[skeet]

Originally Posted by Mr. 16 gauge

GREAT post, skeet!

On my first trip "out west", I couldn't figure out why I had a headache every blasted day.....then it dawned on me: WE WERE UP IN THE MOUNTAINS!!!! Even though it didn't look like we were in the mountains, the elevation was significantly higher than what I was used to at home, and the oxygen was thinner, hence, the headaches. After a few days, my body got used to it and the headaches disappeared, but I would have killed to have some aspirin, tylenol, motrin with me on the trail.
I think a small (and I do mean small!) personal first aid kit is a must! By small, I mean something that can fit neatly in your pack or on your belt that won't take up more space the size of a box of ammo or a couple of decks of playing cards. I've seen the ones that they sell that have the scalpel, suture holders, hemostats, ect. Here is a news flash for yah, Trapper John.....If you need that crap, then you really need to be medivacd out of the bush! First aid is just that.....FIRST AID! Yah don't need to be doing brain surgery in the woods.

Wow..Something That I shoulda posted about. We do take one of those first aid kits that has the suture kit etc in. I have done a little suturing in the hospital when I was working as a paramedic and sewing up the critters on the farm.. so have some background in it. Otherwise we would just have to do a credible job until we can get out. Seriously.. not that hard!. Where we hunt there is no Medevacing out of the mountains. No phones and we really don't carry radios of any power. Some of us carry those little family service radios to talk with each other..especially if we have the good fortune to bag an animal. An Elk is a large animal and if you haven't ever quartered an animal out it really is not an easy one man job. I can do it as I used to kill our own beef hogs etc. so have some background it it. But the idea of having those OTC meds is a very good idea.. Altitude sickness is something that is painful and may not go away entirely so having pain meds is a necessity. Heck we live at 4200 ft. When we moved here my wife thought she was sick for the first month..and she was... sorta..We lived at 60 ft in Maryland. Big change for her. I on the other hand had very little problem with it as i was outdoors doing stuff all the time. And I did some exploring right after movin here. We have ice caves in the Priors(mountains right across from the house). Only 20 miles or so and only about 7500 ft at the most. Good post Mr 16..Lets here some more