose rest so you don’t think clearly,” he said.



For the complete article see the 09-29-2009 issue.

Click here to purchase an electronic version of the 09-29-2009 paper.