Basic Survival
By: Nevyn
Date Posted: Sunday, 3 April 2005
This article is a guideline for enhancing woodland skills and discussion concerning basic survival methods. To prepare for basic survival you will need to spend a great deal of time in the forest becoming acquainted with these methods and also developing some physical endurance.
Not many of us will survive the coming earth changes, but some will. This article is a guideline for enhancing woodland skills and discussion concerning basic survival methods. To prepare for basic survival you will need to spend a great deal of time in the forest becoming acquainted with these methods and also developing some physical endurance. The primary factor that will determine survival is your ability to remain calm and not let fear and panic determine your course of action. The simple truth is that many people do not survive a major crisis due to lack of wit, not lack of food and water. Fear and functional fixedness are the reasons for their demise. An example of functional fixedness is the person who needs to tighten a screw, searches the house high and low for a screw driver while all the time ignoring the dime in their pocket that would easily operate as a screw driver. The areas of primary concern are listed below and begin with ‘Storm Shelters’. At the end of this chapter is a listing of basic backpacking equipment.
Storm Shelter
Although a light tent is a reasonable item to carry in a backpack, it can be cumbersome to put together especially in the dark. A small green pop-up tent forced into an oval shape, and strapped to the back of a pack may be the most practical for quick and easy construction. However, adding on a rain-fly can make even this type of tent difficult to manage under extreme conditions. The solution is to have, in addition to a tent, a simple storm shelter. This is fairly easy to construct and can also be used as a rain-fly for the tent. The shelter should be carried on the outside of the backpack for quick access.
The items necessary for a storm shelter are:
- A green plastic tarp 9’ by 9’ or 10’ by 10’ (9x9 is more difficult to get).
- Three metal tent pegs
- Three lengths of nylon cord about 6’ each used as tie downs.
- Three angle irons (about 2 inches on each side) used to control the tie down lengths. These must be opened from their right angle 30 degrees. Just place the angle iron on a hard surface with the point up (^) and smack a few times with a hammer to flatten the angle. Only a slight angle is necessary to make this work.
- A length of rope (20 feet is adequate)
- A wood pole (hiking staff) about 4 to 5 feet in length and 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. This should have a metal shod and a spike about three inches in length (one quarter to five sixteenths in diameter) coming out the top. The spike should come to an extremely sharp point. A 4 to 6 inch anchor bolt makes an excellent spike.
Tie one end of the rope through one of the corner grommets of the plastic tarp. Tie the other end of the rope around a tree. This should be a few inches higher than the length of the hiking staff. At the opposite end insert the spike of the staff through a grommet, stand up right on the ground. A tent peg should be placed about 3 feet out from the staff. Using one of the nylon cords, make a small loop at one end and place over the spike that is now coming through the grommet, pull taught and secure to the other end of the cord to the tent peg. Use the remaining two cords and tent pegs as tie downs for the side flaps. The angle irons can be used to control the length of the nylon cords and keep the storm shelter taught. Most camping supply stores sell plastic tie down length controllers. However; these break quite easily and are not recommended.
The hiking staff (storm shelter pole) can be difficult to construct if you are not handy with tools. It should be made from a hard wood dowel (1 to 1.5 inches in diameter depending on the size of your hand). Also, it should have a cap over the spike secured with a wing nut. When the spike is exposed the entire staff can be used for self defense. The spike is intended to sting, and not for use as a lethal weapon.
Cooking Gear
The most useful item in the way of cooking gear is a small stainless steel pot equipped with a lid that can be used as a frying pan (the lid should have a folding handle). Stay away from the cheap aluminum pots, they damage much to easily and can be harmful to your health. There are many excellent choices in the way of pots from camping stores. What is not so available is a truly useful grill to use to hold the pot. Most backpacking grills are flimsy and difficult to carry. A simple alternative is to make a grill out of an Echo stainless steel food steamer. The food steamer is made in the shape of a flower with folding petals. However, to use effectively you have to construct a tri-pod stand to give the petals a secure footing when placed over a fire. This can be easily done by using three 4 to 6 inch length (quarter inch diameter) bolts secured to the bottom plate of the steamer. Drill out three holes in the bottom plate (close to the edge of the petals) equidistant from each other. Secure three quarter inch unions to the bottom of the plate with small bolts that go no more than half way through the unions. Screw in the longer bolts that are to be used as the tri-pod. To store the system remove only the long bolts, fold up the petals of the steamer and place the steamer and long bolts into your cooking pot.
