SURVIVING THE UNKNOWN HOW TO PREPARE FOR PERILOUS SITUATIONS IN ALASKA’S WILD
BY PAUL D. ATKINS
I
’ve been in all kinds of survival situations, actually more than I like to remember. There was the time I went through the ice on my snowmachine, stopping only as the cowling started to go under the slush. Or when I was hunting moose, slipped and fell and tore my MCL on the first day. While in extreme pain, I hobbled back to camp using my bow as a crutch.
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Or that trip while hunting muskox at minus 40 degrees and my snowmachine wouldn’t start and I was 90 miles from the nearest shelter. I could go on and on, but some stand out more than others. There are many situations like this where having the right equipment and following a certain set of rules will save your life if need be. Let’s first start with these.
MAY 2022 | aksportingjournal.com
SURVIVING THE EXTREME The most important aspect of any survival situation is to use common sense. Never lose your head; think things through, if the situation calls for it. Before leaving the house, the first and foremost thing to do is tell someone where you’re going or planning to hunt. In the far north, where I have done most of my Alaska hunting, letting someone
