What skill do you value the most

[pit man]

I wonder if firemaking ranked the highest because people would choose their most proficient skill as their favorite. I would consider finding food and water and shelter equally, if not more, important. Firemaking is easy to practice, but how many of us could realistically find the time and situations neccassary to become that proficient in other areas.
just a thought. . .

Food wouldn't become an issue for quite a number of days !
I will agree with you on the water and shelter though....build your shelter well enough and you may not even need a fire !!!:thumbup:

 

[kresky]

As others have said, all of these skills are important. If you build a bonfire and then die of thirst, you're still dead.

That said, lack of water won't kill you for a day or more, lack of food won't kill you for several days. Cold can kill you in hours or minutes. I suspect that in the most common dangerous situations, the person could just hike out in the morning if they could only survive the night, so food and water is irrelevant. So it's a bit of a toss up between fire and shelter. I'm going with shelter because I figure if it's raining, you won't be able to make a fire if you can't make a good enough shelter to keep the fire sort of dry.

I didn't vote for navigation because it seems to me that the way the question if phrased implied that navigation had already failed.

 

[jh205]

I think all those people who have said fire are flat out wrong. Think about it this way: you're out in the wilderness, hiking around and doing whatever you do out there. For whatever reason, you cant get back to your car / built shelter by nightfall and have to spend an unplanned night out in the wilderness. The sun has just gone down. You feel a cold wind on you, look up and see a big fat bunch of clouds rolling in. What are you going to do first?

You sure as shit are not going to start walking around collecting wood for a fire and then build your fire before you have organized a sufficient shelter in which to spend the night. Only once you have built your shelter will you go about making a fire, which you will place near the entrance to the shelter so that you can benefit from the fire whilst staying out of the weather.

Imagine doing it the other way round. You spend time collecting wood and building your fire, only to find you have nowhere to spend the night. You then go about building your shelter (which is incredibly difficult to do because by this time you're in pitch darkness), and in the meantime your fire goes out and you have to build it again or not have it. This one's a no-brainer folks.

Most important skill is building shelter, second is fire, third is water procurement, fourth is navigation to get yourself out, fifth is signalling for others to get you out and a very distant last (given the ability of humans to live without food for up to 3 weeks) is food procurement.

 

[Fonly]

I'd agree with you, unless its summer. I've spend many nights under the stars, I'd rather have a fire than a shelter on thouse nights.

 

[jh205]

Fonly, thats definitely true, but if its warm enough to stay out without a shelter you'd almost certainly be ok (if not 100% comfortable) without the fire either. But I definitely take your point.

 

[Fonly]

if its warm enough to stay out without a shelter you'd almost certainly be ok (if not 100% comfortable) without the fire either

Yer right aswell, And im with ya, I would much rather have a Nice little snow, or brush cave to crawl into, then think about fire

 

[Danno4017]

It all depends on how long you need to survive and the location.
In most areas where I live it would be
Water
Shelter (from the Sun)
Food
Navigation is a different subject all together.

 

[ras]

"IF LOST" the first thing I'd do is pull out the map and compass (if my GPS is functioning I won't be lost) and do some quick plotting -- time distance et al and figure out where I am. With night/clouds rolling in I'd make a judgement call as to whether I want to hike out considering that I think I know where I am or hunker down and wait for morning. If my plan is to wait then I look for natural shelter and build on that. While looking for a good place to spend the night I gather tinder and other firemaking supplies (eg, wood). Completing the shelter comes first, but getting the fire going may be a close second.

More than likely though, I won't be lost (becaue my GPS did work) but simply miscalculated how fast I could move and I find myself too far to get back before dark. Staying over a night is probably a better option than stumbling around and getting injured after dark. Depending on the weather I may be wearing my shelter. I may string a tarp between a couple trees and call it good, then build a small fire. If it's colder I may need better insulation so gathering lots of flooring may be necessary; a debris shelter may be in order and that takes time.

Weather plays a big roll in how much is enough. With a good shelter I can get through a night without a fire. With rain moving in staying dry is number 1 and that means a shelter. Also, if it's already wet I may say screw the fire -- too hard, too much work for just one night.

 

[JurT]

My first would be a shelter. After I made the shelter I'm going to make a fire.

