Man vs. Wild

“Man vs. Wild” is a Discovery Channel program where a man, “Bear Grylls” and his film crew battle some element of the wild. A couple of weeks ago, my dad, Chad and I watched “Iceland.” In one episode “Sahara” Bear gutted a dead camel and crawled inside for shelter from the elements of the desert.

Dad is a great supporter of Boy Scouts of America. As an Eagle Scout I fancied myself as a “Bear Grylls.” Several of the older members of my troop were adept at “surviving” the wild. I have not eaten Sheep eyeballs or bugs. I have eaten Skunk Cabbage roots, raw meat, dandelions, numerous berries, slept in snow caves, boiled water more than 10 feet from a fire (flint and steel to start it), and spent rather cold nights under piles of fir branches and needles.

One time while elk hunting with Dad, Earl Patterson, and Darrell (I can’t remember his last name), I left camp before dawn with my survival backpack, ammo and 30-06. Within ten minutes I came across a single set of elk tracks and blood drops. Following them for the next several hours during a light snow I found myself in the middle of an entire herd, bedded down for the day. This was amazing! There were more than thirty I could count.

I stood still as they watched me turn slowly, looking for the “bleeder.” There was only one animal I could not see fully – the rest were cows. The herd rose quietly and began walking uphill. I was tired, hungry and it was now after lunchtime. I started to follow my tracks back the way I came and quickly discovered my trail had been snowed over.

However, I kept my bearings and headed straight toward the logging road due North. I slid down steep slopes toward frozen creeks, climbing over huge fallen trees only to climb the steep slope on the other side. Each time I thought I had to be close to the road, but then there was another ravine. I kept heading straight knowing that road was there. Finally, while climbing up a slope, I could go no further. I was exhausted. I lay there in the snow only to fall asleep.

When I awoke it was dark and I was covered by a couple of inches of snow. I could have died. Alarmed, I turned and scrambled up – only to find I was two feet from the edge of the logging road. I had found myself. While walking back toward camp, Dad, Earl and Darrell were in the truck heading my way.

I know Dad was definitely worried that day. We didn’t speak much about it after that. Somehow he probably knew I would end up “on my feet.”

Dad tells of a story where he shot an elk late in the day. It was snowing hard and he was cold. He was too far from camp. His only option was to gut the elk, and crawl inside. He claims to have spent the night in the hollowed out torso of a bull elk.

Man vs. Wild.

- Craig