Delving into the world of primitive survival techniques is not only a rewarding experience but also imparts valuable skills that could prove crucial in an emergency. It’s important to approach these practices with care and always have a backup plan in place for unexpected circumstances.
Make sure your water is properly purified, have a reliable method to start a fire, avoid relying solely on primitive shelters, and bring a map and compass when exploring unknown areas.
While exploring my region, I often come across small stone fragments left behind by the Ancestral Puebloans, likely from their arrowhead crafting. These encounters make me question whether my own survival skills would be enough to withstand such a harsh environment.
Around twenty years ago, I began my journey into learning survival skills on my own, without the use of modern tools. I started with a few instructional books and gradually moved to practicing in my backyard. Over time, I’ve had the opportunity to teach others who are interested in learning, and I’m always enthusiastic about sharing the knowledge I’ve gained.
What one needs to learn to conquer the wilderness
Becoming proficient in the eight fundamental primitive survival skills, often referred to as bushcraft, is surprisingly attainable with dedication, patience, and a sincere interest in learning. Start by choosing a specific skill, work on mastering it at your own pace, and then try it out in a natural environment.
While there are numerous bushcraft techniques to explore, eight are essential for surviving in the wilderness:
- Finding and collecting water
- Creating a friction fire
- Building a survival shelter
- Making a weapon for hunting and self-defense
- Hunting and trapping small mammals and birds
- Fishing using primitive methods
- Navigating in the wilderness
- Treating common injuries
It’s wise to practice each skill at home before attempting them outdoors. Understanding the broader context and potential challenges of each skill improves your chances of success. However, true proficiency is usually gained through extensive hands-on experience. Once you feel comfortable with a skill, plan a camping trip to put your knowledge to the test.
Keep in mind that becoming truly skilled in these areas is a gradual process, often taking years of committed practice before you can confidently rely on them for survival.
Finding and Collecting Water
In survival situations, securing a reliable water source is critical, as humans can only survive for three to five days without it. To increase your chances of finding water, use a variety of techniques to locate potential sources.
Look for natural indicators such as trees, willows, or shrubs, which often suggest that water is nearby. Since water flows downhill, check the low points in ravines, canyons, or depressions where it might collect. In forested areas, stop and listen closely for the sound of running water or waterfalls, which can guide you to a source.
Observing wildlife can also help you find water. Follow well-defined animal tracks, which often lead to water, or look for clusters of insects like mayflies or caddis as signs of nearby water. Watch birds as well, since they tend to make frequent stops at water sources throughout the day.
The best option is to find water from a free-flowing source like a small stream, but it’s essential to purify the water to remove contaminants such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Boiling is one of the most reliable methods, especially if you don’t have a water filter. Boil untreated water for at least one minute, or three minutes if you’re above 5,000 feet in elevation.
Rainwater is another valuable resource for survival. You can collect it by placing a large open container in the open or by making a rain catcher by tying a poncho or tarp to trees to create a funnel.
Morning dew and solar stills are additional methods for gathering drinking water in the wilderness:
- Dig a hole about two feet wide and two feet deep in moist ground, placing a container in the center.
- Cover the hole with plastic, sealing the edges with rocks.
- Place a small pebble on the plastic to create a depression over the container.
- Overnight, water vapor will condense on the plastic, draining into the container.
In areas rich with fruit, you can eat it to stay hydrated. In desert environments, carefully remove the spines and skin from cacti to extract some water. Some tree roots may contain water, though the amount is usually minimal. Another method is transpiration, where you tightly wrap a plastic bag around the leafy ends of a tree branch overnight, which can produce a few drops of water.
Creating A Friction Fire
Mastering the skill of building a fire is essential in primitive survival, providing not only warmth but also serving critical functions like cooking, boiling water, and keeping wildlife at bay. While it’s smart to carry two or three reliable fire-starting tools when you’re in the wilderness, practicing friction fire methods regularly is valuable, even if it can be time-consuming.
To successfully start a friction fire, you need extremely dry tinder and wood, as damp materials can make the process nearly impossible. Here are two proven techniques for creating a friction fire:
The Fire Plow:
- Prepare the Fireboard: Find a flat piece of softwood, around 18 inches long and at least 4 inches wide. Softwoods found near water or bamboo work well.
- Carve the Groove: Use a knife or sharp rock to carve a groove about 1 inch wide and 8 inches long in the center of the fireboard.
- Make the Plow: Choose a hardwood stick about a foot long, sharpening one end to form a point.
- Create Wood Dust: Place the fireboard on the ground and rub the plow back and forth in the groove to produce wood dust.
