Missing hunters in Colorado

[*zap*]

Prayers for all those effected by this tragedy.

 

[Fatcamp]

A mylar poncho is probably the most overlooked safety item that costs/weighs almost nothing. Never get one in camo coloration, Blaze Orange or Mylar Silver only.

A couple years ago my wife forgot our bedding on an early desert archery hunt. Got down to probably mid 40s at night. What we did have was a 10 pack of those mylar emergency blankets. Those things are horrible. Honestly, we were shocked at how little protection and comfort they provided.

After some research we found larger ones and carry those now, along with Tyvek sheets in our kill kits.

 

[180ls1]

A couple years ago my wife forgot our bedding on an early desert archery hunt. Got down to probably mid 40s at night. What we did have was a 10 pack of those mylar emergency blankets. Those things are horrible. Honestly, we were shocked at how little protection and comfort they provided.

After some research we found larger ones and carry those now, along with Tyvek sheets in our kill kits.

Yeah, they are so cheap they are worth trying out just so a guy knows.

I was pretty impressed how much warmth they add.

 

[lukebrowning]

​

A mylar poncho is probably the most overlooked safety item that costs/weighs almost nothing. Never get one in camo coloration, Blaze Orange or Mylar Silver only.

I carry a SOL Escape Bivvy. Use it for glassing, laying prone to wait out a shot, extra warmth while in the tent, and it makes a really good rear shooting bag. Weighs 8.5oz and comes in blaze orange or olive drab.

 

[3forks]

This just came up on my feed:

On Friday September 19, 2025 at 9:18 pm, Saguache County Search and Rescue was paged to a report of a hunter on the western slope of the Continental Divide in the Gunnison National Forest that had become lost, hypothermic and soaked through by passing thunderstorms and snow showers. He reported that he could no longer walk and was wrapping himself in an emergency blanket and plastic tarp in an effort to keep warm. Gunnison County Sheriff's Office Dispatch was able to obtain the survivor's GPS coordinates before his cell phone battery reached 0%.
Saguache SAR responded with three vehicles and 8 personnel including emergency medical technicians, medical first responders and technical rescue personnel. The survivor was fortunately located only 300 yards from an accessible road although in a very remote part of Saguache County. Two of the rescuers had to drive 98 miles one-way to reach the scene.
The survivor had ingeniously used a mylar rescue blanket and tarp to improvise a sleeping bag. He had also used his cloth game bags as insulation. Wisely, he had removed his wet clothing, replacing it with extra dry clothes from his backpack.
The survivor was re-warmed with chemical heat packs and provided with hydration, nutrition, electrolyte replacement and dry wool socks. Having sufficiently recovered, the survivor was assisted in walking out to the roadway and driven back to his vehicle. Hiking conditions were challenging in freezing temperatures with a thin coating of ice on all surfaces.
Saguache SAR would like to thank Gunnison County Sheriff's Office Dispatch, Saguache County Sheriff's Office Dispatch and our dedicated volunteers for helping complete this successful mission in less than seven hours.

 

[mikeafeagin22]

I was camped about a half a mile from them for days. Never actually stopped to talk unfortunately but did the nod and wave as I drove past their camp quite a few times.. they looked like a couple young men having a damn good time together in the mountains hunting elk. I hate I didn’t take the time to stop and share a few minutes of conversation with them.
I got caught out there in that storm that evening unprepared as well because it was a clear blue sky afternoon with nothing on the radar. I was exhausted so I took everything out of my pack but my kill kit for a pack out. Quartering one up then packing it out in that storm in nothing but a lightweight hoodie is not an experience I’ll repeat again.
We should all take this as a stern reminder that cutting weight isn’t everything. Praying for their families and friends.

