Post by elkchsr on Aug 21, 2004 21:56:44 GMT 12.75
Pocket Survival Kit
Certain items of equipment are considered essential for hunting, fishing, backpacking or other trips into the bush. Success or failure of the trip may well depend on the selection and use of specialized equipment.
The number of successful trips in our 50 states can only be a guess as no accounting is made. However, the trips that didn't go as planned are recorded. Approximately 2600 people became lost or needed rescue assistance in 1975. Their plans were changed in the field. For many who were not prepared and who could not adopt to the change, their outing turned into a failure. All too often a small failure turns into a disaster and loss of life.
To reduce the possibility of failure and prolong life expectancy, it is good planning to plan for the best and prepare for the worst. Consider the possibility of getting lost. Would you have with you the minimum equipment to stay alive in the bush? Would you know how to effectively use the equipment until rescued?
The following list of items are considered a minimum for the 21st Century outdoorsman. You may wish to add items but don't go out into the field without the minimum. Always dress for the occasion: You want clothing to live in, not to be found dead in.
-Knife: Big enough to do the job safely.
(There are many things on the market that work well, I wouldn't go to big with this as it is really not necessary. I would try to stay with a better quality steel though so that your knife stay's sharp longer)
-Matches: Kitchen type in a waterproof container, such as a film canister.
(I have shied away from matches over the years and only carry lighters. They work better in adverse conditions, don't break down over long periods, and take up less space than a couple lighters tossed into your pockets and pack.)
-Plastic Whistle: Short range signaling.
(Try not to get one that is to cheap and gets destroyed by much abuse)
-Signal Mirror: Signaling search aircraft.
(This is one item that if you are going to carry, you should really understand how to use. You should also practice at long distance before needing to depend on, I will explain this one of these day's on the use of this devise)
-Fire Starter: Make them yourself by rubbing candle wax into patches of cotton.
(This is an excellent way to make fire starters, they can lay flat and when you need to use, warm with body temp and role into thin tube when ready to use, this will create more intense heat in smaller area to start tinder)
-Aluminum Foil: 18" x 18" forming a cooking utensil. (One can not understand the importance of some thing that fits into such a small area if the need should ever arise that you would use it. You should practice a little over open campfires before needing this in a survival situation. You will have a very limited amount to play with if you get lost or stranded)
-Cordage or String: Securing shelters, setting gill nets and snares.
(Parachute cord that has the little nylon strings inside of it works the best, you can pull them out to use on smaller projects if needed)
-Snare Wire: Brass annealed for animal snares and repairs.
(Other wire that works well is the green coated wire you find in the flower sections of most hobby tupe stores. It is strong enough to do the job you need, bends well, and is the right color to use when secrecy is needed)
-Fish Tackle Hooks
--Line
--Sinkers
--Leader and/or 1" Gill Net.
(I don't know if one can find a piece of Gill net that would be small enough to really do the job and fit into a survival kit, unless you have a boat or plane that you can put the extra bulk in.)
-Map and Compass: Know how to use.
(This is a God send if you understand what you are doing when looking at map and compass. A GPS also comes in handy, but don't fully relly on a GPS, it is only as good as electronic gizzmo's can be, and they do have their draw backs.)
-Plastic Sheet, Rescue Blanket or Large Plastic Leaf Bag.
(Any of these work well, I have found myself a long way from home, in a Rocky mountain storm that just popped up out of no where, and with the aid of a large plastic bag, kept dry enough to get me out of the situations with out to much discomfort of being to wet and cold. They wrap up small enough to fit into a pack with out undo bulk, and can also be used for collecting quantitie things you may need for survival, ie... shelter material....)
-Food: High energy.
(I carry cashews, they have a lot of the right protiens and oils. I also bring along Pemmican, it will last a couple few years in general storage with out any undo nutricianal loss...)
Certain items of equipment are considered essential for hunting, fishing, backpacking or other trips into the bush. Success or failure of the trip may well depend on the selection and use of specialized equipment.
The number of successful trips in our 50 states can only be a guess as no accounting is made. However, the trips that didn't go as planned are recorded. Approximately 2600 people became lost or needed rescue assistance in 1975. Their plans were changed in the field. For many who were not prepared and who could not adopt to the change, their outing turned into a failure. All too often a small failure turns into a disaster and loss of life.
To reduce the possibility of failure and prolong life expectancy, it is good planning to plan for the best and prepare for the worst. Consider the possibility of getting lost. Would you have with you the minimum equipment to stay alive in the bush? Would you know how to effectively use the equipment until rescued?
The following list of items are considered a minimum for the 21st Century outdoorsman. You may wish to add items but don't go out into the field without the minimum. Always dress for the occasion: You want clothing to live in, not to be found dead in.
-Knife: Big enough to do the job safely.
(There are many things on the market that work well, I wouldn't go to big with this as it is really not necessary. I would try to stay with a better quality steel though so that your knife stay's sharp longer)
-Matches: Kitchen type in a waterproof container, such as a film canister.
(I have shied away from matches over the years and only carry lighters. They work better in adverse conditions, don't break down over long periods, and take up less space than a couple lighters tossed into your pockets and pack.)
-Plastic Whistle: Short range signaling.
(Try not to get one that is to cheap and gets destroyed by much abuse)
-Signal Mirror: Signaling search aircraft.
(This is one item that if you are going to carry, you should really understand how to use. You should also practice at long distance before needing to depend on, I will explain this one of these day's on the use of this devise)
-Fire Starter: Make them yourself by rubbing candle wax into patches of cotton.
(This is an excellent way to make fire starters, they can lay flat and when you need to use, warm with body temp and role into thin tube when ready to use, this will create more intense heat in smaller area to start tinder)
-Aluminum Foil: 18" x 18" forming a cooking utensil. (One can not understand the importance of some thing that fits into such a small area if the need should ever arise that you would use it. You should practice a little over open campfires before needing this in a survival situation. You will have a very limited amount to play with if you get lost or stranded)
-Cordage or String: Securing shelters, setting gill nets and snares.
(Parachute cord that has the little nylon strings inside of it works the best, you can pull them out to use on smaller projects if needed)
-Snare Wire: Brass annealed for animal snares and repairs.
(Other wire that works well is the green coated wire you find in the flower sections of most hobby tupe stores. It is strong enough to do the job you need, bends well, and is the right color to use when secrecy is needed)
-Fish Tackle Hooks
--Line
--Sinkers
--Leader and/or 1" Gill Net.
(I don't know if one can find a piece of Gill net that would be small enough to really do the job and fit into a survival kit, unless you have a boat or plane that you can put the extra bulk in.)
-Map and Compass: Know how to use.
(This is a God send if you understand what you are doing when looking at map and compass. A GPS also comes in handy, but don't fully relly on a GPS, it is only as good as electronic gizzmo's can be, and they do have their draw backs.)
-Plastic Sheet, Rescue Blanket or Large Plastic Leaf Bag.
(Any of these work well, I have found myself a long way from home, in a Rocky mountain storm that just popped up out of no where, and with the aid of a large plastic bag, kept dry enough to get me out of the situations with out to much discomfort of being to wet and cold. They wrap up small enough to fit into a pack with out undo bulk, and can also be used for collecting quantitie things you may need for survival, ie... shelter material....)
-Food: High energy.
(I carry cashews, they have a lot of the right protiens and oils. I also bring along Pemmican, it will last a couple few years in general storage with out any undo nutricianal loss...)