Early season caribou hunts can be to warm to really hunt .Bugs can drive you crazy ,Dust from trails can choke you .To be with freinds out doors is priceless .

Being warm we decided to hunt in an area where there was a glacier .The ice would keep our meat cool ,The flies wouldnt be so bad.We rode our atv's in for about 30 miles to river .Set up camp .Caribou and moose could be seen any place you looked .The bears were in this area also .We did see a few nice grizzlies .

We paired up .We were  leaveing camp in diffrent directions. I was to hunt with long time freind  Ray Alt . Ray has Pope and young record rocky mtn sheep with long bow {1968} Ray and i get  bow hunting fever every year .This one year we would have tags for caribou .

Ray and i rode our atv's up side hilling a ridge .stopping to have a look for caribou while eating a small lunch  .We seen  sheep on mountain side feeding and a few caribou  throughout the whole afternoon .

We were watching a pair of caribou starting to feed down hill ,side ways to us.Ray say"s to me! Why dont you sneak up there and shoot one of those caribou while i watch .

Iam fair game .Checked my gear carrying a few arrows and back pack off i go working around to get above these caribou for down hill shot .as i worked in close .Ray would signal me to where they were headed .I just started to top over the hill when i seen the caribou. Working their way back to me.Ray can see all of this ready to happen .

I nocked my arrow .Just one quick look i could tell what my distance would be .Ducked behind a large rock making sure i was ready -telling myself "dont look at the antlers " slow down and take your time .Up i stand .Pull to full draw . Arrow was lose .the arrow was to low . Nock another arrow .pulled to full draw .Caribou was just to far to shoot .Ray had been watching me .Only ray couldnt see the shoot at caribou .I walked over to pick up my arrow .Walking over to see Ray waiting for my signal to come up and help take care of a caribou .

I wiped off my fore head with red bandana .Ray was on his way up .After about 30 minutes of climbing up to me .He was tired .Wheres the caribou ? Well Ray! I missed! i just dont understand how i missed ? What did you have me come up here for ? Well Ray ! I felt so bad about missing a good shot .Iam second guessing my self to what i did wrong .But again ! Why did you have me come up here for ? I didnt want to walk back down to atv's alone talking to myself about my perfect miss!

Ray is always weiry of me now .We pulled many pratical jokes on each other over the years.I havent seen Ray in a few years .I need to call him for another hunt .I must remember that Ray may want to get even .

All of us did get a caribou .We all had a great hunting trip .These times  are the most remembered/treasured  with good freinds  

.

Good reading

Sheep Hunting In Alaska

By Tony Russ

Published .Northern Publishing, Wasilla ,Ak

Tony Russ is a very good writer ,Information in his book is in the field ,Hands on ,All of his experinces about sheep hunting is learn the hard way > From the same school i went to ."The school of hard knocks"

Very good reading .Tony holds the world record for dall sheep He also guides in fall for sheep

I recomment this book and many of his others .Tony tells his stories in a way you can almost feel as if you were the hunter and he was guiding you for a #1 trophy Dall sheep .Wonderful pictures .Good advise.

This story is more a book report of a book .Iam proud to read .For i knew John luster senior and junior all my life .

Out of season --The Johnny Luster Story

by --Mary E. Adams

Published by Northern publising, Wasilla, Alaska

Mary adams had personally interveiws John Luster these very time consumming for her ,See John doesnt talk much .Very quiet man .She tells his story from birth to death .John luster was a big game guide ,Homesteader ,trapper ,and father .I find that every page of this book keeps reading.Very hard to put this book down .John could track a bear over a rock mountain .He could see animals that others couldnt .Tells of all the hunters he hunted with .All the stories about John are in areas that ive personaly traveled. Ive  seen first hand the natural beauty of this land  John is truly The alaska's last Great mountain man .

On a personal level. I knew John Luster from many camp fires during and after season .I could be out traveling area ,The  smell his good camp coffee in the wind .John would be sitting around fire at nite talking to clients about next days hunts .He wouldnt even look up >He knew it was me -Saying "How did you find my camp ?"I smelled the horse's and the good coffee brewing.

