Bushcraft Basics, page 2
That’s where this manual is different. What happens if a disaster overwhelms emergency responders? Or if a catastrophe, such as a flood or earthquake, prevents entrance into an area?
6. Food Storage for Self-Sufficiency and Survival by Angela Paskett
There are some very good how-to books for food storage. But Food Storage for Self-Sufficiency and Survival by Angela Paskett stands out from the rest, and it bears looking into further.
I met Angela Paskett several years ago at a Food Insurance gathering. It was evident that Paskett knew her stuff when it came to storing and preserving food. At the time, Paskett mentioned she was working on a food storage book which has since been published.
Food Storage is not a cookbook (though there are some great recipes in it) or a complete survival manual. It is a nuts-and-bolts guide for storing food.
It is informative, an easy read, and packed with information for newcomers and experienced prepper types. Paskett writes in an engaging, informative style that is very appealing, and you’ll find yourself drawn into the subject.
7. Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why by Lawrence Gonzales
I read Deep Survival in a few marathon sessions. The fast-paced accounts of real life survival situations are mesmerizing. It’s a good read to get you started on creating your own survival mindset.
This book features useful information for anybody who practices survival common sense, since a survival mindset must be established before you can use any tools and training you might have acquired.
In the book, Gonzales mentions twelve points that disaster survivors seem to have in common. These points are definitely worth contemplation, even if you don’t get anything else out of the text.
8. Call of the Mild: Learning to Hunt My Own Dinner by Lily Raff McCaulou
The book traces Lily Raff McCaulou’s journey from being a big city dweller with no hunting experience to becoming an enthusiastic hunter. It is the story of her personal evolution.
Reared on the east coast, McCaulou is the daughter of anti-gun parents who thought hunting was, at best, an odd hobby. McCaulou was a meat-eater, but didn’t make the connection between a live animal and the packages of meat in the grocery store. Just out of college, she was working in the Indie film industry and living in downtown Manhattan when she decided to move west for a year or two.
She ended up in Central Oregon as a reporter at the Bend Bulletin and that’s where we met. I was freelancing for the Bulletin at the time, after several years as a staff writer and photographer. McCaulou got my old beat covering La Pine and Sunriver.
9. Snow Caves for Fun and Survival by Ernest Wilkinson
Wilkinson is a former Search and Rescue member, and an experienced Colorado mountain guide, specializing in snowshoe treks and winter camping. This backcountry experience led Wilkinson to develop his own shelter-making techniques that save time and energy while also increasing comfort and safety. Igloo and lean-to construction are also discussed, as well as avalanche danger and how to avoid them.
10. Staying Found: The Complete Map and Compass Handbook by June Fleming
Any bushcrafter worth their salt should know how to use a map and compass. Forget GPS for long-term survival—any electronic device is only as reliable as the batteries in it. This book takes you from the basics of choosing a compass to advanced orienteering skills. It should be in every bushcraft and survival library.
11. Desert Survival Skills by David Alloway
Much of the American West is considered desert, and sometimes the towns are few and far between. Alloway, a veteran desert traveler, offers information on how to survive when stranded in a desert environment, focusing on the Chihuahuan and other North American deserts.
The book discusses survival priorities, emergency kits, water, fire, vehicle repairs and uses, plant and animal resources, tools and weapons, first aid, and other topics.
12. Northern Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski
The late Mors Kochanski is a legend in the wilderness survival field. His expertise spans well over fifty years. His specialty is survival in northern boreal forests.
This book provides practical advice on skills needed for extended stays in the wilderness, using a minimum of materials and tools. Information included is on shelter construction, fire technology, proper care and use of axes, saws, and knives, and much more.
13. A Reference Guide to Surviving Nature: Outdoor Preparation and Remedies by Dr. Nicole Apelian and Shawn Clay
I have been following Dr. Nicole Apelian for years, on the reality series Alone, where she has appeared twice, and from reading her blog. I met her at Flintlock 2 in the Ozarks in June, 2019, and Apelian is as engaging in person as she is on TV.
In this latest publication, the authors cover the basics of emergency preparedness, including what gear you should carry on you. Learn the basics of fire, shelter, water, food, first aid, and signaling with this text. Various plant, insect, animal, and weather threats are covered, coupled with color photos for easy identification. Modern and natural suggestions for field medicine are also included.
Good fiction can teach and be a call to arms. And a good adventure book may get people thinking about the need for learning survival and preparedness skills. Here are several works of fiction to recommend to that person who might need a subtle nudge to start learning about preparedness.
14. One Second After by William R. Forstchen
This novel deals with an unexpected electromagnetic pulse attack on the United States as it affects the people living in and around the small American town of Black Mountain, North Carolina.
The realistic scenario and superb writing can provide a wakeup call to those people who scoff at the idea of preparedness for disasters.
15. Alas Babylon by Pat Frank
This 1959 novel was one of the first apocalyptic novels of the nuclear age and it is the first book of such ilk I ever read. Even as a teenager, the book grabbed and held my attention.
