M40 Wilderness Survival Course for Boy Scouts

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• M40 Wilderness Survival Course for Boy Scouts

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M40s Wilderness Survival Class

• INTRODUCTION
• My name is Mike Forti (also known as M40).
• I have over 20 years experience in wilderness
  survival, disaster preparedness and many related
  subjects.
• I am an avid hiker, hunter and camper.

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M40s Wilderness Survival Class

• I am a Gulf War veteran, and a former USAF
  Airborne Middle East Intelligence Operator.
• I am a graduate of Wilderness Survival, Water
  Survival and Special Survival courses at the
  United States Air Force Survival School,
  Fairchild AFB, WA.

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M40s Wilderness Survival Class

• I am the owner and webmaster of some of the top
  ranked wilderness survival websites, including
  m4040.com and m40survival.com

My websites see millions of hits per month and I
get email from all over the world.
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M40s Wilderness Survival Class

• LETS GET STARTED.

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Wilderness Survival Class

• Who Needs To Learn About Survival? EVERYONE.
• NEWSFLASH - Sep 11, 2008 ... Former UFC
  middleweight champion and avid outdoorsman, Evan
  Tanner, whose body was found in the Palo Verde
  mountains on Monday, is believed to have died of
  heat exhaustion... NEWSFLASH - Feb 26, 2008 ... A
  Taylor man reported missing nearly six weeks
  before his body was found in Ypsilanti Township
  in January died from exposure... NEWSFLASH - An
  outdoorsman whose body was found Oct. 13 after an
  intensive two- week search in Shenandoah National
  Park, died of exposure, officials said ...
  NEWSFLASH - Outdoorsman died of exposure Dec 16,
  2008 ... The man who went missing in Albemarle in
  late September and was found dead 12 days later
  succumbed to the elements... NEWSFLASH - Dec 23,
  2008 ... Pacifica woman could have died from
  exposure, police say... NEWSFLASH - Dec 15, 2008
  ... Man missing in Shenandoah National Park died
  from exposure. Though it was only early October,
  the temperature was unseasonably cool for the
  mountains... NEWSFLASH - Mon., Dec. 22, 2008 -
  Associated Press CHEYENNE, Okla. - The Oklahoma
  Highway Patrol says a Cheyenne man died of
  exposure after being trapped in his car...
  NEWSFLASH - Jun 10, 2008 ... A day hike up Mount
  Rainier turned into tragedy for a 31-year-old
  Seattle software engineer who died of exposure
  early Tuesday after getting ... NEWSFLASH -
  12/26/2008 - McLean County officials say an
  autopsy shows a man found dead on a county road
  earlier this week died of exposure after his
  vehicle got stuck... NEWSFLASH - Oct 5, 2008 ...
  Exposure suspected in death of Pacific Crest
  Trail hiker ... NEWSFLASH - February 12, 2008
  Search continues for 2 missing goose hunters, 3rd
  died of exposure ... an autopsy of the third man,
  whose body was found Sunday, showed he died of
  exposure... NEWSFLASH - Laguna Beach Teacher May
  Have Died of Exposure, Officials Say ...
  NEWSFLASH - Search crews confirmed Tuesday that
  a body found beneath a rock overhang... NEWSFLASH
  - Dec 22, 2008 ... A woman found frozen and
  partially covered in snow Sunday morning  died
  from cold exposure, an autopsy determined. ...
  NEWSFLASH - Bowling Green A coroner in northern
  Kentucky says two women died of exposure after
  becoming lost. Hunters found... NEWSFLASH -
  December 27, 2007 - Police WestConn athlete died
  of exposure... NEWSFLASH - Jan 2, 2007 An
  18-year-old Alberta youth was found dead, likely
  from exposure, after wandering away from a New
  Year's Eve house party... NEWSFLASH - Dec 22,
  2007 ... Mason City - A rural Plymouth man
  apparently died of exposure following an auto
  accident Tuesday, medical examiners said...
  NEWSFLASH - Feb 21, 2006 ... A couple who died
  after becoming stranded in a blizzard on a
  mountain are thought to have died from exposure
  ... NEWSFLASH - Dec 7, 2006 ... CNET editor James
  Kim died of exposure and hypothermia as he sought
  help for his snowbound wife and children,
  authorities said Thursday... NEWSFLASH - A Santa
  Ana schoolteacher who became lost in rugged
  terrain near Idyllwild died of exposure and
  dehydration, according to an autopsy report
  completed ... NEWSFLASH - Herald Local News AG
  Boy died of exposure, not foul play... NEWSFLASH
  - PORT ORCHARD South Kitsap County man died of
  exposure, police say ... NEWSFLASH An
  experienced outdoorsman

