by Tony Nester, Survival Instructor
How to make a fire in any weather (wind, snow, rain,) using modern firemaking devices
Be proficient with a knife, ax, and saw
How to dress properly and understand the insulative values of different garments and footwear!
How to handle common backcountry injuries and deal with trauma
How to construct natural and improvised survival shelters as well as hogans and cabins for long-term living
ID, harvest, and know how to use a dozen of the common edible plants of their region
How to use medicinal plants for healing injuries and have made an herbal first-aid kit
Able to cook delicious meals over the campfire using a variety of modern and primitive cooking methods
ID common animal tracks and follow the trail of a wounded animal
Skilled in hunting small game with a pistol and rifle
Able to make primitive deadfalls and snares and successfully procure wild game with them
How to skin, clean, and process wild game and fish
How to preserve meat and fish through smoking and air-drying into jerky
Be proficient at primitive methods of firemaking such as the bow-drill and hand-drill
How to use at least 10 bush knots for lashing
Be skilled at navigating with map and compass, GPS, and barehanded/celestial methods
How to read the clouds and forecast inclement weather up to 72 hours away
Make improvised containers for cooking and know how to coal-burn utensils
Skilled at basic tailoring for mending gear and clothing
How to make improvised hunting weapons such as bows, atlatls, and throwing sticks
How to make quickie stone-tools and improvised cutting edges from natural materials
Be proficient at living in the deep snow and extreme cold weather
How to sleep well in the wilds!!
Out of all of these skills, the area of procuring wild food, through hunting, trapping, fishing, and foraging for edible plants is the most challenging. A daily study … a lifetime study.