Water
In terms of survival the most essential component is fluid. If you allow dehydration to occur, you are not going to survive. Game over, you die. Most of us can afford to lose some body fat, but we cannot afford to lose fluid. Therefore, water becomes the first factor of consideration. However, most of the water that you are likely to find will probably be polluted. Short term solutions include the treatment of water by first boiling then adding a few drops of chlorine or iodine. A simple paper or charcoal filter will improve the taste, but will not significantly reduce the bacteria level of the water. Boiling the water for at least 15 minutes will greatly reduce risk, however the chlorine or iodine is still necessary. The amount of chlorine or iodine is approximately one or two drops of each per glass of water that has been boiled. If the water has not been boiled then increase the amount of chlorine or iodine. What all of this means is that you should now have in your possession four or five ounces of chlorine (household bleach), and a bottle of iodine tablets. You can purchase the iodine tablets in most sports stores that carry camping gear. Tincture of iodine from your medicine cabinet can be used in place of the iodine tablets. Pharmacies usually have halazone tablets, however, simple household bleach can be used in its place. Do you need all three; boiling, chlorine, and Iodine? No, but you should always use at least one chemical after boiling the water. Iodine (now difficult to obtain) is probably the most effective treatment for water in streams, however in cities, chlorine may be the best choice. The only truly safe method for water purification is distilling. And even with that it is not 100 percent safe, but damn close. Its not hard to do, but it is time consuming. Boil water and catch the steam. It is the steam turned back into water that is safe to drink.
Finding water is not the issue. You will find water. While most of it is contaminated there is plenty of the stuff lying around this old planet. The real issue in terms of survival is one of energy conservation. Purifying water takes a lot of time, which you may not be able to afford. When possible travel should only occur after sunset with frequent rests. If you build up a sweat or allow fear to take you over, you place yourself at risk of dehydration. Any type of emotional stimulation will stimulate thirst, therefore you must learn to become still within. Practice some simple muscle relaxation exercises and meditation. While it is true that you need a minimum amount of fluid, you don’t require as much as you may think. You need about one and half quarts of fluid per day, but you can get by on half that amount. So change your thinking; your thirst will change accordingly. A couple of small pebbles in your mouth will help in reducing the feeling of being thirsty. Also, wearing a hat will greatly aid in the conservation of fluid. However, what is even better than a hat is a plastic umbrella. This may sound like a strange piece of survival gear, but it really does have many uses. In the nomadic life style direct sunlight can be fatal. An umbrella can block the sun or rain, catch rain water when placed upside down, or used as a wind break. Turned upside down with rocks lining the bottom it will catch the evening due. The dew will collect on the rocks and fall into the umbrella. Also, placed upside down over a hole in the ground with a cup at the center of the hole, the umbrella will collect moisture (on the ground side) evaporated from the ground, drip down the sides and into the cup. This works best during the day in sunlight, however it will work to some extent at night. How much water will you get? A four foot square plastic sheet will yield a little over a pint of water in 24 hours. It’s not much, but it will be pure and the process can occur while you sleep. Keep in mind that one gallon of water weighs approximately 8 pounds. So be prudent in how much you attempt to carry in your backpack. This raises the container issue which is often neglected in many survival books. Don’t rely on those trendy plastic bottles that are so popular for hiking and camping. They are not durable enough. What you should have in your possession is a one quart stainless steel canteen. These are expensive to purchase but well worth the money. Also, a back packing water purifying system is highly recommended (you don’t need to boil the water or use chemical treatments).
Food
You can survive for a few days without any food. However, eventually you do have to eat. First, think in terms of short term needs. The best short term preparation is something that you already may be doing. Many of us have developed a habit of taking a daily multivitamin. These are fairly inexpensive, light weight and easily stored. This is your first line of defense and should become a part of your current daily eating habit and definitely part of a survival kit.
You can eat just about any part of any animal. While plants are much more abundant than animals, they can be toxic. You’re better off eating rat droppings (don’t get caught up in functional fixedness) than a plant you cannot identify. However, after you have consumed the small quantity of carbohydrates that you have stored in your survival kit (rice etc.) you will have to search for food; this takes a considerable amount of time and energy. Where should you direct your energy in food gathering in the short term? The most abundant and easily gathered is in the insect world such as ants, grasshoppers, moths, or just about anything you find. Discard the head, wings, middle thorax and legs then eat everything else. With large black ants just discard the head. Discarding certain parts has more to do with taste than toxins, however many insects do have some toxins in the head and middle thorax. Most of this is not dangerous if the food is well cooked. If you must eat it raw then eat only the first and third thorax. The large variety of black ants found in rotting logs can be a gourmet meal. At night, all you need to do is light a fire and your dinner of moths will come to you. Next on the menu are worms and grubs which may be a little more difficult to find then insects, but certainly easier then bagging a moose. Get your skillet hot, fry them up and enjoy.
Of course if you can identify edible plants search for them while looking for insects. There are two plants worth mentioning because they are so easily identifiable. They are the common dandelion, and black mustard found throughout the United States. However, gird yourself for a bitter taste. A rule of thumb is the younger the plant the less bitter will be the flavor of the leaves.
Longer term measures of food gathering include hunting and fishing. So what do you hunt? The most prolific animals are rodents (mice, rats etc.), and these you will find anywhere, city or country. Strangely, the very vermin we have tried so hard to extinguish around our homes may become our primary source of food. Rodents live in large communities, therefore if you find one you have probably located many more. The simplest device for catching small rodents is a box, a stick, and a long string. However, this is a situation where catching is easier then grasping. What do you do after the animal is trapped in the box? Do you really want to place your hand under a box to grasp a large rat? One solution is to develop a system of snares that either incorporate a killing mechanism, or allow killing in a controlled manner.
