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August 2008 Feature Article:

Staying Alive While Hunting the Wide Open West

Growing up hunting in the Midwest where a half-hour hike from the road was considered remote and wilderness was any 500-acre section with a single farm house. Getting lost was never a concern, even in an era before cell phones and GPS units.

In more than two decades my worst mishap was getting mired in mud off the side of a rural road during a Sunday snow squall. I was stuck for nearly 30 minutes before a farmer hunting for coyotes drove past and pulled me back onto the road.

When I was 29 I moved my family to the West. Big game hunting suddenly became a much more serious pursuit, not because I became a more avid hunter, but because I realized that a mistake in the Rocky Mountains or the Western deserts could prove fatal.
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Please use this area to post comments or questions about this feature article.

[soules2007]

good read, i really enjoy reading articles that give first hand tips like this one does. thx for the post.

[goose142004]

great job and geartly appreciated. i added a few things to my list of many.

[vcb]

Good Article. New to BigGameHunt. Not new to Colorado fall weather. In addition for any of the guys looking to go back country for a week or so solo would recommend the SPOT. It could be a lifesaver. MY 2cents.

[hellomcfly]

Good read. That's good info, we got our truck stuck a couple weeks ago while elk hunting. There was about a foot of snow and we were high centered. luckily we had a shovel but if we didn't....it could've gotten western real fast
need to invest in some chains if we're gonna hunt the late season.

[walkin]

I'm printing the article now to review before our fall hunt. I know what you mean by slick clay after a rain,we needed a winch from another truck to get us out of a ditch in NM only going 8mph and slid off road.

[borderbum1950]

one other warning is against getting too tired -i almost made a fatal mistake around tres piedres nm. i had used snow shoes to get into an area coming out i broke one-i pushed hard back to camp was wrecked when i got there.
my mother in law made me a bunch of seal a meals to take with me-my father in law had made me a propane burner set up. to get out of wet clothes and get supper going i pulled stove in tent left flap open-i shucked clothes and sat down to smoke while meal was reheating.i tried lighting a smoke but the wooden matches kept fizzling out about the 3rd,or 4th one it dawned on me what was happening. most of the carbon dioxide stayed in tent and i got a good dose standing up changing clothes i was already in trouble when i sat down.i bailed pulled stove out of tent and walked around in the snow in just my long johns and no socks till i was wide awake. sure it sounds like a stupid thing to do but if i would not have been so tired i would have been outside cooking and enjoying the cold mountain air. after that my wife would not let me go hunting that far away alone.

[300ultramag.]

ive gotten myself into numerous life changing situations... I believe a tree stand is a rather over looked danger... suspension trauma takes less then 5 min. to lose conciousness...

My biggest thing is water... people never drink/bring enough water in AZ. and after adrenaline and exertionof trekking 5 miles in 90+ temps that 5 miles back can prove deadly.... Chronic dehydration drink fluids well before your hunt starts..

Beau

[allcoloradosports]

I agree with 300ultramag. It is very easy to become dehydrated while in the heat of battle. Not only should you drink plenty before you go out but you should carry a camelback hydration pack and drink up every hour. You would be surprised how much better you will feel. By the time you feel thirsty you are already a quart low

[brianguy]

that was a great article with some really good tips thanls for taking the time to write it and post it