It's very important not to lose one's head and panic when in a survival situation. A hunter, lost in the woods, managed to save his own life by keeping cool under pressure. He also used his smarts and performed a crucial survival tactic.
James Johnson is no stranger to the woods. But the frequent hunter realized he was lost and didn't know his way back. Rather than wander aimlessly, Johnson decided to stay put and wait for help to come to him. He also made a fire, realizing that it would help him survive.
Fast forward a day and a helicopter saw the missing hunter. Johnson had been hunting elk in the Medicine Bow National Forest area of Wyoming. That's when he realized that he was lost. The hunter had accidentally climbed up the wrong ridge, and he became disoriented.
Hunter Survives
"The ridges all looked the same when I got there," he told Cowboy State Daily. Johnson realized that he could either keep wandering, or he he could build a shelter and fire to survive the night. There was snow incoming, and Johnson realized that he would be exposed to the elements. Using wood in the area, he made a makeshift shelter. He then used flint to start a fire by using his nylon game bags as kindling.
Fast forward to the middle of the night, the hunter huddled by his fire as the snow fell. After surviving the night, Johnson waited for the snow to break before putting out the fire and hiking to a high ridge. From there, he made himself to a stream and followed it down stream thinking he would come across a road eventually. Using a stream to find civilization is a smart play.
While he didn't come across a road, he did eventually find a river trail and then eventually came across civilization. If not for his quick thinking, he would have likely froze to death on that first evening. Likewise, by following the stream, he made it easier to reach help. Staying calm ensured that he didn't end up another terrible trageyd in the woods.
