The field exercise was an interesting event. I was placed on bravo team with [the others]. We didn’t know what to expect so we decided to scout the land out the week before the event. We printed a map out to try and get some perception of the area. It helped but it was still some easy to lose perception and direction in the woods. We walked the main path and were surprised when we come to a field that we thought was in a different location. We walked towards the river and found a brook. We knew that the brook would lead us to the river, so we walked down it. It would have made an excellent ambush area because it had high cliffs on the sides of it. As we walked down it we had the feeling that we were walking north west, as if the brook was somewhat parallel with the main path and river. When we reached the river we noticed that we were still on the far south side of the land and had not been moving towards the north at all. Jason [F.] and I walked up the river while Ian [(team leader)] went back up the brook and down the main path to exit the land. Ian and Jason went back to the land another day without me to scout it some more. They found the spot where we would settle our camp. It had a tree stand.
On the day of the event, my team went early so that they could show me what they had found for our team. We went back to the main entry of the land, to meet the other team and discus rules. As a joke, I had worn a bright orange jumpsuit just so sort of say that they have no chance in finding an artifact on such a large piece of land with only 3 people. As they were scratching their heads at the joke, I said “I don’t think anyone could even catch me if they did see me.” “I should just run around with the artifact” Shihan Steeves yanked on my outfit and seen the green gear I was wearing under it.
We were given 2 hours to set up camp before the exercise begins. We set up tent and got some food in us. I had brought some dehydrated potatoes, vegetables and beef. So we boiled some water, rehydrated it and had a bite before we began. We went to our ambush location to hide. We were probably within 100 feet of each other. I tied some twine around my body and stuffed some evergreen branches around me and went into the bushes to wait. I knew it would be a long wait and they had no chance of seeing me or finding the artifact in that amount of land, so I decided to have a nap. It’s going to be a long night. We stayed hidden for three and a half hours. During this time, I learned that the country music as well as the sound of bugs flying around me ears were enough to drown out and sound of the opponents if they were to sneak up on me. We eventually decided that they probably aren’t even looking for us. Jason [F.] went to scout their camp out and see what’s going on. He came back and told us they are all still at the camp. I personally had just read “the art of war” that week, so I was expecting them to make us stay up all night waiting for them as they wait us out and hit us in the morning when we are exhausted.
After a while, it was dark. I didn’t bring a flashlight because I figured it would only get us caught. Jason [F.] decided to go back and scout them out again. I told Ian that I was going to sit in the bushes behind the camp as we waited for Jason to get back. Ian must have gone for a walk because at this point I lost him. I figured now that I’m separated from my group, I better go and sit in the tree stand. After some time, I could see flashlight beams in the distance. I knew it couldn’t be our team. We wouldn’t risk using a flashlight. I thought to myself “oh boy” this is it. I can’t really fight them because we had declared the camp areas as a “no combat zone” I just stayed quiet in the tree. I heard my name being called. Is this some sort of trick? I stayed quiet for a bit and then decided to answer “WHAT!?”
“It’s game over Robert!”
Through this experience I mostly learned that country music gives a great sense of direction, and a balaclava is great to keep the bugs from biting.
