72-Year-Old Grandpa Survives in Wilderness 19 days by Eating Squirrel, snake, algae etc..

Hi guys..sory if i put this thread on survival..i think this is what i say real survival!

After getting lost in the Mendocino National Forest, spending 19 days surviving on small game, Gene Penaflor, 72, has been rescued by a hunting party who heard his cries.
On Sept. 24, Penaflor became separated from his hunting buddy in heavy fog. He stepped into a crevice and hurt his knee. "After that, all went dead — I passed out, I don't know [for] how long," he told CNN. When Penaflor woke up, he was lost. In an effort to save energy, Penaflor said rather than trying to take down big game like deer, he survived on algae, a snake, three squirrels, and water from a creek. He made a fire of dry leaves and kept it going day and night until rescue crews could find him.
After getting a clean bill of health from the hospital, Penaflor is now at home with his son.

He stayed put in hope that someone would find him. In his 19 days cut off from humanity, it snowed several times, and temperatures dropped to 25 degrees Fahrenheit some nights.

This Grandpa really super! If i were him..ummm i dont know to do..

his son Jeremy..

"He's good. He's hanging in there. He looks like nothing changed except he grew a beard."

This is not hollywod...not castaway movie..
Source and his comment to Cnn here:
edition.cnn.com...

reply to post by cheesy


I am FROM Mendocino County, born and raised --- and I can tell you it is extremely easy to get lost in any of our woods. 30 feet in and you can spin in a circle not knowing which way you started from. It can be miles of dense brush that many never come out of.

Amazing story, glad to hear he not only survived but is healthy.
Watch the video embedded within the source... He survived with the following: 7 bullets, a few trashbags, and a bic lighter.

Great story on survival, he reminds me of my grandpa (or grandma for that matter!)

He's from a whole different generation where you were expected to take care of yourself and times were just a wee bit harder than they are now. That "can do" attitude was pivotal in his survival IMO. A lot of later generations would die while sitting and waiting to be rescued.

I am glad he made it out alive.

reply to post by ThinkingCap


I live on 5 1/2 acres, only 1/3 of it is cleared. I am surrounded by 124 acres of uninhabited woodlands, upper, lower and wetlands. I have gotten lost in my backyard more than once. It is amazingly easy to get lost, even on land that you know. The good thing here, is if you walk in a straight line for more than 30 minutes you will run into a landmark that will put you back on track.

If I am gone too long, all my mother has to do is open the door and tell my Ridgebacks, "Go find her." They find me soon enough, all excited and thinking it is a play date, with my mother not far behind with her huge walking stick, that is her multi-purpose tool, weapon, good luck charm. Rarely am I lost long enough for worry, but mother's are like that, yes they are.

ThinkingCap
reply to post by cheesy

 

I am FROM Mendocino County, born and raised --- and I can tell you it is extremely easy to get lost in any of our woods. 30 feet in and you can spin in a circle not knowing which way you started from. It can be miles of dense brush that many never come out of.

Amazing story, glad to hear he not only survived but is healthy.
Watch the video embedded within the source... He survived with the following: 7 bullets, a few trashbags, and a bic lighter.

Great story on survival, he reminds me of my grandpa (or grandma for that matter!)

edit on 15-10-2013 by ThinkingCap because: (no reason given)

Wow what a scary place..how if you have a child..be carefull sir..tq for sharing, what about your grandma and grandpa? Please tell us..

Kangaruex4Ewe
He's from a whole different generation where you were expected to take care of yourself and times were just a wee bit harder than they are now. That "can do" attitude was pivotal in his survival IMO. A lot of later generations would die while sitting and waiting to be rescued.

I am glad he made it out alive.

Yes i agree Mr.Kangaruex! He have a very strong heart and mind..keep hope above all panic..

reply to post by cheesy


Chessy, I can assure you that when I was a child it was anything but scary. It was a magic fairy land were you had your secret hiding places and hundreds of special rooms fully decorated by your imagination. No Grown-ups Allowed!

NightSkyeB4Dawn
reply to post by cheesy

 

Chessy, I can assure you that when I was a child it was anything but scary. It was a magic fairy land were you had your secret hiding places and hundreds of special rooms fully decorated by your imagination. No Grown-ups Allowed!

Whoaaaaw..from here, i grow in a very poluted city i am wondering live in a place far away from it like yours..sometimes live in a place like that have a good point, anw do you have any experience like lose in wood or see something mysterious there sir?

72 years old? Bravo my friend!

Thank god I have the Bear Grylls box set & a portable DVD player with USB Solar charge adapter, I can survive anything!

I don't know if its just me, but if I was in this situation all that would be going on in my head is "when do I have to drink my own pee, I need to find water"

Bravo Mr, at such an old age one would of thought that the fight would of just faded, only the strong survive situations like this.

Sounds like a camping trip. Except for the temp drop at night sounds like it would be fun. And people that have no sense of direction don't belong in the woods because this is what happens to them.

n00bUK
72 years old? Bravo my friend!

Thank god I have the Bear Grylls box set & a portable DVD player with USB Solar charge adapter, I can survive anything!

