Which Way Did They Go?
October 28, 2010
Emergency Center: How can I help you?
Caller: I just arrived home from a long weekend, my husband and daughter have not come home and I think they are missing.
Emergency Center: How long have they been missing?
Caller: They left two days ago and said they would be back home by now.
Emergency Center: Where did they go?
Caller: Hunting
Emergency Center: Where did they go hunting?
Caller: In the woods.
Emergency Center: …(silence)
In the United States, there are millions of acres of public and private land where you can hunt. How is a friend or loved one to know where you will be hunting? Where will the search and rescue team begin looking if you are late coming home? These are great questions that anyone should ask of themselves before venturing out in the great outdoors. As instructors, we should teach our students how to develop a hunt plan that addresses these concerns.
A good hunting plan will have the following information:
Click for a sample copy of a hunt plan.
Leave the plan with a responsible friend or loved one. You can also fold your hunting plan in half and place it on the driver’s seat of your vehicle before you leave for your hunting spot. The search and rescue folks can see that it was not set on, so it was placed on scene. Developing this plan will help if you are hurt or lost. It helps the rescue personnel find you quickly. Remember:
“Plan your Hunt and Hunt your Plan”
If you are teaching in a classroom or at a field day, have your students practice filling out a hunting plan. The students should then discuss their plan with the other students.
Please feel free to share your ideas for the hands on activities that you are using to teach this topic. When we learn from each other, our students benefit.
