This is a reader submitted piece from “Angry Mike” of www.mresource.net writing on primitive skills.
Lets face it folks, when SHTF you will only be able to work with what you already have. Skills, tools, firearms…if you don’t have them, you wont have them. And it could be you are the only one that the SHTF for and not the entire world?
Case in Point: you are driving by yourself in a snow storm and realize you are completely lost. They you get stuck or break down. You only have what is on your person and in your vehicle.
I carry on my key chain a medium Swiss Army Knife, Doan Fire Starting Tool and a knife sharpener. My keys are with me everywhere I go. I also have a back pack with a space blanket, poncho, multi tool, 4 inch hunting knife, 50 feet of para cord, first aid kit, 3600 calorie food bar, water proof matches, whistle with compass, another Doan tool with tinder, another large Swiss Army Knife, a Bic lighter, a small fishing kit with hooks, line, weights and bug lures and one roll of military trip wire. I have an assortment of medication, pain relievers etc. as well. I keep at least a few bottles of water in the car at all times. Why so many duplicates? Things always go wrong or break or get lost when you need them the most.
Not much to work with and I will be adding things to it but I know I have a few things with me to get me out of a pinch. Some additions will be a hammock, a tarp, a wool blanket, hatchet, folding shovel and heavy rope. Things not listed are skills and knowledge. I can make a fire bow, I can make a figure 4 dead fall trap, I can build a variety of shelters, I can make snares and track animals and know what their tracks look like, I can make a throwing stick to hunt with, I know birds fly to water in the AM and fly from it in the PM, I know bees and hornets never nest more than 1 mile from a fresh water source, etc. etc. etc.
I break my skills/tools in to 3 categories: Modern, Semi-Primitive and Primitive. Take fire for instance. The matches and lighter are Modern. The Doan tool is Semi-Primitive and the Fire Bow is Primitive.
Chances are I wont be tanning any hides. I might be skinning a rabbit, squirrel or raccoon though. These can be scraped, dryed by hot rocks and worn as clothing. I will probably be catching fish if there is a stream, pond or lake around. My fishing kit has only 2 bait holder hooks and the rest are really trout hooks.
Eating trout is a novel and dreamy idea but I would most likely be eating sun fish and blue gills. They are plentiful and try to eat just about anything. Game fish are picky eaters and sensitive to temperature, light, etc. I could use the guts and heads to try for a catfish if the water is large enough to hold them. With the hammock (once I add it) I could stretch it across a narrow point and drive fish into the holes, provided the air temperature is not below 50 degrees and I already have a fire and shelter. Risking hypothermia for a sunny is not worth it. The elements can and will kill you faster than anything else, next to a severe wound.
Which brings me to the 3’s of survival. If you don’t know them, pay attention. 3 minutes to bleed to death, 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 hours in the elements, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. Kind of prioritizes things a bit, don’t you think?
There is no such things as useless knowledge, stupid questions or unneeded skills. Learn, practice, survive.
Thanks, A.M.
– Ranger Man
2 comments
Perhaps the best thing one can do is go out for several days and actually use knowledge/skills/gear in the field. There is no better way to find what works, what doesn’t, and what you need. Come SHTF is not the time to make your first practice run.
Very true! I’ve been doing outdoor survival for years, sometimes six months in a row in the past. Starting a fire is STILL hard, especially if conditions aren’t ideal.