I was alway welcome to his camp  .I truly feel this is where i really meet John in his nature world .Every thing i knew about John was true .You learn about people from the way they do things, The way theytalk. Teaching every thing in lessons  to people . I some times feel i knew him better than his family did . He was so much alive in the bush .He knew this was his place in life .

John died many years ago . Imiss him. Johns son called me to visit with him. For he had his fathers story fresh off the press in hand. I was to have one of the first of 10 copies printed and signed by his son !-- Harold White ,To a lifetime of freindship. Keep the memories ---

Even today i travel in the area where i spent many a camp fire with john .The wind will blow thru the trees and i can smell the fresh coffee , horse sweat and saddle soap.I look around quickly. For i almost feel John there.I know he's here Just  waiting for old freinds to join him .I know he will be there with all other freinds . With a cup filled with good cowboy coffee.   

This story is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent bow hunter .

I had my archery shop open for a number of years and diffrent bowyers were building bows for me to sell .One of my bowyers in michigan .Told me of his freind Bill wanting to move to alaska to work till he became a resident {one year}He had gotten a job in anchorage and lived here in the valley .

Every day off we would fish ,hike ,target shoot ,snow moblie .Bill builds a very nice recurve bow and had build one for me .I still have this bow .It is very well build .

Over the years i have used and sold Wayne Carltons game calls. One call i really like to use is the bear call .{ I warn you that to use this .Remember you are not on the top of the food chain any more } If you do try this .Carry a side arm or have some one back you up with rifle .The call----IT WORKS!!!

Early spring morning Bill and i drove out to a place were i had seen many black bears over the years ,I knew that there were a few nice bears here .To get one was another story ,Mostly mountain area. Very steep climbing .Only real way to get bear is to call them or bait them from stand .

Bill and i walked for about an hour . I set up the spotting scope .I had seen a nice bear in the scope ,Laying on rock outcropping sunning himself .I set Bill up with a good place to stand with his bow .I hoped that this bear would follow a game trail straight to us .{Now i carry a 458 win mag . It will stop Anything shot in the shoulder /neck area} 

I started to call this bear ,The bear was up and moveing down the mountain side to us ,Weaving side to side ,Smelling the wind stopping only to hear the sound and location .Bill was ready .Arrow nocked ,Years of hunting had tempered this moment .

Or did it ? The bear was about 50 yds coming in fast .You could see the red in his eyes ,slobber from his mouth.This guy was hungry and my noise from this call was his lunch .

I told bill to stand his ground .Do not move till i stopped calling .This bear would stick around and stop for just a few seconds for Bill to get a good shot .

This is where things get very scary ! Bill seen the size of this bear , How fast he was running in to my call .Bill threw down his bow and run .To keep bear from chaseing after him. I moved out for bear to see me .My sights were set .Only the bear seen Bill run first .My only recourse was to shot the bear with my rifle

The bear was down .I thought that bill would come back and help me skin this bear .NO! He ran all the way to the truck and locked the doors . On my first trip to truck with meat and hide is when i found him .No words were said .To save embarrasment .I kept my mouth shut .I took Bill home unloaded his gear. He said good bye . I left for home thinking about what had happened today .I was also thinking about Bills side of the story .

I didnt see Bill for  number of days ,I called his work ,They had not heard from him .Iam worried now ! Drove over to his house. Bill was gone .Gave up his lease of his apartment .Packed his things and left .I called my freind in michigan .Bill was driveing home to michigan .

Bill never came back to alaska .Never explained to me why he ran off  .I just thought it was a moment that he was not comfortable with. Black bears can and will scare most any one up close . Hungry ones can leave you with mess to clean out of your pants or worse.

I would be lying if i told you ive never been scared ! Oh i have many times .What you learn from this is respect .For animals  that will eat you .You try to never lose that fear .If you do your in trouble .Dont ever lose respect !

