Why it is necessry to be prepared!

**Beans** · 01-29-2009, 12:22 PM

Okla. woman freezes to death in remote Mont. cabin
From Associated Press
January 29, 2009 11:36 AM EST
MISSOULA, Mont. - A couple from Oklahoma that moved to Montana's rugged mountains for a cheap place to live apparently got caught off guard by a snowstorm, with the woman freezing to death in their remote cabin.

Her common-law husband, suffering from hypothermia and starving, was found propped up against her body, with an array of weapons spread in a half circle in front of him, authorities said.

Mickey Charlene Davis, 67, had probably been dead for about two weeks when authorities reached the cabin Jan. 13, Powell County Sheriff Scott Howard said.

The man, 44-year-old Jack McWhorter, had only a few bouillon cubes in his pocket, Howard said. Their two cats and two of their three dogs were also dead.

"They'd been in there for months, and they just flat ran out of food," Howard said. "They didn't have good clothing, they didn't have any firewood cut, and no way to even start a fire."

McWhorter was evacuated by snowmobile more than 20 miles, and spent several days in a hospital. He declined to talk about the ordeal Wednesday, the Missoulian newspaper reported.

Howard said McWhorter and Davis apparently had their eye on the inexpensive 20-acre lot when they arrived sometime early last year. They had some sort of agreement with the landowner but "didn't realize what they were getting into."

"They planned to live there year-round," Howard said. "They saw an ad and thought that would be wonderful place to be, with absolutely no knowledge what a mountain snowstorm can do."

No one had seen the couple for months, until neighbors who lived three miles away asked two snowmobilers to check on them. Howard said McWhorter told the snowmobilers to call authorities because his wife was dead.

Authorities gave Davis a county burial in Deer Lodge after attempts to locate her family were unsuccessful. Her driver's license listed her hometown as Salina, Okla.

Howard said McWhorter is too emotional to talk much, but the sheriff figures things got bad starting when snowstorms hit in late November.

He found McWhorter sitting on the floor against his wife's body, with the weapons nearby.

"I don't know if he was worried about us," Howard said. "... I don't know what was going through his head."

**DOGMAN** · 01-29-2009, 12:42 PM

Wow. Crazy story. Preparedness really makes a difference... because I live in a "remote mountain cabin in Montana", and I've thought its been a mild winter.

**RBB** · 01-29-2009, 02:01 PM

I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often. We've had a number of people, over the years, move into our area from more southerly climes with little realization of what winter means.

**Sourdough** · 01-29-2009, 02:20 PM

Sad, and people talk about bugging out to Alaska if the SHTF. And live off the fat of the land.

**trax** · 01-29-2009, 06:39 PM

That is a strange and sad event. Why do you suppose the guy had the firearms all spread around? Going to shoot the first thing that walked through the door for food? Wonder how long before somebody makes the movie...

**rockymtnchief** · 01-29-2009, 07:23 PM

They must've been real green horns because, like Jason said, it's been a pretty mild winter here. I feel bad for them.

**DOGMAN** · 01-29-2009, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by rockymtnchief

They must've been real green horns because, like Jason said, it's been a pretty mild winter here. I feel bad for them.

I feel horrible for the guy no doubt...
I just can't understand it though- it just hasnt been a tough winter. It seems anyone with a hatchet could get out and get some wood in the mountains around here this year. We had two weeks of temps near the
50's...even in the mountains! Elk are still in the high country in places. It just doesnt make sense.

I wonder if mental illness played a factor. The guys wife was 23 years older than him. Why didnt he eat the dogs? There closest neighbors were only 3 miles away, why not walk out? So many questions....

**edr730** · 01-29-2009, 08:43 PM

Here in NE lower Michigan there is a lake called Fletchers Pond. In the 1930's a group of loggers died in a logging cabin due to a snowstorm. No rescue team went in to save them. I don't think they were given sufficient food prior to the storm. I often wonder how it could have happened. These were men who probably grew up logging in the woods, yet were caught unprepared and unable to survive. I suspect they grew sick before actual starvation. I only know about it from the stories from old friends. They would point across the lake and say,"it was over there". That's really all I have ever heard about it.