- Position the Board: Shift the fireboard onto your knee so the dust collects at the end of the groove.
- Generate Heat: Press down firmly and rub the plow quickly in the groove until the wood dust starts to smolder.
- Ignite the Tinder: Lift the fireboard and gently blow on the smoldering dust until it catches fire.
The Bow-Drill:
- Gather the Components: You’ll need a socket (a flat rock with a central depression), a drill (a sturdy, straight hardwood stick), a fireboard (a flat, soft piece of wood), a bow (a flexible green stick), and a sturdy cord for the bow.
- Prepare the Fireboard: Cut a small depression in the center of the fireboard and carve a V-shaped notch that connects to the depression.
- Set Up: Place the fireboard on the ground with tinder positioned beneath the notch.
- Position the Drill: Place the drill in the depression, wrap the bowstring around it, and use the socket to hold the drill in place.
- Saw the Bow: Secure the fireboard with your foot and saw the bow back and forth, applying downward pressure.
- Create Hot Dust: As the drill rotates, it will generate hot black wood powder that falls into the tinder.
- Ignite the Fire: Once the tinder begins to smolder, remove the fireboard and blow gently on the tinder until it catches fire.
While there are other friction fire methods, these two are among the most effective. Alternatively, if you lack specialized tools, you can also start a fire by striking rocks like flint, quartz, or jasper together to produce sparks.
Building A Survival Shelter
There are countless techniques for constructing a survival shelter, and covering them all in a brief article is impractical. Instead, I recommend starting with a lean-to shelter, which is a versatile and straightforward option. Here’s how to build one by observing the trees and shrubs available in your environment:
- Choose Your Location: Opt for a flat area, ideally against a rock wall, though you can also face your lean-to towards a fire for added warmth.
- Construct the Frame: Use long, straight branches to form the framework of your lean-to. Position these timbers against the rock wall or lean them against nearby trees for stability.
- Add Insulation: Gather dense, leafy shrubs to fill in the spaces between the timbers. This will help camouflage your shelter and offer additional insulation.
- Create a Bed: Line the ground inside the shelter with more shrubbery to create a comfortable and insulated sleeping area.
By following these steps, you’ll have a basic but effective survival shelter suited to your surroundings.
Making a weapon for hunting and self-defense
Once you have secured fire, water, and shelter, the next imperative is crafting a weapon for various purposes. Here are diverse options for crafting effective weapons:
- Simple Club:
- Utilize a robust length of wood as a heavy-duty club.
- Use it for clubbing animals or throw it to stun them.
- Stone Knife:
- Crafting a stone knife involves a trial-and-error process, but the results can be remarkably practical.
- Choose a suitable stone, such as chert, and chip it into the desired shape.
- Use a hard stone to apply pressure to the knife’s edge, flaking off pieces until it becomes sharp.
- Bone Knife:
- Opt for a large bone, like a deer leg, and break it with a rock to create a sharp point.
- Wooden Knife:
- Ideal for puncturing, carve a pointed stick until it is sharp enough to pierce the skin.
- Spear:
- Sharpen a long, straight stick or cut a notch in the end of a lengthy, straight stick.
- Attach a stone knife blade using strips cut from clothing or other available cordage.
Having a variety of weapon options ensures adaptability in different scenarios. These primitive weapons can serve both hunting and self-defense purposes, providing essential tools for survival in the wild. Always prioritize safety and precision in crafting these weapons to maximize their effectiveness.
Hunting and trapping small mammals and birds
Once you have a weapon ready, the next critical skill is mastering hunting and trapping, particularly for small game and birds, which will be your primary food sources.
Start by learning about the animals in your area—understand their daily and seasonal movements and their eating habits. This knowledge helps you set traps in the most effective locations. Besides basic snares, a practical trap to build is the “Figure 4 Deadfall,” which should be one of your initial tasks after setting up your wilderness shelter.
Another useful trap involves creating a pitfall near an animal’s burrow entrance. Dig a deep, steep-sided hole along a known path and cover it with leaves to trap passing rodents.
While traps can work passively, it’s important to spend a few hours each day actively hunting small game. Using a club to throw at animals can be effective for stunning or killing them. Crafting a spear or gaff is another valuable hunting technique:
- Prepare the Spear:
Choose a long, straight branch that is slightly taller than you and strip off the bark.
If you have a knife, attach it to one end to create a spearhead. If not, sharpen the end by rubbing it against a rock.
- Hunt:
Learn the daily patterns of your prey, then position yourself discreetly in a tree or behind a large rock.
