I live in an apartment right now, while I go to college, and am in a large city. I want to practice my survival skills with out driving an hour to the mountains. What skills would you practice. I cant exactly go make a debris hut, make traps, or do anything that involves a fire. I usually end up playing with my survival kits, but Im bored with that and am wanting to practice some more primative skills. So, any ideas?
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Practicing skills
- Thread starter wade
- Start date
Rupestris
Gold Member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2006
- Messages
- 29,876
You could work on strength and endurance. Load up your pack and go for a hike.
Work on your rope/tying skills. http://www.animatedknots.com/
Read. Get books on survival, and which plant life and mushrooms can be consumed. Go outside and try to identify them. Even if its just at the local park.
Work on your rope/tying skills. http://www.animatedknots.com/
Read. Get books on survival, and which plant life and mushrooms can be consumed. Go outside and try to identify them. Even if its just at the local park.
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
- Messages
- 3,910
practice making field expedient weaponry ie bow and arrows / spears ect. These can be used for hunting. Practice fire making. practice procuring water or a water source and water purification. Practice finding north - south - east - west in the day and night without a compass or gps. Practice traveling in strait lines from one place to another without compass, gps, or maps. practice stealth and sneaking abilities. practice tracking wild game. Buy a survival book, get ideas , and practice cause I could go on for days and days with this thread.
Interstitial Wilderness is a good read and may give you some ideas.
BTW, regarding working out for strength and endurance. That should be a lifestyle choice for anyone seriously interested in survival, be it wilderness, urban or just natural disaster preparedness. It may be mundane, but folks die when they can't move fast enough. Get in shape, stay in shape and don't be just a keyboard "survivalist".
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2006
- Messages
- 357
You may be able to do some things you didn't think were possible:
Go to a local park where they have BBQ pits and practice spark based fire making.
Pick up a couple sticks at the local park and take them home where you can whittle forks/spoons/untensils. You can also practice making the triggers for traps. Yon can also use household items to practice trap making. I have used a cooler for the deadfall on a fig 4, dumbbell for a counter weight...
You can also build a poncho shelter at the local park. Ponchos are an invaluable item that should be carried on any outing.
Learn to braid paracord and make bracelets or lanyards for your knives.
When you are restricted to city living you can still pracice the skills you just need to be creative.
Good luck
Go to a local park where they have BBQ pits and practice spark based fire making.
Pick up a couple sticks at the local park and take them home where you can whittle forks/spoons/untensils. You can also practice making the triggers for traps. Yon can also use household items to practice trap making. I have used a cooler for the deadfall on a fig 4, dumbbell for a counter weight...
You can also build a poncho shelter at the local park. Ponchos are an invaluable item that should be carried on any outing.
Learn to braid paracord and make bracelets or lanyards for your knives.
When you are restricted to city living you can still pracice the skills you just need to be creative.
Good luck
Sometimes you can find various local clubs putting on
events that are relevant to survival or woodcraft even
if they do not think of it that way.
Somtimes you can carpool with them if it is an out of
town excursion.
Bird walks.
Plant ID walks in town and nearby.
Geology feature walks.
Rock hound (rock collectors).
Demo type mountain man rondezvous in parks.
Botanic gardens often have walkways with native and other
common plants that are identified with little signs.
Go on a ride-along with local police, learn about the human
animals in you city. Maybe the cops can give you tips on
areas and human tricks.
In all of the above you can train your eyes and mind.
Various outdoor clubs that do hikes, cross country skiing,
snow shoe, etc. Sometimes these clubs are independent and
sometimes they are semi-attached to universities and other
instituitions. Generally their politics will be liberal; blend in.
They will almost certainly carpool.
By finding out where groups go you will find trails and places
that you would not likely find yourself. In some cases they
may regularly go in an area that you had frequented, and you
thought it was remote and "secret".
It is good to know where others go.
Walk green belts and learn of the plants and animals. I have
sharpened my plant ID skills by walking these and I have seen
red foxes, beavers, rats in large cities, where you would not
expect them. Look for their tracks.
Go out during or after a snow or rain and study tracks of humans
and animals in various terrain.
events that are relevant to survival or woodcraft even
if they do not think of it that way.
Somtimes you can carpool with them if it is an out of
town excursion.
Bird walks.
Plant ID walks in town and nearby.
