Survival, no kit

[CACTUS ELF]

Don't take it so hard, you are new, you haven't contributed much (if anything) to the forum, no tutorials, no pictures etc. so we don't know you, ........ sometimes I wonder if these questions are being posted by members of the press looking for a few looneys to make an easy headline,......... It isn't personal, contribute a bit more and get to know the place.

Oh and use the search function.

I'm not really taking it to hard, I haven't contributed as i'm trying to learn through reading, experience and forums like this. Really dont think that this is headline material for the national press and dont think i'm a loooney for preparing myself for situations that may be unlikely but not impossible and I dont think that others would. I will contribute when i have something valid to say, other than taking the mick out off less experinced people than myself. I do have many years experience in other fields where I train other's. I pass on information to them and reap the rewards of watching them grow. luckily without fear of ending up in the local rag. I have and will continue to use the search funtion. however peoples opinions and skills change, therfore asking questions that have been asked before, i feel, isn't a bad thing and is something I would welcome. Do you think teachers get asked the same question at school? We'd be in a sad state if they took the attitude of this forum, in this case. Anyway, thanks to those who did read and reply to the thread in the manner it was intended. I will endeavor to be more specific in future and hope the News of the World isn't watching

 

[Toddy]

Might I suggest a good basic course ?
Seriously, the kind of question that I think you meant to ask would really be amply demonstrated and explained by the Instructors........and they'd do it in situ, where you would only have the natural resources around you.

Loads of good schools around, lots of recommendations, bound to be someone nearby to where you are.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[jacko1066]

I don't really no much about this sort of survival scenario, but from Internet experience you may be better searching on google for some survivalist type forums cactus.
The only survival I no in bushcraft I if I'm gonna be able to survive the amount I time it takes the kettle to boil for my next brew lol!!
All the best mate, hope you fin what your looking for

Steve


Leave only footprints take only memories

 

[Retired Member southey]

I don't really no much about this sort of survival scenario, but from Internet experience you may be better searching on google for some survivalist type forums cactus.
The only survival I no in bushcraft I if I'm gonna be able to survive the amount I time it takes the kettle to boil for my next brew lol!!
All the best mate, hope you fin what your looking for

Steve


Leave only footprints take only memories

Basic survival is the basics of life, your just looking to get through each day in what ever situation your in, it is one subject under the umbrella of bushcraft.

 

[jacko1066]

Basic survival is the basics of life, your just looking to get through each day in what ever situation your in, it is one subject under the umbrella of bushcraft.

Yeah your spot on Southey mate.
I was just trying to get the point across that a lot of people, myself included don't really think about the kind of survivalist stuff, and on here the threads are very few and far between, so a better resource may be to check out specialist forums and such like.
If I want to no something about canoeing, I would go to s.o.t.p although there is a fair amount of stuff on here too, there will be a lot more on there an a lot more experienced members on the subject.

But I agree with you totally, I guess all the skills that we want to learn have originally come from primitive living where they didn't have the luxurys that we do today.
God I wish that kettle would hurry up!!
Cheers
Steve


Leave only footprints take only memories

 

[rik_uk3]

Hi all, if you found yourselves in a survival situation in a forest. where you had no kit except for boots, trousers/skirt and t-shirt. what bushcraft skills could you use to get by? Would it be possible for you without a knife or gore-tex jacket? What would be your plan of action? How would you make fire without something to make a notch for your bow drill? How would you eat? what would you drink, wee? thanks

Walk out, your never far from anywhere in most of the UK, no need to 'survive'.

Make it more interesting, make this story be in wildest Canada where you can wrestle a bear and make a coat from his skin and light fires with lenses made from polished ice et al

 

[Fat Rog]

ok, not trapped etc just in a forest, maybe in northern Canada or similar. Have a go bro, it seems people would find it hard without their BG ultimate knife

In fairness I don't think even the "experts" would find it easy without some basic kit. Not impossible, just not easy.

I guess if you were in northern Canada water would be easy enough, there's snow everywhere (just avoid yellow snow ). I can make cordage well enough from nettles without needing a knife, certainly it would be strong enough to construct an A frame shelter. I could use the boot laces to make a snare or a hand line for fishing. For a hook you can use a thorn. Assuming I have my watch on, I can tell where South is (and therefore the other compass points) during the day. At night I can identify the star Polaris, which points to true North. So navigation by day or night, should be possible. I've never tried flint knapping, but I reckon I could make a useable enough blade.

The biggest problem for me would be making fire by hand. I normally cheat and use matches. But I at least know the theory of both hand and bow drills, so I'd give it a damn good go . In point of fact your question has at least identified an area of weakness for me, something to work on. So thanks for that . As it stands I'd probably freeze to death. Given my waistline I certainly ain't gonna starve

So, COULD I survive without kit? Probably. WOULD I like to try? Err no thanks

 

[CACTUS ELF]

Walk out, your never far from anywhere in most of the UK, no need to 'survive'.

