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- Apr 14, 2006
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- 7,021
Hey ebbtide,
I forgot to answer part of your question re: the effectiveness of a net, but I see that evbouret answered most of it.
Years ago, my buddy used to have a small gill net, maybe 4-5 feet high and about 15-20 feet long, that we would pull through a section of creek, one of us on each end. We didn't do this to keep the critters but rather to see what was in the creek, and we pulled a lot of fish and 1 eel on a single pass. All were released, BTW.
Tied out from the bank of a creek, river, a 1-1/2" mesh gill net should be pretty productive, but you're right, for a short term survival circumstance, making a net is a bit labour intensive. As far as that goes, I think most short term survival episodes are resolved in 48-72 hours. (The SAR members can correct me if I'm wrong) and for that short period, fishing is rather irrelevant except as a way to keep busy.
As far as the psychology of survival is concerned, you don't have to take my word for it, rather the words of a lot of survival instructors. In fact there is one book called the Psychology of Survival written by Gino Ferri, a recognized survival expert in this area that deals with that specific thing. (seen here - you'll have to scroll down)
A quote from the book (page 4) "Research in the field of wilderness survival clearly illustrates that the chief danger facing the survivor is the almost uncontrollable urge to wander aimlessly throughout the wilderness, thereby wantonly wasting precious calories and energy. Besides offering the victim some faint hope of capturing game, the construction of deadfalls, harpoons, and snares, in our opinion, serves to keep the survivor occupied and close to his shelter."
And another, "Boredom and Loneliness - It may surprise the novice to know that boredom and loneliness are two enemies facing the wilderness survivor. Both are normally unexpected and unplanned feelings. If nothing happens, when something is expected and doesn't come off, when the survivor must stay still, quiet , and alone, a sense of boredom and loneliness may creep up on the victim.
For this reason, in our survival courses, we teach such skills as making bark baskets, fashioning wooden tools, and constructing simple deadfalls. Besides being useful objects to have, the act of making them keeps the survivor's mind occupied." (page 23)
From How to Think Like a Survivor, Watson, Creative Publishing, 2006, ISBN# 1-58923-217-8
"More to the point of survival, fear can bring anxiety to higher levels and affect judgment and actions. Physically, fear can cause the pulse to quicken, pupils to dilate and perspiration to form on hands and feet. It can also cause nausea and vomiting. Fear can create situations that warrant immediate attention. Sweating, for example, means a body is losing heat - not a good situation when hypothermia is the cause of death in most survival situations (BTW this is contested by a lot of people - Doc).
Fortunately, a person's fear can usually be overcome by encouraging him or her to accomplish a manageable task. As a leader in a survival situation, you may have to come up with ways to get a companion's mind off whatever fears he or she may have." (page 21)
AND "Other ways to alleviate stress include having the victim become involved in one of the survival tasks you identify. Concentrating on collecting firewood or building a better fire or shelter can help the person focus on the specific task instead of the overall stressful situation." (page 25).
From U.S. Air Force - Search & Rescue Handbook, Dept. of the Air Force, The Lyons Press, 2002, ISBN# 1-58574-555-3,
Keep busy at all times. Prevent hunger, thirst, fatigue, idleness, and ignorance about the situation, since these increase fear. (page 46)
To overcome anxiety, the individual must take positive action by adopting a simple plan. It is essential to keep your mind off of your injuries and do something constructive.(page 46)
In a survival situation, the countermeasure to conquer loneliness is to be active, to plan and think purposely. (page 49)
From 98.6 Degrees - The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive, Cody Lundin, Gibbs Smith, 2003, ISBN# 1-58685-234-5
Stay constructively busy. Conserving energy as a survivor is key, yet do all that you can to make your situation more comfortable, reducing difficulties that encourage fear. Staying busy keeps the mind off fearful circumstances and gives you a sense that you're in control of your destiny. page 38
There's more, but I think you get the idea.
And BTW, thanks for the compliment.
As far as setting up the cell net, you need another person to distract the clerk.