The novel deals with the effects of a nuclear war on the fictional small town of Fort Repose, Florida, which is based upon the actual city of Mount Dora, Florida. The title is derived from the Book of Revelation: “Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.”
Remember This:
The current state of the world makes it easy to get discouraged. Maybe you wonder what the point might be of preparing for emergencies. You’re not alone, and historically, people have always prepared for the unforeseen. Joseph, in the Old Testament, had seven years of bounty, but he still prepared for a potential famine.
Today, the task may seem overwhelming at times. But start with little steps, and work toward a long-term goal of being ready for whatever emergency might come. Don’t get discouraged—you’ve already taken some of the first steps by reading this far!
CHAPTER 2
DEVELOPING A SURVIVAL MINDSET
A survival mindset is necessary for enduring anything. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a wilderness environment, practicing bushcraft skills, or in a big-city, high-rise building when an earthquake hits. You must develop a survival mindset, and know how to use it if you intend to survive.
So, where do you start?
A good place is to understand what you’re up against. Just what will you do if confronted with an emergency? How might you act? How will the people around you, most of them strangers, react?
This is knowable.
Preparedness is not a new science, and there is nothing new about the way people react to emergency situations. Survival Psychology by John Leach can help you understand what you may be up against during an emergency.
Leach studied survivors’ reactions, including those of Union prisoners at the horrific Andersonville prison during the Civil War; to shipwreck survivors; to people who made it through plane crashes and natural disasters. Distilled down to one sentence, here’s what Leach found: Psychological responses to emergencies follow a pattern.
One of my goals is to help you develop the survival mindset needed to stay alive. Until you know what might happen in your mind, or in the heads of the people around you, there’s no way to come up with a plan to survive.
So, we’ll start with the baseline knowledge of what happens to people, mentally, in a survival situation. Survival situations bring out a variety of reactions—including some that make the situation worse.
Leach’s studies show that only ten to fifteen percent of any group involved in any emergency will react appropriately. Another ten to fifteen percent will behave totally inappropriately and the remaining seventy to eighty percent will need to be told what to do. The most common reaction at the onset of an emergency is disbelief and denial.
Here’s the typical disaster reaction progression, according to Leach:
1. Denial: The first reaction will probably be: “This can’t be happening to me!” But an emergency, disaster, accident, or crash can happen to anyone, and it can put your life at risk. This disbelief causes people to stand around, doing nothing to save themselves. The eighty percenters in any survival situation will have to be instructed to help themselves.
2. Panic: Once you get past denial, there is a strong chance you may panic. This is when judgment and reasoning deteriorate to the point where it can result in self-destructive behavior. It can happen to anyone. To avert this problem, realize it may happen and use the STOP mindset exercise. (Explained in detail in the next section.)
3. Hypoactivity, defined as a depressed reaction; or hyperactivity, an intense but undirected liveliness: The depressed person will not look after himself or herself, and will probably need to be told what to do. The hyperactive response can be more dangerous because the affected person may give a misleading impression of purposefulness and leadership.
4. Stereotypical behavior: This is a form of denial in which victims fall back on learned behavior patterns, no matter how inappropriate they are for the situation. The Boss may decide to continue in that role, even though they have no idea of what to do. Sadly, the underlings may also revert to those subordinate roles, even though they may be better prepared mentally.
5. Anger: A universal reaction, anger is irrational. Rescue workers frequently come under verbal and physical attack while performing their duties.
A few years ago in Central Oregon, the Deschutes County Search and Rescue team rescued a man who had dumped his raft just before going over a waterfall on the Deschutes River near Bend. Miraculously, the rafter saved himself by clinging to a mid-stream boulder. During the whole rescue effort, he denied he was in trouble. After being plucked from the rapids, the rafter flipped off the rescuers as he walked back to the parking lot. He never thanked anyone for saving his life.
6. Psychological breakdown: This could be the most desperate problem facing a victim, and this stage is characterized by irritability, lack of interest, apprehension, psycho-motor retardation, and confusion. Once this point is reached, the ultimate consequence may be death.
So, according to Leach, one key to a “survival state-of-mind” is to be prepared and confident that you can handle an emergency. This brings up another deadly behavior pattern: lack of preparation.
People don’t prepare for emergencies, Leach writes, for three reasons: Planning is inconvenient, preparations may be costly, and an ingrained folk myth that says to prepare for a disaster is to encourage it.
I found this to be all too common in Central Oregon.
Flashback: A few years back, I was at Swampy Lakes Snow Park near Bend, getting ready for a snowshoe trek. An older couple pulled up next to me—tourists from the looks of their inappropriate clothing and rental equipment. They had no survival gear of any kind that I could see. They struggled to put their snowshoes on, then asked if there were any maps around. I gave them one of mine, and offered to orient it for them with my compass.
They declined.
They also didn’t want the book of matches and a packet of firestarter I tried to give them. And here comes the quote that keeps the Search and Rescue teams busy:
“We’re just going out for a quick outing,” the lady said. “We’re not going to do any of that wilderness survival stuff.”
