In survival situations, the ability to build and light a fire can make the difference between life and death. You can use fire to purify water, sterilize bandages, signal for rescue, drive animals from their homes, efficiently modify the landscape, smoke and preserve food, softening tar for adhesives, making charcoal for medicinal purposes, and provide…
Category: Environment
How to identify and avoid poisonous snakes and lizards
Regarding snakes, you should know their habits, how to identify the dangerous kinds, precautions to take to prevent snakebite, and what actions to take in case of snakebite.
There are various types of fires – each with its own purpose. Here’s how to build a variety of different kinds of fires for each scenario.
There are several methods for laying a fire and each has advantages. The situation you are in will determine which of the following fires to use. Here are a collection of firecraft methods suitable for any survival situation you may find yourself in.
Complete guide to sea survival – how to survive in the open sea.
Sea survival is perhaps the most difficult survival situation. Short- or long-term survival depends upon rations, equipment available, and your ingenuity. You must be resourceful to survive.
Cold weather survival – everything you need to know to survive in a cold environment
Introduction to Cold Weather Survival One of the most difficult survival situations is a cold weather scenario. Remember, cold weather is an adversary that can be as dangerous as anything else you can encounter. Every time you venture into the cold, you are pitting yourself against the elements. With a little knowledge of the environment,…
Tropical survival – how to survive in tropical habitats.
Introduction to Tropical Survival Most people think of the tropics as a huge and forbidding tropical rain forest through which every step taken must be hacked out, and where every inch of the way is crawling with danger. Actually, over half of the land in the tropics is cultivated in some way. A knowledge of…
How to survive extreme, hot outdoor weather conditions in the wild (desert survival).
To survive and evade in hot, arid or desert areas, you must understand and prepare for the environment you will face. You must determine your equipment needs, the tactics you will use, and how the environment will affect you and your tactics. Your survival will depend upon your knowledge of the terrain, basic climatic elements,…
How to make clothing and insulation in the wild.
About making clothes in the wilderness You can use many materials for clothing and insulation. Both man-made materials, such as tarps and tent materials, and natural materials, such as skins and plant materials, are available and offer significant protection. With the right materials and skills, it is possible to create clothing that will help you…
How to start a fire in the wild (using bow drill, hand drill, flint, and other methods)
Always light your fire from the upwind side. Make sure you lay the tinder, kindling, and fuel so that your fire will burn as long as you need it. Igniters provide the initial heat required to start the tinder burning. They fall into two categories: modern methods and primitive methods.
No compass (or watch) available? Here are other means of determining north/south direction.
You can use nature to determine the general north/south direction in a pinch. Moss, puddles, snow melt patterns, rings in a tree stump, even animal behavior can be used to help you determine your north and south direction of travel.
