I read on here a couple years ago some suggestions of what to do if you get lost.  Feel free to add/correct me on anything I've written here. This will likely become a Information Resource of some sort. I am fairly new to SAR but thought some of the younger new hunters might like to know how SAR operate so as to be found quicker.

here goes:

Pre Planning
Tell someone where you are going, when and how long you will be.  Leave a map if you can.  Leave a “if not out by this time call the police” time frame.  Let them know what you have, who you are going with/flying with etc
Also keep photos of your gear and especially your boot tread pattern.  You partner/mate can give this to SAR so they know what colour/gear they are looking for.  Include, pack, food, vechicle, clothing, rifle – whatever
(Survival gear and proficiency of GPS/Map reading will not be covered here – This will be assumed otherwise you wouldn’t be in the bush in the first place )

Lost
When you realise someone will be/should be looking for you, what do you do then?  
Stay calm and don’t make decisions in a panic/distressed state.  Rest if you need to, conserver food and energy, keep warm.
IF you decide to walk yourself out and are able to, leave LOTS of sign, step in the mud holes and sand, don’t walk around them.  Break ferns and leave a good trail, the easier to follow the better.
If you find a track/Hut stay there, SAR will monitor these regularly and check them first.
DO NOT hide from SAR or be embarrassed about being lost.  Truth is SAR guys love finding people and volunteer to do so.  Let them find you, make it easy for them.  
If you get out on your own and know people are looking for you, find them and tell them IMMEDIATELY.

Search Techniques
Helicopter - Helicopters will come in around the second day/night, if you hear a helicopter circling around at night – chances are they have night vision on board.  Find an open an area as possible and light a fire, light a match or turn your torch on.  Light shows up easily with Night Vision but needs a fairly clear line of sight.  With a helicopter during the day you could light a fire and send smoke, but best to get to a clearing and wave your arms around, reflect the sun etc.  Generally searchers on the ground won’t wave to a helicopter searching the same area.

Light search – SAR will often search at night using light sweeps (spot lights, torches flashing around). This is done on tracks and high points – well anywhere really.  If you see flashes of light try to respond with your own light or yelling/whistling etc.

Sound search – This is done extensively on searches.  If you ever hear a whistle, it will be SAR looking for you, respond by yelling or using your own whistle, or gun shots.

TCA/Tracking – SAR teams are trained to look for tracks and clues, leave as much of both as you can, tracking is also done at night, so expect to be found at anytime.

Search Dogs – SAR dogs are trained to track or area search for lost parties.  If a dog finds you stay STILL.  In some case police dogs are used as SAR dogs, so you don’t want them to think you are a criminal  .  DO NOT touch/feed/pat or say anything to the dog.  It is trained to sit by you and bark. This will be loud an un-comfortable, cover your ears and wait for the handler.

When found
Identify yourself, SAR people will take over from here and will assist you with getting you out.  If you have a dog with you keep it under control (tied up).  Also remember to keep any firearms safe.



...  Please feel free to add/remove/elaborate on anything

All good advice guys. Be careful quoting stats as its easy to lose credibility. 75% found 74 kms away ?

no, 74km's is correct.

A mate of mine always snaps crown fern leaves off and drops them on the ground as he's hunting along, he always places them so they're pointing in the direction he's going. Quite handy backtracking when you're in a rush heading back to camp, if placed upside down they glint in torchlight so can be bloody easy to follow You also know exactly which way you'd travelled when you run into them later on.

Good posting Palerider and I really do not aim to highjack this threat. Aquila you have made a statement and confirmed it was not a misprint. Can you please share your source and references  to this info with the rest of us. Are you talking N.Z. when you quote these figures?

I certainly realise lost person behaviour means many lost hunters may walk in circles  but 74 kms throught N.Z. bush by 75 % of them.

I presume your have read Lost Person Behavior by Robert Koester and may have attended his N.Z. workshops. I believe his research  does not support your statement.

This post is not a challenge but the sharing of factual info.

hey postdriver these are statistics and maybe not be done in new zealand. "i have done a few courses with sarinz and some of there info is based on data from america and can be related to new zealand use"
so stop debating who cares. just know how to get yourself out of being missing to completely lost.
eg missing is not knowing where you are but being having the skills to be able to re orientate.
eg lost is not knowing where you are and not having the skills or physical ability to re-orientate.

Quote:




Goosebayhunter one of the reasons I believe it is important is that some hunter who finds himself lost in the  bush may well remember what was stated and act on it. A lot of people on this great forum are aware that Aquila has SAR experience. If I am lost  and believe that  I am probably 74 Kms from my camp as thats what most do (Aqulias 75%) my decision making may be impaired.

As stated before some excellent info in the original posts.

Looks like Aquila made a typo. It appears to me that he meant to say that 95% are found within 74km (i.e. from a statistically significant perspective, damn near everyone will be within 74KM of the Initial Planning Point nb NOT the LKP). I don't have my copy of the LPB book here, so I'm going from memory. Obviously the 25% and 50% zones will be much, much smaller.