Welcome to another edition of Survival Weekly, where the real wilderness survival “reality show” plays out everyday, in the wild places around our world. These unscripted stories will give you insight to the true threats and challenges you may face in your outdoor pursuits. So sit back, relax, and read on to get a dose of reality to sharpen your most valuable survival tool. – BPO

Featured – 

Man vs. Bear – Your chances of getting attacked by a dog are exponentially higher than being attacked by a black bear, but knowing what to do is good info to have on board. I always tell people that if they knew how tough they were, hikers would get eaten all the time. A 200 pound animal that can climb a 100 foot beech tree like a squirrel has some serious power. Fortunately they don’t realize how soft and chewy we are and so it comes down to a dominance issue.

The following story has good points. Injury led to the attack on the hunter, but the hunter survived because he took the fight to the bear. This is key. If you act like prey, you will be. Prey doesn’t fight back. I have punched a bear in the face that tried to come in my tent  and “Rambo” Ricky, the badass you see carrying the tranquilized bear, has kicked several in the face with his logging boots. 

Whether it is a bear in your camp or an intruder in your house, when it is time to fight, don’t be prey!!

Man defends against 500 pound bear attack with knife –  http://www.wbir.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/12/09/man-bear-attack-knife-minnesota/20127583/

This article describes tourniquet use afterwards –   http://www.hngn.com/articles/44151/20140930/massive-black-bear-fatally-killed-minnesota-hunter-knife-brutal-attack.htm

– Thanks to Jeff for the heads up on the story

News – 

Changes coming for Virginia search management –  http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/local/legislation-being-drafted-to-improve-missing-person-searches/article_ac18e1bb-874b-5cee-aa1b-22fe947d0ec1.html

RescueMe Ballon on Kickstarter – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/651668573/rescue-me-balloon

Winter Sports – 

Fatality at Eldora Ski Resort – http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_27098793/boulder-sheriff-eldora-skier-22-dies-after-apparent

Missing snowmobiler – http://www.inforum.com/content/search-missing-moorhead-snowmobiler-sheyenne-river-called-until-friday-morning

Hiking – 

Mount Rainier National Park (WA)
Injured Hiker Rescued At Panorama Point

Late on the afternoon of December 2nd, a  911 call was patched through to Mount Rainier dispatch from an injured 61-year-old hiker who had broken his lower leg in a fall. He slipped on a steep icy slope and fell 50 feet just above Panorama Point, coming to rest after hitting a rock hard enough to result in a compound fracture of both lower leg bones of one leg.

A group of skiers descending from Camp Muir fortuitously came upon the accident site and the injured hiker. The group was better prepared than the great majority of backcountry travelers and was able to radio park rangers with the GPS coordinates and other pertinent information.  They then went to great lengths to protect, rewarm and care for the man for several hours of cold and windy conditions while rescuers were summoned to the park to perform a carryout.

Teams from Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue and Olympic Mountain Rescue were battered by high winds as they performed the late night evacuation by rescue litter. The operation included several steep-angle technical roped lowerings down the icy slopes of Panorama Point.

Rescue efforts continued into the wee hours of the morning.  The injured hiker was then transported by ambulance to the hospital.

Remains of missing hiker found – http://www.prescottenews.com/index.php/news/current-news/item/24596-thomas-lang-remains-believed-to-be-recovered-nearly-a-year-after-disappearance

Lost hikers rescued – http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_27088302/marin-search-team-rescues-four-hikers-lost-at

Missing hikers rescued – http://www.benningtonbanner.com/localnews/ci_27069494/state-police-rescue-pennsylvania-couple-hiking-white-rocks

Hunter-gatherer – 

Search for missing teen hunter – http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/12/missing_teen_hunter_search.html

Climbing – 

Cavers rescued from mine shaft – http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-30366818

Water Safety – 

US teams to assist in search –   http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/390800/news/world/us-rescue-teams-join-search-for-missing-south-korea-boat-crew

Body of kayaker recovered – http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/man-missing-after-kayak-capsized-in-taylors-creek/story-fni0fee2-1227147050487?nk=42f0ada16bfd20fe69df75f514b38a48

Coast Guard saves crabbers – http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20141208/coast-guard-rescues-more-crabbers-friday

Vehicles – 

Deadman anchor and tow strap for getting unstuck in sand – http://www.nocarnofun.com/how-to-pull-your-truck-out-of-trouble-arabs-knew-this-lifesaving-trick-for-centuries/

Urban – 

Missing Campbell County woman and possible suspect – http://www.wbir.com/videos/news/local/scott-campbell-morgan/2014/12/08/tbi-no-confirmed-link-between-missing-woman–wanted-man/20124615/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Interested in learning skills to handle emergencies like the ones you read in Survival Weekly?   Check out BigPig Outdoors Survival 101 class  – http://www.bigpigoutdoors.net/survival-101-1.html