Although Fisher reportedly suffers from severe back pain and wouldn't shoulder a heavy pack, he could supplement a small food supply with game in country populated by deer, elk, turkey, trout and crayfish. If he's motivated enough, that's the first factor. And, in this case, he's motivated by the desire not to get caught. That was the case with Danny Ray Horning, a state prison escapee in 1992 who dodged authorities for eight weeks by living off the land and stealing supplies. Dary Matera, a Scottsdale author who tried to market a book on the escapade, said Horning's first meal after the escape was an owl that he killed in a cave and ate raw.
Survivalists say the key elements are water and warmth.
Fisher bought purification gear the day before he vanished, and there is plenty of water in the rim country. If dressed properly, he could sleep during the day and hunker down or exercise to stay warm at night. Lundin said there are few edible plants in the high country this time of year, and a murder suspect is not likely to risk exposing himself by hunting game. Outdoor experts point out that Arizona's wilderness is pocked with civilization. As for shelter, limestone caves snake through the rim country like holes in Swiss cheese.