Thread: Hunters lost in Kaimais

Could be any number of reasons why. I know a diabetic guy who let his blood - sugar get too low and couldn't find his way out of a 2Ha suburban reserve (undulating terrain, covered in mature to Totara and Puriri). If he got to the point where he couldn't brain, and therefore couldn't work his mobile, he might not have come back out.

Originally Posted by Comfortably_Numb

How the flying forskins can any hunter get lost in the Kaimais?
pick a line and walk, it is not rocket science!

I hunt often in the kaimais, and fail to grasp these situations.

Bitch at me as you will, however I stand by my post.

Plenty of people get "lost" in areas they are familiar with, and often it is because they believe it won't happen to them.
The over Reliance on electronics to keep you on the right path can, in my opinion, be the downfall of a few as well.

I was thinking about joining Search & Rescue, but I just don't know if I could handle looking for people like this.

Their ignorance is at almost impressive levels.

No offence mate, but if that is your attitude, find something other than sar

O to be so clever, I got lost, less than 600 mtrs from a road, in a woods in Illinois, after shooting a squirrel at last light, gps does not like dense canopy, and darkness falls quickly, you can,t see the stars , I always carry a head lamp, water , and plenty of ammo, walking into ravines can be disorienting , over a hour later I reached the road.

Anyone who hasn't spent a night out hasn't been doing it very long. Glad they're safe and sound

I went for a run in the Hunuas once, and once only. Took no food and not enough water. Stayed on tracks, but did a Forrest Gump and got the the end and decided to turn around and keep on going, Jenny.

Decided to finally head back to the car when I STARTED getting cramp. Oh fuck, the car is 8km away along poorly maintained tracks full of stairs.

The last 2km took about an hour. Was able to text wifey and get myself back to the car before dark. Ran, then walked, then crawled 22km that day. I started the day with the mental image that I'm still as fit as I was at my peak, 5 years earlier.

Lesson learned, fitness reality well and truly checked, and now I carry enough on a day trip to be comfortable overnight.

Hopefully these guys learn their lesson. Complacency and overconfidence can be killers.

I think they should change their names to dum and dummer. You have to be dum to go into the bush at this time of the year without cover and something to eat. Its just plain common sense

how do people get lost??????? simple they don't know where they are and get freaked out by it
in modern techno PC world some people always know within a meter or two where they are....the concept of knowing APPROXAMATELY where you are is foreign to them
I cannot be lost in New Zealand...... why not...cause Im in New Zealand therefore I know where I am. also know if Im in North or South Island
which region Im in eg Canterbury which is in east coast..see Im narrowing it down already...speaking of DOWN that's the way water flows..anywhere on east coast or west for that matter it will flow towards coast and cross a road.
Ive been temporarily navigationally embarrassed for hour or two but it was never an issue......now Stuart Island is a weird place in than its mainly flat and features not helpful and that's where a compass comes in..remember those, we used them before GPSs came along.
at least these guys made it out ok and had brains to make phone call to end search.

Kaimai rifle. Battries not included.

Or like this

its not so much about being lost . More a case of getting home in a reasonable time frame.

We're they looking for Kimjon's trophy goat?

Originally Posted by Pengy

No offence mate, but if that is your attitude, find something other than sar

Yep. That's what I said.

My hunting mate always 'disses' me for carrying 'emergency gear' in my 'day pack'....i always have a headtorch, emergency bivy bag,(like a big survival blanket you can fit in) fleece to keep my core warm, jerky for that nights meal...

it would result in an uncomfortable night with next to no sleep, BUT i will be alive and well, and after a few hours to think on it, a plan would be hatched to get out under my own steam...

i always carry a PLB, but thats for real emergency's, not getting lost....i always tell him there my 'lucky charms', take them and I'll never need them....dont take them and.....!

Yeah the knowing approximately where you are and not exactly where you are can be a bit of HF if you are not used to it. My first solo fly camping trip I went into it all confidence and bravado in my navigating skills (was a land surveyor for 4 year at the beggining of my civil engineering cadetship) and was quickly turned around by, little gullies not marked, streams not marked and just by the fact you cant see far enough to distinguish land marks and get a good fix on my position. My GPS didnt work in the canopy, and I ended up getting a bit intimidated. Second day I took my time, used my noggin and used the major streams and faces to approxiamte my position and was happy as larry.
I can definatley see how people can get lost, especially if they are familiar with the country, so dont take a map and compass as they should