Geology feature walks.
Rock hound (rock collectors).
Demo type mountain man rondezvous in parks.
Botanic gardens often have walkways with native and other
common plants that are identified with little signs.
Go on a ride-along with local police, learn about the human
animals in you city. Maybe the cops can give you tips on
areas and human tricks.
In all of the above you can train your eyes and mind.
Various outdoor clubs that do hikes, cross country skiing,
snow shoe, etc. Sometimes these clubs are independent and
sometimes they are semi-attached to universities and other
instituitions. Generally their politics will be liberal; blend in.
They will almost certainly carpool.
By finding out where groups go you will find trails and places
that you would not likely find yourself. In some cases they
may regularly go in an area that you had frequented, and you
thought it was remote and "secret".
It is good to know where others go.
Walk green belts and learn of the plants and animals. I have
sharpened my plant ID skills by walking these and I have seen
red foxes, beavers, rats in large cities, where you would not
expect them. Look for their tracks.
Go out during or after a snow or rain and study tracks of humans
and animals in various terrain.
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2002
- Messages
- 3,291
Since you live in a city, why not practice your urban survival skills.
Stuff like making your evac plans in advance.
Locating the nearest alternative water source that won't dry up when the power goes out.
Figure out what type of toilet you can make up, because when power goes out, so does water and you don't want to flush your water away.
How much water do you use in a day for drinking and cooking?
What can you do to help maintain heat in your apt. when you lose the ability to heat it using conventional means?
Stuff like making your evac plans in advance.
Locating the nearest alternative water source that won't dry up when the power goes out.
Figure out what type of toilet you can make up, because when power goes out, so does water and you don't want to flush your water away.
How much water do you use in a day for drinking and cooking?
What can you do to help maintain heat in your apt. when you lose the ability to heat it using conventional means?
- Joined
- Nov 7, 1999
- Messages
- 6,651
Hey Guys...
At the present time,, the woods where I practice bushcraft, is also where I hunt deer,, so it is off limits for the time being,, until Jan 01/07 when deer season comes to a close...
Even though this puts us into the dead of winter,, it's a Great time to get out there and build some debris shelters,, and teach some firemaking...
As soon a Jan 01 arrives,, I will be taking several people out in the woods to teach firemaking...
I have several friends who are hunters,, and don't know very many techniques about firemaking or survival for that matter...
My son and I like to go on day hikes in the woods,, bring some hotdogs and make a nice fire to sit around...
Great way to get the kids out there and do something...
Even in urban areas there are usually areas where you can get out and do things...
ttyle
Eric
O/ST
At the present time,, the woods where I practice bushcraft, is also where I hunt deer,, so it is off limits for the time being,, until Jan 01/07 when deer season comes to a close...
Even though this puts us into the dead of winter,, it's a Great time to get out there and build some debris shelters,, and teach some firemaking...
As soon a Jan 01 arrives,, I will be taking several people out in the woods to teach firemaking...
I have several friends who are hunters,, and don't know very many techniques about firemaking or survival for that matter...
My son and I like to go on day hikes in the woods,, bring some hotdogs and make a nice fire to sit around...
Great way to get the kids out there and do something...
Even in urban areas there are usually areas where you can get out and do things...
ttyle
Eric
O/ST
) To Longbow's point, practice for your living area.
Check your equipment, your surroundings. You have escape routes for a building fire, no doubt, what about if you had to get out of your block, or the city itself?
Try several routes, see which would work best, and have a back-up plan or two.
I think that the urban/city landscape is one of the most challenging.
lots of barriers, lots of people, lots of confusion, lots of choke points to get around.
A high quality Dust mask?
They were like gold in the downtown area during 911.
You may be trying to get outta dodge with flames, smoke and massive dust clouds. Eye protection too.
Lots to think about in the urban scenarios.
Check your equipment, your surroundings. You have escape routes for a building fire, no doubt, what about if you had to get out of your block, or the city itself?
Try several routes, see which would work best, and have a back-up plan or two.
I think that the urban/city landscape is one of the most challenging.
lots of barriers, lots of people, lots of confusion, lots of choke points to get around.
A high quality Dust mask?
They were like gold in the downtown area during 911.
You may be trying to get outta dodge with flames, smoke and massive dust clouds. Eye protection too.
Lots to think about in the urban scenarios.