The snare is simply a rope or wire with a loop at one end which is capable of closing. A cowboy’s lasso is a form of a snare. The hunting of one animal, rodent or deer, by one hunter with one weapon is a waste of energy. A system of snares (traps) allows one hunter to harvest more than one animal at a time. This method does not require the presence of the hunter. So what will you store in your survival kit to snare small rodents? The answer is a couple of rat traps and one or two mouse traps. The immediate closing mechanism of the trap is what defines it as a snare. With a couple of rat traps (secured to the ground with cord) you can catch rodents or even fairly large game birds, such as pheasants. Bait the traps with some of that peanut butter you have stored away in your survival gear. The mouse traps are primarily to use as a switch for snaring much larger game. A log, suspended in the air by a rope over a tree limb, can be made to release when a small trip wire is connected to the mouse trap.
The wooden bottoms of rodent traps will rot very quickly unless treated with oil. Any type will do, such as linseed oil, but if you don’t have that on hand treat them with household salad oil. Also, when you secure the traps to the ground make a hole through the wood platform, rather than screwing in any eye hooks. Next on the arsenal list for hunting is wire and nylon cord (not rope) for making snares. Some of the best wire is the 20 or 24 gauge picture hanging wire. If the game is small, you will need to use the nylon cord because it will close much easier. You need at least 25 feet of wire and 25 feet of the nylon cord. The nylon cord should be able to hold at least 30 pounds. Made into a lasso and hanging across a game trail the wire or nylon cord can be very effective in catching small game such as rabbits. The animal literally runs through the lasso and the motion of pulling forward closes the loop around its neck. You will have to prop the wire or cord over some bushes to maintain an open loop. A very ancient snare is to dig a hole about 10 inches deep across the width of the game trail, cover this with your plastic sheet and place your snare (use the nylon cord for this) on top of the plastic. Cover all of it with grass and dirt. You can secure the edges of the plastic with some rocks. Tie the long end of the snare (the non lasso end) to a log. The animal coming down the trail steps onto the plastic, falls through the snare, and into the hole. The animal closes the snare by struggling to free itself.
A long term method for catching birds, especially pigeons, is with a box and some coat hangers. This does require bait, such as bread crumbs or seed leading up to and into the box. An opening is made in the box (4 inches wide and 8 inches high). The coat hanger is cut into U shaped bars and hung from the inside of the box downward (the U is upside down) in front of the opening. These need to swing like a door, but only one way. The end of the wire hangs below the opening on the inside. These wires will swing in when the bird pushes against them to enter the box, but cannot push them out to leave the box. All that is needed to hang these U shaped bars is some staples or wire. It doesn’t have to be fancy it just has to work.
The concept of the snare can be applied to any mammal (including human) or bird. What is very important in all of this is maintenance and storage of your survival equipment. The rat traps you purchase in a hardware store are usually marked as disposable. They’re disposable because the staples holding the spring traps will eventually come loose. The staples can easily be replaced with a couple of small U bolts secured with washers and lock nuts. If you don’t have access to a drill you can easily gouge out the holes with a knife to accommodate the U bolts. The wire and nylon cord need to be stored in a manner that is easily accessible. The best method for storage is a carpenters spool that holds cord for marking. They come with a cord, but don’t rely on this for use as a snare, it is much to weak. Strip the cord out and replace with nylon cord. The snare wire is thin enough so that it also can be coiled onto a spool.
Be extremely cautious of how you handle the game you kill. Most will have fleas which will jump onto your hands as soon as you touch the carcass. Use sticks or plyers to handle the initial cleaning. Cut the meat into very small pieces and prepare it in a soup form. Make sure that the soup has boiled for at least 30 minutes. On small game, especially rodents, the only meat in any quantity is the hind quarters. Unless you are starving, it is easier to cut these off and throw away the rest of the carcass. Yes, it is a waste, but how well can you stomach the sight of rat intestines floating in your camp pot? Covering the first two thirds of the carcase with a cloth will help in keeping yourself from retching. Even if you’re used to cleaning meat, the sight of a dead rat you are about to clean and consume is tough at best. Give yourself a chance to adjust before attempting to eat the whole animal. The rule of thumb for hunting is ‘the slower the game the more likely it may be diseased’.
Camouflage
Camping and hunting stores sell a large variety of camouflage clothing. However, this type of clothing is often expensive and very out of place when traveling through urban areas. A much more useful outfit would be something all green such as green pants, shirt and hat (tan if you’re in a desert area). The shade of green (or tan) should be different for each item of clothing, this helps to break up the pattern. The point of camouflage is that sound, scent, and image blend with the local surroundings . In some situations, the best camouflage may be a blue suite with a white shirt and conservative tie. Survival will be dependent on camouflage and not confrontation. |