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Wilderness Survival Class

• QUESTION
• What is the Single Most Important Survival Tool?
• ANSWER
• KNOWLEDGE.
• Basic working knowledge of wilderness survival
  and preparedness saves many thousands of lives
  every year. Anyone who spends time away from
  civilization should learn at least the basic
  skills that can keep them alive when things go
  wrong.

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Wilderness Survival Class

• How to AVOID Survival Situations.
• Be mentally and physically prepared for all
  eventualities.
• - The goal of this class is to give you the
  right knowledge, which will allow you to be
  mentally and physically prepared for emergency
  survival situations. People who are not prepared
  tend to panic, and PANIC KILLS. Being calm and
  able to think your way through a difficult
  situation will save your life.
• Tell someone responsible exactly where youre
  going and exactly when to expect you back.
• - I cannot stress this enough. Whether youre
  going camping, hiking, hunting or simply for a
  walk in the woods TELL SOMEONE.
• And finally
• Know the area youre heading into

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Wilderness Survival Class

• Knowing the area youll be traveling through is
  extremely important.
• Google, Yahoo, MapQuest, and other online tools
  enable you to make terrain and satellite image
  maps of pretty much ANYWHERE you want.
• There is NO EXCUSE for not having a map of the
  area you are traveling.
• Having a map of the area, a compass, and a little
  bit of experience in navigation
• can save your life.

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Wilderness Survival Class

• Setting Survival Priorities with The Rule of
  3s
• The Rule of 3s Says
• It takes as little as 3 Minutes to die of
  Severe Injury.
• It takes as little as 3 Hours to die of
  Exposure.
• It takes as little as 3 Days to die of Thirst.
• It takes as little as 3 Weeks to die of Hunger.
• Lets examine each of these...

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Wilderness Survival Class

• Setting Survival Priorities with The Rule of
  3s
• 3 Minute Rule It takes as little as 3 Minutes to
  die of severe injury or lack of air.
• Your very first priority in a survival situation
  is to address immediate first aid needs. If you
  or a companion cannot breathe, or are bleeding
  profusely, death can come in as little as 3
  minutes.
• This is not a medical course, so I will leave
  first aid training to professionals, but suffice
  it to say that everyone should know the basics of
  how to clear an airway and how to stop or slow
  heavy bleeding.
• Once youve addressed this first priority, youre
  ready to address the 3 Hour Rule Shelter and/or
  Fire.

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Wilderness Survival Class

• Setting Survival Priorities with The Rule of
  3s
• 3 Hour Rule It takes as little as 3 Hours to die
  of Exposure.
• Death from exposure can come in as little as 3
  hours, especially in cold, wet climates. As soon
  as youve established that you are in good
  immediate health, you should begin thinking about
  shelter and/or fire. Your needs here will depend
  on the environment and whether you will need to
  keep dry, warm or cool.
• We will go into more depth on both shelter and
  fire later in this course because they are
  extremely important.
• Once youve addressed this priority, youre ready
  to address the 3 Day Rule Water.

