Survival Sucks. Know what you're doing

[navigator]

I think another thing that would be good to know are edible items available in the wild where you live.
I know like watching Bear Grills and that other survival show with those two guys on there, they know what you can eat and what you can't. Does anyone know of a website that shows things available in the wild you can safely eat, maybe by location?

[djthumper]

This site might be a good start http://www.wilderness-survival.net/
http://www.wildbackpacker.com/wilderness-survival/articles/edible-wild-plants/
http://www.groedibles.com/2011/07/id-wild-edible-plants/

[Trail X]

On another note is it just me or does this thread not bring up the quick reply box?

Don't know what you're talking about....

[NC_IslandRunner]

On another note is it just me or does this thread not bring up the quick reply box?

Don't know what you're talking about....

Quick reply is there on my screen...

[OregTrailBlazin]

I have allot of para-cord wrapped stuff. My machete's sheath is completely wrapped with about 100'. I have a survival knife that has the handle wrapped, so the cord can be removed to make it a spear or other great things if necessary...




I buy allot through these guys, http://www.paracord.com/550-Paracord_c_1.html

[DirtyBacon04]

More applicable to desert scenerios, dont sleep under dirt/rock ledges. Yea, it may get you out of the rain... but what happens to dirt when it gets wet? Or an earthquake...
This happens


Also, my desert friends... Stay elevated when camping due to the risk of flash floods. Avoid camping in canyons. Now that one pick was of the mud canyons, and i know the rock canyons wont collapse in rain. However if you have a fire, keep in mind a change in the temperature of the rock can easily cause it to come tumbling down.

[DirtyBacon04]

Here's an excellent example of where NOT to stay for very long in a camping or survival scenario.

[RICHIET]

Regarding a compass, I try to remedy that issue by carrying a watch with a built in electronic compass. Two of my watches have them, and those are my off-road watches. Knife is also a good call. I've kept one in my pocket at all times since I was out of high school.

Those electronic watches are nice, but in a pinch you could also use a regular watch to find direction, at least during the day. You point the hour hand at the sun and south is midway between the hour hand and 12 (standard time, not dst).

Items I always have in the outdoors, knife, para cord, matches or lighter, and a flashlight.
One time, I was hiking with two friends in the mountains. We planned on being back long before nightfall. Long story short, due to unforeseen problems, we wound up on the mountain in the rain and dark with a couple miles to go to basecamp. One guy was hypothermic to the point of hulucinating, the other was in early stages. We had flashlights with us so we made it back by me going ahead looking for the next marker and waving them up to it, then looking for the next. I believe if we didn't have the lights, they wouldn't have survived the night since it was too wet for a fire.

[DirtyBacon04]

Damn, that's scary shit there.

[RICHIET]

Damn, that's scary shit there.

Well, everything worked out that time, and the plus to that situation was that we developed a real interest in learning about hypothermia and survival ( 30 years ago, when you had to go to the library for info.) Kept reading and learning a bit in the following years and now I'm a Wilderness Survival merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts (Complete with real life stories like this and others to scare the kids into being prepared.)

[DirtyBacon04]

This thread is going to be a dumping ground for my own archives on the "survival" side of my big trip, so feel free to take my findings to your own advantage