What scared me the most about Bills black bear hunt --it wasnt the bear or Bill running off .My freind in michigan called me to tell me that Bill came home. He married his childhood sweetheart --Now ! that is scary!

I had the black hide made it to a rug that hangs in my room .Very nice spring bear full hide ,Thick hair ,7 1/2 ft squared .Very nice trophy .Even better if it was shot with bow .

Maybe Bill will read this after all these years .Maybe  tell us all the rest of the story ? 

Its a great time to spend time with your father .I regret that i didnt spend more with him .My father has been gone now for 3 years .I still miss him .The insight my father had in the times we did have together .He knew that some day i would see alaska thru his eyes .

My dad worked in anchorage till the day he retired .He never tired of working . His idea of retirement was to buy a commerical fishing boat .Early season for halibut with long line .Much later season for salmon with set net sight .The travels that we made together would set stage for this story .

I would try to spend as many weekends with my dad working on the boat  .Not every week end worked out that way .One week end he called me to help him ,He was taking boat over to bristol bay for set netting season salmon .I had never made this trip with him .So this would be my first .The things my dad taught me of this trip .Would stay with me the rest of my life .I didnt know then it would take me on my own adventure .To travel in my dad foot steps .Take every thing he taught me .Put it in to action .

A freind of mine .Tom was selling his set net sight in Dillingham ,ak .He wanted to keep his boat .Only he didnt know how he could get it back to main land Homer ,ak .Word got to me of this problem .I stepped up to the plate .I could do this for him with one helper and 4 days .I called in my freind bryon to be first mate .

This where the adventure begins --Plane tickets ,supplies tools ,Every thing we might need to make this trip .We flew out of anchorage to Dillingham.This is the heart of a vast area Great fishing ,Super caribou hunting .Bears so big. You think your bow is to small for the job .

As out flight took us to Dillingham. My mind traveled to another place in time my dad and i taking this very trip many yeares ago .Like all explorers ,natives and sourdoughs .They traveled the whole state and never as much wrote a story of what they saw .I would look out the plane window to see the land of one thousand smokes ,Active area for volcanos and hot springs ,The land steams and hisses.

Dillingham a small town ,coastal .Fishing is a way of life here .We were meet at airport by Mr.Davis .He had bought the set net sight from Tom .He would help us in many ways to prepare for this journery.

We need to be sure the boat was ready .Motors serviced ,plenty of fuel for both motors .The one motor would be our back up. Supplies were bought boat was launched .We took trailer apart in pieces .Placing it into bottom of boat. Now  this boat was a 25 ft alumium set net boat . The trailer tongur stuck over the bow 4 ft .

We made the tide the next morning headed to open ocean  of Bristal Bay .We would travel the next 12 hours to reach naknek /king salmon .From here we would travel up the Kvichak river to Lake illiamna .The kvichak river is very well know for large trout ,salmon fishing people pay very large sums of money to fish here 12,000$ per week ,I fished here one day for free .The trout i caught ! it would be a fish story for my to tell how many and how large .

We would see moose ,caribou,bears the whole trip running up the river .We would pass bears fishing right next to boat . moose feeding on river banks .1000's of caribou swiming across the river in front of us ,We would have to slow down to a stop to wait .

after 16 hours of running we had made it to Igiugig.a small fishing town .We would spend the night and the next day.Enjoying the town ,its people ,fishing {dont buy fuel here it was over 8 $ per gal 3 years ago and with todays prices --it could be over 9$ per gal now }

Ill sign off to finish this another day .Please ask questions/comments --This story and writer has a lot more to say . 

As we grow up in life .From the day were born to day we die . We find that all things come back to full circle .

In my youth things were hard .My parents couldnt afford to keep me at home. My fathers income was short and jobs were few .I was sent to live with my uncle and aunt.

Uncle had a ranch in arizona,He raised appalossa horses and cattle .I worked hard from sun up to sun down .We worked cattle in lower arizona ,Bisbee ,Douglas ,Tomestone Oh yes !we would run the border .Chaseing cattle back home . Picking up a few donkeys alone the way .Even today in arizona you can see the wild burros watering with mule deer and javalinas .The ranch has been sold for many years .This was place of my roots and topic of this story .

