Survival Test? Are you really prepared?

Codger_64 said:
LMAO, don't put any more stock in this test than you would one in the "How's your love life" tests in women's magazines!:D Codger
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That's true but it's fun and they do have some good articles on that site. But like you said... I got the coral snake Q wrong, but I doubt I'll see too many around WI :)
 
70%...and I think they were being charitable. I don't know, maybe my perceptions are skewed, but I don't FEEL that prepared.
 
true eyegor.... very true.

has ANYONE gotten a perfect score yet? i have taken it numerous times and cant seem to get a perfect score. Study Train Study Train, then repeat forever.
 
55%

here's what I got wrong below and me complaining about being wrong...

Area: Survival Planning
Question: What kind of survival kit should you construct.
Your Answer: One large enough to carry all of your items, make it a backpack.
Correct Answer: Make sure it is waterproof.

I think this was a trick question after I reread it. they were asking about your survival kit and not what you're carrying it in.


Area: Basic Survival Medicine
Question: How much water must the body lose before death?
Your Answer: Atleast 10%
Correct Answer: Atleast 15%

I thought it was 10%, but okay... you can lose 10% and not worry. go right ahead. me? I don't want to lose that much. losing 5% makes me feel all types of crappy.


Area: Firecraft
Question: What materials should you use when using the bow method to light a fire?
Your Answer: Softwood for the drill, hardwood for the board, and supple green wood for the bow.
Correct Answer: Hardwood for the drill, softwood for the board, and supple green wood for the bow.

honest mistake on this one. I checked the wrong answer.


Area: Poisonous Plants
Question: What should you remember to help you avoid poisonous plants?
Your Answer: Watch the animals and eat what they eat.
Correct Answer: Avoid all mushrooms.

I can't agree with this since I like some wild mushrooms. you'd have to basically admit to not spending enough time on your survival skills to rule out mushrooms. of course it's risky if you aren't qualified to make a decision, but hey, I watched a special on the Discovery Channel. but seriously tho, you should know. I'd watch animals I'm familiar with to scout food sources. a bear once guided me to an amazing field of blueberries lined with raspberries and apple trees. it was like an oasis in the middle of hundreds of miles of forest.


Area: Weapons, Tools, and Equipment
Question: When making a stone knife what materials do you need?
Your Answer: A piece of soft rock and a piece of hard stone.
Correct Answer: A sharp-edged piece of stone, a chipping tool, and a flaking tool.

I'm seeing a pattern of questions that lack a definitive answer @ this point. finding a sharp-edged stone can be a real pain in the ass. find a rock you know is soft and break it. then presto-change-o you have a sharp-edged stone and you can chip and flake to your liking. they make it sound way more scientific than it really is. I wouldn't exactly call it flintnapping. you need rocks. sheesh. and they're telling me I'm not going to survive.


Area: Desert Survival
Question: When in a desert environment what should you do to conserve water?
Your Answer: Try to keep your eyes and mouth closed so they stay moist.
Correct Answer: Do not eat.

I didn't know that. that sounds counter-productive considering the amount of water you get from food. do you really lose more water thru digestion than you gain thru eating? I mean, eating > dry-mouth/throat. wouldn't it be more accurate to say, eat with a lot of moderation as opposed to "do not eat"? to simply stop eating you'd be assuming you're getting out of the situation sooner than later, wouldn't you?


Area: Tropical Survival
Question: In order to move well through the jungle you should?
Your Answer: Stay clear of animal trails as they could be dangerous.
Correct Answer: Not concentrate on the pattern of bushes and trees to your immediate front. You must focus on the jungle further out and find natural breaks in the foliage.

I didn't know that either. it would seem that I have subpar desert and tropical survival skills. I didn't think there were particularly many breaks in jungle foliage. I figure you're good as long as you're heading in the right direction and not stepping on a gorilla's shoe.


Area: Water Crossings
Question: If you must cross a river you should?
Your Answer: Find a rocky area as the water will be shallow and you will have hand and footholds.
Correct Answer: Find a level stretch where it breaks into a few channels.

that could take forever! I've always crossed rivers in rocky areas short of being in rapids (wouldn't that pass as "a level stretch where it breaks into a few channels"?). I've even gone the route of another option and gone to sandbars to cross. it has always worked for me. tho I have never tried crossing a river in particularly adverse conditions without a big raft.


Area: Signaling
Question: When signaling with fire how do you form the international distress signal?
Your Answer: 4 fires in a diamond.
Correct Answer: 3 fires in a triangle.

I was just guessing with this. I had no clue. I figured it was something with a point tho.


Area: Dangerous Fish and Mollusks
Question: Of the following sharks, which one is not among the top 4 for most attacks on humans?
Your Answer: Hammerhead.
Correct Answer: Mako.

hammerheads are not in the top 4. I didn't think makos were either but I consider makos far more dangerous and went with it.

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Sharks/Statistics/species2.htm

according to that chart, hammerheads (counting great hammerheads) have a recorded 39 attacks betwen 1580 and 2005. definitely not cracking the top 4.

so I was partially right. there are more attacks recorded from makos than hammerheads (45 > 39).
 
If you buy that kit with the United Knife, your scores go up by 20%.

