I have often chuckled at many writers and other "professional woodsmen" who teach and talk about "wilderness survival." They tell you to pull out your knife and do this,that & cut the string so long and tie it here & there. I get the deer in the head lights look when I ask “where did the knife and string come from?”
Later they'll certainly speak of snares and tell you to make an end loop in the wire about the size of a BB. Pass the other end through forming a loop about the size of a three fingered fist and stake it on a rabbit run, about two fingers high off the ground.
I ask, “were did the wire come from?” OH! My "survival kit" Wow. I did not think of that! But then <span style="font-style: italic">I think</span> if I got para-cord, a knife, wire, a water bottle, a bandanna, a Power Bar, Iodine tabs and all the other classics in the timeless survial kit, I'm really not surviving, I'm merely on a unplanned, bonus camp out. (All aboard!)
Sure if the chips are down I hope a UPS Jet falls out of the sky near me that was loaded with goods headed for campmor.com, but I don't count on it nor do I learn survival skills form a take _____ out of your handy dandy kit. I like me too much, and especially love my family & friends that I take into the wilderness far too much to make such assumptive assumptions.
I learn survival skills from a "naked in the wilderness" point of view. That is in the mindset that for whatever reason- you find yourself in a survival situation WITH NOTHING. If you learn to deal, cope and overcome with nothing, -NO-THING- (clothing allowed there Mr. paisty white neanderthal) other than what you take from the landscape, you'll feel like you got a Walmart Super-Center in your pocket if you got your “kit” when the chips really are down. But what if your kit is not allowed? Well, you still got “naked” skills; no one ever, anywhere, can take your Naked knowledge – the most basic knowledge of living- regardless, away from you.
So how about a little story? Maybe it will spike interest around here in both Operators & Civvys to TRULY rethink their preparedness.
Twice or three times I had to fly COMMERCIAL to an AO in a different overseas countries. It was after 9/11 and all the associated security upgrades. It occurred to me I was flying over the big pond as well as diverse terrain. A whole lot of it. For a long time.
And airplains DO crash. Have you ever read the book about the crash in the Andes Mountains or the associated move entitled "Alive"? Not to mention I have over a decade experience in Aircraft based Search & Rescue and have helped haul out twisted & charred bodies. So I did put me together a little kit for my long high ride.
In my carry on luggage I had me a lighter as well as a knife. I felt more prepared with those two items; I figured if I actually did live through augering in from 30,000 I might not feel so perky and a few items I figured might make things more luxurious. I know, even I can succumb to creature comforts at times.
I had some other carefully selected items with me that seem ordinary enough to the casual observer that are actually quite versitle. Items such as a little container of apple cider vinegar. It's basically a medicine chest if known how to use it internally as well as topically. I had honey as well. The Romans used to smear it in sword wounds & still today I read it is applied at closure during some specific modern surgeries as it is a natural anti-microbial. It's pretty good in coffee to! These are but a few things that were carefully selected for my carry-on.
So you call BS! How did I get my knife and lighter on board? Well I ran my carry-on day pack right through X-ray and off my merry way I went. US Marshall? Nope- I walked on board as a commoner just like you do.
My knife was a chunk off flatish Obsidian about the size of a box of playing cards, and I had with it an oblong rock roughly the size of a domino. They let me walk right on with my two pet rocks.
Perhaps it never occured to the security that I could take my little hammer stone and flake (knap) my piece of obsidian in a wicked sharp blade in short order. Obsidian happens to make the sharpest cutting edge to date on planet earth. It's used in modern surgery, etc. When viewed under a scanning electron microscope beside a scalpel, the OB looks like a sharp edge and the scalpel looks like a dull pruning saw. But hey, I was happy to be just a weird dude with my pets rocks in my carry-on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsidian
And my lighter: Ah- those two little sticks. Odd one there. They made us pitch our ink pens but let my two little 8 inch long sticks go right on through the X-ray, and right on the plane. Does wood show up on X-ray? I dunno but in any event it was evidently deemed to be non-threatening items in “pet-rock weirdo’s” bag.
MY sticks were a seasoned and tuned hand-drill set. I'm a world class hand driller and can when in <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"></span>good</span> drillin shape go from scratch to having produced a sizeable hot burning ember in less than 15 seconds.(not a typo. WELL less than half of that even is my all time personal record) Making a burning ember in a minute or two (MAX) is everyday ordinary. Drop said ember in fuzzy fiber, natural or synthetic or in a wad of chicks long hair (ask, don't grab) and poof you got yourself fire.
So yeah, At most I got an odd look or two, but the airlines gave me special treatment and permitted little ol me to have my very basic survival kit on-board.
-The end- of the story. But I have spoken of some primitive skills that can be mastered and used effectively to get by when a person trains from a naked into the wilderness mindset. And then- the landscape IS your “kit.” And the comical part is when you train with that focus and that level you have to dot a lot more i’s and cross more t’s than the guy that trains with modern kit. And surprisingly enough sooner than you think you’ll be able to out woodsman the equipped guy, with even you still taking from the landscape! Why? Because you OWN the knowledge. He (as in –you- & 99.99% of others) that walk into a natural landscape whether it be mountain, prairie, swamp or (future) decimated suburb take your general load of gear, know the basics of it and are comforted with the fact that you have ”what you need” though you have mastered none of it’s technique or uses WHEN EVERYTHING IS AGAINST YOU. So what do I mean by OWNING knowledge of an item or task? How do you come to OWN knowledge? Well that can be the next little story preceding my basic Naked into the Wilderness instructionals if anyone is interested in my producing them in similar format to what I wrote in the reloading section recently. Lemme know if there is interest.