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Wilderness Survival Class

• Setting Survival Priorities with The Rule of
  3s
• 3 DAY Rule It takes as little as 3 Days to die
  of Thirst.
• Death from dehydration can come in as little as 3
  days, especially in desert climates. Here in the
  Northeast, it would likely take quite a bit
  longer. Once youve got shelter and fire, youll
  want to start thinking about where you can find
  water.
• We will go into more depth on water procurement
  later in this course because it is an important
  need.
• Once youve addressed this priority, youre ready
  to address the 3 Week Rule Food.

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Wilderness Survival Class

• Setting Survival Priorities with The Rule of
  3s
• 3 WEEK Rule It takes as little as 3 Weeks to die
  of Hunger.
• Death from hunger can come in as little as 3
  weeks, depending on the person. Most healthy
  people will last longer.
• This is why you should IGNORE most of what you
  see on Survivorman and Man vs. Wild. Food is
  your LAST concern, and has very little to do with
  the subject of survival.
• We will go into a little (but not much) more
  depth on food procurement later in this course,
  but it is NOT an important need.
• Now that weve covered the rule of threes, lets
  examine some details on how we can fill each of
  these needs.

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Wilderness Survival Class

• SHELTER How to find or build it fast.

If you are indeed prepared, you will have at
least a few items that you carry with you into
the wilderness. These might include a sheet of
very thin plastic, and possibly some fishing
line, cord or string. The plastic sheet can
make building a waterproof shelter fast and easy.
Without this, it takes many hours to build a
decent waterproof shelter.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• SHELTER How to find or build it fast.

This is a very basic tarp shelter that
resembles a pup tent. All you need is some cord,
some plastic sheet, 4 rocks to secure the corners
and a couple trees to secure your line. Adding a
nice, foot deep layer of leaves inside for
bedding will keep you warm and comfortable.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• SHELTER How to find or build it fast.

If you dont have much with you that can be used
to build a shelter, you may want to search for a
ready made shelter. This upturned trees roots
form a natural canopy. While this is not an ideal
shelter, it will not take long to add some
branches and brush to make this into a
comfortable den.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• SHELTER How to find or build it fast.

This natural rock ledge is a shelter just
waiting to happen. Leaning more roof poles and
then piling leaves and brush on top would turn
this into a comfortable place to hole up in a
storm.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• SHELTER How to find or build it fast.

This is a lean-to style shelter, sometimes
called a debris hut. With a little practice,
you can make one of these in less than an
hour. It should be just big enough for you and
not much else. Add at least a foot of leaf cover
inside and out, and youll stay warm and dry.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• SHELTER How to find or build it fast.

This is a dugout style shelter, sometimes
called a sniper hole. With a little practice,
you can make one of these in less than an
hour. It should be just big enough for you and
not much else. Add at least a foot of leaf cover
inside and out, and youll stay warm and
dry. Look for a natural hole or gulley because
you dont want to do a lot of digging.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• SHELTER How to find or build it fast.

A thick evergreen can provide a good basis for
shelter in the wintertime. Adding some packed
snow walls around the outside and maybe some
additional roof cover would improve it.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• FIRE FOR SURVIVAL

Fire has many uses in a survival situation.
Besides keeping you warm, it is used to provide
light, purify water, as a signal so that you can
be rescued, and to provide a general sense of
well being. There are a few key differences
between campfires and Survival Fires. Lets
examine these one by one.
Whereas you are boy scouts, I will not go into
detail on how to build a fire. I will assume you
know about tinder, kindling and fuel, and that
you should gather a large amount of each before
you actually light the fire.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• FIRE FOR SURVIVAL

LAZY MAN FIRE The fire shown here is called a
lazy-man fire. As you can see, the wood has not
been cut or split. The wood is fed in as it
burns. This saves you a lot of critical time and
energy. This kind of fire must be watched to
prevent it from spreading, and be sure to feed
everything into the fire pit before you go to
sleep.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• FIRE FOR SURVIVAL