I moved to alaska very young 16 years old. My dad had found a job in anchorage. He worked there till he retired. Even though i now could live at home .I found myself working in spring with construction and outfitting in fall .I lived remote in the bush .Building a life for myself . Horses and building homes was all i knew .I taught myself to trap in the winter .This kept the wolf away from my door .

My string of horses stayed with me for years .Giving me good service for all my duties .I would pack in supplies to miners ,guides .Mostly guides .I  would work my horses all fall packing.

I had 23 horses .2 jenny mules . Each horse know his job .My mare would lead out the string .All would follow .What a life i had ! Free and easy .

This one time i had packed my horses with 2 hunters for a guide freind .Into an area that was horse back only for caribou moose and sheep .The wood river .Deep in the heart of the alaska range . Late fall is the best time to be in this area penty of moose and caribou .

We rode in to camp area ,set up camp.long day for all .Includeing the horses. I hobbled the horses and turned out my mules. Knowing they would stay close.They do make lots of noise when bears come around .

My one jenny was in heat .I didnt think any thing of it. Most my horses were gelded .The first morning i was up early.Looking out the wall tent .There stood a bull moose .He fell i love with my mule . Hey guys ! Get up who wants this moose ? Easy hunt for this hunter ,Easy load to the meat pole. After we finished this chore we hunted the late afternoon.A few nice moose .None very big as the one in camp .

Camp fire meal ,Good stories were told .Horses were tied out for the nite . Alaska in the fall can be beautiful .Clear skies ,Northern lights ,Sounds of a distance wolf howling.Day is done .

Next morning up with the sun out the wall tent to see another bull moose with my mule they were just a bit futher away this time .Maybe a little gun shy?  My judus mule had another boy freind . The other hunter was up and shot his moose.Another long morning .We would hunt for caribou now to fill both the tags .Boy ! I'am thinking, This hunt is easy .I could be home early for another set of hunters.Outfitting isnt good money .You work as many hunts as you can. Money can be short and winters long ! 

We hunted the next day to fill both tags .I had left a few horses in camp along with my mules .As we rode back into camp that nite my mule was gone .I walked out to find her ,There she was another boy friend .She couldnt be caught even with grain .Look at it this way .Your daughter brings home a boy freind .Each time she does. He gets shot .She wouldnt bring any more home after that .

We packed up and trailed out to the road ,My mule was still out there .She wouldnt follow the rest of the horses.At the road was an old sourdough living in a cabin .I gave him some meat and left over supplies .Asking him to watch for my mule and call me to pick her up .

The fall season was a good one .Plenty of work .Horses were tired and were due for winter pastures .I loaded up 3 good horses .I drove back to wood river to find my mule .I trailed in to old camp site and looked around ,The writing was on the wall for my mule .I found what was left .The wolves had cleaned up the remains .It was a sad day .I would miss her .I never bought another mule to replace her .

Time moved on . I left for service .leaving my horses in good care .I was discharged early .I came home to the same way of life. Only this time i would have some aviation experince and a pilots license .I worked winters as airplane mechanic and fall i still outfitted .I  got married and family was started .In my packing days ,I had found a piece of land i could homestead . 160 acres under homestead act of alaska {this is another story to be wrote }

One day i was watching my horses feed in the fields .These horses are in better shape .They were cared for better than my family .So i sold them all and moved to town .Horse days were over ...It was a good life. Some time like now. I look back into the past .I can see me packing the horses over a mountain pass. Fresh snow fall on the ground ,Horses packed with supplies .Headed for hunt camp on Caribou Creek ...Iam older now ,My youth is gone .My spirit is stronger in my old age  ,Weather beaten hands rough from a days hard work ,Skin baked from the sun. I wear a slicker, This old hat --Iam not a cowboy --I just found the hat ! 

Sorry the pictures i posted are not clear .Their pictures of pictures.Very long time ago .Enjoy these as much as i do    

     &nb sp;      

To live in alaska is a wonderful life .To be pilot also is heaven /or hell !

