What Does "Preparedness" Mean? - Wilderness Survival

     I have many friends who have much more experience in the category of wilderness survival than I will ever have however I can say that there are definitely a few skills I’ve learned that have been absolutely invaluable to me whether I was camping in a state park campsite or hiking miles into the middle of nowhere on a survival trip. So despite what is likely to stir a heated debate I will submit my most cherished and important wilderness survival skills. I won’t go into all the different variations of how to do each of these things but I will mention them and discuss why they’re important. 

     Water: Being raised in Oregon’s Willamette Valley it was rare to find yourself somewhere in the wilderness without a short distance’s walk to water. Whether or not water is easily found water is an essential part of survival. Most scientists would agree that water is the first and most important substance to the body during a survival situation. Food can be found later since the body has an uncanny ability to survive for days without it. Water however is realistically a daily necessity. Knowing your terrain is the key to finding water. I know the Pacific Northwest well enough to pretty much find water no matter where they place me but I can guarantee that if you dropped me in Arizona I would experience a greater challenge. Each terrain is different and knowing the way water flows in your neck of the woods is important in finding water. 

     Water Purification: Once water is found it’s not always safe to drink. I’ve been lucky enough to go camping near a mountain spring where the water comes out pure and refreshing but not all locations have that purity. Some water has been infected with microbes and disease that cause serious diarrhea and stomach cramps. Stomach problems of this caliber could potentially be your undoing. Although there are many ways that you can purify water I couldn’t possibly select on as more important than another. Let’s face it survival is survival when it comes to this topic. The easy answer is to either have water purification tablets or a water purifier with you when you’re out in the woods. The thing is that if you’re caught in some cataclysmic disaster and you no longer have that option then you’ll need to find other solutions. Boiling water is one of the easiest if you can build a fire. At 212 F˚ or 99.98 C˚ water boils and even if it just reaches boiling it’ll kill giardia and many other nasty diseases. I will usually let it boil a little longer just to make sure. Some authorities will say four, five or even ten minutes but I’ll just say that is up to you. The minimum is to reach the boiling point.

Portable water filter made by Katadyn

     Fire: Boiling water is impossible without some sort of fire. When you’re trapped on a mountain you might not have planned to stay there that long and so you need to find a way to create fire. To a survivalist fire means the ability to block out the cold, ward off wild animals, purification of water, clean clothes and many other things. Each method is different with varying degrees of difficulty. My personal favorite is to use flint and steel but there are many other ways that are just as effective. 

     Food: This skill requires a little more work and reading then any of the others. I think most inexperienced people could bumble their way through the other items and survive to tell their tales however finding food can often be difficult. Just like finding water, knowing your terrain is the key to finding food. Trapping game is the ore difficult part of finding food. This skill is very important though because game of any kind brings in high protein and nutrients you can’t get from eating plants and berries. Know your weaknesses too. Catching larger game like deer, elk or moose is likely to be extremely difficult given your limited resources. If you find yourself with a bow or rifle then you might just be able to do that but remember that going after such big game is a serious endeavor and could take up valuable time in which you could be working on rescue. I would rather try to catch smaller game with snares and traps that require little time and just some simple know-how. Remember that even if they are typically bitter and still crawling bugs and other insects are very good for you. Know which kind of insects are poisonous but be ready to eat them if you’re stranded. They’re not that bad. The greatest thing about snares is that you set them and you can then go off to focus on other efforts to better your survival. Like shelter building… 

     Shelter: This might not be something you’ll need if you plan is to escape a situation. POWs and such are usually encouraged to keep moving and avoid leaving traces of their paths. For these situations shelter is not the best option however for the average citizen trapped on a mountain in dangerous weather this could mean life or death. Shelters should be small and compact to trap the greatest amount of warmth. Large shelters are more difficult to build and allow for heat to escape. Knowing your terrain and the available materials will also assist you. In the Pacific Northwest you can easily use downed trees or large boulders to make lean-too shelters. On tropical islands you’re less concerned with warmth and more concerned with protection from rain and sun so using palm leaves to block them both is a must. No matter the location, shelter can be made from anything around you and knowing which one for the terrain that you’re in is extremely important. 

     Orienteering: Every Marine and Soldier is taught this skill in boot camp and if you were a Boy Scout or even a Cub Scout you would have learned basic map and compass skills. If you have a compass or even a watch your ability to navigate is made easier. If you have neither then you are relegated to the tricks that nature has left for you. Know basic constellations and where they sit in the sky. North Star, Big Dipper and Cassiopeia should be well known to anyone that ventures out in the wilderness. For our Aussie friends the Southern Cross should be just as well known. Understand how to find where the sun is on a cloudy day because you might end up in the stormy Pacific Northwest where it takes more than just looking in the sky to see where the sun is. Understand land marks and how to read terrain so you can navigate them properly. These skills could become necessary if you’ve gone without being rescued for an extended amount of time. 

     Tool Making: I know that most people expect to only use these skills if something bad happens and they aren’t planning to be there for very long but what if you needed to know how to make a stone knife or a hammer or even a bow and some arrows? What if that were necessary to your survival? Would you know how to make them? A knife is potential the most important tool when surviving and without it your survival could be in jeopardy. Knowing how to make razor sharp knives could make everything easier on you. 

     In the movie “Castaway” with Tom Hanks we see him struggle through some terrible situations but in the last half of the movie we jump from the untrained, inexperienced castaway to the now tanned, hardened survivor throwing a fishing spear. That spear alone could save you in almost any survival situation that involves fish. The only difference between his and the one I use spear fishing is that mine is fiberglass with a metal tip rather than the wooden one he was using. This also applies to making fish hooks and lures because there are so many options. The natives of the Southern Pacific are famous for their bone hooks and lures. Knowing what techniques they utilized are very important to recreating similar tools. 

     Dangers: As important as it is to know what to seek out it’s equally important to know what to avoid. Animals, insects, terrain and other elements can significantly lower your chances if you’re not careful and knowledgeable. These dangers are real and deadly if you’re not careful. Eating the wrong plant or taking the wrong step is just as dangerous as accidently stepping between a mother bear and her cubs. Know your environment and understand the dangers.

     All together these simple skills can mean the difference between surviving and dying. Don’t be caught in a situation without the know-how. As Jack of All Spades we struggle to constantly prepare for dangers that might appear before us. Wilderness survival is much the same in that preparation is essential to life. Being ready for a survival situation before you’re placed into it could make all the difference.