DAKOTA PIT FIRE The fire shown here is called a
Dakota pit fire. This is used in windy
environments where you need to keep a fire going
with very little fuel and want to maximize the
heat you gain from it. Huddling over the pit
for warmth will allow the heat from even a small
fire to warm you. These are most often used by
US pilots downed behind enemy lines because the
light cannot be seen. These can be used to warm
a shelter, but use caution.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• WATER PROCUREMENT FOR SURVIVAL

FINDING WATER In much of North America, water
is plentiful. In mountainous areas, just continue
to walk downhill and you will eventually find
water. Like anything else, water obeys the laws
of gravity. Watch animals or follow their
tracks they need water as much as you. This will
usually lead to water. Birds also tend to
congregate near water. If you are getting water
from streams or ponds, boil before drinking, or
use water purification tablets.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• WATER PROCUREMENT FOR SURVIVAL

PURIFYING WATER Snow or ice melt water is safe
to drink and dont eat the yellow snow. If you
are getting water from streams or ponds in warmer
weather, it will need to be purified before
drinking.
You can - Boil the water - Use water
purification (tablets or drops) - Make a
water filter - Use ground filtering Lets
discuss these methods
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Wilderness Survival Class

• WATER PROCUREMENT FOR SURVIVAL

PURIFYING WATER USING WATER PURIFICATION
TABLETS AND DROPS Water purification tablets and
drops are found in most sporting goods and
outdoors stores. These are very small and easy
to carry, and should be in every outdoorsmans
personal survival kit. (We will discuss Survival
Kits later in this presentation.) Follow the
instructions that are printed on the bottle of
the tablets or drops. This method relies on you
having a suitable water container. (This should
also be found in your Survival Kit.) NOTE If
you travel in wilderness areas, consider a
military canteen and cup combo like those shown
here
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Wilderness Survival Class

• WATER PROCUREMENT FOR SURVIVAL

PURIFYING WATER USING A WATER FILTER. Water
filters are becoming very common in camping and
outdoors stores. If you spend a lot of time in
the wilderness, consider buying and using a water
filter. MAKING A WATER FILTER? Believe it or
not, you can MAKE a charcoal water filtration
system that will purify all but the nastiest
water.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• WATER PROCUREMENT FOR SURVIVAL

DIGGING FOR PURE WATER? You can use the ground
to filter water for you. If you go back at least
20 feet from the waters edge, you can dig down
to water level. It may appear murky at first.
Either wait a little while for the sediment to
settle out, or you can continue to scoop water
until it clears up. A shallow bank is best for
this, otherwise youll have to dig really deep.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• FOOD PROCUREMENT FOR SURVIVAL

Okay weve finally come to food your LAST
priority. Remembering a few simple things will
help you to find edibles in the wilderness. No
matter what youve seen on Survivorman or Man
vs. Wild, DO NOT eat plants in the wild unless
you are ABSOLUTELY sure of what youre doing.
There are many plants that look just like
edible plants but are POISONOUS. Eating plants
doesnt provide you with much energy, and the
risk of getting sick or worse is simply too high.
AVOID PLANTS. So what SHOULD you eat???
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Wilderness Survival Class

• M40S SIMPLE RULE OF WILDERNESS EATING

If it walks, crawls, swims, slithers or flies,
THUMP IT AND CHOW IT DOWN. Okay, that
may sound a bit simplistic, but its pretty near
to the truth. Heres why
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Wilderness Survival Class

• M40S SIMPLE RULE OF WILDERNESS EATING

If it walks, crawls, swims, slithers or flies,
THUMP IT AND CHOW IT DOWN. While MOST plants
are harmful to humans - ALL fur bearing
mammals are EDIBLE. - ALL insects (6 legs) are
EDIBLE. - ALL birds are EDIBLE. - Almost all
fresh water fish are EDIBLE. As compared to
plants, animals are BY FAR the safer food
source.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• ITS NOT IN THE RULE OF 3s, BUT ITS VERY
  IMPORTANT

