Oregon's coastal forests are dense, very dense. When forests are harvested they are immediately replanted. For the first 10 - 15 years after a harvest blackberries, salal and salmon berries cover the ground with dense vegetation. More often than not we are searching in terrain such as this. A machete is a must.

Joe and Lance demonstrate how they use machetes to clear trails for searches and extrication. Not all teams allow their members to use machetes. When searchers are in close proximity to each other or working with search dogs team members much be extremely careful swinging the sharp blade in tight spaces.

Watch the video and see how we do it.

We are an Amazon Affiliate and make a small commision when people click on the links below. Here are a few of the items discussed in the video:

Gerber Gear Gator Machete JR: https://amzn.to/4c97WIy

Coleman 18" Steel Machete: https://amzn.to/49NJb2X