Debris Shelter

Signal Mirror

Brace and Platform Fire

Improvising Assignment - Primitive Fishing Kit

For this project, I wanted to utilize only natural materials to make everything required for an effective fishing kit (Pole, Cordage, Hooks, Flotation Device). In truth, I experimented with this idea as a young boy (10) with limited success, but I always utilized cordage (fishing line) I found near the fishing area. To replicate the entire kit without any modern materials was new territory.

I used information found in the book Ultimate Guide to Wilderness Living: Surviving with Nothing But Your Bare Hands and What You Find in the Woods by John and Geri McPherson (2008). 

To begin the production of the kit, I began with harvesting Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), then stripped the fibers from the stalk and outer bark, and made cordage using the twist and twist over method. I tapered the line to attempt to make the finished cord tough, castable, and if broken easier to repair. 

After cordage was complete, I made a series of fishhooks and gorges from Black Hawthorn branches and thorns, choosing only thorns with appropriate angles for fishing hooks. I also made several sizes of gorge type style hooks. 

I finished by finding and processing a standing dead cedar sapling into a pole, tied on the cordage (in 2 different spots to avoid losing the cordage), and making a small flotation device from quills from a porcupine. 

The complete process is included in the video below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJL_GqFI7zo

Section 5

Section 5 - Drinking water

Pages 107 to 122

Water is essential in any survival scenario. To prevent dehydration in the first place, stay out of the sun and try not to sweat.  Water is the 5^th on the list of “Necessities of Life” and eventually will be critical in any scenario.

Sources of Water

Desert – few sources of water, carrying minimal amounts (2.5 gallons/day) is a necessity. To find water, watch local wildlife (game trails, birds, etc.), they need water too. Also, green vegetation is often an indicator of available water.

Ways to get water in a desert

·         Catch rain and collect dew (sponge up and wring out in a container)

·         Vegetation / transpiration bags (transpiration if possible)

·         Dig near wet areas in creek beds

·         Depressions in rocks may hold water

Tropical – Generally many sources of water, but disinfection is critical.

Ways to get water in tropical environments

·         Catch rain from a tree trunk (not sure what this means, but ok?)

·         Catch dew and rain with a cloth and wring out into a container

·         Water vines, fig trees, bamboo, and coconuts all have “plant water” which is an acceptable water replacement

·         On Beaches, you can desalinate water by turning it into steam and finding a way to catch the steam (coil condenser, catch the steam with a rag and wring out, A still, etc.)

Colder Climates – you still need to disinfect, but water should be available in some capacity

Ways to get water in cold climates

·         Melt snow or ice (preferably ice)

·         Streams, ponds, lakes, rivers, etc.

·         Seepages or springs

·         Melt snow and ice by using dark colored plastics laid out in the sun

·         A water machine (fill some cloth material (anything) with snow/ice and hang over a container near your fire)

A Water Transpiration Bag is method of obtaining potable water by using rooted vegetation and a plastic bag. The branches of vegetation are placed inside of bag, and tied off.  As the green plant loses water through the stomatal openings due to evapotranspiration, the vapor condenses on the inside if the plastic and can be collected. The species of plant used will make a huge difference in overall water production. Speaking from experience, this method is difficult at best to procure large amounts of water, but in some scenarios is the only option, and can be utilized to collect some water, providing a physiological benefit, and often large morale boost.

Disinfection of Water (Biological contaminants)

·         Boiling

·         Chemicals (Iodine, Potable-Aqua)

Filtration of water is an effective method if you have a filtration system. Since this publication they are getting smaller and more efficient.

Section 4

Section 4 - Fire craft

Pages 98 to 104

Many people think that building a fire is easy to accomplish. In some conditions, it is, in others, it takes training and skill. Gather the necessary components and carefully plan your fire before trying light it

Heat, Fuel and Oxygen are the critical components of all fires, not having sufficient quantities of any of these components will extinguish your fire.

Make sure your fire gets plenty of oxygen by using a brace and platform design

Carry two sets of ignition sources (Ferro Rod, Lighter, Magnesium Rod, Waterproof matches, etc)

Fuel comes in many sizes, starting with tinder and progressively gets bigger into kindling, and then sustaining fuels.

