Survival Skills
"I hope my books empower kids, and that they learn how to work out their problems themselves." - Jean Craighead George
“I had been working since May, learning how to make a fire with flint and steel, finding what plants I could eat, how to trap animals and catch fish – all this so that when the curtain of blizzard struck the Catskills, I could crawl inside my tree and be comfortably warm and have plenty to eat.” - Sam Gribley
In Our Story
Well.. Obviously Survival Skills are a HUGE part of our story. Or really like.... the whole story...
Let's gooo
Umm.. Survival is a lot of work.
There are a ton of things to know... from shelter building to making fire, finding water or basic first aid. We've had to split it all up amongst a few pages but here we go...
3 is the Magic Number
In survival, the rule of threes involves the priorities in order to survive. The rule, depending on the place where one lives, allow people to effectively prepare for emergencies and determine decision-making in case of injury or danger posed by the environment.
Normally, the rule of threes contains the following:
You can survive three minutes without breathable air (unconsciousness) generally with protection, or in icy water.
You can survive three hours in a harsh environment (extreme heat or cold).
You can survive three days without drinkable water.
You can survive three weeks without food.
Each line assumes that the one(s) before it are met. For example, if you have a large quantity of food and water yet are exposed to the environment, then the harsh conditions rule applies. The rule may be useful in determining the order of priority when in a life-threatening situation, and is a generalization (or rule of thumb) rather than scientifically accurate.
Additional generalizations may be presented with the rule, though they are not typically considered part of the "Rule of threes." For example, it might be said that it takes a three-second psychological reaction time to make a decision during an emergency, or that an individual can last three months without companionship or hope.
Use your noodle..
Survival techniques are plentiful, but there are basic survival skills that everyone who ventures into the outdoors should understand, and be fully aware of their potential need and use.
This is just a brief outline, not a full explanation of all the requirements and items required in each category.
One of the most important elements of survival is between your ears – your brain.
Of all survival techniques, the most important is DO NOT PANIC, use your wits and practice all elements of the five basic survival skills before you may need to rely on them.
Remember, stay positive, be tough, avoid panic, work hard
and take care of the worst problem first.
“Change your ways when fear seizes," he had said, "for it usually means you are doing something wrong.” - Jean Craighead George, Julie of the Wolves
Shelter Building
Shelter is the survival technique by which you protect your body from excess exposure from the sun, cold, wind, rain, or snow. Anything that takes away or adds to your overall body temperature can be your enemy.
Clothing is the first line of shelter protection, have the right clothes for the right environment. Always have a hat. Do whatever you can to keep the layer closest to your body dry. Layers trap air and are warmer than wearing one thick garment. Do not expend energy making a shelter if nature provides one.
Shelter can arguably one of the most important priorities in a survival situation. There is a lot to know about what and where and how to build them.
See "Shelter Building" page for expanded information.
Water in the Wild
Water is the #1 priority.
Never wait until you are without water to collect it.
It is Vital to your survival. Ration your sweat, not your water intake.
Water also required it's own page with info on finding, purifying and obtaining water.
Fire Making
Hmnn.. Important skill but not for us Dear Readers.. because dangerous.
Fire is an important survival technique. Fire can purify water, cook food, signal rescuers, provide warmth, light, and comfort. It can also help keep predators at a distance and can be a most welcome friend and companion.
DISCLAIMER: DO NOT JUST GO OUT AND MAKE FIRES. IT IS NOT OKAY. NOT. OKAY. THIS SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE SAID, SINCE YOU ARE ALL SMART AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS BUT SERIOUSLY... DO NOT DO IT. READ THAT AGAIN. DO NOT DO IT.
Again in Our Story..
“ I must say this now about that first fire. It was magic. Out of dead tinder and grass and sticks came a live warm light. It cracked and snapped and smoked and filled the woods with brightness. It lighted the trees and made them warm and friendly. It stood tall and bright and held back the night . . . and never have I felt so independent again.” - Sam Gribley
Smokey the Bear says
Extinguishing Your Campfire - Never forget this step!!
Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible.
Pour lots of water on the fire. Drown ALL embers, not just the red ones. Pour until hissing sound stops.
If you do not have water, stir dirt or sand into the embers with to bury the fire.
Basic First Aid
First aid as a survival technique is not just the basic medical needs, it is the primary way in which you act to survive. DO NOT PANIC, remain calm, and do what you have to do to take care of yourself.
STOP means Sit, Think, Observe, and Plan. It is the most intelligent thing you can do when you realize you are lost or stranded. The most important element is to keep your brain functioning rationally, this is basic first aid for survival.
Analyze your needs before every trip, create a medical checklist, and carry a small personal kit with you at all times. Most survival situations require only dressing for small cuts, bruises, and personal medication needs, make sure you know what you have with you and how to use it. Do not overpack, pack what you feel you will need to carry with you at all times. Prevent hypothermia by insulating yourself in a space blanket.
Concentrate on being found.
It's a good idea to take a basic CPR and/or First Aid class to be sure of your skills if you plan on being out in the wilderness.
A medical kit can be invaluable in the backcountry, especially if you’ve found yourself in a survival scenario because of illness or an accident. Think beyond Band-Aids and antibiotic ointment for cuts and scrapes, and include other items that can double as survival tools. ACE bandages can serve a variety of purposes, gauze pads for larger wounds, splints for supporting fractures, steri-strips to help close wounds with uneven edges, and alcohol prep pads that can be used for a variety of purposes.
Tools
There are tools you should have if heading out into the wilds... Some suggestions are as follows. Some can be recreated, if necessary, in nature.. as also follows.
Here are a few things you should bring along on your trek. And some tips for things to make if you don't.
Map and Compass
Even if you’re going on a flat, short day hike in a familiar area, you should always have a topographic map on hand. It’s easy to get turned around and lost if you step off trail, even in your most frequented stomping grounds.