Early spring is great time to fly .New season has begun.Th esnow is melting away to show new beginings. April for me is start of a season of flying .On easter sunday after church we fly over to polly creek for clam tide .Serious clam digging for those who love clams . This is time to forget all the times in mid winter you had to get up early to brush snow off wings .

In alaska pilots are a group of close knit people we share a bond to which could match no other in hunman nature .A pilot goes down the group is at beck and call to help find or reclaim a fallen comrade.

As so with me when i crashed my PA -22 .A 4 place super-cub.I was out of palmer about 20 minutes with two full wing tanks .Beautiful day and had planned to spend most of it flying from one remote strip to another ,watching wildlife ,gold panning ,takeing pictures .

My freind bob and i had flown into head waters of purtian creek .Turning back south along A long ridge to Blouder creek. Turning north to west blouder creek .The lower end of blouder has many moose there were they winter .The low lands have sheep and bears .We landed at a few strips to check out the area .Up over top of head waters over to caribou creek .and over to the Big Oshetna river.

Planning to fly back to caribou creek and landing for lunch and gold panning. Early morning wind blows up the creek.mid after noon wind changes to down creek .The wind sock on strip tells of changes in wind. We had finished panning for gold{once i get wet --gold panning is not fun any more !} ,had many pictures of old mining equiptment .The strip was build by miners to fly in and out of area /suppies .

Back to airplane and taxied to far end to see which way wind was blowing .Shutting of engine .Sitting,  Watching sock for quick blasts of wind .Stepped out to pick up hand ful of grass to double check wind . Back in plane prepareing to take off .I had picked up speed and ready to put back on wheel.full throttle  .When acrossed the river at the closest point to the strip. The wind cut acrossed the strip .Blowing me side ways .Breaking my wheel strut  bands wheel broke off and punched thru floor board of plane .

Many people have experianced this and are able to crab out .Being able to fly side ways on take off with wind .I couldnt at this point my prop hit the dirt and broke off .It had flew over the top of feuslage .Spinning around and dumping the plane in a river cut bank .My freind was hurt ,a piece of plexi glass had cut thru his arm .My plane was totaled and right wing tank leaking .I quick unhooked battery{didnt need a fire } and then helped my freind with his arm .Found a few fuel cans to catch fuel.We would be safe till the locator signal was heard by CAP{civil air patrol}.

After a few hours and getting dark I had shot a couple of ptarmigian for dinner  .I wondered about the signal ? Cutting open rear tail section.I could see that the locator hadnt set off on impact .I set switch .I knew that it would be morning before we would hear any planes .In the spring it still gets cold.so i build a stove from metal fuel cans. Useing the fuel from plane to keep us warm. Why? Did i not use fire wood ? At 4000 ft There is no trees! just sand/rocks and tundra.

Now back at home familys were worried and police had been called the word was out that my plane was not to be found .People from all over alaska flew ,drove, called on the  phone to offer support to families both bob's and mine. Every one knew that i could make it if i was alive .That was the question ! 

 No one would fly after dark and they had to wait till dawn before setting up search plans and teams.All any one could do was wait --The hardest part for families and freinds.My freind Fred came in from glenallen and stayed with family .Every one was up all night eating ice cream {fred is an old sourdough and loves ice cream when he is in town }

Next morning out signal had been found and plane was flying over to drop us a note .I hooked up radio telling all was well .Small injuries,Send heliocoptor To med -vac bob out and i would stay for second trip .I needed time to remove radios and instruments i want to keep .Knowing the plane would be striped before noon by salvagers .We got home to a very large home comeing party .So many people there i was over whelmed.

Next day flew out with heloicoptor and carryied my wrecked plane out .The heliocoptor with large net to carry the plane out .I flew in with cessna 170 belonging to freind .I need to recover my fear of the wreck {if you fall of the horse ,get right back on him --or you never will again } After all was done .i told my freind to fly the plane back and i would just ride this time --this would be my last flight ,

I had lived thru 2 other plane crashes this would be my last chance so to speak ."There are old pilots and bold pilots --only no old bold pilots .Iam an arm chair pilot now .Its a lot safer,No haveing to get up early to sweep off plane wings ,yearly anuals {costly}insurance , etc..

