CONSIDER WHAT AN ACCIDENT COULD COST YOU

Do not be mistaken, at age 60, I am not even close to being as skilled as most who venture into the forest, but I think this subject is important to everyone. My first time backpacking into Canadian White Goat Wilderness twenty-one years ago was a learning experience only because my wife made me learn. You see, I had just gotten married before leaving on the backpacking tirp, and I was laughing out loud, when I told my wife one of the guys in the group going had to take out life insurance because his wife wanted it that way. It back-fired, but it was what I needed, and then I decided I needed even more than just life insurance. You see my wife made me see an insurance agent about life insurance too before she would agree to me going.

That was life insurance, and when I go my cabin in Bella Coola, BC, I decided I needed another kind of insurance. I shopped on the internet, and found as close to what I thought I needed through Insure My Trip.com. If I recall correctly, in 2008 that insurance cost me something over $200 and paid for a number of things, including hospital bills while there in Canada. Actually I had, and have no idea what our insurance would, or would not pay if something happened to me in another country such as Canada.

Before I tell you about my GEOS SEARCH & RESCUE MEDI VAC INSURANCE, let me tell you why I feel it's a great deal for around $100 if you are staying in America or Canada, but for $200 plus, you can get coverage anywhere in the world I think.

I try, but do not know if I succeed in making my post interesting, but I fear most times it just ends up too long, and too much of what is not needed. But let me start with a book by James Gary Shelton called BEAR ATTACKS, THE DEADLY TRUTH. Every since I got that weird place in Bella Coola, I have been reading bear story books, and Mr. Shelton's has some of the most scary ones. Mr. Shelton also lives in the Bella Coola Valley. In the book I mention above, on page 135, Chapter 10, title WITHOUT WARNING is one horrible story. What I found disturbing is two men killed were very skilled hunters. The time was October 9th, 1985, and Shana Fumerton, and Bill Caspell failed to return from a mountain goat hunt on Mount Soderholm, east of Radium Hot Springs, B.C. It's truly a horrible story, but near the end it talks about the "hired" helicopter search which required more than one flight during the hunt for both man, and beast. Early on they believe both were dead due to this or that little thing laying here or there. But there was bear still there, and dang if the helicopter would not scare it off. And they were not going to send in men, in deep snow, with such an animal still hanging around the probable kill site. Fact is, the helicopter owner did not wish to start his engines until someone assured him his services would be paid for. I do not know if you know, but helicopters are terrible about burning up lots of fuel, so if you ever need one, you can expect to be paying one heck of a bill. Then if you need flying in a private jet, I'd say start at $10 to $20 thousand dollars for flight alone. I do not know the Canadian policies regarding helicopter searches, but I have the idea they do not take to given free services, especially if you are from another country. Shane and Bill were from Canada, and even then, Shane's wife was told up front, and she was dealing with enough, the helicopter service wants to know you will pay them.

I have, and take a Spot Messenger, and that is who I take my GEOS MEDI VAC through. Therefore if I push the so called magic button on my Spot Messenger, they know I have the GEOS and what number I am. The basic policy for around $225 worldly coverage includes Evacuation to nearest facility up to $50K. Repatriation to hospital or back home up to $250K. Repatriation of mortal remains up to $10K. That would be the stuff in a body bag. Then Meidcal Expenses for US $1500 per day, and so on, and so on. Actually it takes an attorney to understand the fine print, but what I put above is the basic A,B,C, & D they show on their internet site.

Now to the bad news about GEOS MEDIVAC. I have my own number, and it's number 7 _________. No I'm not given you my personal number, but image this. Image you, and your partners are out back deep in the forest, and your friend breaks both legs on a mountain, and needing medivaced out by helicopter. You have your GEOS MEDIVAC, but your friend does not. No, I do not think you can give him your number, because the paper work gets very detailed I'm sure. But I'm sure his wife will be upset when she gets the bill, whether he makes it or not. OH- if he isn't married, I'd still consider it because some surviver will be responsible for the bill.

I want to add something to this story. It was believed, also by James Gary Shelton, the bear responsible to killing both hunters was a big bore grizzly. The event took place fast, and it was believed, if I recall correctly, one was low down skining game, and other may have just made it to his rifle before the grizzly took him out fast. It was said one of them should have been standing guard. Again both men were very experienced hunters, and very good shooters with rifle, but time was not on their side. Then I seem to recall that maybe the one reaching for the rifle that they assume was leaning against a rock, did something like double bolt action causing the bullet to jam. On my CZ550 .375 H&H Mag rifle, used on dangerous game, it has a specical way it locks on the bullet both during pushing the bullet into the chamber, and ejecting it. I forgot what it's called, but the design limits such failure to grab, and eject the bullet, before an attempt is made to send anouther one in, only to jam the two together. But the other interesting thing was the bear there hanging around, and they killed, they did not believe was the bear that killed both men. The bear killed was too small by the teeth marks on the bodies of both men, but that's something Canadian Authorities do not like to talk about because their job is bad enough. The event was getting bad because of bad weather conditions holding up, and delaying helicopter searches, and the men there on site became very angry because their partner, they believed, was not receiving help soon enough. It was a mess, and one of the hunters wife was there early on, while the other's wife was in another place far off.

They think the big bore killed the men, and like most big bore grizzlies, it moved out of the area as soon as the helicopter started searching. I hear the big bears most times you never see, because they are smart enough to not hang too close to civilization. Therefore that grizzly was still out there somewhere.

I have read some unreal stories of how hard it is to kill a big bear. I have read bear hunters, most times, are never seen by the bear they shoot, grizzly or black. But if that bear knows where it's bad day is coming from, they are harder to kill. Most bear targets during a hunt look to shoot through both shoulder blades, heart, and lungs. But if you are at my cabin, and it's coming head on, you do not have the same target. In one of James Gary Shelton's books, he advises to aim at the middle of the bouncing mass. At 30 MPH, a bear is covering 44 feet per second. Most bear spray manufactures suggest starting to push that magic button at 20 to 25 feet. So how much time do you think you have. If the wind is blowing hard enough into your face, you will have more than just bear problems.

cavecooker said:

"I try, but do not know if I succeed in making my post interesting, but I fear most times it just ends up too long, and too much of what is not needed."

I have found your posts to be of utmost interest and importance to me........and no, you are not providing too much info.........and yes, your posts are very interesting and pertains very much to venturing out into the backcountry esp. in far of lands. If Canada would let me into there country I would go to your property, but, since 9/11 they seem to be just as uptight as the US. Since Canada does not want the likes of me in their fine but cold country I will venture to other lands thru out the world. Again I find your posts very thought provoking and very important. Please keep them coming.

cavecooker, i, for one am impressed with the wy I was allowed to walk through  the scene with you, imagine the pain even the non-hunters feel when tragic things happen, esp men's wifes who "put their foot down" to get the harder thoughts under control.  It's good to have culture of wisdom even about the less attrackive "beauties" of the world.  Thanks for keeping us postednmeinf.      

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