SIGNALING can save your life. - Signaling is
the ability to make yourself bigger, louder,
brighter, and more recognizable to those who may
be searching for you. - Smoke from a fire and
the light it gives off at night can get you
rescued. - A small flashlight is a great
signaling device for use at night. - A whistle
can be heard from a LONG distance. - Bright
colors or reflective materials can help get you
rescued. When building a SURVIVAL KIT, youll
want to pack some signaling gear
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

In this section, we will discuss some basic gear
that can keep you alive in a survival situation.
Most of this gear can be carried in a pocket or
in a small belt pouch. The kit shown here is one
that I carry with me whenever Im hiking,
hunting, camping, etc. It has everything I feel I
would need to survive if I became lost, injured
or otherwise stuck in the woods. The picture is
not complete. There are a few items that are not
shown can anyone guess whats missing? More on
that later
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

ITEM 1 (Not Shown) Contents, Survival Tips
Guidelines (Printed on Waterproof Paper). A
primer to help focus someone on the task in hand.
An outline of notes on the Rule of 3s and some
basic survival guidelines. It is also flammable
if you cannot find tinder anywhere else. ITEM 2
(Not Shown) A Pencil 3 Blank Sheets of
Waterproof Paper (notes for self others) - This
can be very useful for making notes to yourself
or to others who may be searching for you. It is
also flammable if you cannot find tinder anywhere
else. ITEM 3 - Leatherman Micra. This is a tough
little Swiss Army type tool. ITEM 4 - 550
lb.test Para Cord (20 ft.) - (Not Shown, as it is
wrapped around the knife sheath handle). See
more about Para Cord on the next slide.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• USES OF PARA CORD IN A WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

The uses of Para Cord in a survival situation are
too numerous to fully list. As an example, use it
for shelter, whether for tying frame members
together, or for stringing up a tarp between
trees. Also use it for snares and for building
other weapons. I would recommend more than the
20 feet specified in the kit (I personally switch
out all my boot laces with para cord as soon as I
get them). The Para cord is stronger than any
bootlaces sold. True Para Cord is constructed
of an outer sheath which houses 7 inner strands.
Each inner strand is 50 pound test, and the outer
sheathing is rated at about 200 pounds. As such,
in an emergency situation, if more string were
needed, one can remove the inner strands, and the
outer sheathing will still serve admirably as
shoelaces. If your bootlaces are each about 3
feet long, then you would be able to gain more
than 40 feet of string from the laces if needed.
Make sure that what you get has 7 inner
strands, and is 550 lb test. This typically sells
for about 5 for a 100 ft length. This takes up a
good bit of space in a kit, so I wrap about 20-25
feet of it around the outside of the sheath
instead of packing it inside the pouch.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

ITEM 5 A Small, LOUD whistle for signaling.
This whistle has a backup compass as well. ITEM
6 - Small Bic lighter, You can start a heck of a
lot more fires with this as compared to a
comparable volume of matches. As backups, I also
include the magnesium / flint bar, which, with a
little practice, can start thousands of fires,
and the magnifying glass, which can start
limitless fires. ITEM 7 - Magnesium/Flint bar
Fire starter (also use as signaling device) -
This item is about 5-6 in any camping goods
store, Wal-Mart, etc. With a little practice this
little item can start thousands of fires. Just
shave the magnesium with a knife (or file if
you're carrying a multi-tool that has a file).
collect all the shavings into a pile about the
size of a dime. Run a NON-SHARPENED corner of
your knife down the flint. The magnesium ignites
with a flame like a blow torch, and will burn for
several seconds. ITEM 8 - Mini LED Flashlight -
This is a very bright little light, and is great
for short durations. For longer duration, build a
fire. These can also be used for signaling at
night. They take very little space, and each
lasts for quite a while.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

