Wilderness Survival Skills

 

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We cover these wilderness survival skills in detail throughout our various courses and our wilderness treks.  The most important core subjects are always addressed first. Then we cover as many of the other skills as time permits.

Your goal should be to become extremely proficient at each of the skills listed below.  That requires training and practice (dirt time).

 

LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY
Can perform 95% of skills -------- Black Belt Survivalist
Can perform 85% of skills -------- Outstanding skills
Can perform 75% of Skills ------- Very Good skills
Can perform 65% of skills -------- Average skills
Below 65% ---------------------------- Need more dirt time

 

 

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL SKILLS

  Fire Making Skills - All Without Matches

Start a fire during a heavy rain with a flint
Start a fire with potassium permanganate
Start a fire with gun powder
Start a fire with components off a broken down vehicle (auto ATV - snowmobile - boat - motorcycle)
Start a fire with a flashlight
Start a fire using the suns rays
Identify 5 type of natural tinder and ignite all 5 with a flint

Start fire with bow drill 

Start fire with hand drill 
 

Fire Lays (cooking - heating - signalling - evasion)
Build an evasion type Dakota fire
Demonstrate proper procedure for T-pee fire construction
Demonstrate proper fire banking procedures
Demonstrate fire star techniques
Construct a pyramid fire
Demonstrate proper fire lay in snow and ice conditions
Demonstrate proper procedure in windy conditions
Build a key hole fire 
Demonstrate proper configuration for a reflector fire
 

Survival Fishing Skills
Chumming for fish

Construct a gaff hook 

Construct a gill net

Set up evasion type bank lines

Set up evasion type gill nets

Set up evasion  sapling rods

Set up evasion shallow water set line stake outs

Locate live bait

Set up floating set lines 
Set up plastic bottle fish traps and bait with bread or insects

Set up fish trap across stream

Take fish with trot lines
 

Base Camp Configuration (assume bears in the area)
Set up game processing area
Perimeter security
Collect or generate water immediately
Proper site location - must meet all criteria
Set up latrine and hand washing station
Set up cooking area and start fire
Set up camp table 
Lash poles between trees near fire for seating
 

Food Preparation Skills

Construct a ground oven and cook a meal
Demonstrate wilderness food preservation techniques
Demonstrate proper skinning and gutting of wild game
Demonstrate proper procedure to filet a fish

Prepare a survival stew using meat and edible plants

Make pine needle and sumac tea
 

Survival Hunting Skills

Set up a deer stand to get scent off the ground

Demonstrate stalking techniques
Take game with survival weapon of your choice

Take game with a primitive weapon
 

Essential Wilderness Knots

Tie ten specified survival knots with a blindfold on
 

Lashing Techniques

Construct a camp table with parachute cord

Construct a drying rack for fish and meat

Construct a tripod for cooking and filtering water
 

Wilderness Medical Skills

Define treatment for all specified wilderness related injuries
 

Navigational Skills 

Navigate a pre-determined course after dark

Establish your location when lost  with GPS and navigate back to base camp - we'll make sure your lost
Track inbound on a flare signal after dark
Demonstrate safest, quickest, easiest routes to a designated location
Demonstrate navigational techniques with zero landmark availability
Demonstrate proper triangulation procedures

Navigate multi leg course with map and compass

Navigate after dark using celestial landmarks 

Set up a sun dial and clock
 

Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants

Identify and prepare edible plants
 

Wilderness Security Measurers
Set up seismic detectors
Set up motion activated perimeter alarms

Set up trip wire perimeter security devices 

Define techniques for preventing and dealing with bear attacks
 

Wilderness Shelters

Build a group shelter with a fire pit
Construct a geo-thermal shelter 
Construct a scout pit

Construct evasion shelter 

Construct a debris hut good to 20 below zero

Construct a lean too with a reflector fire

Locate natural shelters (rock overhangs/blow downs/hollow logs)
 

Signaling Techniques

Build a signal fire

Locate reflective devices for signaling

Demonstrate proper targeting of signaling devices 
 

Other Essential Wilderness Skills

Burn out a wood bowl using hot coals

Camouflage the body to blend in with surroundings

Convert plants to rope (cordage)
Construct a raft from debris on the ground

Demonstrate canoeing related skills 

Demonstrate evasion techniques (wood/water/ground)

Forecast the weather and explain reason for your forecast

Locate cans, bones, feathers, etc to use for tools

Rappel a cliff

Sharpen Knives to razors edge
 

Brain Tanning Techniques
Convert animal skin to some useful piece of clothing

Skin and tan an animal hide
 

Primitive Tool Making Skills

Make a Primitive hatchet using flint knapping techniques

Create as any useful tools as you can from an animal carcass 
 

Tracking and Avoiding Being Tracked

Demonstrate evasion by selecting best route to avoid prints
Move through the woods from tree to tree without  touching the ground
Demonstrate man traps to discourage would be trackers

Locate game trails, scat, rubs and suggest trap placement

Set fish hook dog trap to discourage blood hounds
 

Lethal Traps and Triggers For Procuring Wild Game
Set up a Deer Snare

Build a platform trap
Set up a beaver trap
Devise a multi-trap gauntlet (students own design)
Construct a trap using pungi sticks
Demonstrate proper procedure for gathering snakes
Construct a primitive turtle trap

Construct a deadfall trap

Set up a drag snare

Set up a baited spring pole multiple snare configuration

Set up a duck trap
 

Water Procurement Skills

Dig and procure water from a shallow well

Demonstrate evasion method of water procurement
Demonstrate the conversion of mud into drinking water
Construct a solar still

Purify water with water purification tablets
Install a tree tap to secure sap from a tree

Set up a rain water collector
Demonstrate  snow generator water procurement method

Set up a vegetation still
 
Primitive Weapons Making Skills
Construct a primitive knife using flint knapping techniques
Construct a spear with flint knapped spear head
Construct a fish spear with fire hardened tips
Construct a primitive bow and arrow

Locate throwing stick and demonstrate proficiency

Construct a sling shot with rubber component from survival kit

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