A compass is an absolute necessity. It’s lightweight, analog, and easy to use alone or with other tools— if you know how to read one correctly. Take an orienteering class with your local outfitter or hiking/mountaineering organization so that you will know precisely how to use this classic survival tool in a pinch.
Flashlight/headlamp
The only thing harder than being lost, stuck in a backcountry emergency, or trying to survive the unexpected is having to manage in the dark. Even if you’re only planning a day hike, it’s always wise to have your headlamp on hand, or at least a small pocket-size flashlight.
Space Blanket
Staying warm can be a big challenge in survival scenarios, even in conditions you might not expect. Temperatures can drop quickly after the sun goes down, especially in alpine or desert environments.
Moisture or humidity can have a big impact on the body’s ability to retain heat, too, even if the daytime temperature was warm. If your clothes or body are wet, you’re going to have to work that much harder to stay at a safe temperature. These lightweight blankets aren’t an alternative to a sleeping bag but are perfect in a bind. They reflect your body heat back at you very effectively, making it easier to stay warm and dry.
That’s not the only way you can use a space blanket as a survival tool, however. You can use the power of the sun or a candle to cook food using the space blanket as a reflector. You can use it to signal for help or show which way you went. You can even use it to supplement a tarp or ground pad as part of your shelter construction.
Making things
In Chapter 11, after Sam removes the hide from his deer and smokes the meat, he continues to use the rest of the deer for other tools, including a bone for a spearhead to catch frogs.
Cooking
There are a number of good reasons to cook your food in a survival situation. First and foremost, it will kill off most parasites that might be living in the animal you are about to eat. Becoming ill in a survival situation is a surefire way to find yourself in serious trouble.
Secondly, cooked food requires less energy to digest. Out in the wild, survival is a delicate balancing act of foraging and resting to preserve your energy, of burning and consuming calories.
Some simple ways to cook in the wild are to skewer something and roast it, or fry food on a hot rock placed around the coals. You can also smoke meat if you have the time—48 hours will make it last for two to four weeks. But the best way to cook something in a survival situation is to boil it, assuming you have a metal container. This way, you can drink the water afterward to make sure you don't lose any of the valuable nutrition.
Signaling
Signaling is unique among survival techniques in that it gives you the means and ability to alert any and all potential rescuers that you are in need of help.
Having multiple effective ways to signal for help can make all the difference in a survival situation where outside help is warranted. Distress signals can take many forms, from high-tech modern electronics to the primitive techniques and materials that our ancestors would have used. Signaling is one of the most under-practiced and under-emphasized skill sets in our survival arsenal, and it’s about time we took it more seriously. Follow my lead and learn how to assist in your own rescue with our roundup of signaling methods and essential gear.
Mirror
Use regular signal mirrors only when you can see a plane, or people in the distance.
Rescue mirrors are unbreakable reflectors are designed specifically for outdoor applications and as survival tools. On any regular day, you can use the mirror to help you apply sunscreen without missing a spot. If your trek goes sideways, however, you can use the mirror to signal for help. The reflected glimmer can reach up to seven miles depending on weather conditions, alerting pilots to your location and distress.
Lights, Flares, Flags, Whistles
If you have one use an emergency strobe light at night to help attract attention from those that may be in the area.
Lay out ground messages to air signal in an open field, S.O.S. from rocks, logs, or colored clothing, whatever will be seen against the background.
Most search and rescue parties use aircraft as a primary method of sighting.
A good, loud whistle comes in handy for all sorts of wilderness applications. It’s one of the most essential survival tools when you are frequently going into the backcountry where people are few and far between and wildlife is abundant. A whistle of at least 100 decibels will cut through ambient noise and travel great distances, plus alert animals like bears to your presence.
The humble whistle is a fine piece of signal gear for short-range audible signaling. Three blasts of a whistle are generally interpreted as a universal signal for distress. Select brightly colored whistles, which are easy to spot if dropped. Also, select whistles that are attached to lanyards, rings or clips, to prevent loss. Keep it attached not just to your pack, if possible, but to your person, in case you get separated from your gear.
Self-rescue
Normally you should stay put in a survival scenario: maybe light a big fire in a prominent place, and wait for the search and rescue chopper to arrive. Other situations however, demand that you take a different approach: Get out of the wild while you still have the strength! But how do you decide when to stay or go looking for help? Check out these determining factors—and pray you never have to mull this over for real.
If you’ve done the right thing before leaving home (told someone exactly where you are going and when you’ll return), then you can expect some kind of help when you come up overdue. Stay put, build a camp, signal your distress and wait for help. But if you are lost or injured in the wild, and no one knows where you are – then no one knows where to search.
If no one knows where you are, and you can move, you need to self-rescue while you still have strength. And if someone responsible knew where you were, but help still doesn’t arrive in a week, it’s time to self-rescue. One week is usually the time period that the largest number of personnel are searching for a survivor. After a week, less people are looking (and typically, they are looking for a body). If a week has passed, leave ample signals in your camp that establish your identity and which direction you are headed to look for help.
First thing’s first: everybody should be traveling the backcountry with a map and compass, and some kind of electronic navigation. Even if it’s just an app on your phone, GPS navigation can help you find roads, waterways, ranger stations or even towns. And if your tech goes down, you still have map and compass as a back-up. But let’s say those items are lost when your pack falls off a cliff or sinks into the river. Now you have to navigate by memory or by logic.
You can use natural features as navigational aids. Follow a waterway downstream. Follow a valley as it descends. Use some landmark or handrail to avoid wandering in circles (a real thing). In the old days, rivers were the highways through the wild, and even today – there is ample human activity near rivers. This also keeps you near a water source, which is vital for your survival.