Doc
I forgot to answer part of your question re: the effectiveness of a net, but I see that evbouret answered most of it.
Years ago, my buddy used to have a small gill net, maybe 4-5 feet high and about 15-20 feet long, that we would pull through a section of creek, one of us on each end. We didn't do this to keep the critters but rather to see what was in the creek, and we pulled a lot of fish and 1 eel on a single pass. All were released, BTW.
Tied out from the bank of a creek, river, a 1-1/2" mesh gill net should be pretty productive, but you're right, for a short term survival circumstance, making a net is a bit labour intensive. As far as that goes, I think most short term survival episodes are resolved in 48-72 hours. (The SAR members can correct me if I'm wrong) and for that short period, fishing is rather irrelevant except as a way to keep busy.
As far as the psychology of survival is concerned, you don't have to take my word for it, rather the words of a lot of survival instructors. In fact there is one book called the Psychology of Survival written by Gino Ferri, a recognized survival expert in this area that deals with that specific thing. (seen here - you'll have to scroll down)
A quote from the book (page 4) "Research in the field of wilderness survival clearly illustrates that the chief danger facing the survivor is the almost uncontrollable urge to wander aimlessly throughout the wilderness, thereby wantonly wasting precious calories and energy. Besides offering the victim some faint hope of capturing game, the construction of deadfalls, harpoons, and snares, in our opinion, serves to keep the survivor occupied and close to his shelter."
And another, "Boredom and Loneliness - It may surprise the novice to know that boredom and loneliness are two enemies facing the wilderness survivor. Both are normally unexpected and unplanned feelings. If nothing happens, when something is expected and doesn't come off, when the survivor must stay still, quiet , and alone, a sense of boredom and loneliness may creep up on the victim.
For this reason, in our survival courses, we teach such skills as making bark baskets, fashioning wooden tools, and constructing simple deadfalls. Besides being useful objects to have, the act of making them keeps the survivor's mind occupied." (page 23)
From How to Think Like a Survivor, Watson, Creative Publishing, 2006, ISBN# 1-58923-217-8
"More to the point of survival, fear can bring anxiety to higher levels and affect judgment and actions. Physically, fear can cause the pulse to quicken, pupils to dilate and perspiration to form on hands and feet. It can also cause nausea and vomiting. Fear can create situations that warrant immediate attention. Sweating, for example, means a body is losing heat - not a good situation when hypothermia is the cause of death in most survival situations (BTW this is contested by a lot of people - Doc).
Fortunately, a person's fear can usually be overcome by encouraging him or her to accomplish a manageable task. As a leader in a survival situation, you may have to come up with ways to get a companion's mind off whatever fears he or she may have." (page 21)
AND "Other ways to alleviate stress include having the victim become involved in one of the survival tasks you identify. Concentrating on collecting firewood or building a better fire or shelter can help the person focus on the specific task instead of the overall stressful situation." (page 25).
From U.S. Air Force - Search & Rescue Handbook, Dept. of the Air Force, The Lyons Press, 2002, ISBN# 1-58574-555-3,
Keep busy at all times. Prevent hunger, thirst, fatigue, idleness, and ignorance about the situation, since these increase fear. (page 46)
To overcome anxiety, the individual must take positive action by adopting a simple plan. It is essential to keep your mind off of your injuries and do something constructive.(page 46)
In a survival situation, the countermeasure to conquer loneliness is to be active, to plan and think purposely. (page 49)
From 98.6 Degrees - The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive, Cody Lundin, Gibbs Smith, 2003, ISBN# 1-58685-234-5
Stay constructively busy. Conserving energy as a survivor is key, yet do all that you can to make your situation more comfortable, reducing difficulties that encourage fear. Staying busy keeps the mind off fearful circumstances and gives you a sense that you're in control of your destiny. page 38
There's more, but I think you get the idea.
And BTW, thanks for the compliment.
As far as setting up the cell net, you need another person to distract the clerk.
?????
Doc