ITEMS 9 and 10 - 30ft Fishing Line and 6 Fish
Hooks (15 lb test line) - You're better off
setting lines on the heavier line (80 lb test
line below) and leaving them unattended. Setting
snares and baited lines out, and then checking
from time to time will net your best results.
ITEM 11 - 50ft Fishing Line (Hvy 80 lb test)
(snares, shelter making, etc) - Spiderwire Fusion
brand, ultra-High Performance saltwater line.
Extremely strong, and has about a thousand uses,
including shelter building, snare making,
unattended fishing purposes and more. ITEM 12
(Not Shown) Mirror (Signaling, medical, grooming)
- Great for signaling at long distances, and can
also be used for self inspection (checking
wounds). ITEM 13 Compass - It is a good idea
for everyone to learn at least the basics of
using a compass, and to have a good idea of basic
directional orientation before heading into the
wilderness. ITEM 14 3 Needles and Heavy Thread
Used for mending clothing and stitching wounds.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

ITEM 15 - Safety Pins (3) - Used for quick
repairs of clothing and other gear. Can also be
used as additional emergency fishhooks. ITEM 16
- Survival Blanket - This is used as an emergency
blanket. It reflects body heat back to you. It is
also great for signaling, as it will reflect a
lot of sunlight. This can also be used to
waterproof your shelter, or to collect rainwater.
ITEM 17 - Painter's Tarp 9'x7' - This is a
thin plastic sheet that can be used for a variety
of purposes. It can be used with a little para
cord as a Tarp Shelter, or as a waterproofing for
the roof of whatever you construct for shelter.
It can be laid out to collect rainwater, used as
a poncho, or employed as a Solar Still. ITEM 18
- Water purifying straw - Will purify 20 -25
Gallons of water (depending on water). ITEM 19
- Water Purification Tablets (12) Each tablet
purifies 1-2 quarts of water depending on how
dirty. Iodine based, so they can be used for
sterilizing injuries in the field. One tablet in
a teaspoon of water makes a strong Iodine topical
solution / salve. Thin further to irrigate
wounds.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

ITEM 20 - 5 feet of duct tape, wrapped around
ball point pen - Repairs to just about anything.
Patch holes in tarps, fix a point to an arrow or
spear, bandage cuts and scrapes, make butterfly
bandages for serious wounds. Pen is used as a
backup to the pencil. ITEM 21 - Surgical Suture,
Sterile - Used to stitch wounds (use only if you
have medical training). ITEM 22 -
anti-diarrhea pills (4), Motrin (6) in a
watertight capsule - Having severe pain or
diarrheic symptoms in a survival situation could
be DEADLY. ITEM 23 - Ziploc Freezer Bags (2) -
Use as canteens, waterproof storage for kit, and
other items. ITEM 24 - Slingshot kit - The
Slingshot Kit consists of a leather pouch and
surgical tubing. This can be attached to a forked
stick with ParaCord to make a slingshot. ITEM
25 - Small Rectangular Cooking Tin - Primarily
used as a cooking vessel, but doubles as tough
container to pack the kit in.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

ITEM 26 - Fresnel Lens - A credit card sized
magnifying glass, used to inspect small items, or
to start fires. It packs very small. ITEM 27 -
(NOT SHOWN) Scalpel Blades (2) in sterile
wrapping. These pack extremely small and have a
multitude of uses, from medical to skinning and
gutting game to fine whittling tasks. ITEM 28 -
Fifty Dollar Bill - (NOT SHOWN) Imagine getting
lost, and eventually finding your way out of the
woods far from where you intended to be. It's
nice to have some cab fare, or money for a Big
Mac... after a few days eating bugs, it would be
a shame to emerge next to a 7-11, and have no
money for food. ITEM 29 - MilSpec Snare Wire
(10 ft) - This stuff has a multitude of uses,
from snaring to tripwire, to hanging food items
over a fire for cooking. NOTES The standard
and heavy fishing line and the Snare Wire are all
wrapped around nails. The nails can be used for
shelter building, spear points and other tools.
The thread is wrapped around the three needles. I
used a cordless drill to make the winding of all
this a lot easier.
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Wilderness Survival Class

