Food stores run out, as does ammunition, and snares are quieter than gun shots. Whether lost in the wilderness, struggling after an urban disaster, or if you have intentionally fled into the wild, trapping is a skill that you will need to be able to implement if you hope to have a sustainable supply … Read more
Quail is delicious no matter how you happen to cook it. If you are hunting for quail, and you’ve never hunted the bird before, it can seem rather daunting. However, it is not too hard, if you understand a few simple tips about the process. Even novice hunters can get quail. Just keep the following … Read more
Wilderness survival is a near endless skillset, it can be hard to know where to focus your attention and what skills you should hone before moving on to less essential skills that fall more under the broad term of “bushcraft” rather than survival. The main difference between bushcraft and survival is that bushcraft is … Read more
Trout lilies are in the Erythronium genus along with 30 other species of flowers. They grow in temperate forests and meadows throughout the Northern Hemisphere, typically flowering in the spring. They can vary greatly in flower color, but they tend to have a six petal flower with a speckled center, two oblong leaves with … Read more
In some areas, fishing will be the most reliable means of obtaining meat in the wilderness. It can be done with little, and even no specialized gear. Here are some tips for success while survival fishing. Set passive traps whenever possible. This way you can spend your time and energy on other essentials … Read more
When most people of clams they think of the beach and the ocean, but there are hundreds of freshwater species of clams and mussels in North America. They should not be overlooked as a potential survival food. They can be found in muddy banks of rivers, and unlike fish, you will not need any … Read more
Most of the time, fires are going to require some level of attention and maintenance on your part to continue to burn. But this won’t always be possible or practical. Having a fire that requires no maintenance to burn through the night when inclement weather is rolling in and might make starting a new fire … Read more
When I write about a particular fire building method I usually mention that if the only fire you know how to build is a tee-pee fire then you don’t know enough about fire to stand much of a chance in the wilderness. But that’s not at all to say that the tee-pee fire is not … Read more
Not all skills that can benefit you in a survival situation involve building shelter or properly identifying edible plant species. Sometimes, especially in an urban survival situation, your ability to deal with, or avoid dealing with people will be a determining factor in your ability to stay alive. Learning another language can be a valuable … Read more
Outside of bug out scenarios or soldiers getting lost behind enemy lines, most wilderness survival situations begin by people willingly entering into the wilderness to enjoy themselves. For many, the more remote, the more enjoyable the experience. The concrete parking lot, hot shower, flush toilet, “camp” site is just not the same as a site … Read more
Shotguns are some of the most versatile weapons, but eventually, you will run out of ammunition. This video demonstrates an easy method of using a spent shell, primer, black powder, and bb’s to reload in the field. The technique does not require much to be carried with you in the way of specified tools or … Read more
When you are trying to survive in the wild, one of the most important skills you need to have is the ability to collect water. Just because you might find a stream or a lake doesn’t mean you can just drink the water, as it could be contaminated and need to be boiled first. In … Read more
If you are in a wilderness survival scenario and you come across a nest full of eggs your moral is bound to improve, but if you don’t have a pan to fry them in or a pot and water to boil them in your moral might start to slip back down with the prospect of … Read more
Most knots, for survival purposes or otherwise are about securing, but here is a knot with the unique purpose of making the rope easy to throw. This knot is useful when you need to get your rope over a branch, as when securing your gear from bears, or even when throwing a rope to … Read more
This time of year protection from the cold is your utmost concern in a wilderness survival scenario. Even if you are dressed for the elements it is not likely to be enough to keep you warm all night long when temperatures drop. These are a few materials that are widely available in the wilderness … Read more
If you are surviving in the wilderness protein from small game is going to be invaluable to you. The last thing you need after trapping or hunting an animal successfully, which won’t be easy, is to waste your kill and end up with less food than you could have had. Here are some tips … Read more
The name is pretty self-explanatory. A throwing stick is a stick that you throw at things you want to eat. There’s a little more to using it successfully, but basically, you throw the stick at what you want dead. One of the animals that a throwing stick can be successfully used to hunt is … Read more
Long term survival is going to require the ability to manufacture clothing and other products from the natural materials available. Brain tanning hides to make soft leather is one method that will make this possible. This video demonstrates each step necessary for the process and gives insights into why they are required and what … Read more
Even if you have all the food and items you need to bug out in a hurry, are you ready to survive in a wilderness survival scenario right now? How would you create a shelter if you don’t have a tent with you? It’s very important that you take the time to learn how to … Read more
In a time when it is not unusual to see kids as young as two years old using a touchscreen device to entertain themselves while being pushed around in the shopping cart through the store, it should be obvious that most kids are disconnected from the real, natural world around them. Children of this generation … Read more
