Your weakest survival link??

I'm fairly strong with edible plants and fungi. While I'm weak with traps and snares, that's because I recognize that the subject has very little relevance to short-term emergency wilderness survival situations.

I'm weak with both friction fires and true flint and steel fire starting. I'm weak with knots. I'm mediocre at navigation. I'm mediocre at the kind of creative improvisation which is so relevant to survival.

But, if I had to pick my weakest survival link, it would be my poor health.
 
Lousy since of direction. Ive been turned around numerous time. One time I reached the river bank after a stroll through the interior of an island. The river seemed to be flowing upstream.
 
I am ok im my area with a few common wild edibles, but I am studying everyday. I have a great program that Doc gave me which seperates things into different categories like winter edibles etc. Everytime I have been out this winter I can not find a damn thing; the snow cover doesn't help.... Hell I can always eat pine bark right.

I think my weakest link is navigation. I suck at pacing, and map and compass. It is also my least practiced skill, so go figure......
 
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.
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You took the words out of my mouth :D I need to study my plants & knots alot more !
 
Making an observation here that is purely opinion (hope I don't offend as that is not my intention)...

While I believe plants are the foundation of survival; from the standpoint of food, that is a low priority in a survival situation and I am surprised how many are concerned with it. Maybe it's too much Survivorman, but to expect to be able to forage, find (at the right time), properly identify, and potentially have to process a wild edible is a waste of time in a survival situation (in most cases).

Where plants become important in survival is fire, shelter, cordage, traps and tools. If food is an issue ~ knowing plants is important because they are what the REAL FOOD eats. It's survival, you don't need vitamins in the short term, you need calories.

That being said, I would worry more about makinig proficient traps/snares than wild edibles. Quoting John & Geri McPherson, "All nutrients required to keep the human body alive can be found in the animal kingdom."

Nonetheless, you can easily learn four wild edibles:
Pine Family
Oak Family
Grass
Cattails

By the way, I am not to shabby at edible/medicinal plants, but I doubt I will be looking to hard for them if food becomes an issue for me should a survival situation arise. My weakest links are in the details of traps and fire in wet weather when I really want them. When I practice them, I do good, when I really want them, I get impatient.

Peace, Chris


Echo4v said:
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.
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Echo ~ have three recommendations for you considering your geography...
http://home.alltel.net/medbow/
http://www.amazon.com/Native-Trees-...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232219192&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Newcombs-Wild...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232219220&sr=1-1

Hope it helps.
 
i was'nt so much concerned with plants as FOOD, but more for their health uses, tea, balms, etc.
 
Definately the wild edibles of the area. I am also pretty lacking in the knot tieing section. I am OK in traps, but I could improve on what I can do a lot more. I only know the basic traps really well, none of the more complicated, but more effective ones.
 
I think navigation/orienteering and knots for me as well. I need practice on it all, since I'm relatively new to everything.
 
I have to say my weaknesses are:

Wild edibles (however, I am currently taking botany under one of the best botanist/professors in the Austin area, so I think that will change.)

Knots, but I have always been able to get by with one or two. For me, it's not about being pretty, it's about gettin it done.

Friction fire, unless you count striking my Zippo.

Pacing myself. I usually tend to barrel through trails and such in order to reach some pre-ordained goal for the day. I could slow it down some.

I think that's it.
 
As Dale stated above, my physical condition is my weakest survival link. I let a couple of injuries and an all-consuming desk job seriously cut into my woods time, and have put on an ungodly amount of weight. (I don't care what Ron Hood says; this isn't survival muscle - it's ballast!)

We Seattle area guys should get together and burn some calories!

-- FLIX
 
Wow... the response has surprised me as in how many have answered. I'm going to be attempting more plant ID this year. When I pull up in the college carpark (studying for career jump) they have all sorts of unique plants around the place, some with berries that I am 80% sure I can eat them but ...
As for the traps and snares ... I'm sort of OK with them although I can't really practise due to laws and possibility of injuring a protected species. I've drawn traps on the back of my fixed blade sheaths and found by drawing them they've inprinted on my memory a little better.
So plants ay ... they vary from area to area and sometimes have a poisonous look alike, a lot scary! I've researched local eatible plants and medicines for several years now and still not confidant enough to stick them in my mouth :)
 
Quiet Bear--Those definately look helpful. Especially the school as it's only about and hour and half from my house. Thanks for the info.

David
 
dartanyon said:
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?
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Doesn't matter how much gear and knives you get, if you don't know how to use them, doesn't do you a bit of good. I am learning. :D

Plant ID and shelter building are tops on my list. After getting water, it seems like these would be priorities. Snares and traps too.
 
Hunting-never done it, yet want to learn.
Plants, compass work, knots, heck I just want to hang out with more of you and LEARN!
 
Im going to some classes about wild plants and getting better with them. Im o.k with fire making. Done some traps and they worked good. My realy weak part is that im out of shape. I see being in shape as one of the more important parts. Still cant push my self hard with the knee.

Sasha
 
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