I don't know if its just me, but if I was in this situation all that would be going on in my head is "when do I have to drink my own pee, I need to find water"

Bravo Mr, at such an old age one would of thought that the fight would of just faded, only the strong survive situations like this.

Yes it like word in your avatar..KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Tq Mr.n00buk!!

buster2010
Sounds like a camping trip. Except for the temp drop at night sounds like it would be fun. And people that have no sense of direction don't belong in the woods because this is what happens to them.

Yes sir but not only have no sense..a tick mist and panic is the worse enemy in wood i think..tq pal

cheesy

buster2010
Sounds like a camping trip. Except for the temp drop at night sounds like it would be fun. And people that have no sense of direction don't belong in the woods because this is what happens to them.

Yes sir but not only have no sense..a tick mist and panic is the worse enemy in wood i think..tq pal

You are right people that panic are the ones that get hopelessly lost because they don't stop and think. The main reason why most people get lost in the woods is because they never look back at where they came from. Not to mention they pay no attention to the sun, moon or stars.

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


Exactly!!
Sounds like my grandpa!

buster2010

cheesy

buster2010
Sounds like a camping trip. Except for the temp drop at night sounds like it would be fun. And people that have no sense of direction don't belong in the woods because this is what happens to them.

Yes sir but not only have no sense..a tick mist and panic is the worse enemy in wood i think..tq pal

You are right people that panic are the ones that get hopelessly lost because they don't stop and think. The main reason why most people get lost in the woods is because they never look back at where they came from. Not to mention they pay no attention to the sun, moon or stars.

Even skilled hunters and woodsmen can get lost, it's the lack of landmark features for the brain to grasp onto. Hell, just walking in a straight line can be difficult depending on the density of the woods / terrain.

Best way to not get lost is familiarize yourself with whatever woods you happen to be in--- but not everyone who is lost has that luxury.

reply to post by buster2010


I caution against assuring yourself that there exists a class of people "who don't get lost" because they never panic.


The sense of direction is highly dependent on context. And "panic" occurs precisely when a person loses control---hence it is beyond one's control to avoid it!

It is the people who think they have an excellent sense of direction, that end up getting lost.

People usually become lost because they have over-estimated their own ability to navigate on the return trip. Or the environment suddenly changed, (sundown, rain squalls, fog, forest fire, snowstorm, or eye injury) which prevented them from orienting themselves toward home the way they assumed they could.

Cool story. I was once lost in devils den state park Arkansas. I remembered an old Indian legend. I was on a path that ended up going the wrong way and my flashlight was dying. Sun was setting. It really was a bad situation because they thought I was in the caves. Every so often I would stop and stack rocks in an arrow pointing in my direction of travel. Thanks to that old Indian legend I remembered. The rangers said it would have been very easy to find me from doing that. Luckily I realized I was going the wrong way and turned around. Ran through the night and actually met the forming search party.

I was a teenager then probably scared them to death. Snake tastes pretty dang good by the way. I love rattlesnake. Squirrel is also good from what I hear. Grandpa used to hunt it. Algae is also very nutritious although I would need to research it a bit to make sure I was eating the right thing. You could set it in the sun and do a antioxidant test I believe. See if it turns red. If I am correct that is. As I said Id eat snake and squirrel no problem. Just be careful what plant life you eat.

I am thankful I can make a compass from dirt, sticks, and the sun. You might check out Hoods Woods. Great survival teacher. I learned a lot from that guy.

Pimpintology
Cool story. I was once lost in devils den state park Arkansas. I remembered an old Indian legend. I was on a path that ended up going the wrong way and my flashlight was dying. Sun was setting. It really was a bad situation because they thought I was in the caves. Every so often I would stop and stack rocks in an arrow pointing in my direction of travel. Thanks to that old Indian legend I remembered. The rangers said it would have been very easy to find me from doing that. Luckily I realized I was going the wrong way and turned around. Ran through the night and actually met the forming search party.

I was a teenager then probably scared them to death. Snake tastes pretty dang good by the way. I love rattlesnake. Squirrel is also good from what I hear. Grandpa used to hunt it. Algae is also very nutritious although I would need to research it a bit to make sure I was eating the right thing. You could set it in the sun and do a antioxidant test I believe. See if it turns red. If I am correct that is. As I said Id eat snake and squirrel no problem. Just be careful what plant life you eat.

I am thankful I can make a compass from dirt, sticks, and the sun. You might check out Hoods Woods. Great survival teacher. I learned a lot from that guy.

Awww you eat snake and squrel? how it taste? Tq for sharing sir..i cant imagine that

reply to post by cheesy


Snake tastes like chicken, a bit stringy, and a bit of a wild taste in there. At least the Rattlesnake I ate did. I would eat it today if I had it. I have hunted it and skinned it as well. Good stuff. In my area this is a yearly tradition so that we can keep the snake population in check. We call it the Rattlesnake derby. Anyhow my grandpa ate squirrel. I have always wanted to never had the chance. Was told squirrel and dumplings is the way to go. Dunno how it tastes.