72-Year-Old Hunter Gene Penaflor Found After 19 Days Lost in Mendocino National

[freakazoid]

Here's a good news story.

http://www.wunderground.com/news/72-year-old-hunter-gene-penaflor-found-after-19-days-lost-mendocino-national-forest-20131014

UKIAH, Calif. – The 72-year-old hunter who was lost for more than two weeks in a Northern California forest survived by eating squirrels and other animals he shot with his rifle and by making small fires and packing leaves and grasses around his body to stay warm, according to his family.

Gene Penaflor of San Francisco was found Saturday in Mendocino National Forest by other hunters who carried him to safety in a makeshift stretcher, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Penaflor disappeared after heading out with a partner during the first week of deer hunting season in the rugged mountains of Northern California, a trip he takes annually. The forest is about 160 miles north of San Francisco.

"He goes hunting every year, and he comes home every year," his daughter-in-law Deborah Penaflor said Monday outside Gene Penaflor's small home in San Francisco's Bernal Heights neighborhood. "We'd gotten a little complacent that he would always come back."

Penaflor had separated from his hunting partner for a couple of hours as usual to stalk deer. While they were apart, Gene Penaflor fell, hit his head and passed out, Deborah Penaflor said.

He woke up after spending what appeared to be a full day unconscious, with his chin and lip badly gashed. He noticed fog and morning dew and realized he'd been out for a while, Deborah Penaflor said.

Penaflor had a lighter, a knife and water with him when he went hunting. But Deborah Penaflor said the knife and water bottle somehow got lost in the fall. She had no further details.

Still, he had his rifle, and he was able to make use of it to kill squirrels to sustain him while he awaited rescue. He also was near a source of water in a nearby drainage.

To stay warm, Penaflor made small fires and packed leaves and grasses around his body. When it rained or snowed, he crawled under a large log and managed to stay dry, authorities said.

"He knew at some point he was going to die, but he figured he'd last as long as he could," sheriff's Detective Andrew Porter told the Ukiah Daily Journal.

The sheriff's office said an initial search involving several agencies was called off when a storm was on its way and there was no sign of the missing hunter.

The family returned to San Francisco dejected.

"We were depressed," Deborah Penaflor said. "We were walking his dog and hoping the search would start up again."

The search was reactivated Saturday, and a group of hunters found Gene Penaflor when someone in the group heard a voice calling for help from the bottom of a canyon. He was found about 3 miles from where he had disappeared.

The family returned north to aid in the search late last week. They distributed missing persons flyers around the area hoping other hunters would be on the lookout.

When they heard he'd been found alive, they rushed to the mountain to meet him.

"There were tears of joy on the top of that mountain," Deborah Penaflor said.

The Mendocino National Forest is about 160 miles north of San Francisco.

Gene Penaflor arrived home Sunday looking weak and wearing a hospital bracelet.

"I didn't panic because panic will kill me right away. I knew that," Gene Penaflor said to a KTVU-TV reporter upon his arrival home.

Guy seems to have a level head on his shoulders. It's a good thing he seemed to of brought a lot of ammo. I think this is a good reason to use something like a Camelbak, and some way to secure the knife to you. Also if you have a hunting partner might want to invest in something like a Garmin Rino. A normal walkie-talkie is good but won't do you much good if you're knocked out for a full day.

[MechAg94]

I one of those Forrest's, if you built a real big smoky fire, would that bring someone to check it out?

[Perd Hapley]

I one of those Forrest's, if you built a real big smoky fire, would that bring someone to check it out?

If you could build a real big smokey fire...

[slingshot]

19 days is a long time to survive on your own.  I applaud his accomplishment.  Guess he migh just give people a a little more info before he leaves the next time.  Of course he will need a new knife.  It just goes to show you that you really don't absolutely need a knife, but they sure come in handy.

[RoadKingLarry]

I one of those Forrest's, if you built a real big smoky fire, would that bring someone to check it out?

They'd probably SWAT team you.

[freakazoid]

I wish it gave a little more information. I wonder if he stayed in one spot or tried to find his way back. It says he was at the bottom of a canyon, wonder if he fell down that and then couldn't climb back out?

[230RN]

He must've been a good shot, killing squirrels with a deer rifle without blasting them to bits.  On the other hand, I guess one shot would kill them and clean them simultaneously.

[seeker_two]

A knife?.....as in ONE knife?.....


.....I don't even leave the house with only one knife on my person, much less go into the woods. Needs moar prep.

[geronimotwo]

phew, 19 days, good to hear he's okay.   what's up with the family?  the sheriff calls off the search so they just go home and hope the for the best?   

[Scout26]

If you could build a real big smokey fire...

He had a way to start a fire.  Once you get it going, any green leaves or wood, will make a smokey fire.   It appears he was wandering around (hunting squirrels), but the best thing to do is sit tight and let them come find.  The more your wander around the harder it makes it on the searchers.

[Tallpine]

The more your wander around the harder it makes it on the searchers.

Does that also work if you don't want to be found...?   

[Devonai]

He must've been a good shot, killing squirrels with a deer rifle without blasting them to bits.  On the other hand, I guess one shot would kill them and clean them simultaneously.

I have heard that you can kill squirrels with larger calibers by shooting the tree next to them and killing them with bark/splinters.

[AZRedhawk44]

A knife?.....as in ONE knife?.....


.....I don't even leave the house with only one knife on my person, much less go into the woods. Needs moar prep.

+1.  A smallish backpack or camelback with simple survival necessities should be a minimum carried into remote wilderness.  USGS or similar topographical map/compass, redundant firestarters, fixed and folding blade knives (possibly one being a multitool), space blanket, water purification tablets and water container, and at least 1000 calories of food.  Mandatory minimum loadout for anything more remote than a YMCA boy's camp park, even if it's just supposed to be a 1 hour "day" hike.

[RoadKingLarry]

I have heard that you can kill squirrels with larger calibers by shooting the tree next to them and killing them with bark/splinters.

The technique is called "limbing". I've never tried it but it gets talked about on muzzleloading forums and shooting at small games with a big bore front stuffer.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

The technique is called "limbing". I've never tried it but it gets talked about on muzzleloading forums and shooting at small games with a big bore front stuffer.

it works we call it barking. sometimes the tree rats are just stunned. make sure they are dead before you put em in pouch gosh darn things bite and scratch

damn phone

[Perd Hapley]

He had a way to start a fire.  Once you get it going, any green leaves or wood, will make a smokey fire.   It appears he was wandering around (hunting squirrels), but the best thing to do is sit tight and let them come find.  The more your wander around the harder it makes it on the searchers.

If you could find enough wood to make a large fire, and keep it going long enough to be noticed. Of course, that would mean a lot of wandering around, picking up branches.

Might be feasible in some situations; less so in others. Just sayin'.

[MrsSmith]

phew, 19 days, good to hear he's okay.   what's up with the family?  the sheriff calls off the search so they just go home and hope the for the best?   

My thoughts too. You wait out the storm and plan your next move. And where was this hunting partner he went with?