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Practice Survival Foraging!
Quite Nutritious!
Foraging while on the move is a technique used to feed yourself while traveling on foot. While using this method of food accumulation, it is critical that you be super-vigilant during your movement for food products that could be easily harvested for your cooking pot. These products, regardless of how small, would include all types of food categories (animal, insect, plant). An example might be:
- Clover – This green vegetation grows in the cool/damp areas of a forest;
- Slugs – A shell-less snail, most commonly found on land in damp/dark hiding places and an ideal protein source;
- Bugs that Eat You – Whether they fly or crawl, all should be considered fair game for your cooking pot;
- Grasshoppers – An excellent choice of survival food;
- Ants – Readily available, easily harvested, and an ideal food snack;
- Pine Needles – Nutritious, high in vitamin C and other nutrients;
- Dandelions – A yellow, very distinctive flower that is native to all temperate areas. Green leaves are mild and quite palatable.
To be completely safe, all items should be cooked in/with available survival cookware. It will not only make the food more appealing but kill/destroy any existing parasites or disease.
Survival Foraging!
Edibles!
While in the service, I recall attending annual survival training; as a minimum, it was always conducted prior to any/all major deployments. During the training, they always reinforced or taught skills necessary to conserve your energy while on the move. One of the concepts taught was called Survival Foraging; this form of multi-tasking allows the survivor to gather edible food products while spending little or no additional energy. The criteria includes:
- Attempting to move from one point to the next;
- Food products must be on the direct line of travel and require little effort/time to acquire;
- Discard food prejudices. Remember insects and other creepy crawlers are eaten by some cultures on a daily basis. However, do not place survival at risk due to ignorance.
To be successful, you must be observant. Collect easy to get edibles no matter how small or what type (animal, insect, or plant). Stick to your route, but when stopped for pauses/rest breaks collect edibles. Storage of edibles and food preparation will be based on available survival equipment.
Flash Flooding!
"WHOA"!
In several of my last few blog posts, I mentioned precautions that could/should be taken during certain adverse weather conditions. However, I would be remiss if I did not mention those for flash/river flooding. It has become the biggest weather related killer across the U.S., causing about 50 deaths annually. To help prevent becoming a Flash Flood statistic, the following safety considerations/precautions should be exercised:
- Do not camp near small streams. Rain upstream can cause a flash flood. Camp on higher ground.
- Pay attention to signs warning of areas prone to flash floods.
- Do not try to cross a flowing stream on foot if water is above your knees.
- It only takes two feet of water to make a car float. If your car does stall, abandon it immediately and move to higher ground.
- Be very cautious at night when it’s hard to see flood dangers.
- Never try to cross rushing water. If you must cross standing water, be sure you know that the water is below your floorboards. Drive slowly so-as not to make waves.
As stated by someone, common sense and good emergency gear/equipment will prevail.
Tornado Safety Precautions!
Safety Precautions!
The United States averages about 1,200 tornadoes a year; however, this year we have had over 1,817 twisters, with at least 566 deaths reported thus far. You would think that we would learn from past mistakes; but , reports indicate that there continues to be a general complacency and lack of knowledge as to the precautions that could/should be taken.
In a House or Apartment:
- Go to basement if available. Seek shelter under sturdy furniture, a work bench or a stairwell. Cover your head or keep a helmet handy.
- In homes without basements, take cover in the center of the house. Go to a small room without windows, closet, hallway on the lowest level or hide under heavy furniture against a strong, inside wall. Put as many walls as possible between you and the storm.
- Keeps windows closed, and draw the blinds/shades over the windows to reduce glass damage.
In a Mobile Home:
- Evacuate your mobile home and seek shelter in a building (45% of people killed were in mobile homes when the twister(s) hit).
- If necessary, find a low spot such as a ditch or ravine.
A prudent person would have a family rehearsed plan. This would include a pre-packed emergency/survival kit that would be readily available.
Be Prepared!
Never Again!
Here a few days ago, the wife and I went shopping to an Air Force Base in rural North Dakota. It was about 20 miles in the middle of no-where and not much surrounding it other than wheat and corn fields. We finished shopping, got a bite to eat and started heading home about 9:30-10:30 at night. As you would guess, we had a flat tire and On-Star told me that it would take at least 2-hours to get a repairman out.
I thought no-problem, I do have an emergency kit in the trunk with all the essentials: tools, jumper cables, and a flashlight. However, to my surprise, the batteries were dead in the flashlight. I was a-little reluctant to start in the dark, when I couldn’t even see the lug nuts. Of course, the wife wasn’t much help; she was definitely concerned about the frozen food items she had placed in the cooler, they were starting to thaw!
I know some of you have been there, done that, and can visualize exactly what I’m talking about. It wasn’t very pretty! The very next day, I purchased an emergency light/ flashlight that not only works on batteries but can be recharged by a built in solar panel, a little crank generator and/or through a vehicle adapter – NEVER AGAIN will this happen to me!
Educational Experience!
Enjoy!