 

[sasha]

Its same like trying to figure out what is the best knife that would do everything you need to do out there. I think its more of what happened why are you in a survival mode right now. I would stand by saying that the best thing is to keep your wits about you. Look around and have enough understanding of what has to be done to live long enough to get back home to safety. Im sure sometimes a fire would be better then a shelter. Out in the desert at night i want more water then shelter or fire. During the day i want shelter and water. In alaska ( never been there yet) im sure you want shelter and fire before going out looking for water. There is no one skill you need to have its all of them togher. Missing one of them and you might be food for the bugs. But using them you need to think with a clear mind.
So the Q is what would you do if you find your self lost or hurt??? No one can say if that happens to them they would keep going as if everything is normal. As for me i would properly stop telling my self o.k im lost. Should i keep going or settle down for the night. Its more thinking and diciding what the best course of action then run around build shelter fire get water and trap.

Sasha

 

[DaleW]

For me the best skill is the ability to improvise. I agree knives and firemaking is very important, but finding creative uses for what is around you is tops in my book.

Ditto! :thumbup:

Works for urban and wilderness survival-- he who can think on his feet, lives. Survival technique, done well, uses prevention, training (skills), tools, and improvising. Knowing how to make a fire is a set of tasks and techniques to learn. What I want to add is the knowledge of game, edible plants, and geology/chemistry/physics of the area. For example, I read up on what Native Americans in my area ate. The staple starch source was the camus root. You not only need to know how to identify the plant, but also a complex cooking process to make it edible, when to harvest it, preservation, etc. The more I read, the more I'm impressed by the knowledge and resourcefulness of ancient peoples.

 

[tarmix101]

Ditto! :thumbup:

Works for urban and wilderness survival-- he who can think on his feet, lives. Survival technique, done well, uses prevention, training (skills), tools, and improvising.

Agian.... point well made. Not part of the scenario I posted, but well said just the same:thumbup:

I agree 100% those who think their way through have a much, MUCH better chance than those that don't.

 

[Gossman Knives]

I think the skill most needed would depend on the weather. If it was raining but not overly cold, I'd say shelter first. If it's very cold, fire first. in any situation, shelter, fire and water are going to be a must. Food, would depend on the length of time you'll be there and what you have on you.
Scott

 

[skammer]

I think the skill most needed would depend on the weather. If it was raining but not overly cold, I'd say shelter first. If it's very cold, fire first. in any situation, shelter, fire and water are going to be a must. Food, would depend on the length of time you'll be there and what you have on you.
Scott

It is a 100% situational dependant fire or shelter. There is no absolutes in this reguard.

Blazing desert sun requires shelter and water before fire.

-25 with no wind is still -20 in a shelter so fire is a priority or freezing is a possibility.

Warmer weather but nasty rain can kill you via hypothermia so shelter is a priority.

An entirely dynamic situation. Best case scenario build both shelter and fire time, energy and resources permitting.

Skam

 

[Speed_wood]

My personal favorite skill is the ability to remain sane. Often taken for granted on day trips and group runs, but alone in the woods makes sanity an issue. Iv had to deal with soloing through stressful things like injuries and getting lost, and staying on the brighter side makes all other skill use possible.

 

[DOC-CANADA]

My personal favorite skill is the ability to remain sane. QUOTE]

Sorry Speed_wood, but I'm afraid that's not an option for some of us .

As others have pointed out, it depends on the situation, but as a generalization, I pick fire. Two quotes I was going to put in the 'Quotes' thread:

Fire, it goes without question, is mankind’s most important technical appliance. And finding out how to actually make fire, is man’s most important invention. (Jurgen Weiner, 2003, BPT 26-10)

Of all the skills a backwoodsman needs, firemaking is the most significant. Fire warms us, cooks our food, purifies our water, keeps the creatures of the night at bay, allows us to make tools, and provides not only physical comfort, but spiritual and psychological comfort as well. (Dan Schectman – Backwoodsman magazine)

Doc

 

[Forrie]

fire then shelter for me

 

[Ming65]

In Australia? Finding water, then fire.

 

[Danno4017]

In Australia? Finding water, then fire.

I dunno Ming.
As I said in this thread earlier, it all depends on where you are.
I agree in 90% of Oz water is first.
In the Desert which is a large part of this continent, shelter from the Sun is critical, more so than Fire.
I think because this forum is mainly US based people think shelter is from the cold and snow.
When I think of shelter its mainly from being fried to death
Fire is handy for sure, but to live for a week or two in these conditions its not critical.
Hydration and conserving energy are the keys

 

[Forrie]

water where i am is not a big deal lots of creeks around