- Joined
- Jul 14, 2010
- Messages
- 15,417
I'm working on getting some of the pics (Over 1000 taken by various people) to post up here, but I thought I would go ahead and get the post started. My pics are pretty basic, as I was busy most of the time, I did get a few though, BeartheDog got the most, but, he's in Death Valley today, and will be uploading soon. I'll add to the post as soon as he gets me some pics.
Day 1- Land Navigation
Students arrived, and began to get a feel for the course, we had 16 people attending. That morning, we got started with the class, Land Navigation. This is a skill that is often overlooked, but one of the most valuable. We covered the basics, the use of compass, maps, and map cards. Some of the students had never learned land nav before a few had, but after a 4hr blast of info, some great teachers, and some Alabama BBQ, they were ready to hit the woods and try out their new skills. After successfully nav'ing, we had a bit of an issue. Some drunks flipped their SUV on the only access road out of our nav area. We managed to get everyone out, but we were off our timeline by about 4hrs.
Day 2- Skills
The most favored of all the days, according to the students. We (Jeff, Mike, Jimmy, Patrick, Rueben, and Me) taught as many woodland skills as we could, in the time we had. All skills were pointed towards survival, and the students would be putting all of them to good use over the next 3 days. Jeff and Mike taught debris shelters, Jimmy taught rope work, knots, and snares, Patrick and Uncle Ethan taught fire, and Rueben and me, taught knife skills. Rueben and I split the duties, I took large knife/machete, and he took belt knife. We taught safety, and the basic cuts that give you the most work, with the least effort. I also taught how to safely fell a tree, for use. I cut down 9 trees that day, and rendered them all to workable pieces. My arm, shoulder, and back was killing me that night. More Scotch, and some hammock time, I rearing go come Day 3.
We also killed a chicken, and rendered it for the fire. Killing and eating things in the wild, are important. Little did we know, the lesson was well taught.
Day 3 Practical Application
We took the students, and dropped them off at a predetermined point, and were given UTM Coordinates of their destination. We made 2 8 man teams, that would last throughout the entire course. Once the arrived, they soon realized that they would be crossing a river, and this course was not going to get any easier as the day went on. They put a man in the water, he swam a rope across, they tied up a highline, and started the cross. Once they were all across, they were given an area to setup camp, and to get started. No food was given.
At this point, it was 4pm, and no one had eaten for the day. They were issued a basic survival kit, and team gear. Team gear was a 300m rope, harness, 3 carabiners, and 2 water filters. That's it. This is gonna get good Students were left on their own, to build camp, and setup for a the rest of the course. Some of the best debris huts I have ever seen, but, that's not all. A couple of the students had found and killed a Cottonmouth, gutted it, skinned it, and were getting ready to cook it. Hell yeah, lessons well learned.
Night 3- The Chickens
Our original plan, was to provide them 6 live chickens to kill and render for a late night dinner. Plans change and chickens die. On Saturday. One of Jimmy's dogs got in and killed all but one of the chickens. So, we iced them down, and let them rot, just a little. The first night's objective, to locate a bag of chickens (dead and rotting), and a cook pot. This mission started at 8pm. Finished a little after midnight. They ate what they could stomach, but it was a success. No pics, as they ran these missions on their own.
Day 4- Fatigue and Hunger
No one likes day 4. Every one was hungry, and tired, but learning what survival is about. Most reinforced their shelters, fished, and soaked up some skills that we provided them, in camp. We left them to themselves, until that night. Mission 2 begins.
Night 4- Watery food
We had submerged a cage of MRE's in the river (40 degree water), and they were given UTM coordinates to its location. 8pm, a team was sent out, to cross a river in the dark, and find the food. It was a success, and some much needed calories were had.
Day 5- Injured Rescue
8am, we had the class assemble on their side of the river. They were told that they now had an injured man (it was true, a guy blew his knee out), and he had to be transported to a UTM coordinate for rescue, along with themselves. They had to bring everything they had with them, and cross the river with the injured man, supplies, and themselves, hike 1.7km to the rescue spot, and signal for rescue. They did, and were saved.