Make it more interesting, make this story be in wildest Canada where you can wrestle a bear and make a coat from his skin and light fires with lenses made from polished ice et al

Now we're talking, the thread didn't mention a country so go wild and let it flow. Any info on wrestling bears should be fun. I think i once saw the Mythbusters cook toast (or toast toast, whatever) with a polished ice lense.

Would it be easy to simply walk out if in the highlands of scotland, in winter? I know, I know i didn't mention that in the thread but it was to get people talking of skills without tools (modern tools that is ). So any situation in any area, maybe desert, that you want to make an example of please do

 

[CACTUS ELF]

I don't really no much about this sort of survival scenario, but from Internet experience you may be better searching on google for some survivalist type forums cactus.
The only survival I no in bushcraft I if I'm gonna be able to survive the amount I time it takes the kettle to boil for my next brew lol!!
All the best mate, hope you fin what your looking for

Steve


Leave only footprints take only memories

Thanks for the idea but with this thread i intended to gather info about how people would get on without tools. ie make fire, catch some food etc. The survival situation, location etc was simply to get people started although i dont think it was well recieved lol

I intend to be far more clear in my next post.

If you did want to learn a bit about survival though, Equip2Endure.com is a decent site for vids etc Mostly American kit etc but the info would apply any where.

Thanks again

 

[CACTUS ELF]

In fairness I don't think even the "experts" would find it easy without some basic kit. Not impossible, just not easy.

I guess if you were in northern Canada water would be easy enough, there's snow everywhere (just avoid yellow snow ). I can make cordage well enough from nettles without needing a knife, certainly it would be strong enough to construct an A frame shelter. I could use the boot laces to make a snare or a hand line for fishing. For a hook you can use a thorn. Assuming I have my watch on, I can tell where South is (and therefore the other compass points) during the day. At night I can identify the star Polaris, which points to true North. So navigation by day or night, should be possible. I've never tried flint knapping, but I reckon I could make a useable enough blade.

The biggest problem for me would be making fire by hand. I normally cheat and use matches. But I at least know the theory of both hand and bow drills, so I'd give it a damn good go . In point of fact your question has at least identified an area of weakness for me, something to work on. So thanks for that . As it stands I'd probably freeze to death. Given my waistline I certainly ain't gonna starve

So, COULD I survive without kit? Probably. WOULD I like to try? Err no thanks

Thanks mate, glad you picked up on the idea of this thread. Some good points there.

 

[CACTUS ELF]

Might I suggest a good basic course ?
Seriously, the kind of question that I think you meant to ask would really be amply demonstrated and explained by the Instructors........and they'd do it in situ, where you would only have the natural resources around you.

Loads of good schools around, lots of recommendations, bound to be someone nearby to where you are.

cheers,
Toddy

I'm going to look into that mate, thanks

 

[JonathanD]

This kind of question raised cannot be answered easily. You find useful and different things in the wild, be it natural or man made rubbish within a few metres walk to a few miles. So to speculate on what you may or may not find within the parameters of your situation is impossible. Different trees, rock formations, and plants etc etc could supply you with lifesaving tools or food naturally with or without modification. So to imagine what you may come across in a hypothetical scenario in an unspecified or even accurately specified locality is next to impossible or has innumerable possibilities that render this type of question impossible to answer without actually doing it.

All you can do is learn to improvise and adapt to the situation you are in and learn to use what nature provides as much as you can beforehand to gain experience. That means getting out and doing it. A forum can only answer questions after you've been out and found things that may or may not be useful and applying them to the same scenario or situation.

 

[shortymcsteve]

I don't know why everyone is giving Cactus so much flack? Does it really matter where you happen to be stranded? No matter where you are you would still have the same needs and use the same skills to survive. People are saying "You won't get lost in the UK" but there is always lots of posts i read on here from people who are talking about going trips overseas to remote places they have never been before. If anything, that's the time someone is going to get lost, not at home in the woods you visit every Sunday.
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/member.php?u=25097 Jacko1066, i can't believe you told him to go look on a survivalist forum! From the odd occasion i have stumbled across one it's full of Bear Grills fans romanticising about being lost in the middle of no where and using OTT methods that are probably going to get you killed. You will learn almost nothing on those websites.
Basic bushcraft skills and common sense is what you need to get through this type of situation.


There is a tv show called Dual Survival which might be of interest. It's all about being lost in the middle of no where with little to no items & features 2 knowledgeable and experienced survival instructors. Some of the advice is questionable & the two hosts at times disagree with each other however i think it gives pretty good advice and the basic survival plan in each show is the same no matter where they are. Lot's of bushcraft & primitive skills are used. You have to remember it is a US tv show so some things are obviously done for TV ratings but if you can look past that i think it's a very good show. You can find both seasons on youtube for the most part.

 

[Toddy]

Ahem !

Bushcraft = Chill the hell out asap
Survival = Get the hell out asap

There's a huge difference in outlook from the Bushcrafters perspective.
That's why he got grief.

Now if he'd clarified his scenario, and said where & how & when, he'd ended up 'in the woods', he might have gotten a different response.

