Technology can hamper one’s self- sufficiency, without you even realising it. Sure, there are many useful tools and apps which aid a healthier and more organised lifestyle, but when it comes to the bare bone of survival – can man really function without technology?
Imagine this; you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere – for whatever reason – without a cell phone, GPS or any form of shelter. Chances of someone finding you in the next 24 to 72 hours are slim. Facing your mortality issue and the elements that be– how will you survive?
Here are 6 basic survival skills that everyone should know:
1) Locating a suitable campsite
The urgency of securing a suitable campsite is largely dependent on the time of day and your location. The ideal campsite should be located away from valleys, paths, dense areas and overhanging branches. This will help you to survive flash floods, falling tree branches and any unseen insect and spider nests that may be nestled high-up on tree branches.
Look for a rocky wall (score if it has a ledge overhead; this will protect you from falling rocks) or a clearing that will provide a solid foundation.
2) Building and insulating the shelter
Rest fallen logs or thick branches at an angle, creating a triangular shape. If available, tie vines or root shoots around the branches to secure the structure. Once you’re comfortable with the stability of the structure, start layering moss, leaves, small plants and debris to insulate the structure. Repeat the same insulation process on the ground inside the shelter. For better heat retention, the insulation mat should be about 4-6 inches thick.
When building a shelter, you need to make the most of the resources at hand. This is a illustration of a shelter in a dense forest and dry woody area.
3) How to start a fire – without a survival kit
Fire is an essential survival element. It is not only a vital source of heat, but a means to cook food, boil water, dry clothes and send out smoke signals.
Building the fire
Dig a fire pit in the ground, about 30 cm in breadth and width. Gather a sufficient amount of twigs and dry bark to stack over the pit to form a steeple. Gather some tinder (pine needles, dry leaves, dry roots, Birch bark and feathers) and larger logs to maintain the fire once you’ve got it burning. Place rocks around the pit and add some tinder in the pit. A sufficient wood supply is twice the amount you think you may need.
Keeping the ember burning is essential to fueling a larger fire. If your ember dies, you will need to start again.
Starting the fire
Use a piece of dry tree bark as a base or fire board. Carve a v-shaped ridge halfway through the backside of the fire board. Fill the ridge with a small ball of tinder. Flip the board and use a sturdy and dry branch as a fire drill. Start drilling directly above the ridge until you breakthrough. The friction between the fire board and fire drill should create a hot black powder that will ignite the tinder. Don’t stop drilling at the first signs of smoke; continue until the tinder is at a steady burn. Maintain the ember by gently blowing the tinder. Add the ember to a larger ball of tinder, cupping it in your hands and gently blowing until the ember ignites the larger tinder ball. Once the tinder ball starts burning add it to the tinder in the fire pit and continue blowing to ignite the entire pit. Use the larger logs to fuel the fire once the smaller twigs and branches start burning.
4) Finding clean water
Boiling water kills all pathogens, but if boiling water is not an option, collect rain water or extract it from vines, thistles and certain cacti.
To find a natural water source, dig in dry stream or river beds and/or near vegetation. If the soil is damp just under the surface, keep digging a hole until water seeps into it. Use your hand to drink it, or soak it up with fabric and wring the water into your mouth
If you can’t find a natural source of water, tie a plastic packet or something similar, that can retain water, around a leafy tree branch. You will be able to extract water from the leaves through transpiration.
You can carve bowls out of tree bark and boil the water using heated stones, if you do not have a metal container at hand.
5) Sourcing food
Finding food in the wilderness can be a daunting experience. The idea of tracking and killing a living creature can be hard to wrap your brain around, but a necessary means of survival. Sure, there are other options like living off plants, insects and fish, but one has to know which ones are in fact edible. It is highly recommended that you do some recreational research on poisonous plants, fish and insects. Worms are also an excellent source of protein.
It’s important to know what foods are edible in the wilderness. One bite of the wrong goods could determine whether you live or die.
Here are a few tips of what to avoid when eating plants:
- Milky or discoloured sap
- Spines, fine hairs, or thorns
- Beans, bulbs, or seeds inside pods
- Bitter or soapy taste
- Dill, carrot, parsnip, or parsley-like foliage
- “Almond” scent in the woody parts and leaves
- Grain heads with pink, purplish, or black spurs
- Three-leaved growth pattern
6) Navigating
Using the sun to guide you is a simple method, although not as precise as an actual compass. You will need to use the stars as a guide after nightfall.
Depending on your location, you will either navigate by day, night or both. You’re in luck if you have a compass. This will make navigating and tracking your movements a lot easier and more precise.
There are many ways to replicate a compass with makeshift systems. The one I opted to cover is the simplest one, using the sun to find direction.
Although there are some seasonal variations, the sun always rises in the East and sets in the West. In the northern hemisphere, the sun is due South when it is at its highest point in the sky. You can tell when the sun is at its highest point when objects cast no noticeable shadows.
Other methods include modifying your wristwatch, using a needle and tracking the North Star or Polaris at night, to mention but a few.
The abovementioned skills are the basics of wilderness survival, and it is strongly recommended that you explore other skills, too. Namely, how to tie a knot, how to do basic First Aid, how to set traps, how to make tools and whatever other knowledge Bear Grylls and the rest of survivalist crew has to share.