Now if i want to fly i hire some one ,its a lot cheaper and i can sleep in the mid winter storms with out getting up .I past my wings off to a young group of pilots now .Ive had my time in the sun ! 

The funniset part of this all was. My locator didnt go off with the wreck. i had to set it off with switch ,I had put it in my duffle bag and throw it into shop on the floor .Next morning CAP officers were flying over my house and drove to house trying to find plane wreck .It didnt go off in wreck ,but i could throw it in shop and it would .Very unhappy CAP officers.     

2005 ,Moose season is comeing to and end .Moose, Caribou and Sheep over lap in seasons .Sept 2nd started out with first frost of fall .This gets those bull moose moveing around thinking of rut .

Useing a cow call {I can use my own voice to sound like cow or bull moose .Takes years of practice } Around my cabin the small bulls where moveing about. Small bulls they move first . Big bulls wont move from higher elevations this early into season.Cows are starting to group .A great time of season to be out in the field .

On this day i travel a lot further than i normally travel for moose. I got to seeing more and more cow moose. I was thinking that i would get lucky .There were a few other friends with me at cabin ,We had spilt up early in the morning .Going diffrent ways .Mid after noon we all meet up on the trail shared stories of game seen and where .

I was first one to stop in this location ,Setting up spotting scope .I had my small msr stove going with coffee water .Cheese and crackers easy mid after noon snack.I had seen over 30 moose. All small bulls and cows with calves .

As i was watching the moose .Some thing caught my eye .High on a small ridge .I could just bearly see this sheep .Till i focused in scope to see if he was legal. From over 2 miles i could see that his horns shadow was way below his neck.Good sign .Only not meaning that he was legal ! I needed to get closer to see horn anual rings {each year a sheep grows rings on their horn.This is an way of ageing sheep }Alaska law reads full curl or better or 8 anual rings .You need good eyes to see this and very close .I jumped up grabbing my back pack . No one know what i was doing .Till they looked into my scope .I was gone -Saying ! This sheep look way to relaxed for me !

Down over hill side to river .Where i filled up with water .Knowing i wont see water on my hike up back side of this ridge.Now all the time my freinds are watching me thru scope I worked up a draw to front side of ridge .I was within 400yds of where i had last seen this ram .I needed to move slower up hill .stopped and removed my pack .Eating a small piece of cheese and cracker drank my fill of water .

Removed my bow from case. I was useing a custom take down long bow {A series i had made up when i owned my archery shop ."Sheep hunter special " only 10 were made}I had build my own arrows .If i made mistake now .I was on my own and no one to blame .

I waxed my string set up my hip quiver ,Removeing my shoes. Now iam getting down to business .Up and over ridge slowy i crawled on my hands and knees .Stopping behind {All good things happen fast } a small bush. Useing range finder to mark off distance .Surprise! This ram came over the top . I had him at 15 yds --surprised me! He was just as surprised to see me .Now ive seen many sheep and to see this guy had 9 rings. It was a quick look .On one knee i was in full draw .

I watched the arrow ,When you know you have shot an arrow true .The arrow seems to travel so slowly to it's mark .The ram was hit .He turn to his right as to run back down the cliff he was climbing up. I nocked another arrow .The ram was down .Kicking about in death throws. I could see that a few more feet he would roll down a 40 ft cliff {more work for me }I ran up the ram grabbing his horns and pulling back .He died in my arms .

All the time this was going on .little did i know that my freind Darrel had follwed me and was just behind me with camera. A quick recount of horn rings and lenght with tape measure.I had my ram 9 years old .39x39 inch{horn lenght} with 14 inch bases . Lots of pictures .our job had just started .capeing out and cutting up meat to pack .