Tinder needs to be dry, and can come from any number of sources. Types of bark, wood shavings, down seed heads, and palm leaves are all good examples.

Kindling is generally thought of as small branches or pieces of larger wood that has been split down to small size.

Sustaining fuel is generally any dry wood source, but can be as exotic as animal dung, or coal (never tried this one).

The brace and platform fire

Build a platform out of any dry material you have

Put a brace on the side of the platform

Ignite your tinder and place near the brace on top of the platform

Add small kindling, then progressively bigger as the kindling ignites

As you get up to thumb sized kindling readily burning, you can add sustaining fuel

Section 3

Section 3

Pages 83-97 Shelters

Shelters need to provide immediate protection from the elements, but can be improved over time (if appropriate).

Fire can often mitigate the risks of poor weather or cold temperatures, yet the availability of local materials for fire building is not guaranteed. Staying dry is extremely important when building/finding shelter or building a fire, or you run the risk of become hypothermic sooner. In sub-zero temperatures, fire can be essential to survival.

Immediate action shelters protect the survivor from the environment that can be erected quickly and with minimal effort.  Environmental shelters such as caves, stranded vehicles, abandoned cabins etc. are examples of immediate action shelters, but furthermore, sheltering the individual by using a tarp, trash bags, survival suits, or other methods are suitable to keep the core body temperature at acceptable levels. Using these methods in conjunction with debris can offer additional insulation.

When building a shelter, the type or environment you are surviving in is of paramount importance. Survival shelters will differ remarkably due to the overall risk you are trying to mitigate. For example, cold weather shelters are trying to maximize heat retention, whereas in a desertic environment, you are trying to keep the body as cool as possible. Each type of environment has its own special circumstances, such as the need to dry out in tropics and avoid biting insects. Before building any shelter, identify the requirements you have, and adapt your shelter accordingly.

Desert Shelters – Find shade, minimize activity

·         Protect from the high diurnal heat exchange (cold at night, hot during the day)

·         Construct the shelter 12-18 inches above or below the ground to reduce contact with hot surfaces, but keep in mid caloric output required for digging.

·         Build a fire at night

·         Use wind during the day, block wind at night

·         Dry creek beds can flash flood

·         After the sun goes down, take advantage of heat stored in the rocks, ground and trees

Shelters in the Tropics

·         Protect from daytime heat (and humidity),wet conditions and insects.

·         Plastic works well for shelter building

·         Use appropriate methods to limit the amount of skin exposed to biting insects

·         Smoke discourages biting insects

·         Clear away rotten vegetation to discourage creepy crawlies

Mountains and Cold Weather – Staying warm is the goal

·         Make sure to gather enough wood to sustain a fire throughout the night

·         Weather changes quickly, chose shelter location based on several possibly scenarios

·         Caves, pits, hollows, etc. are a good way to get out of the elements

·         Leeward sides of hills, out of the wind are good spots for shelters

·         Shelters built in the timber are beneficial for a number of reasons

·         Insulate yourself from the ground using any materials you have available

·         Build a fire before shelter building, so you can get warm and dry off if you get cold or wet during shelter building

·         Store food in a tree and make noise to avoid encounters with bears

Types of cold weather shelters – In general, you want to get out the elements, insulate yourself, and stay dry. Any numbers of shelters meet these criteria. Snow is a great insulator, use it.

Snow Trench – Dig a hole your body can fit in and have about 6 inches on all sides. Build a roof frame out of tree boughs or anything else you have available. Insulate the trench. Cover the roof with at least 6 inches of snow for insulation

Debris Shelter – Build (or find) an appropriate A frame type lean to for a frame, cover with any debris you have available (use lots of debris). Scrape the snow away if possible, climb in and cover the entrance.

Snow cave or hole – Dig a hole in the snow. Get in. Make sure you don’t kill yourself if you have a fire inside by having an air hole.  Warm air rises, cold are sinks, so have a place for the cold air to go, and sit up high to stay warm.