:D
 
Holy s#it I only got 60% and my 10 yr old has just done it and got 55%, better read my books again !!!!!!!!!
 
pit man said:
Holy s#it I only got 60% and my 10 yr old has just done it and got 55%, better read my books again !!!!!!!!!
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LMAO!!!!:D But I must commend you, you are raising your boy correctly; teaching him to survive and camp... Lessons I will never forget that my father taught me... Lessons that might save my life one day.... God bless.
 
by Codger - A lot of those questions are environmental specific, or situational specific, and several offered no "all of the above", or other options like "A & B", etc. I scored high, according to their standards, but have aced the real world tests most of the time. LMAO, don't put any more stock in this test than you would one in the "How's your love life" tests in women's magazines!
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Codger is right on the money.

BlindedByTheLite said:
55%

Area: Survival Planning
Question: What kind of survival kit should you construct.
Your Answer: One large enough to carry all of your items, make it a backpack.
Correct Answer: Make sure it is waterproof. IIRC, one of the answers said a light kit. One of the problems with survival kits is that they are too big to carry and often get left behind. If it is light enough, it might always be with you, therefore I submit this would be more important than one that is waterproof, which is also dependent on what you carry in it - snare wire, magnesium fire sticks, knives, etc., are already waterproof.

Area: Basic Survival Medicine
Question: How much water must the body lose before death?

Correct Answer: Atleast 15% Who cares, the idea is to always stay hydrated, besides how the hell could you measure it anyway?

Area: Firecraft
Question: What materials should you use when using the bow method to light a fire?
Your Answer: Softwood for the drill, hardwood for the board, and supple green wood for the bow.
Correct Answer: Hardwood for the drill, softwood for the board, and supple green wood for the bow.
Not much to say on this except I think it implies that the two woods have to be different in hardness.

Area: Poisonous Plants
Question: What should you remember to help you avoid poisonous plants?
Correct Answer: Avoid all mushrooms.

I can't agree with this since I like some wild mushrooms. you'd have to basically admit to not spending enough time on your survival skills to rule out mushrooms. of course it's risky if you aren't qualified to make a decision, but hey, I watched a special on the Discovery Channel. but seriously tho, you should know. I'd watch animals I'm familiar with to scout food sources. a bear once guided me to an amazing field of blueberries lined with raspberries and apple trees. it was like an oasis in the middle of hundreds of miles of forest. Mushrooms provide very little in nutritive value in a survival situation. BTW, according to American Wildlife & Plants - A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, Martin/Zim/Nelson, Dover, 1961- SBN# 486-20793-5, page 337, Black Bear, Muskrat, Rabbit, Mice, Rats, and Mule Deer eat Poison Ivy, for example.


Area: Desert Survival
Question: When in a desert environment what should you do to conserve water?
Your Answer: Try to keep your eyes and mouth closed so they stay moist.
Correct Answer: Do not eat.

I didn't know that. that sounds counter-productive considering the amount of water you get from food. do you really lose more water thru digestion than you gain thru eating? I mean, eating > dry-mouth/throat. wouldn't it be more accurate to say, eat with a lot of moderation as opposed to "do not eat"? to simply stop eating you'd be assuming you're getting out of the situation sooner than later, wouldn't you? Digesting food uses a lot of water, which in turn would leave you more dehydrated


Area: Tropical Survival
Question: In order to move well through the jungle you should? Wilderness survival requires learning about the habitats in which you might find yourself - the jungles wouldn't be one for me

Area: Dangerous Fish and Mollusks
Question: Of the following sharks, which one is not among the top 4 for most attacks on humans?
Your Answer: Hammerhead.
Correct Answer: Mako. How is this relevant, does it mean that if you are killed by a Mako, you're any less dead?
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IMHO, Wilderness survival is much too location specific for a general test to be an indication of how prepared you are. When do you become a survival expert? Never, only a more or less knowledgable student.

Doc
 
DOC-CANADA said:
IMHO, Wilderness survival is much too location specific for a general test to be an indication of how prepared you are. When do you become a survival expert? Never, only a more or less knowledgable student.
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Amen to that. A general test can only help you to realize how well do you know your basic/foundational skills and maybe survival psycology/attitudes. IMO anything else is still fun, but is not a general test.
 
Preacher and Doc, I hadnt thought of that before you guys mentioned it.. I always knew the thing had to be rigged so no one could get a perfect score.
 
I got an 85%
I agree that book knowledge is no where near as important as real world knowledge. Some people could repeat the correct answers all day but if you cant identify hard from soft wood or something like that then your knowledge is pretty much uselss.
Nothing beets dirt time.

Reminds me of a quote from an old movie. Guy wakes up with his clothes on fire from his fire bed, his partner says " I knew you didn't put enough dirt on it" the guy replies "why didn't you tell me" the partner says "if I told you, you wouldnt have listened but now I bet you'll never forget to add a little more dirt"
Edited to add: I believe the move was "jeremiah Johnson" with robert rdford (1972)
 
got 75%. dont live near the ocean or the dessert , guess im sorta dumn about those things .
 
To "Avoid all mushrooms." is realy not the best advice - atleast if you can identifie eateble ones.

And if you must cross the river - how can you do it, if you don't find any level stretch where it breaks into a few channels?

And what has the information which of the sharks is not among the top 4 for the attacks on people to do with survival - surviving is about not to be attacked at all (I think it's better to avoid all dangerusly looking things...).

Funy little test - but in survival situation I ceartanly wuldn't count on Seargant Safary...
 
I got an 85%.
I got dinged on the silly ones about water crossings,and the edible plant one.I've crossed a lot of brooks/rivers,I've always found the shallowest spots and crossed.The SAS survival guide states that if a plant has RED leaves or stem then it's poisionus.Mushrooms should be avoided unless properly identified as suitable for eating.
 
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