What are your strongest/weakest areas regarding survival?

it's much easier to point out my weak points as I don't feel as I have really 'strong' points. Not to mention, its tough to claim to be an 'expert' on anything with the quality of our moderators!
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Weaknesses: first aid, plant identification, fishing! Got to add I can't SWIM!! Hence, afraid of 'deep' water. Also, got to add, that HOT, HUMID weather really knocks me down easily, I like the COLD!
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Moderately comfortable: fire building, camp/wood craft, tracking, shelter building, water collection/purification, hunting/stalking/trapping, got to add navigation here-with a little more practice I could almost bump this up one level.

Strong points: highly capable of working in cold and snow! Improvisation is second nature.

How's that!?!


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Plainsman
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primitiveguy@hotmail.com




[This message has been edited by Plainsman (edited 11 December 1999).]
 
Hi JRF,

this is a fair question. It requires soul searching and admitting to vulnerability. Thus this is one of the better questions I've seen.

Note: We should base our strengths and weaknesses on where we feel we should be...not on where others think... or what the average is....

Best:
1. Navigation (with and without a map and compass)...I love to do it....
2. Firecraft (all aspects)
2. Thinking on my feet...Improvising to meet my needs with limited resources.

Weakest area:
1. Open water survival. I can't seem to stop puking long enough to meet my needs. I have tried all the book stuff...doesn't work when the raft conforms tot he 20 foot waves...ugggggh.
2. Edible plants of the world. (I know plants indigeneous to the areas I'm in...but I have so much more to learn.)

How about it everyone...I think JRF has asked a stimulating question that should help us ID areas to focus on in 2000.

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
I'd feel comfortable in any environment I've been in with lows above freezing. Those I think I could handle without much problem. Below that, I start feeling that I need special gear. Specifically a sleeping bag.

Strong points -- Fire. Shelter. North American edibles. Signalling.

Weak Points -- long distance nav. extreme cold. other edibles. extreme heat.


Stryver

 
This is a good one. I am sure something will be missed but here goes. Along with the others, I feel I am far from an "expert" I fond more things everyday I do not know, but then again if I ever stop learning I would just as soon give up life.

Weak in:

Almost any aspect of desert survival. I know a bit but not enough.
Map Reading/Compass navigation
Edible Plants
Urban Survival


Strengths (areas I have gained what limited knowledge because of greatest interest):

Primitive or period skills wilderness skills. Flint and steel, shelter making etc.
Cold weather skills - living in Michigan has helped here
Swimming/lifesaving
Problem solving


More to come as I think on this one
 
Good question!

I had to sleep on this one.

Weakpoints: Ocean survival, I haven't a clue so I don't get on boats
smile.gif
(Hope there is a manual in the liferaft!) Edible plants... the world is too big. Knots, I only use about 10

Strong points: Any primitive skills, innovation, navigation, pathfinding, tracking, firemaking etc.

I have a tough time with the strong points category because I'm always learning new stuff or different ways to do something. This sometimes makes me feel like I'm dumb as a stone. "Why didn't I think of that!"

Environments force the locals to learn different techniques to accomplish a goal. i.e. jungle folk don't rely on the stars much nor do they use compasses. Do they navigate or pathfind? The Kurds taught me how to make a pocket compass from wood. The "Yards" showed me how to make a fire piston from bamboo. Who'da thought that indians would invent a diesel piston?

On second thought... I only have medium points.

Ron



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Learn Life Extension at:

http://www.survival.com ]
 
My strongest area would be my ability to adapt and improvise. I'm also pretty good at remaining focussed and not getting tweaked in odd situations. I'm also omnivorous, and can gag-down just about anything in the animal, vegetable, or insect kingdoms.

I don't like killing large mammals.

I don't spend as much time in the bush as I should. I grew up outdoors a lot in Michigan, and thrived on it. But now I am in Florida, I don't get as much time in the woods as I should, because its so damn hot in the summer (8 months of the year). Cold doesnt bother me, there are ways to escape it. But there are few ways to escape the wearing effects of heat and humidity. But I have spent enough time outdoors here, to know I can endure it. I just don't do it as often.
I could be a lot better at plant identification.
Firemaking could use work.
I'm ok with knots, basically i think all you need is a couple that slip and a couple that don't. And a basic concept of making a net, and tying more than 2 things together.

I'm learing all I can about gun maintenence, repair, and handloading.

My interpersonal patience could use a lot of work. If I am ever in a survival situation, I hope it is only with one other person that I get along with. In any situation where I have a clue, its a tremedous test for me to endure other people that have to constantly "catch-up." Not that I'm joe-know-it-all by any stretch of the imagination, but I really don't like feeling trapped with other people. I'm told I keep it in well, but inside I'm usually in a knot. Thats a lot of wasted energy.

[This message has been edited by James Sass (edited 11 December 1999).]

[This message has been edited by James Sass (edited 11 December 1999).]
 
Strongest:

I'm a neophyte and I know it.
Friction fire
Spark-based fire
Shelter

Medium:

Edibles indigenous to my area.
Knapping
Traps
Weakest:

I may know it, but I'm still a neophyte.
First aid
Navigation

Mike
 
Stronger points:

Firemaking
Shelterbuilding
toolmaking from wood and bone
Improvising

Weaker points:

Plant ID
Ocean survival
flintknapping
 
Strong: I think I might be maxed out cold tolerant for a human being. Good climber, great hearing and sight, swimming/water stuff and can figure stuff out in general pretty well.

Weak: no clue what plants are edible, hunting skills could be better, not the best at that, and hate the heat, over 75F is gettign too hot for me. Need to learn how to read a map with a compass too..
 
Probably like most "survivalists", I think of myself as a Generalist. I'm not great in any one thing, but focus more on being rounded and at leasted versed in all the things I might need to know.

Strengths are probably first aid (former para-medic), navigation, hunting and fishing and knowing the habits and behavior of wildlife.

Weakness are making a fire without flint or matches (never paid my dues with the bow saw starter, etc.), and particulary wild plant identification. I believe this is one of the more complicated areas of survival so I have been reading and trying/testing in the field to improve in this regard. Am comfortable with about 5 types of mushrooms/fungus, and the common edibles (certian berries, cattails, miners lettece, etc).

Is it a reliable indicator that if the birds and animals eat it, it is OK? This is contrary to what I have been told - that the animals can eat foods, especilly berrys, that will make a person very sick.

Would love to take a multi day field trip with someone like Christopher Nyerges (he writes on edilbe wildfoods and conducts field trips).

Plan to expand my library on edibles to further my ability on this weakpoint.
 
I cheated I read the other posts first.
What a great question!!!!! I kow it was said
a couple of times before but still great.
Strong pts.
tracking,finding and catching non-game and game with traps and snares or weapons.
shelters
making weapons
day time nav. without comp.

med. pts
keeping my wits about me when really tired
first aid
not taking too much stuff with me
fire start with bow

weak pts.
I.D. edible plants and all the rest

I noticed that there were alot of posts on
PLANTS



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http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91

 
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