I have Ray's The Survival Handbook and would like to share some stuff.
The Twelve Woodlores
1. Don't challenge Nature, challenge yourself:
Occasionally you will hear people talking about beating the elements by conquering a mountain or crossing an ice cap or some such brave deed. The truth is that the challenge is internal. Have you the skill? Can you overcome your fear? No one can beat the elements; all those who fail to heed the warning signs or have the stupidity to press ahead regardless, die. Instead of taking unnecessary risks challenge yourself to know when to turn back; learn to be more skilful; above all challenge yourself to better understand the way nature works.
2. If you're roughing it, you're doing something wrong:
Any fool can be uncomfortable, you gain no points for carrying a heavy backpack, or for any deeds of selfimposed endurance. While you may train for an expedition by roughing it, if there is a way of making yourself more comfortable, without the effort becoming a disadvantage, do so. In emergency situations in particular, just a small amount of hardship can prove to be fatal once your level of morale has dropped.
3. Always give 100% effort the first time:
Whether shelter building, firelighting, or whatever, if you don't set about it in the right way the first time you are wasting your energy and will simply have to start from scratch again.
4. Aim to achieve maximum efficiency for the minimum effort:
To work you need energy; for energy you need food. In the outdoors finding food is work. When you gather your firewood for your fire do you
carry large armfuls to the log pile or do you only fill your hands?
5. Never pass by an opportunity:
This is very important. As you travel along, should you find suitable water, food or firelighting materials, gather them as you pass since you
may not have the opportunity later when they are needed. This is particularly true of fire building materials where by the end of a day's travel it may be raining or have rained earlier soaking the available tinder. Many of my old shirts and jackets have birch bark pieces in the pockets that I gathered some years ago now.
6. As far as you can, adapt your expectations to a level which you can meet given the circumstances:
If you cannot build a large comfortable shelter, be satisfied with a small shelter. If there is not a wide variety of wild foods available to you, be
grateful for the one type you can eat. Make your psychology work for you. Be realistic— make yourself comfortable but do not overwork
yourself to achieve this: it's no use building a palatial shelter if you then collapse with exhaustion inside it. But also do not underestimate what you can achieve.
Continued Below
The Twelve Woodlores
1. Don't challenge Nature, challenge yourself:
Occasionally you will hear people talking about beating the elements by conquering a mountain or crossing an ice cap or some such brave deed. The truth is that the challenge is internal. Have you the skill? Can you overcome your fear? No one can beat the elements; all those who fail to heed the warning signs or have the stupidity to press ahead regardless, die. Instead of taking unnecessary risks challenge yourself to know when to turn back; learn to be more skilful; above all challenge yourself to better understand the way nature works.
2. If you're roughing it, you're doing something wrong:
Any fool can be uncomfortable, you gain no points for carrying a heavy backpack, or for any deeds of selfimposed endurance. While you may train for an expedition by roughing it, if there is a way of making yourself more comfortable, without the effort becoming a disadvantage, do so. In emergency situations in particular, just a small amount of hardship can prove to be fatal once your level of morale has dropped.
3. Always give 100% effort the first time:
Whether shelter building, firelighting, or whatever, if you don't set about it in the right way the first time you are wasting your energy and will simply have to start from scratch again.
4. Aim to achieve maximum efficiency for the minimum effort:
To work you need energy; for energy you need food. In the outdoors finding food is work. When you gather your firewood for your fire do you
carry large armfuls to the log pile or do you only fill your hands?
5. Never pass by an opportunity:
This is very important. As you travel along, should you find suitable water, food or firelighting materials, gather them as you pass since you
may not have the opportunity later when they are needed. This is particularly true of fire building materials where by the end of a day's travel it may be raining or have rained earlier soaking the available tinder. Many of my old shirts and jackets have birch bark pieces in the pockets that I gathered some years ago now.
6. As far as you can, adapt your expectations to a level which you can meet given the circumstances:
If you cannot build a large comfortable shelter, be satisfied with a small shelter. If there is not a wide variety of wild foods available to you, be
grateful for the one type you can eat. Make your psychology work for you. Be realistic— make yourself comfortable but do not overwork
yourself to achieve this: it's no use building a palatial shelter if you then collapse with exhaustion inside it. But also do not underestimate what you can achieve.
Continued Below
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