In North America in the 17th and 18th centuries, every day was a survival situation for most people. High-calorie foods that would keep in all weather and stay fresh for long periods of time were a hot commodity. The flavor wasn’t a high priority, but calories and durability were.
Survival
The Donner Party – When Skills Fail And Mishaps Take Over
The Donner Party was a group of American pioneers who migrated to California in a wagon train from the Midwest. Their journey was delayed by a series of mishaps, and they were forced to spend the winter of 1846–1847 snowbound in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
How To Create A Natural Shelter
“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength, within our trials lives our triumphs. Friction creates a platform for change, generates heat and or fervor and creates a motivational charge that gives us an opportunity to be better”- Jason Versey
Blood Trailing Tips When Hunting Deer
Most hunters have blood-trailed deer or another big-game animal. Those who haven’t either have poor luck or haven’t been hunting very long. Tracking a double lunged or heart-shot deer is often simple, but marginal hits always make tracking difficult. Regardless of how long you’ve been hunting or how many perfect shots you’ve made, you’ll eventually face a challenging blood trail.
How To Make Candles In The Wilderness
The fascination with fire, and its integral role in the success of the development of us as a species, continue to inspire and “spark” discussion across any campfire, and I am sure yours too. It’s a subject I never get tired of. It is easy to restrict thoughts on the subject of fire solely to the campfire, cooking, and warmth. However, fire also provides us with many other resources, one of which is light.
Simple Steps For Tracking With Dust
Tracking with dust and other natural substances and using environmentally friendly substances to enhance sign, have been in existence since our ancestors used them for hunting prey. Indeed, recorded examples, ancient sketches, and cave paintings show tracking methods using powders and dust as far back as prehistoric times.
12 Sugar And Gums Plants You Can Find In The Wilderness
Long before refined sugar filled supermarket shelves, resourceful pioneers and Native Americans relied on sugar and gums plants found in the wilderness to satisfy their need for sweetness and energy. These natural sources of sugar were more than treats, they were vital survival foods that provided quick calories during long journeys or harsh winters. From the towering sugar pine to the sweet-sapped maple and the fragrant sweet gum, the wild offered many ways to sweeten tea, preserve food, or simply sustain energy on the trail.
What To Do If You Get Bitten By A Dog
Dogs are famously some of the kindest and friendliest animals known to man, owned by tens of millions of Americans and renowned for their loyal and loving nature. Unfortunately, while many dogs are cute and kind, others can be quite aggressive or lash out unexpectedly, and anyone who bumps into a rabid or vicious dog could find their life in danger in a matter of seconds.
Picking The Best Gauge For Hunting
When it comes to shotgun sizes and game, there’s not a one does all best gauge. Let’s see how they measure up when you’re out in the field.
Foraging For Wild Edibles All Year Round
As the first long hunters and early settlers explored and tamed this country, they fit the very definition of the term, “hunter-gatherer.” Absent were cultivated crops or convenient trading posts at which a person could obtain needed supplies. These early settlers killed and foraged for just about all the food they consumed.
Finding And Using Wild Fruit In Your Area
No matter where you live in North America, there’s likely a tasty wild fruit available for picking sometime during the year. While Native Americans and early pioneers actively picked and ate wild fruit, few people bother to seek out and pick them today.
10 Proven Ways to Be Self-Sufficient in the Wilderness
Living self-sufficient in the wilderness isn’t the romanticized adventure that Hollywood depicts, it’s a hard-earned skill set built on discipline, preparation, and respect for nature’s unpredictability. Whether you’re planning a long-term off-grid lifestyle or preparing for emergencies, becoming self-reliant outdoors requires more than just grit. It demands mastery of essential survival fundamentals: food acquisition, water purification, shelter building, and medical readiness.
Ten Critical Tips To Edged Weapon Defense
The world seems to be boiling this year, and an unexpected confrontation in a market or even in a parking lot can have a dire outcome. If you have to face an assailant armed with an edged weapon, the danger level of such a confrontation can turn into a life or death situation.