She was absolutely right.
STOP and Keep from Panicking
Here’s the scenario: You walked farther down that interesting-looking trail than originally planned and the sun is starting to set. An unsettled feeling in your stomach grows worse, and becomes a knot. The knot twists tighter as you look around. Ohhhh, nooo, you think. You may be lost . . .
Or,
You were walking up the stairs out of the subway, headed home from work, thinking about what to have for dinner. Then, there is complete darkness. Everyone around you on the stairs grows agitated. There is a rush upstairs and onto the street. The crowd of confused commuters mill around aimlessly. Nobody knows how to react, and your mind goes blank. Now what? Then, despite your best intentions, you feel yourself starting to panic . . .
Embed this in your psyche: STOP! Say it out loud if you have to, then remember what it stands for: Stop, Think, Observe, Plan.
This well-used old acronym, probably mentioned in every survival, bushcraft, or preparedness manual, is critical to your survival. STOP is a survival mind-set exercise. Here’s how to use it, as explained by wilderness survival expert Peter Kummerfeldt. Follow these steps:
This event could turn into chaos in an instant if an earthquake occurred and the electricity went out.
1. Stop: Unless it’s dangerous, quit moving and sit down. Breathe. Take a drink of water. Eat a snack. Stay put—you can’t think until you can focus your thoughts. Time yourself—take at least thirty minutes to let the adrenaline wear off.
2. Think: Assess your choices and the tools available. Do you have your essentials and the necessary survival gear along? Can you use them? Knowing you’re prepared for an unexpected night out, or that you have the tools to deal with the situation, can inspire self-assurance and ratchet down your fear. This confidence could keep you from doing something stupid.
3. Observe: Take the surroundings into account, because this will affect what comes next. Is it getting dark? Is the temperature dropping or is the weather getting bad? What can you anticipate happening in the immediate future? These environmental factors must be considered.
4. Plan: Based on your previous actions in this exercise, form an overall plan. Then make some immediate decisions and get going. Don’t expect anyone to help you, and don’t procrastinate.
Overcome Fear of the Dark
Flashback: In the mid-2000s, I worked as a reporter for the daily newspaper in Bend, Oregon where I frequently covered incidents of lost hikers and other rescue situations. During that period, I interviewed Sgt. Marvin Combs, former coordinator of the Deschutes County (Oregon) Search and Rescue, who told me this story:
A hiker kept walking all night, even though he was hopelessly lost in the Three Sisters Wilderness, a vast territory in central Oregon. In the darkness of the woods, the hiker didn’t know the terrain and eventually his flashlight batteries wore out. He could easily have been injured in a number of ways by walking over a cliff or falling over a log or rock. Fortunately, the next morning he came out on a road, miles from where any searchers had been looking. He said he was afraid to stop and couldn’t build a fire. So why did he keep moving?
“He told us, ‘I heard animals or something moving all around me,’” Combs said.
In this case, fear of the dark could have led to disaster. So if you start to feel a little edgy and anxious as the sun goes down, don’t let that affect later decisions you may have to make. The time to deal with that fear is before the survival situation develops. A standard bushcraft and survival skill is to identify a problem, and decide to overcome it. If you’re afraid of the dark, don’t think you’re alone. Fear of the dark is called “nyctophobia.” Sigmund Freud was one of the earliest researchers who made a study of this problem. He thought fear of the dark was an expression of separation anxiety.
Find an area where you can control the amount of light and darkness, such as a cave or closet. Gradually start introducing more darkness, until you feel comfortable being in the dark.
In his book Emotion, William Lyons writes, “Fear of the dark is not fear of the absence of light, but fear of possible or imagined dangers concealed by the darkness.”
Many, many adults are afraid of the dark, and some won’t know it until all the lights go out. Think about it: The majority of city dwellers are never in complete darkness. Street lights, the ambient glow from stores and shopping centers, night lights in the house, and other illumination sources assure that there is never complete darkness. But suddenly, out in the woods, or in a building when the power grid goes down, darkness descends. If this causes uneasiness or fear, you might act irrationally.
Here is one suggested way to get over that fear. Psychologists call this “systematic desensitization.” The idea is to confront the issue or problem in small, manageable steps and gradually desensitize yourself.
Here are some steps to take:
1. Realize the problem and decide to do something about it. Come up with some good reasons to conquer this fear. It could be that you have family responsibilities and would need to take care of others during an emergency.
2. Consider what might be causing that fear and give it a name, such as fear of wild animals in the dark. Research the possibility of animal attacks and decide if your fear is grounded in reality. Do this with any nameless fear—you can’t overcome something if you don’t know what it is.
3. Find a safe spot, outside if possible, that will get completely dark at some point, and go there. Sit down and observe the surroundings. Stay as the sun starts to set, and leave when you start to feel uncomfortable. Do this regularly, extending the time you spend there. The goal is to be able to sit in complete darkness.
