Basic Skills and Lost-Proofing

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

One of the simplest hunting weapons available to the survivalist in search of food is the throwing stick: Any straight, sturdy branch about 2-1/2 feet long and about half as thick as your wrist will do nicely. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of this basic club; primitive people the world over have used such weapons for centuries to obtain food. You can throw the club overhand or sidearm: Just point your left toe at your target (that is, assuming you're right-handed; lefties should reverse these instructions), bring the stick back in a cocked position, and with your eye on the mark, throw the stick with a snap—as if you were cracking a whip—to give it spin. Always carry your throwing stick when away from camp for any reason; you never know when a small bird or animal will appear in range.

For details on various techniques for trapping small game, see "At Home in the Wilderness, Part IV: Hunting & Traps" in MOTHER N0. 74. And you'll find a complete discussion of tracking animals in issue 77.

LOST-PROOFING

Now that we've reviewed some of the basic survival skills, I'd like to show you how to reduce your chances of ever having to use them. Lost-proofing—the art of always knowing where you are—is perhaps the most important technique I'll teach in this series, not only because it will help you avoid difficult situations, but also because it will enable you to confidently explore more of the natural world.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no such thing—to the best of my knowledge—as a "natural" sense of direction. Rather than having an inborn knack for knowing the correct path, some people more or less automatically (by habit or training) follow certain procedures that keep them on track. If they didn't, they'd act just like the rest of us when we lose our bearings: A right-handed person will gradually circle to the right, and a left-handed person will circle to the left. (Try walking blindfolded straight across an open field, and you'll see that this is true. Pick a cloudy, windless day, so that you won't have the sun and breeze to help keep you on your course.)

With a little effort, though, anyone can learn to resist the urge to circle; anyone can develop a so-called sense of direction.

Awareness is the key. Before you even set foot in the woods, prairie, or desert, you should have a very clear idea of where you will be going and the path you'll take to get there. There's simply no excuse for venturing any distance into a wild area without first studying—and taking with you—maps of the region. Take particular note of roadways, towns, airports, lakes, streams, rivers, and any other features that might help you determine your position should you become lost. Try to cultivate an "eagle's-eye view" of the landscape you'll be exploring. And by all means, carry a compass and know how to use it. [EDITOR'S NOTE: See the sidebar for access information on books about compasses and their use, and for instructions on how to put together a "solar" direction finder.]

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print