Toddy

 

[jacko1066]

Thanks for the idea but with this thread i intended to gather info about how people would get on without tools. ie make fire, catch some food etc. The survival situation, location etc was simply to get people started although i dont think it was well recieved lol

I intend to be far more clear in my next post.

If you did want to learn a bit about survival though, Equip2Endure.com is a decent site for vids etc Mostly American kit etc but the info would apply any where.

Thanks again

I have never heard of Equip2Endure.com fella, but cheers for the heads up, I will check it out.
I think a course would be a gret idea too, I have been looking at a few myself.
Cheers

 

[jacko1066]

I don't know why everyone is giving Cactus so much flack? Does it really matter where you happen to be stranded? No matter where you are you would still have the same needs and use the same skills to survive. People are saying "You won't get lost in the UK" but there is always lots of posts i read on here from people who are talking about going trips overseas to remote places they have never been before. If anything, that's the time someone is going to get lost, not at home in the woods you visit every Sunday.
Jacko1066, i can't believe you told him to go look on a survivalist forum! From the odd occasion i have stumbled across one it's full of Bear Grills fans romanticising about being lost in the middle of no where and using OTT methods that are probably going to get you killed. You will learn almost nothing on those websites.
Basic bushcraft skills and common sense is what you need to get through this type of situation.


There is a tv show called Dual Survival which might be of interest. It's all about being lost in the middle of no where with little to no items & features 2 knowledgeable and experienced survival instructors. Some of the advice is questionable & the two hosts at times disagree with each other however i think it gives pretty good advice and the basic survival plan in each show is the same no matter where they are. Lot's of bushcraft & primitive skills are used. You have to remember it is a US tv show so some things are obviously done for TV ratings but if you can look past that i think it's a very good show. You can find both seasons on youtube for the most part.

Hey, chill the hell out fella!!!!!!!
Iv not looked on any of those forums either so have no idea of the content, I was just trying to help th OP and maybe point him in another direction he had never thought about.
It could have been just what he was looking for!!!

 

[rik_uk3]

Now we're talking, the thread didn't mention a country so go wild and let it flow. Any info on wrestling bears should be fun. I think i once saw the Mythbusters cook toast (or toast toast, whatever) with a polished ice lense.

Would it be easy to simply walk out if in the highlands of scotland, in winter? I know, I know i didn't mention that in the thread but it was to get people talking of skills without tools (modern tools that is ). So any situation in any area, maybe desert, that you want to make an example of please do

With the kit in the OP...you'd be dead meat pretty soon same as if you tried it on Pennines, Snowdonia or the Beacons.

 

[oldtimer]

This has to be a wind up post, surely. The clue is in the name Cactus Elf: prickly and airy-fairy.
How many subscribers would find themselves in this situation? "Survival" has to do with being prepared. Only a fool would end up in this situation so ill-equipped. When you are drowning it's too late to learn how to swim.

 

[JonathanD]

Does it really matter where you happen to be stranded?

In terms of answering this question in the original post. Yes it does. Even down to the path you choose to get out. You will find different items even if you move a foot to the left in the same area and repeat. To answer this hypothetical question hypothetically is next to impossible as it could lead to an infinite number of outcomes and answers as I mentioned in my last post...

This kind of question raised cannot be answered easily. You find useful and different things in the wild, be it natural or man made rubbish within a few metres walk to a few miles. So to speculate on what you may or may not find within the parameters of your situation is impossible. Different trees, rock formations, and plants etc etc could supply you with lifesaving tools or food naturally with or without modification. So to imagine what you may come across in a hypothetical scenario in an unspecified or even accurately specified locality is next to impossible or has innumerable possibilities that render this type of question impossible to answer without actually doing it.

All you can do is learn to improvise and adapt to the situation you are in and learn to use what nature provides as much as you can beforehand to gain experience. That means getting out and doing it. A forum can only answer questions after you've been out and found things that may or may not be useful and applying them to the same scenario or situation.

And to answer this...

No matter where you are you would still have the same needs and use the same skills to survive.

No, this isn't true at all, the rainforest is very different to the arctic forests. Plus coastal forests and forests with large rivers also differs dramatically to those without. But even if we stick to the same forest and same area within that forest, your location and even the weather in the same location on different days and seasons means your needs change dramatically. And depending on that particular day/week/ season, you will need very different skills to meet those needs. Again the location provides different means to meet the requirements and that also depends on many specifics at any one time. To post all those skills needed into one post in answer to the original question would be akin to typing all the survival manuals and primitive skills books ever published in one place all at once. It's an impossible question to answer succinctly and in detail. CACTUS ELF has asked a question that is simply impossible to answer in a simple post on a forum. Bear Grylls has filmed about 500 hours worth of stuff based on exactly this scenario but with an easier option of having a knife and water bottle. I can't type all that into one post, as much as I'd want to. The variables are massive and almost infinite.


.

 

[Craig88]

Cactus, i think your initial idea has been lost in your OP. Do you wish us to discuss basic survival techniques?

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