Later they'll certainly speak of snares and tell you to make an end loop in the wire about the size of a BB. Pass the other end through forming a loop about the size of a three fingered fist and stake it on a rabbit run, about two fingers high off the ground.
I ask, “were did the wire come from?” OH! My "survival kit" Wow. I did not think of that! But then <span style="font-style: italic">I think</span> if I got para-cord, a knife, wire, a water bottle, a bandanna, a Power Bar, Iodine tabs and all the other classics in the timeless survial kit, I'm really not surviving, I'm merely on a unplanned, bonus camp out. (All aboard!)
Sure if the chips are down I hope a UPS Jet falls out of the sky near me that was loaded with goods headed for campmor.com, but I don't count on it nor do I learn survival skills form a take _____ out of your handy dandy kit. I like me too much, and especially love my family & friends that I take into the wilderness far too much to make such assumptive assumptions.
I learn survival skills from a "naked in the wilderness" point of view. That is in the mindset that for whatever reason- you find yourself in a survival situation WITH NOTHING. If you learn to deal, cope and overcome with nothing, -NO-THING- (clothing allowed there Mr. paisty white neanderthal) other than what you take from the landscape, you'll feel like you got a Walmart Super-Center in your pocket if you got your “kit” when the chips really are down. But what if your kit is not allowed? Well, you still got “naked” skills; no one ever, anywhere, can take your Naked knowledge – the most basic knowledge of living- regardless, away from you.
So how about a little story? Maybe it will spike interest around here in both Operators & Civvys to TRULY rethink their preparedness.
Twice or three times I had to fly COMMERCIAL to an AO in a different overseas countries. It was after 9/11 and all the associated security upgrades. It occurred to me I was flying over the big pond as well as diverse terrain. A whole lot of it. For a long time.
And airplains DO crash. Have you ever read the book about the crash in the Andes Mountains or the associated move entitled "Alive"? Not to mention I have over a decade experience in Aircraft based Search & Rescue and have helped haul out twisted & charred bodies. So I did put me together a little kit for my long high ride.
In my carry on luggage I had me a lighter as well as a knife. I felt more prepared with those two items; I figured if I actually did live through augering in from 30,000 I might not feel so perky and a few items I figured might make things more luxurious. I know, even I can succumb to creature comforts at times.
I had some other carefully selected items with me that seem ordinary enough to the casual observer that are actually quite versitle. Items such as a little container of apple cider vinegar. It's basically a medicine chest if known how to use it internally as well as topically. I had honey as well. The Romans used to smear it in sword wounds & still today I read it is applied at closure during some specific modern surgeries as it is a natural anti-microbial. It's pretty good in coffee to! These are but a few things that were carefully selected for my carry-on.
So you call BS! How did I get my knife and lighter on board? Well I ran my carry-on day pack right through X-ray and off my merry way I went. US Marshall? Nope- I walked on board as a commoner just like you do.
My knife was a chunk off flatish Obsidian about the size of a box of playing cards, and I had with it an oblong rock roughly the size of a domino. They let me walk right on with my two pet rocks.
Perhaps it never occured to the security that I could take my little hammer stone and flake (knap) my piece of obsidian in a wicked sharp blade in short order. Obsidian happens to make the sharpest cutting edge to date on planet earth. It's used in modern surgery, etc. When viewed under a scanning electron microscope beside a scalpel, the OB looks like a sharp edge and the scalpel looks like a dull pruning saw. But hey, I was happy to be just a weird dude with my pets rocks in my carry-on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsidian
And my lighter: Ah- those two little sticks. Odd one there. They made us pitch our ink pens but let my two little 8 inch long sticks go right on through the X-ray, and right on the plane. Does wood show up on X-ray? I dunno but in any event it was evidently deemed to be non-threatening items in “pet-rock weirdo’s” bag.
MY sticks were a seasoned and tuned hand-drill set. I'm a world class hand driller and can when in <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"></span>good</span> drillin shape go from scratch to having produced a sizeable hot burning ember in less than 15 seconds.(not a typo. WELL less than half of that even is my all time personal record) Making a burning ember in a minute or two (MAX) is everyday ordinary. Drop said ember in fuzzy fiber, natural or synthetic or in a wad of chicks long hair (ask, don't grab) and poof you got yourself fire.
So yeah, At most I got an odd look or two, but the airlines gave me special treatment and permitted little ol me to have my very basic survival kit on-board.
-The end- of the story. But I have spoken of some primitive skills that can be mastered and used effectively to get by when a person trains from a naked into the wilderness mindset. And then- the landscape IS your “kit.” And the comical part is when you train with that focus and that level you have to dot a lot more i’s and cross more t’s than the guy that trains with modern kit. And surprisingly enough sooner than you think you’ll be able to out woodsman the equipped guy, with even you still taking from the landscape! Why? Because you OWN the knowledge. He (as in –you- & 99.99% of others) that walk into a natural landscape whether it be mountain, prairie, swamp or (future) decimated suburb take your general load of gear, know the basics of it and are comforted with the fact that you have ”what you need” though you have mastered none of it’s technique or uses WHEN EVERYTHING IS AGAINST YOU. So what do I mean by OWNING knowledge of an item or task? How do you come to OWN knowledge? Well that can be the next little story preceding my basic Naked into the Wilderness instructionals if anyone is interested in my producing them in similar format to what I wrote in the reloading section recently. Lemme know if there is interest.
