The Importance of Shelter
The Importance of Shelter
Shelter is necessary to give shade, to repel wind and rain and to keep in warmth. Sleep and adequate rest are essential and the time and effort you put into making your shelter comfortable will make them easier to get. If you are the victim of a plane crash or a vehicle breakdown, either may provide a shelter or materials from which one can be built – but if there is fire or the threat of the fuel tank exploding, wait until it has burned out before attempting salvage. If you are an unequipped victim of an accident, are trapped by unexpected fog or caught by nightfall in terrain where it is not safe to move around, or if exhaustion or injury prevents you from going further, you may have to make do with any natural shelter that you can find for the night, or until you can more fully assess the situation. In this case, virtually any protection...
Animal Products
Animal Products All animals provide skins. Their condition will depend on how carefully they were removed, the way the animal was killed (which may have damaged the skin), the age of the animal and time of year (Mating season, molt and change of season can affect the amount and color of fur in some species). Common defects are due to parasites, disease, malnutrition and scars from fight injuries. SKINS AND FURS Snakes, lizards, crocodiles and other reptiles all provide excellent skins. So do large birds such as ostriches. Some aquatic mammals, seals and their relations, are fur-bearing, like land mammals, and whales and dolphins have strong hides. Sharks also have a hide, instead of scales like most other fish. Birds can be skinned with the feathers attached and used to make warm clothing or bed covers. Skin is a source of food and in circumstances of acute shortage can be eaten, even after being preserved and used for clothing, but it is very...
Insects as Survival Food
Insects as Survival Food The best emergency survival foods are high in fats and protein, easily acquired and prepared for eating, widely available, and numerous throughout the area you are in. In all these categories, eating insects as survival fare has little completion. Gathering insects for survival food can give you the highest return in terms of energy expenditure versus energy gain. As you travel outdoors or lounge in camp, keep a container handy and collect insects as you find them. Over the course of a day you may be able to obtain quite a large number of them in this way with very little extra effort. Even during the winter months in cold climates a skilled survivor should be able to find edible insects if he knows where to look. Look under and within rotten wood, beneath rocks, and in sheltered spots where insects may have laid eggs or spun cocoons. Ants, termites, moths, grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, beetle larvae, caterpillars, spiders and many other...
Survival Plan
Survival PLAN The main elements of survival are Food, Fire, Shelter, Water, Navigation and Medicine. To put these in order of priority we use the acronym PLAN. No matter where you are in the world this will never change be it the Arctic, desert, jungle, sea or seashore. Being suitably prepared may well save your life. P – FOR PROTECTION You must ensure that you are protected from further danger, e.g. impending avalanche, forest fire or exploding fuel. Always stay on the scene of the incident as long as it is safe to do so and then make sure you are protected from the elements. This means making a shelter and often lighting a fire. There are several reasons why you should always stay at the scene: -1 You can utilize the wreckage for shelter, signaling etc. -2 It’s a bigger signature on the ground, making it easier to find. -3 There are probably injured people that cannot be moved. -4 By staying where you are you conserve energy. -5...
How to Start a Fire
How to Start a Fire Always light your fire from the upwind side. Make sure to lay your 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. Methods for starting a fire fall into two categories: modern methods and primitive methods. Modern Methods – Modern igniters use modern devices—items we normally think of to start a fire. Matches Make sure these matches are waterproof. Also, store them in a waterproof container along with a dependable striker pad. Convex Lens Use this method only on bright, sunny days. The lens can come from binoculars, camera, telescopic sights, or magnifying glasses. Angle the lens to concentrate the sun’s rays on the tinder. Hold the lens over the same spot until the tinder begins to smolder. Gently blow or fan the tinder into flame, and apply it to the fire lay. Metal Match Place a flat, dry leaf under your tinder with a portion exposed....