• BUILDING A DECENT WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT

Whats missing here is a good, sturdy knife,
machete or hatchet. A good blade is used to cut
and split wood, make tinder shavings, clear trail
and brush, and perhaps most important, to make
shelter and bedding. For now, your ability to
carry a blade will depend on your parents
discretion.
A good blade should be able to chop deeply and
effortlessly. Cutting tree boughs for shelter
should be fast work. Your life may depend on
putting up that shelter in a hurry. REMEMBER A
big blade can do everything that a small blade
can do, but a small blade is useless for BIG
tasks!
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Survival Quiz

• 1. Which list of survival needs seems to be
  prioritized in the correct order?a) Locate
  Water, build shelter, address injuries, build
  fire, locate food.b) Address injuries, build
  shelter, find food, find water, build fire.c)
  Locate food, locate water, build shelter, build
  fire, address injuries.d) Address injuries,
  build shelter, build fire, locate water, locate
  food.
•  
• 2. By the "Rule of 3's", without Shelter and/or
  fire, you could die in as little asa) Three
  Minutesb) Three Hoursc) Three Daysd) Three
  Weeks
•  
• 3. By the "Rule of 3's", without food, you could
  die in as little asa) Three Minutesb) Three
  Hoursc) Three Daysd) Three Weeks
•  
• 4. By the "Rule of 3's", without addressing
  Medical Emergencies, you could die in as little
  asa) Three Minutesb) Three Hoursc) Three
  Daysd) Three Weeks
•  
• 5. By the "Rule of 3's", without water, you could
  die in as little asa) Three Minutesb) Three
  Hoursc) Three Daysd) Three Weeks

44
Survival Quiz

• 6. A good way to procure water is toa) Cut up a
  bunch of plants, squeeze out the sap and drink
  it.b) Make a divining rod from a forked stick,
  walk around until the stick dips, then dig in
  that spot.c) Kill some game and drink the
  blood.d) Walk downhill.
•  
• 7. The best food sources available in the
  wilderness area) Mushrooms, moss and fungal
  growth.b) Small, green leafy plants.c) Insects,
  and small furry animals.d) Grasses and the bark
  of young trees.
•  
• 8. The first thing you should do if you want to
  build a fire isa) chop down several trees to
  provide logs for your fire.b) make 3 piles of
  dry material sorted into tinder, twigs and
  firewood.c) take out your lighter and test all
  the materials around you to determine what will
  burn.d) Rub two sticks together vigorously for a
  few minutes to make a red-hot coal, then blow on
  it until you get a flame.
•  
• 9. The key to building shelter from the cold is
  thata) it is so small that you can barely fit
  into it.b) it is located on the banks of a
  flowing stream.c) it is constructed from only
  dead plant matter so you don't have to kill any
  trees or plants.d) it is in a field so that it
  can be warmed by the sun.
•  
• 10. The best way to render water safe to drink
  isa) Remove your tee shirt, sock or other
  cotton material, and use it to filter the
  water.b) Leave it out in the sunlight so that
  the sun's UV rays can kill any microorganisms.c)
  Boil it.d) Add green grass and leaves and allow
  the plants to naturally kill any microbes.