It’s a shame when hiking in a remote area with pristine wilderness to find trash that careless people have left behind. But if you are struggling to survive in that same wilderness, that trash might look a lot better. One common item that can be found even in remote areas that has potential for … Read more
Fishing is a great way to get meat in a survival scenario. But it can be difficult to do if you need to spend your time tending to your other needs like gathering wood, building shelter, or hauling water. You could always just tie a line to a stick and leave it with bait in … Read more
Water is one of the three most important elements for survival, and in some circumstances, it might be the most important. Even in temperate environments with plenty of vegetation, it can be hard to find sources of water. But if you have a plastic bag, all you need to do is find the vegetation. I … Read more
As I’ve said before, if all you know about fire is the tee-pee camp fire, then you don’t know enough about fire to survive in anything be the most ideal scenario. The more versatile your fire building skills are, the better chance of survival you have in a variety of scenarios. The amount of, and … Read more
Not every fire building technique will work for every situation. The lean-to fire is a great design for windy situations. It provides a built-in wind block and allows for you to continually add fuel as the fire grows. Here’s how to build one. Gather all your tinder, kindling and fuel before trying to start … Read more
Being able to start fires and build lean-to shelters will keep you alive for short-term survival in the wilderness, but if the world as we know it comes to an end it’s going to take a lot more to make it. You will need to be able to repair and replace your gear, your clothing, … Read more
There is no tool that can equally perform all tasks. But the more versatile the tools that you carry are, the fewer tools you’ll need to carry and the lighter you pack can get. One tool that is compact, light, and versatile is a folding saw. Without suggesting that it can replace the time-tested ax, here … Read more
If you are surviving in the wilderness, especially in the forest, you are likely to have greater access to plant based food than meat. But meat is going to be crucial to provide you with protein, fat, and the energy you need to perform exhausting tasks like covering miles of rough terrain, gathering wood, and … Read more
Fatwood is basically wood with a high resin content. This means that there are natural chemical accelerants in the wood. These accelerants will make it possible to light a fire with only material available to you in the wilderness in conditions that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. This video describes and shows how to … Read more
The main advantages to survival in the tropics are warmer weather, higher availability of water, and higher availability of food. But simply because water and food are available doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be able to access them. Having the right equipment helps, but having the knowledge of what to look for and how … Read more
Fishing is a great way to get food for survival. But one drawback to fishing for survival is that the most common method of angling requires specialized equipment. A pole without line won’t catch any fish, and in a long term grid down scenario fishing gear will not be widely available. Even if you do … Read more
Wind can be a major difficulty in getting a fire started, but it doesn’t have to be. With a proper design for your fire build the wind’s negative effects can be minimized and the wind can even be used to your advantage. One such fire build is the cross-ditch fire. Here’s how to get started. … Read more
Modern fire starting devices utilize chemical accelerants, while primitive fire starting methods tend to rely mainly on friction. But there is a method that bridges the gap, used by people with no modern technology, and yet also incorporated into modern fire-starting methods, such as the butane lighter. This method is that of using the impact from … Read more
Survival isn’t camping, and it doesn’t just happen when the weather’s nice. If you are in a real survival scenario where you are living from day to day and trying to get the food you need to survive, you need to know every possible method of adding to your stores, and that certainly includes ice … Read more
Being able to properly identify animal tracks and determine their approximate age is a great skill to have for wilderness survival. It can help you to hunt or trap game, find water, and avoid potentially dangerous animals. But what about the times when tracks aren’t present? Well, even when the ground or weather makes tracks … Read more
Given that these days you can get a paracord bracelet that has a fire rod incorporated into the design for less than $10, I don’t usually write much about primitive friction fire techniques. However, knowing how to start a fire from only the material in the wilderness is a valuable knowledge and a skill that … Read more
As I have written about before here, not all fires are equally beneficial in all circumstances. For those times when warmth is needed and fuel shortage is not an issue, a log fire build is a great choice. It can be modified to burn slower, to work with damp wood, or to cook on, but the … Read more
An alcohol stove is a great piece of gear to have. Whether for backpacking, bugging out, or an alternative cooking method for disaster preparedness, an alcohol stove is worth its weight in gold. Since prepping can get expensive quick, it’s always nice to save money by manufacturing what you can. Here are some simple instructions … Read more
As I always say, if you have all the gear you need, it’s called camping, not survival. The same is true when it comes to acquiring water in the wilderness. Preferably you will have a water filtration device and a container with you, but in reality, you might not have anything with you at … Read more