I have written about how important planning and preparation is when dealing with activities in the outdoors. Camping is a great educational opportunity for the entire family but your do’s/don’ts should be institutionalized (remembered by all). What is it that Grand-dad used to say, “You ain’t got enough time in the day to learn stuff over and over”.
Following are some of those tips and common sense things we’ve written down over the years, tidbits that will promote an accident free camping experience:
- Arrive at camp-site early, while there is ample light to completely set-up and check the surrounding area.
- Find flat level ground to establish your site. Surrounding trees will help break-up the wind.
- Examine the area for possible dangers: sharp objects, broken glass, ant beds, fallen branches, poison ivy, hazardous terrain, and bees.
- Stay away from an area with natural hazards like fallen branches. Make sure site is not susceptible to flash flooding.
- Set-up sleeping area (fire resistant tents) far from the campfire. Never use candles/gas lanterns inside a sleeping tent.
- You must have a first-aid kit and someone knowledgeable in basic first-aid procedures. Keep everyone hydrated.
- Your emergency kit should include items such as a map, compass, flashlight, knife, fire-starter, whistle, personal shelter, high energy snacks, warm clothing, purified water, and insect repellent.
- Restraint on use of alcoholic beverages should be exercised.
- Never use/drink unprotected water (regardless of how cool, clean and clear it looks).
- Keep tent flaps closed (keeps bugs out).
- Campfire must have a flame controlled barrier.
- Before going to bed, make sure food items and trash have been taken care of (don’t want to attract wild animals).
Good camping gear, common sense, and a few smarts will invariably prevail; have fun – always keep safety foremost in mind!
Bug Spray!
Bug Spray!
As I have written previously, camping can be a fabulous experience, but there’s also a down-side – you got to be prepared. I can’t think of too many things that would put a damper on a camping trip quicker than going out without the proper amount of mosquito repellent. You never wait and plan on getting it at the campsite; it’s never available.
There are many products that will repel mosquitoes, but the most effective lotions and sprays contain “Deet”. Also, Citronella candles might help deflect the pesky critters but should always be used in-conjunction with a topical product to assure the least amount of contact.
When selecting a good camping site – LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION should never be the over-riding factor. Even though it may be quiet, romantic, or picturesque, you don’t want to select a campsite that is next to mosquito breeding habitat such as marshes, storm water ponds, woodland pools, or standing water pools. Taking a vacation in the great outdoors can and will be enjoyable, but insect control must be part of your planning process!!
Drinkable Water!
Clean, Fresh Water!
Every back-packer and hiker understands that one of their biggest issues is maintaining a reserve of good, clean and potable water. Most carry that water in containers; but, at a gram per millimeter of water, it does increase the packs weight 2.22 pounds per liter carried. This factor could be significant and should be placed in the proper perspective.
For someone that is going on an extended cross-country trek, starting out with enough water to last the entire trip is not very realistic or practical. Conserving on water because of the weight consideration is not the solution either. This type of strenuous exercise requires an increase in water consumption – not a decrease!
If your trek can be routed close to external water sources such as streams, rivers, or lakes – only carry a couple liter/quart containers and a portable Katadyn Water Filter system . This purification capability weighs a mere 250 grams and will insure, not only a quick resupply capability, but a guarantee that the water you’re drinking has minimum pollutants with no extra additives – just clean, fresh drinking water!
Common Sense Prevails!
Make it Drinkable!
Even though it has been 4o years ago, I can remember my Military Survival Training as if it was yesterday. The instructors insisted that the key to outdoor survival was to keep a level head and would be contingent on finding three specific things: a water source, food, and shelter.
- Water: A normal person can go three days without water. However, physical activity will have a big impact on this. The more exercise your body does, the more water it will need.
- Food: Food is less crucial than water, because you can live approximately three weeks without it. But, like with water, physical activity will impact that drastically. On hand rations should be utilized only after all natural sources have been exhausted.
- Shelter: If the elements are not too severe, you might be able to survive without it. However, if it is November and in the mountains of Montana, shelter will quickly become the #1 priority.
If an Emergency Supplies/Survival Kit is available you should have water (including a water purification capability), contingency food, and protection from the elements; if that’s not available – don’t worry, it’s still not terminal. Your ability to stay calm, think rationally, and develop/execute a plan based on common sense (as influence by existing conditions), will go along way towards getting you/your party home in the best possible health.
Be Prepared!
All Purpose!
Serious minded Hunters and Campers must always have an Emergency Supplies Kit in their respective tool boxes. If possible, this kit should be kept separate from other supplies and not used on a regular/reoccurring, non-emergency basis. I have found that military footlockers are ideal and can be specifically marked for this purpose.
Things that should be considered for an Emergency Supplies Kit might include:
- ready to eat meals (3-days);
- potable water/water purification devices;
- flares, flare gun, flashlight, lantern, extra batteries, AM/FM radio, all purpose first-aid kit, blankets, breathing protection, tarpaulin;
- something to communicate with, i.e.: whistle, radio (2-way) etc.
Emergency Supplies Kit must be checked at the beginning of each Hunting or Camping trip and refurnished as needed.
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