The rest of my group was walking up to help me ,Dall rams weight dressed at 125-135 lbs with a full cape. I could add more weight to packs I divided the meat and capes between 4 packs thinking i would carry my pack back down .

the younger of our group wanted to pack my pack .I told him i would trade off with him .He was proud and wont let me carry my pack --Hey ! I dont mind, You could see he was working hard .He wouldnt say he was tired .{pride}You couild see in his face he was about done ! I told him to put rocks in his pockets before takeing the pack off .{Any one ever carring a heavy pack does notice you feel lighter when you shed your pack}

Easiest sheep hunt ever .I didnt have to carry the pack down the mountain .

Now the reason this sheep was so low on mountain side was two reasons .Fires had blackened the skies of alaska .smoke in high country was thick thses ram moved down for fresh air .Closer down valley where it was cool from frost. Second ,During Sheep season these sheep were hunted hard by other hunters .All the hunters where on top of mountain ,So this ram was down lower {Didnt get this old being dumb!}.Thinking he could hide for the remaining part of season.

Any one ever get the chance to hunt these White dall rams.You should ,Non residents most have guide and cost is around 12-16,000 $$. If you have relative liveing here you can hunt with him {second degree of kinderd } tags are 425.00$ license is 85.00$

Pictures will follow in my photo page. Enjoy them as i do.Each picture is a million memories. Even though this is not my one and only sheep ive shoot in my life time .It was the best hunt ever .

For years people see my day pack i carry .Why would you carry things like that ? Would be the first question.

Ive never been lost before .Maybe a little confused for a day or two. For those few days i was glad that i took time to put these things in my day pack.In my day pack is a small pouch that i carry things ive carry and used for years .

#1 -Space blanket ,small lite weight works for reflector for fire .can and will keep you warm when needed the most .Oh! replace these space blankets every year ,They fall apart with age .

#2-matches .but dont really on matches even water proof type.I carry a matches in an older boy scout match container.A gerber strike force. When every thing you own is soaked and so wet you are cold --you need fire NOW!  Dont wait .Robert Service wrote a story named --To build a fire .sounds simple enough?.

#3-A compass .Brunton style

#4 refector mirror .

#5- fishing line and flys

#6 -knife shapner

#7 - game call .small wounded rabbit.

#8--A lace maker small tool sold by tandy leather ,with razor blades .Good first hand knowledge  of braiding ropes and leather .Any kind of raw hide can be braided into rope .Snow shoe webbing /bindings ,fishing string ,you will find this very useful .

All this fits into small pouch 6inch x 3 inch x 4 inch.

My day pack includes

I carry small axe -Gerber makes nice hatchet with knife in handle . Small hand gun 22 cal ,ammo ,surveying tape.

I carry a small tent as big as a water bottle, 11oz's easy to make to add to your day pack. Will give plans to any one wanting to make one of these .

water purifier, MSR makes a good one .

Small stove MSR makes a whisper lite that burns any fuel.

 small bivc bag .

Years of up dateing these things.All the while knowing that i would need them only once and with out these survial could not happen .

Take a few minutes to think of a day pack for your self you may need other things then i carry .Each thing you add will save your life when needed .

Some day if you ever meet me in the field you will see this day pack .You may laugh also as others do .even if you are only 1 mile off road .you never know when you need just one thing to save your life .

I was riding my polaris 6x6 up blouder creek once .i was on high bank rideing too close to creek bank .i had seen two trout ,I was going to shot them with my bow for dinner  .The bank caved in and 6x6 rolled over me -pinning me under it .Under water !all my gear was floating way .luck wqould have it there was a guy rideing out of the creek head out ,He helped me out of creek and turn 6x6 back up right .Cold ,wet, 3 broken ribs . I need to build fire and dry out.This guy dont even remember his name ripped up my tee shirt .wrapping my chest . I warmed up and dried out my cloths.Very thank ful for this other rider for being there when i needed him , helping me when i had hard time even helping myself .

I do remember this guy said my day pack was to. but didnt laugh when i had everything to build fire .dress my ribs ,These things would have saved my life if i were alone thankful .I wasnt .