To put it simply, survival skills refer to the skill set required to stay alive. Nonetheless, I would like to further elaborate on this explanation. Survival skills encompass a collection of knowledge and capabilities relating to strategies and approaches that come into play when contemporary conveniences and infrastructures are absent or non-functional due to damage.
When considering survival skills, people usually associate them with wilderness survival. However, in my viewpoint, this term is quite comprehensive and universal. Even though essential skills for survival include attitude, shelter, water, food, first-aid, and security, for instance, one’s survival skills can extend far beyond the foundational aspects.
Survival skills can be applied to various aspects of life, including cooking, baking, managing utilities, starting fires, constructing shelters, purifying water, identifying edible plants, trapping and hunting animals, gardening, building fences, preserving food, strategizing and avoiding threats, and many other techniques.
Despite the underlying theme, rephrase the text below while preserving the same meaning. Please refrain from introducing new information and do not omit any existing information. There is an implicit motif, however…
Self-Reliance
The fundamental idea is centered around being self-sufficient. Depending on oneself and possessing the necessary knowledge and capabilities to endure based on particular skills relevant to a given situation. And what situation might that be? Well, it encompasses a broad spectrum of circumstances and scenarios, without a doubt!
I have a few thoughts:
The survival scenario is crucial for survival skills. You have countless things that you could plan for and modify skills according to.
Each person possesses their own distinct interests and capabilities. It is impossible for anyone to possess knowledge or proficiency in every aspect. Typically, individuals are drawn to skill sets that captivate and bring them joy. Nevertheless, it is equally beneficial to test oneself and venture beyond the boundaries of comfort. The process may require an external push to enter that unsettling territory, but ultimately, the sense of accomplishment attained from mastering a new skill is often highly fulfilling.
The idea of being self-sufficient and surviving independently is merely a thought. In actuality, it would be highly improbable to sustain oneself completely without assistance for an extended period of time (the length of which can vary). Perhaps a select few could accomplish this, but the concept remains the same. Eventually, we will require help from others. This is, after all, how a civilization is established.
Valuable Commodity During Times of Disaster
Possessing survival skills is essential for experiencing peace-of-mind. Additionally, having survival skills allows for improved adaptation to situations without feeling overwhelmed, as well as making better decisions during times of crisis. Survival skills hold significant value during times of disaster.
Even though survival skills are not required in our modern world with support systems, they will transform you into a more self-sufficient individual who understands that relying solely on our modern infrastructural systems is not essential for survival.
Beyond Just The Primitive Skills
When you mention “survival skills,” the majority of individuals often think of bushcraft or wilderness skills. There are a few wilderness skills that might be encompassed by this term…
- Building a fire (in dry or wet conditions)
- Making a shelter
- Navigation with or without a map & compass
- Finding food
- Identifying animal tracks and tracking
- Finding (and filtering) water
- Building traps
- Knot tying
- Making rope
- Crafting tools and weapons
- Fishing (and hunting)
- Cooking
Survival skills encompass more than just primitive methods such as Bushcraft or Wilderness survival.
Adapting
In order to adapt more effectively, it is important to possess an open mind, a logical and critical-thinking approach, as well as practical experiences.
Adapting is likely the most essential skill for survival. It encompasses a broad concept (adapting, adaptability, adapting). However, the capacity to execute, to transform, to utilize the resources available to one’s advantage is a valuable attribute! Embrace adaptation and conquer.
Modern Survival Skills
Acquiring survival skills does not necessarily involve learning to live independently in the woods.
One could argue that the definition of “modern survival skills” could slightly differ, suggesting the ability to thrive and persist outside the established order (to different degrees) while still operating within contemporary society.
Begin by starting small. Take a closer look at the things that bind you, the factors that are keeping you tied down. Devise strategies to free yourself from these constraints. Identify the various systems upon which you rely in your surroundings. Seek out alternatives or alternate approaches to these systems.
Start by becoming a little more dependent on yourself and increasing your self-sufficiency by growing some of your own food, even if it is limited to certain seasons. Acquire knowledge in essential areas, such as home canning and food preservation, which is quite simple to learn. Reflect on the abilities you feel would assist you in being more self-reliant and self-sufficient. Begin acquiring these skills during your spare time, dedicating part of your weekends to learning. This is where the journey begins.
When considering any situation you are preparing for, contemplate the survival skills that you can acquire and practice independently.
Essential Survival Skills
Due to the advancements in technology, we have increasingly distanced ourselves from nature.
Technology has increasingly become a reliance in our daily lives as it aids us in navigating, keeping ourselves warm, locating shelter, and procuring sustenance for our bodies.
Having these skills is crucial for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities because any situation can potentially turn into a survival scenario, and possessing these skills can be life-saving.
The skills required to survive in different climates and situations differ significantly; the skills necessary for the Pacific Northwest are not the same as those needed for the Arizona desert.