More to come
Day 1- Land Navigation
Students arrived, and began to get a feel for the course, we had 16 people attending. That morning, we got started with the class, Land Navigation. This is a skill that is often overlooked, but one of the most valuable. We covered the basics, the use of compass, maps, and map cards. Some of the students had never learned land nav before a few had, but after a 4hr blast of info, some great teachers, and some Alabama BBQ, they were ready to hit the woods and try out their new skills. After successfully nav'ing, we had a bit of an issue. Some drunks flipped their SUV on the only access road out of our nav area. We managed to get everyone out, but we were off our timeline by about 4hrs.
Day 2- Skills
The most favored of all the days, according to the students. We (Jeff, Mike, Jimmy, Patrick, Rueben, and Me) taught as many woodland skills as we could, in the time we had. All skills were pointed towards survival, and the students would be putting all of them to good use over the next 3 days. Jeff and Mike taught debris shelters, Jimmy taught rope work, knots, and snares, Patrick and Uncle Ethan taught fire, and Rueben and me, taught knife skills. Rueben and I split the duties, I took large knife/machete, and he took belt knife. We taught safety, and the basic cuts that give you the most work, with the least effort. I also taught how to safely fell a tree, for use. I cut down 9 trees that day, and rendered them all to workable pieces. My arm, shoulder, and back was killing me that night. More Scotch, and some hammock time, I rearing go come Day 3.
We also killed a chicken, and rendered it for the fire. Killing and eating things in the wild, are important. Little did we know, the lesson was well taught.
Day 3 Practical Application
We took the students, and dropped them off at a predetermined point, and were given UTM Coordinates of their destination. We made 2 8 man teams, that would last throughout the entire course. Once the arrived, they soon realized that they would be crossing a river, and this course was not going to get any easier as the day went on. They put a man in the water, he swam a rope across, they tied up a highline, and started the cross. Once they were all across, they were given an area to setup camp, and to get started. No food was given.
At this point, it was 4pm, and no one had eaten for the day. They were issued a basic survival kit, and team gear. Team gear was a 300m rope, harness, 3 carabiners, and 2 water filters. That's it. This is gonna get good Students were left on their own, to build camp, and setup for a the rest of the course. Some of the best debris huts I have ever seen, but, that's not all. A couple of the students had found and killed a Cottonmouth, gutted it, skinned it, and were getting ready to cook it. Hell yeah, lessons well learned.
Night 3- The Chickens
Our original plan, was to provide them 6 live chickens to kill and render for a late night dinner. Plans change and chickens die. On Saturday. One of Jimmy's dogs got in and killed all but one of the chickens. So, we iced them down, and let them rot, just a little. The first night's objective, to locate a bag of chickens (dead and rotting), and a cook pot. This mission started at 8pm. Finished a little after midnight. They ate what they could stomach, but it was a success. No pics, as they ran these missions on their own.
Day 4- Fatigue and Hunger
No one likes day 4. Every one was hungry, and tired, but learning what survival is about. Most reinforced their shelters, fished, and soaked up some skills that we provided them, in camp. We left them to themselves, until that night. Mission 2 begins.
Night 4- Watery food
We had submerged a cage of MRE's in the river (40 degree water), and they were given UTM coordinates to its location. 8pm, a team was sent out, to cross a river in the dark, and find the food. It was a success, and some much needed calories were had.
Day 5- Injured Rescue
8am, we had the class assemble on their side of the river. They were told that they now had an injured man (it was true, a guy blew his knee out), and he had to be transported to a UTM coordinate for rescue, along with themselves. They had to bring everything they had with them, and cross the river with the injured man, supplies, and themselves, hike 1.7km to the rescue spot, and signal for rescue. They did, and were saved.
More to come