Aim for the torso or belly of the animal, and throw the spear with force or jab it if you’re close.
- Practice:
Regular practice is key to improving your spear-throwing accuracy, so frequently practice on targets.
If you encounter larger game, it’s a chance to diversify your diet. Be ready to track the animal if it’s wounded, as a single spear wound may not be instantly fatal. Mastering both trapping and hunting techniques ensures a comprehensive approach to finding food in the wild.
Fishing using primitive methods
When you’re near a body of water, spearfishing can be a highly effective method for catching fish compared to hunting small game. Here’s how to do it:
- Craft a Spear:
Create a spear using a similar technique to what was described for hunting.
Stand quietly in a shallow part of the lake or river, remaining perfectly still to avoid scaring the fish.
- Spearfishing Technique:
Wait patiently until a fish comes close, then quickly lunge forward to spear it. Patience and stillness are crucial for success.
Another effective fishing method is using a net:
- Create a Net:
If you have a small piece of mesh or netting, such as what’s found on some backpacks, you can make a simple net by attaching it to a tree branch.
Alternatively, crochet a net using available cordage.
- Use the Net:
Hang the net at the water’s edge and wait for a fish to swim near. When a fish approaches, scoop the net quickly to capture it.
If these methods fail, you can use a heavy stick to club and stun fish:
- Clubbing Technique:
This method requires quick action, as the fish will only be stunned temporarily and may recover quickly.
By mastering these primitive fishing techniques, you’ll develop a versatile skill set for securing food from aquatic environments.
Once you’ve addressed your basic survival needs, the next priority is self-rescue and navigation to ensure safety. Even if you intend to stay in one place for a while, having basic navigation skills is essential for survival.
Basic Navigation Techniques:
- Landmark Recognition: Identify and remember prominent landmarks and their relative positions. This method works well for navigating within a few miles of your camp but is less effective over longer distances.
- Using the Sun: The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west. As you travel north, expect the Sun to rise on your right and set on your left. Be aware of potential confusion when the Sun is directly overhead at midday.
Nighttime Navigation:
- North Star (Polaris): Find the Big Dipper constellation in the Northern Hemisphere. Draw an imaginary line between the two stars forming the outer edge of the Dipper, extending this line to locate the Little Dipper. The North Star is situated at the tip of the Little Dipper’s handle.
Advanced Navigation Technique:
Shadow-Tip Method:
- Setup: Find a flat, unobstructed area and place a straight, 3-foot stick vertically into the ground.
- Mark the Shadow: Before midday, mark the end of the stick’s shadow on the ground using a rock or twig.
- Record Changes: Wait 10-15 minutes, then mark the end of the shadow again.
- Determine East-West:
- Draw a line between the two marks to establish an east-west direction.
- Refine East-West Line:
- Draw another line from the first mark to the second to refine the east-west bearing.
- Find North-South:
- At midday, draw a line from the shadow’s shortest point (at noon) to the base of the stick to determine the north-south direction.
Mastering these navigation techniques will improve your ability to navigate the wilderness, enhancing your chances of safely reaching your destination.
Treating common injuries
When traveling long distances, especially at night, being prepared to handle common injuries is crucial. Understand the basic principles for treating these injuries and have a plan to manage them effectively:
- Small Cuts and Lacerations:
Clean the Wound: Use clean, boiled water to wash the cut or laceration promptly.
Protect the Wound: Apply a sterile bandage to cover the wound and reduce the risk of infection.
- Controlling Bleeding:
Apply Pressure: Use firm, consistent pressure to stop any bleeding.
Tourniquet Use: If bleeding is severe and doesn’t stop with pressure alone, use a tourniquet as a last resort. Be cautious with its application, as improper use can result in the loss of the limb.
- Handling Broken Bones:
Set the Bone: Align the broken bone properly. If you’re unable to set it yourself, seek help, as the bone will heal in its current position if not set correctly.
Create a Splint: Use sticks and cordage to make a splint, securing it to immobilize the injured limb.
Immobilize the Area: For fractures that are difficult to treat, such as a collarbone fracture, try to keep the affected area in a stable position.
Understanding and practicing these basic injury treatments can significantly enhance your safety and well-being during wilderness adventures. Being well-prepared to handle injuries can make a crucial difference in managing and recovering from them effectively.
With these skills mastered, you’ll be equipped to handle various survival challenges and ensure your safety no matter where you find yourself.
Suggested resources for preppers:
Harvesting and canning wild greens
The #1 food of Americans during the Great Depression