Survival Skills

[FrugalFannie]

I read a lot about the things people have bought and stored at their homes, BOB's, alternate locations, etc. And this may be great if you are either at your home or able to get there or your alternate location but what happens if you can't get there and/or it's not possible to stay there?

What is your list of survival skills you possess and what do you need to work on? If you haven't watched it watch a couple of episodes of the Colony Season and see how the professor and others can make things out of what some may look at as junk.

Here's a starter list of things I think anyone should be able to do without the aid of modern conveniences:
Make fire (without matches or a lighter) in any weather
filter water and purify it (without a store made system)
Hunt
Fish
Trap
Clean (skin) animals you caught
make shelter
navigate a variety of terrain (day and night)
determine direction without mechanical aid unless you make it
determine approximate time of day
read the sky for impending weather changes
make your own weapons and tools from commonly found items
perform CPR and first aid

What have I missed?

 

[Boghog1]

good start but also keep in mind that 2=1=none, having/knowing multiple ways to make fire, filter/purify water, tell direction etc... the key to survival is being able to adapt to the situation

 

[FrugalFannie]

Last night after I did this I started a list of how many ways I could/wanted do each task. And usually each task has other skills necessary too.

For fire - bow and drill, flint and steel, sparking devices (batteries, engines, etc), flammables, sunlight, matches/lighter (obviously) - what makes good tinder -in the wild and in suburbia, gathering fuel to continue fire( do you need a knife,hatchet, ax?), also - how much do we need fire? What if we can't make fire? what other skills will that affect? water purification, cooking, etc.

How many ways can you fish? what about bait/flies/hooks/lures/nets/traps? can you make a net? what do you need to make it? Can you use organic materials or do you really on manmade materials?

and it goes on and on.

 

[FCI Corp]

I want an underground bunker...

 

[Boghog1]

Last night after I did this I started a list of how many ways I could/wanted do each task. And usually each task has other skills necessary too.

For fire - bow and drill, flint and steel, sparking devices (batteries, engines, etc), flammables, sunlight, matches/lighter (obviously) - what makes good tinder -in the wild and in suburbia, gathering fuel to continue fire( do you need a knife,hatchet, ax?), also - how much do we need fire? What if we can't make fire? what other skills will that affect? water purification, cooking, etc.

How many ways can you fish? what about bait/flies/hooks/lures/nets/traps? can you make a net? what do you need to make it? Can you use organic materials or do you really on manmade materials?

and it goes on and on.

good tinder: inside bark of decaying cedar, milkkweed pod silk, tinder fungus, basically anything that is fine and dry. I keep several prescription bottles with cotton balls and vaseline for fire starters when conditions are damp to wet.

fishing can be accommplished many ways spear making hooks, I once caught a trout on a paperclip and a piece of red fabric, it wasn't big but I could then use pieces to catch bigger fish.

 

[Furrbrain]

I was wondering about the cleaning of the animals and fish I've acquired. How does one learn that?

 

[FrugalFannie]

I was wondering about the cleaning of the animals and fish I've acquired. How does one learn that?

+1

 

[glostamon]

I was wondering about the cleaning of the animals and fish I've acquired. How does one learn that?

Father/grandfather,masculine kinfolk?.....worst case, the internet?

 

[GunGrey]

I was wondering about the cleaning of the animals and fish I've acquired. How does one learn that?

Pretty much just do it, you learn from mistakes

 

[Furrbrain]

Father/grandfather,masculine kinfolk?.....worst case, the internet?

I'm the grandfather now and neither my grandfather or father were around or able to teach that stuff to me back then. I guess the internet is my big option.. Anybody recommend books or DVD's that'll help?

 

[cstockwell]

find an avid hunter at a gun club or gun shop and I am sure they will be happy to take you along on a hunt and teach you how to clean your game. Cleaning fish is very easy but filleting is a harder task to master.

 

[P-14]

Fish: http://www.fishingkites.co.nz/cleaning-fish/fishindex.htm

Deer: http://www.learn-taxidermy.com/deer_gut.htm

Critters: http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=step...=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=b45f35ef214b0397

Call MAWildlife or your state hunting and fishing department and see if they have handouts.

My thoughts only.

 

[Boghog1]

read all you want but there is nothing like first hand experience, go hunting and fishing with an experienced person, take a deep sea fishing trip and watch the pros, I'm in NH and hope to do some hunting this year, I would be glad to take along a new person

 

[jenlynn724]

The animals have a better chance of trapping me, than I do of trapping them...

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Know how to swim and how to make an improvised life jacket with your pants.

Know at least a few of the many edible/medicinal wild plants in your AO and how to prepare them......they don't have to taste good, just supply some nutrition or ease your condition.

 

[stixnstones]

Sounds like most of what you're describing used to be called outdoorsmanship.

 

[Furrbrain]

read all you want but there is nothing like first hand experience, go hunting and fishing with an experienced person, take a deep sea fishing trip and watch the pros, I'm in NH and hope to do some hunting this year, I would be glad to take along a new person

I would find that very interesting.

 

[MrsStrangeNH]

I was wondering about the cleaning of the animals and fish I've acquired. How does one learn that?

I'll be learning it in a couple of weeks at the Becoming an Outdoors Woman weekend in Holderness, NH. I realize this option does not help the guys, but I encourage any of our NES ladies who want to learn such skills to check it out.

 

[Boghog1]

I would find that very interesting.

I'll keep you posted as to when I go

 

[Yazz]

Get some Topo maps. Not on your GPS paper maps.

 

[RadiCS]

Game birds and fish are not a problem. It's the larger animal that I have never done. Boghog, if you hunt large game; I too would be truly interested.

 

[Boghog1]

I do hunt Deer, Southern NH if you want I can check for someone in MA to save you from having to buy out of state license, but you are welcome to come along as a spectator and not buy a license if you choose too