Good Skills To Know

The various rocks called "flint" (mainly chert and chalcedony - impure forms of quartz) are found in several locations in Ohio: Flint Ridge, near Newark being the most famous ("flint" from there was traded over a vast area of what is now the U.S. and Canada.), and also at locations in Vinton, Jackson, Coshocton, Hocking, and Perry counties -- maybe some others as well.

"Flint" is found as coated nodules (rounded lumps) in limestone and chalk. The former explains finding it in road gravel since limestone is the most common road gravel used in Ohio. Lots of limestone in Ohio!

There was, last I checked, at least one commercial quarry in the Newark area.

Any fairly glass-like rock can be tried for striking sparks from steel.
 
Another great thing to try before you need it is a solar water still. Several different instructions are available on the Web. The instructions are simple, but it's always better to try things out before you NEED to use them.
 
TarnB said:
Another great thing to try before you need it is a solar water still. Several different instructions are available on the Web. The instructions are simple, but it's always better to try things out before you NEED to use them.
Click to expand...
One of the best pieces of advice about solar water stills is indeed try to build one: there's a large body of evidence that these are incredibly inefficient, and in many situations, you can theoretically lose more water building and maintaining these than you'll actually get out of them.

Here's a particularly well written examination on the myths and realities of solar stills.
 
I reckon some of the best preparation you can do is to gather knowledge. Knowledge of the area you will be in, the inhabitants, the weather, terrain, plants and animals etc.

And although gathering food by hunting etc is the thing I find to be the most fun when playing in the outdoors, when it comes to the real thing food is well down the list of priorities. Warmth comes first then water then food. You can freeze solid in a short time, but most people should be able to last for many days without food.

One thing that is worth practicing is knot tying. It is good to think ahead about what you might need to use cordage for, then find out what knots are best for each of the applications. If you can practice a few special knots to the point where you can tie them in the dark, or behind your back, or with just one hand etc you may well save yourself a lot of frustration later on.

Some knots weaken some fibres more than others. If you can find a knot that won't weaken natural fibre much, you have found something really useful.

I have done comparative tests of knots by tying combinations of knots on one bit of fibre and pulling it till it breaks. Theoretically it breaks first at the weakest knot.

I believe it is best to avoid sudden changes of angle in knots for the best results.
 
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