 

[OKHunter84]

This just came up on my feed:

On Friday September 19, 2025 at 9:18 pm, Saguache County Search and Rescue was paged to a report of a hunter on the western slope of the Continental Divide in the Gunnison National Forest that had become lost, hypothermic and soaked through by passing thunderstorms and snow showers. He reported that he could no longer walk and was wrapping himself in an emergency blanket and plastic tarp in an effort to keep warm. Gunnison County Sheriff's Office Dispatch was able to obtain the survivor's GPS coordinates before his cell phone battery reached 0%.
Saguache SAR responded with three vehicles and 8 personnel including emergency medical technicians, medical first responders and technical rescue personnel. The survivor was fortunately located only 300 yards from an accessible road although in a very remote part of Saguache County. Two of the rescuers had to drive 98 miles one-way to reach the scene.
The survivor had ingeniously used a mylar rescue blanket and tarp to improvise a sleeping bag. He had also used his cloth game bags as insulation. Wisely, he had removed his wet clothing, replacing it with extra dry clothes from his backpack.
The survivor was re-warmed with chemical heat packs and provided with hydration, nutrition, electrolyte replacement and dry wool socks. Having sufficiently recovered, the survivor was assisted in walking out to the roadway and driven back to his vehicle. Hiking conditions were challenging in freezing temperatures with a thin coating of ice on all surfaces.
Saguache SAR would like to thank Gunnison County Sheriff's Office Dispatch, Saguache County Sheriff's Office Dispatch and our dedicated volunteers for helping complete this successful mission in less than seven hours.

Good example of using basic methods of trying to get himself out of a bind and also using technology.

Some of the posts I've read almost make it seem like that if you have technology that you're somehow not capable of self saving yourself from a crisis.

I think it's crucial to use all the tools at your disposal. Not limited to but including survival skills and technology.

 

[Dr.Spaniel]

Brutal situation, devastating for their families. My first elk hunt the day we made our camp it was beautiful. The next morning the weather was totally different, cold, snowing, wet. Scared me. From then on, like another said above, it was, what am I going to do when X happens because it’s gonna if I don’t have what I need. I had lived in Colorado for multiple years and camped, but up in 79, I’d never seen weather move like that. There used to be an organization who’s motto was “Be Prepared”, even if it’s heavy. Also, wet clothes off asap.

 

[5MilesBack]

And if the bull you went after took longer than 5 minutes to kill, how long would you have sat while drenched in the cold waiting for it to come in before needing to start moving again to get and stay warm, or were you going to build a fire were you were set up?

I don't sit much even in nice warm weather, and I never wait for them to come to me. But there were a couple 45min breaks hunkering down in a tree well during the downpours while breaking him down. I have a motto out there even when I've packed camp in on my back........"Worst case scenario I hike out to the truck.......or build a fire".

And actually hunting while wearing rain gear is going to make me wetter with sweat and a lot hotter than just allowing the rain to soak my clothes. Like I said......I'm soaked either way, with sweat when it's not raining or both when it is raining. I'm always on the move while I'm hunting.

 

[lukebrowning]

There is a big difference between getting wet from sweat versus getting wet from the elements. The issue isn’t getting wet, per se. The issue is getting wet in a continuous downpour - when cold rain/sleet/snow is continuously cycling through your outerwear and leaching your body heat.

 

[5MilesBack]

There is a big difference between getting wet from sweat versus getting wet from the elements. The issue isn’t getting wet, per se. The issue is getting wet in a continuous downpour - when cold rain/sleet/snow is continuously cycling through your outerwear and leaching your body heat.

That's why you've got to keep your body heat up. But I'm a little different than most I guess. If I sit in 70 degree temps I get cold, I need more insulation. I often joke about "if the temps drop below 98.6, I start to chill". But once I start moving, my furnace kicks on into hyperdrive and the heat just emanates off me......even in single digit temps wearing only a base layer up top. That's probably one reason why I'm always on the move. I HATE being cold.

 

[Dan Carey]

There a lot of protection in a small mini compact umbrella, almost your whole body if you are squatting down

 

[Coopsdaddy]

Multiple ways to start a fire in wet weather are a must have. Waterproof tinder such as charcoal lighting cubes or other flammable dry materials.

The old stand by that’s not used a lot is char cloth.Nice to have to supplement your fire kit.
It will go with just the spark of a wet bic.

 

[Serrano]

The old stand by that’s not used a lot is char cloth.Nice to have to supplement your fire kit.
It will go with just the spark of a wet bic.

Will char cloth survive the bouncing around in my pack?

 

[Cervid]

Will char cloth survive the bouncing around in my pack?

Yes, keep it in a hard case, like an altoids tin with some other fire starting material (all in a ziploc so it stays dry)

 

[NRA4LIFE]

Will char cloth survive the bouncing around in my pack?

Vacuum seal it.