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Survival Quiz

• 11. You're hiking, and suddenly realize that
  you've become lost. Night is fast approaching and
  the weather is getting cold. Rain is starting to
  fall. The best thing to do isa) Choose a
  direction, and start jogging in hopes of finding
  civilization before the storm hits.b) Stop.
  Build a big fire, and await rescuers.c) Start
  collecting rainwater because you may need it
  later, and see if you can find some food to warm
  you up.d) Start looking for some shelter from
  the rain, as you dial 911 on your cell phone.
•  
• 12. The best and most efficient tool in a
  survival kit for quickly building fire isa) A
  small disposable Bic lighter.b) A hollow knife
  handle full of waterproof matches.c) Flint and
  steel.d) A knife with which you can make a bow
  drill to start your fires.
•  
• 13. Which of the following is most correct?a) A
  little blade can do everything that a big blade
  can, and is the best survival tool.b) A big
  blade can do everything that a little blade can,
  and is the best survival tool.c) Blade size
  doesn't really matter in a wilderness survival
  situation.d) A blade is useless in a wilderness
  survival situation.
•  
• 14. Upon finding yourself in a dangerous survival
  situation, the best thing to do isa) React
  immediately, and start doing whatever you think
  will help to take your mind off the situation.b)
  Start a fire to warm you up and signal for
  help.c) Remain calm, take inventory of what
  tools and information you have, and then
  prioritize your actions to meet your most
  important needs first.d) Sit down and then bend
  over so that your head is between your knees.
  Keep bending until you can kiss your butt
  goodbye.
•  
• 15. The most reliable natural navigation method
  is toa) Use the sun and stars to get your
  bearings.b) Determine North by the moss growth
  on tree trunks.c) Continue walking towards the
  moon in order to maintain a constant
  direction.d) Follow the tracks of local wildlife
  because animals have a good sense of direction.

46
Survival Quiz

• 16. Pick the best choice ... A small, but
  practical survival kit would likely containa)
  Lots of food, water and matches.b) A hatchet, a
  couple of sandwiches and a GameBoy with good
  batteries.c) A cell phone, knife, plastic
  garbage bag, and a Bic lighter.d) Fish hooks,
  matches, twine, a swiss army knife, paperclips
  and a bottle of water.
•  
• 17. If you are lost and cold, the best means of
  warming up isa) Start hunting. You can wear the
  fur pelt of an animal for warmth.b) Build a
  fire, heat some water and drink it.c) Build a
  large shelter. The work will warm you up.d) Use
  your light saber to open up the belly of your
  tauntaun. Climb inside there... sure, it smells
  like crap, but it will keep you alive.
•  
• 18. When you are lost in the wilderness, a
  crucial factor isa) conserving your energy, and
  sleeping when you can.b) finding lots of edible
  plants and animals.c) to keep moving so you can
  eventually find your way out.d) keep clean and
  bathe whenever you can.
•  
• 19. Which of the following statements is TRUE?a)
  Almost all plants (except mushrooms and fungus)
  are safe to eat.b) Almost all fur bearing
  mammals and 6 legged insects are safe to eat.c)
  Almost all flowing water is safe to drink.d)
  Almost all fish and reptiles are safe to eat.
•  
• 20. The most important tool you can bring into
  the wilderness isa) A large knife, hatchet or
  machete.b) A lighter, matches or other means of
  building a fire.c) Quality, layered waterproof
  clothing.d) A calm, positive outlook and a brain
  brimming with practical survival knowledge.

47
Survival Quiz

• SURVIVAL QUIZ ANSWERS.
• 1 is D Refer to the Rule of 3's.
• 2 is B Exposure can kill very quickly,
  especially in cold, wet climates.
• 3 is D Food is your LAST priority.
• 4 is A Heavy bleeding and other injuries can
  kill you very quickly, and are your number one
  concern.
• 5 is C Lack of water can kill in a few days,
  especially in hot, desert environments.
• 6 is D Water flows downhill and collects in
  valleys and low areas. Go there to find it.
• 7 is C There are many, many poisonous plants,
  but almost all fur bearing mammals and insects (6
  legs) are safe to eat.
• 8 is B Always collect twice as much dry wood and
  tinder as you think you'll need before attempting
  to light it.
• 9 is A The smaller your shelter, the better...
  your body heat will help to warm it.

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QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

• This was a basic survival course. With further
  reading, study and a good bit of practice, you
  CAN become a wilderness survival pro!
• I value your input on any part of this course.
  Please feel free to contact me with questions and
  comments at
• m40_at_m40survival.com