Mushroom Picking......

[Seafever]

Yesterday my wife and I were out picking Chanterelles.....

Every other time I go to a location, I'm loaded to the hilt with survival gear, GPs, cellphone, compass..the list goes on.

At this one particular location we went to I have been there dozens of times.....and the actual picking area isn't all that big but it's good.

So it was number one on our list for starters yesterday.

We got there.........and I said to her......."we don't need all the equipment, we've been here so many times before we know it like the back of our hands."

So we went in and started picking.........I ventured into a 'side' area a little later on, she was within my vision.

We finished picking and said "let's head back to the truck"

We backtracked over the trail we came on

and moments later....just like that.....we were lost.

Dead lost.........had no idea which way to go, tall trees on all sides, couldn't see the sun because of heavy overcast cloud, and nothing in there that was recognizable to us...

We both discussed what route to take out...actually we were bickering and shouting at each other , each trying to impose our opinion on the other..

We tried several directions based on each other's advice.......and found that we had no idea where we were.

Then it occurred to me........if we shut up and listen we'll hear the logging trucks going down the road where our truck is parked...

Fortunately for us because it was a weekday there was active logging......so there were logging trucks around.......

After a couple of minutes we heard one go by....and we struck off in the direction of that sound, finally making it out although we had to walk through a semi-swamp to do it.

I'm posting this to remind anybody that is going picking....if you think it can't happen to you, you are dead wrong...it can happen in an instant.

ALWAYS take a compass with you....and everything else you need to ensure you get out of there alive....

Don't get too brazen or lackadaisical like I did.......

If it wasn't for the logging trucks we'd probably still be out there somewhere....Lord knows where though....

 

[fshnfnatic]

Good post seafever. Was out pickin' on thursday and filled a couple of 5 gallon buckets pretty fast.It's gonna be a
good year for them by the looks of things. And yes,I did have my cellphone and compass with me,even though, like
you as well,I have been picking this area for many years now.I also had a similar incident happen to me 10+ years ago
where me and a buddy got turned around somehow and spent several hours walking in circles. Managed to finally find
the road right at dusk.Never been pickin' without a compass ever since!

 

[Libbs]

Funny...I was just reading your post about iPhones/iPads... If you get one, you will always have a compass and GPS

Glad you sorted yourselves out in short order! Thx for sharing.

 

[baddogg]

Excellent post Seafever. I can only reinforce what you summed up with. I worked as a dog handler with the RCMP for 22 years and couldn't count how many searches we conducted for missing hikers, many of whom were mushroom pickers. Some found their own way out, others were found by SAR or by us. Unfortunately however we found a few too late. Always prepare for the unexpected. Let someone know where you are going and when you will be back. Bring the appropriate gear with you, and if you do get lost, stay put. Someone will find you. The unfortunate souls that didn't make it out alive were found so far from where they were supposed to be it was unreal. SAR BC is a highly trained and dedicated group of people. We are lucky to have them around, but it would be better if they didn't have to come after us in the bush because we let our guard down. Cheers

 

[Steelhead S2]

Good posts. I managed to loose my pregnant wife out picking a few years ago. We got separated, and then both got lost. Fortunately, I found the road, headed back in from our starting poing, and found her as well. Ever since, I take a compass and gear.

Also made the idiotic mistake of doubting my compas once. No biggie, cuz as soon as I relied on it I was back at the truck in less than 10 minutes.

Everything looks the same in the dense bush. Very easy to becom disoriented, and it is a bad feeling.

 

[Kildonan]

Also made the idiotic mistake of doubting my compas once. No biggie, cuz as soon as I relied on it I was back at the truck in less than 10 minutes.

Interesting,eh, how your mind can make you do stuff like this like not trust your compass when you're in the situation? It's an ugly feeling.

I was lost once in a stand of 80 foot trees that all looked the same, after a few minutes of feeling pretty messed up, I sat down, collected my thoughts to get back to the side of rational thinking and walked out to the road.

I knew better than to walk into the wood I'll-prepared, but I did it anyway. Now I always take a backpack with the few required essentials to get me out of a scrape.