What Does It Take To Survive Long Term In
The Wilderness.
I have been out bush with hunters using
modern firearms & muzzle-loading arms, & for this day & age I would
say that they would be classed as reasonable hunters, well some of them anyway.
But in a SHTF situation where you may have no idea how long you will have to
live in the bush, frankly these hunters don't cut it.
People ask me what does it take to live
long term in a wilderness situation, & my answer is always the same. First
you need to be as one with nature, you have to realise that you too are an
animal. All animals have a name, fox, dingo, roo, deer, etc, & the most
dangerous of all animals is called human. Once you realise this, & start
acting accordingly, then you are on your way. Next you need to be proficient in
many primitive skills, some you may be really good at, others you may perform
but not be an expert. That is okay, that is the way it is.
Next you need to have the right equipment,
& this too NEEDS to be mostly primitive. If you have enough members in your
group that you can afford to have two or three carrying modern firearms, all
the better. But these should be kept for defence only, & they are never to
be relied on long term. Instead, arm the majority with muzzle-loading arms
& bows, but not compound bows. Compound bows use special arrows &
special bow strings, & these are NOT sustainable long term.
Next you need to think about clothing.
Modern clothing will have a short lifespan in the bush, but primitive clothing
can be made. Learn to make & wear woodland Indian moccasins, & if you
do wear modern footwear, at least take a pair of moccasins with you tied to
your pack. 18th century woodsman clothing will last you a long time, it is hard
wearing, practicle & has no stress points. Following is a list of skills
that the woodsrunners (men & women) in our group are expected to be
proficient in.
Woodsrunner's Skills.
This is a list of basic skills in which I
personally would expect an 18th century woodsman or woods-woman to have some
experience with.
- Flint
& steel fire lighting
- Wet
weather fire lighting
- Fire-bow
fire lighting
- Flintlock
fire lighting
- Flintlock
use, service & repair
- Marksmanship
with either gun or bow.
- Field
dressing & butchering game
- Blade
sharpening
- Tomahawk
throwing
- Making
rawhide
- Brain
tanning
- Primitive
shelter construction
- How
to stay warm in winter with only one blanket
- Cordage
manufacture
- Moccasin
construction and repair
- Sewing
- Axe
and tomahawk helve making
- Fishing
- Hunting
- Evasion
- Tracking
- Reading
sign
- Woods
lore
- Navigation
- Primitive
trap construction & trapping
- Open
fire cooking
- Fireplace
construction
- Clothing
manufacture
- Drying
meat & other foods
- Knowledge
of plant tinders & preparation
- Knowledge
of native foods & preparation
- Knowledge
of native plants in the area and their uses for other than tinder and food.
- Scouting/Ranging.
- Basic
first aid.
- Finding
and treating water.
- General
leather work.
