Wilderness Survival Manual

[pierre girard]

Been asked to develop a course on wilderness survival for clients in a year long drug rehab.

The course will involve mostly "lost in the woods" survival, simple shelters, locating water and wild foods, fire making, and orientation - with some "life in the woods" aspects like tapping maples for syrup and sugar, harvesting wild rice, making simple traps and snares as well as more complex shelters.


While I'm good enough at the hands on requirements - I'm looking for a good (short) manual on the subject. Recommendations please.

 

[Mungo]

Hello,

Sounds like a very interesting opportunity for you!

Have a look here - might give you some ideas about where to look for preexisting publications:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="outward+bound"+course+manual&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="survival+course"+manual+filetype:doc&btnG=Search

Hope that helps!

Mungo

 

[oldsoldier]

John Wisemans "SAS Survival Manual" is a decent read. I'm not sure if its even in print still or not. Its not read as a manual (thankfully), and is chaptered for each subject.

 

[pibbleb]

The John Wiseman is a classic and very good indeed!

If you go into the download section of this site there is the US Army Survival manual which can be downloaded for free!

I've had a flick through but there was a few things that caught my eye.

I'd be interested in how your planning goes so keep us posted.

Good luck

Paul

 

[British Red]

Pierre,

John Wisemans book is very good, as is the early Ray Mears "Bushcraft and Survival" book.

Or why not write your own (or co-write it with some of the clever guys on here like torus, Patrick etc.). That might add something to your course in having all new material!

red

 

[hammock monkey]

the Mors K book would probably have a good amount of info to help out, it'd be a great addition to the Lofty Wiseman and 1st Ray Mears book, although the essential bushcraft paperback by Mears is great too, excellent photos and diags.

after reading your hunting stories I'd love to see the course notes etc that you come up with, good luck - if any one can do it you can!

all the very best

 

[Chance]

There was a Collins Gem edition of the Wiseman book; good for carrying around on a course.

 

[Chopper]

The first bit of survival advice I would give someone on drug rehab is to stop takeing the gear.

 

[Viking]

I got a memory card that is made for the Swedish Amy Survival Handbook, it´s in plastic and can take a lot of beating and contains images of most things that you would need on a survival course. There is some text in swedish but not much and can be tranlated for you. It´s yours if you want it.

It contains the following
- Edible plants
- Hunting and fishing techniques
- Hygiene and plants to use
- Orientation without compass
- Fire
- Shelters
- Cooking
- Equipment how to make your own rucksack, snowshoe, kuksa and ropes
- Psychology

Some pics of it

 

[Mungo]

It looks like it may be a hard-copy of:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads/pdf/h_overlevnad.pdf
as seen on http://www.bushcraftuk.com/content/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=196

Mungo

 

[Adi]

Pierre I recently received a copy of "The Pocket Outdoor Survival Guide. The ultimate guide for short-term survival" by J Wayne Fears, from the US.

It is a small but very well written book working on the principle that most wilderness rescues are concluded within 72 hours.

It covers

Trip Planning
Survival Kits
Search & Rescue
Coping with Bad Weather
Emergency Signaling
Shelter
Sleeping warm
Fire
Dealing with Insects
Safe Drinking Water
Food
Avoiding Hypothermia
Countering Fear

The book is written with a modern approach and is only concerned with short term survival but is very practical in its approach and information it provides.

The book is aimed at the US/Canadian market and this shows mainly in the description of how aerial searches are carried out.

http://www.stoegerpublishing.com/books/detail.tpl?CAT=&SKU=BK0612

 

[Viking]

It looks like it may be a hard-copy of:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/downloads/pdf/h_overlevnad.pdf
as seen on http://www.bushcraftuk.com/content/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=196

Mungo

The memory card is based on the book, a way for soldiers to remember what they have been taught and read in the book. The book has not been updated for 20 years but the memory card was upadted last year.

 

[hiraeth]

Hi Pierre, you could try, No need to die, by Eddie Mcgee I.S.B.N. 13 9780901764416