The skills can be divided into several fundamental categories: navigation, regulating temperature, finding shelter, and acquiring food and water.
1) Navigation
Being able to navigate is a crucial survival skill as it greatly enhances your chances of staying alive by finding your way and maintaining a sense of direction.
Paying attention to your surroundings is the most fundamental aspect of navigation, as it provides various natural cues that indicate the direction. The primary cue is the sun’s movement. It ascends from the East, reaches its highest point in the South (for the Northern hemisphere), and descends in the West. However, this approach becomes challenging when the sun is not visible.
If it’s difficult to see the sun, shift your focus towards tree limbs. Tree limbs typically grow towards the southern part of the sky, where the sun resides for a majority of the day, in order to maximize direct sunlight.
Trees typically have a greater leaf density on their southern half, with a higher number of horizontal limbs. On the other hand, when facing north, trees tend to have fewer limbs that grow in a more vertical direction, as they strive to capture more sunlight.
Although it is generally advisable to avoid navigating at night, it is possible to do so by observing nature. Instead of depending on the sun, we will depend on the stars. The stars follow a different trajectory from the sun, as they seem to revolve around the north star. We can utilize this to navigate.
To determine your direction, lie down and align a stick with a star, as if you are aiming a rifle. As time passes, the stars will change their position. If the star moves in a specific direction, it indicates that you are facing the corresponding cardinal direction.
| Star’s Rotation | Your Direction |
| Left | North |
| Up | East |
| Right | South |
| Down | West |
L.U.R.D is an acronym designed to aid your memory in recalling this technique by thinking step by step.
2) Fire
When attempting to remain warm, what you are actually aiming to accomplish is an imperative survival skill. Hypothermia can sneak in discreetly and rapidly escalate a situation from unfavorable to life-threatening.
To retain heat and prevent heat loss, you can either generate heat by utilizing fire or conserve heat by seeking shelter and wearing suitable clothing.
Starting and maintaining a fire involves both art and science, as each individual has their own favored method.
Regardless of the method you choose, constructing a heat reflector will enhance the amount of heat generated by your fire. The concept is simple: construct a wall around the fire to redirect the heat instead of allowing it to disperse in various directions.
Making a reflector wall:
- Drive stakes into the ground, make sure to drive them so they’re leaning back.
- Stack branches against these to a desired height.
- Repeat for as many walls as needed to capture and reflect the heat.
3) Shelter
The type of shelter you are able and should construct is determined by your location, the duration of your stay, and the resources available to you. However, there is a fundamental design that can be reasonably modified to suit any geographical area.
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to create a tripod shelter:
- Make a tripod using three sturdy branches. One should be significantly longer than the others, long enough for you to lay down under the tripod.
- Lean branches along the length of the long support.
- Cover using whatever you have. Grasses, leaves, a tarp or plastic will all work.
By following this simple design, you can ensure to stay warm and relatively dry in various areas and throughout different seasons. To prevent getting wet in rainy weather, you can dig trenches surrounding your shelter. Make sure to dig the trenches on both sides of your shelter, focusing on the side that is uphill. This way, rainwater or groundwater will be redirected away from your shelter.
4) Water and Food
The skill of finding reliable food and water, which was once crucial for survival, has now been overlooked. While iodine and water filters are effective, they require accessibility. Fortunately, there is a centuries-old method of water filtration that even the U.S. Calvary used during their westward journey. My suggestion is to have three containers (buckets can suffice) and a straining tool such as fabric, coffee filter, or netting.
Here are the instructions on how to:
- Fill one container with unfiltered water (this will be the only container that unfiltered water comes in contact with to prevent contamination).
- Cut the bottom off on of the bottles. Wrap the strainer around the top, then pour in charcoal, then sand, then gravel into the bottom. This is the most common order. Depending on the size of the bottle and what you have on hand you can alternate levels of gravel and sand.
- Pour water through the straining bottle into the clean bottle.
All of these items can easily be found or created in the majority of survival environments.
You can make hardtack using only water, flour, and salt. Hardtack has been a staple for soldiers, sailors, pioneers, and others undertaking long voyages for generations, thanks to its long shelf life. Below is the recipe:
- 3 cups of flour
- 1 cup of water
- A little bit of salt
It’s as easy as mixing and baking at 375* for 30 minutes. Although you can enhance the taste by adding sugar, milk, peanut butter powder, or other flavorings, bear in mind that they will reduce the shelf life.
Conclusion
Having these skills is an excellent method to enhance your likelihood of staying alive in unfavorable situations, but their effectiveness can only be achieved through regular practice. The act of survival involves a continuous cycle of learning, practicing, and improving.
By practicing survival skills, you have the potential to not only save your life but also foster a stronger connection with nature, your fellow practitioners, and our ancestors’ way of life. Therefore, venture into the wilderness, acquire new techniques, and continue honing the ones you already possess!
