Your weakest survival link??

dartanyon

dartanyon

Joined
May 10, 2002
Messages
705
Sometimes we dont find out what is sooo hard to do untill we have to actually do it. We are encouraged to learn and test ourselves so if ever required we can survive with the basics, maybe just our blade, PSK or nothing at all. My weak link is probably eatable plants ... what is yours?
 
Traps and snares,seems,I'll never learn to do it properly.And knots I'm not familiar either.
 
Definitely local edibles. I know what to look for back east, but im new to the foraging out here.
 
Edibles goes without saying, but knots for me too. They are like maths for me. I can sit there doing knots (Or equations) perfectly while I have the book for reference and as practice without the book. The next day I've forgotten.
 
edible plants also tree identification. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find books that are actually useful in this area. But I'm reading everything I can find on the subject.

Maybe that would be a good stiky thread. Like everyone take a picture of a plant they know and describe it's uses. Like a birch tree for it's bark. Or wintergreen for tea, etc. Maybe the little bit of knowledge that we all have can combine to give each of us a little more knowledge on the matter.

David
 
Chinpo,

Get some mason's line and practice every day at lunch, that's how I learned. I would pick a knot and tie it in the line then put the line in my pocket and tie that knot ( in the other end) every day until I got comfortable. Then untie the reference knot and practice a few more days. Then move on to another one. You'd actually be surprised how little time it takes to tie one knot once a day. You might also be surprised how few knots you need to know to get by.

David
 
-tree identification and cordage

-my best asset is my ability to not freak out, to sit down and think things though in a logical manner
 
Like TF, I lack experience in traps but I don't think that is number one on my list of things I need to fix.

Orienteering and map & compass use is my weak point. I know how to use a compass and have some experience with map reading but putting them together to calculate distance is where I need practice.
 
Edibles/Poisonous plants and tree identification are always a challenge. I have plenty of books and color plates, but it's always harder in the field. This is one area I'm trying to improve by searching specifically for a few I've studied and if edible (and in season), add them to a meal or snack on.

I've done trapping/snaring with commercial snares and conibears, but I really want to improve the techniques with primitive snares. Honestly, it takes time and we're often on the move and I don't get too many chances.

Knots are a big weak link as well. I know a few basics which can get me by, but there are so many more useful knots I want to try. Even for rock climbing, I just use a few basic ones, but there are a plethora of other knots/uses that I'd like to learn

ROCK6
 
my largest weakness right now is in wild food, followed up my navigation.

i feel pretty comfortable with fire, signalling, shelter and water. i am comfortable with about 5 or 6 knots, and i have never felt the need for more in the woods.
 
mine is also plant iddentification. in everthing else though, i think i am doing pretty good. i could stand some more practice with cordage making, since i have only done it a few times.
 
Chinpo said:
Edibles goes without saying, but knots for me too. They are like maths for me. I can sit there doing knots (Or equations) perfectly while I have the book for reference and as practice without the book. The next day I've forgotten.
Click to expand...

I'm in the exact same boat for both (plants and knots). They just don't sit in my brain. I try to memorize one or two that I can use more often, but past that I just invent the knot when I need it (works surprisingly well!).
 
As it relates to actual survival I would say wild edibles.

I think the average person can get by with very few knots. I would prefer to to learn a few more but I don't see it as a weak link.

As far as traps and snares go, I think Rock6 hit it. I don't think we spend enough time in one spot to practice trapping.

I think my weakest link is my inability to get more dirt time. I will have to work onthat this year.
 
I used to say edible plant identification, but after reading a good bit of M40's survival page, I had the same epiphany. Forget plants. Virtually all critters are edible. Stick with mammals and birds and snakes and such.

So I guess snares because they are something that you really can't fully practice without killing the animal. I know how to make and set an effective snare, but have no guarantee that they will actually catch anything.
 
My navigation skills need a lot of work :o

I think that is easily one of the top priorities.
 
Ropecraft, and non-local edibles. I can lash crap together suitably, but lack a really refined ropecraft skill set. I can also feed myself well enough around my region, but would be in a world of hurt in "far far away" land.

BKRHD
 
Orienteering for me. I usually am quite familiar with the terrain so I don't bother with it. After getting lost in the arctic in an extremely dense fog at night (where compasses wouldn't work anyways) and feeling the beginning fear of being lost I can understand the compass need much better. Good to say my natural compass led me back to the cabin, but it would have been a long walk along the ocean to get back to town!
 
I would have to agree with many of the previous posts. Traps and plant ID's are definitely a weak point for me.
 
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