Rough Camping & Survival Tips

I read most of the stuff in here and thought I'd add this. I teach survival classes, one of the things I always tell everyone is to get the stuff they always take with them and go outside someplace they won't be bothered. Then on a nice warm, sunny day start a fire, make a solar still, set a trap, make a camp site, cook a meal, read a map and use your compass, ect. I think this is a great way to practice the stuff you "know" when it's isn't pouring rain in the dark while you're lost and have someone screaming in your ear. It will also if you're honest show you what you need to improve on and what you forgot in your pack.

2400, this is sound advice!
That is also why I am a big proponent of your E.D.C. & its use! [whatever it may be]
You would've seen in a previous post I once went on a minimalist solo bow hunting trip camp for 3 nights and 4 days and has done ALL the knife/cutting/skinning/meat processing/food preparation etc camp projects work with only my small Joseph Rodger E.D.C. pocket knife----just to proof exactly the point you are making ,sir!

It would be interesting to see some of your activities photos from the other side if the world!

camping tips

Just some thoughts on some different hunting/camping venues/continents & different experiences/tools.....

One of the reasons for me to get to know a bunch of swell guys like you, is like somebody mentioned--you can know your own little surroundings quit well and even become an expert there,but once SHTF and you are unexpectedly taken out of your own little comfort zone--then real survival will start and you have to learn new skills.

eg.

I am currently in a different country now far away from home,out of my known usual hunting & survival skills comfort zone and had to deal with this totally new possibly deadly Corona emergency....

I'm an old and very experienced registered rifle,handgun and bow hunter, but to 'spice' it up I've laid down those tools and has taken up solo spear-hunting and primitive Gems buck horn bow hunting for warthog etc in the African bush for the 'what if...' scenario , but in general just to test my own hunting skills for myself !.

In line with some of the many good prepping/survival books that I've read where you go off-grit [rough camping] and if the bullets are finished etc. I wanted to see for myself if an average guy in the totally different African environment context could also survive under so much different circumstances than the current mainstream tv and books described. [Here it's hot,dry, with more dangerous animals,snakes,poachers etc. to deal with]--

Its not easy, I can assure you!


For example' the popular and typical smaller bladed bushcraft primary knives that Ray Mears and Bear Grylls etc used with such good effect in Northern hemisphere 'soft' wood and wet forests conditions will probably not be your first choice for a blade over here [with our mainly very hard and dry wood etc]. A 'panga' [machete] and small saw with an ax and Okapi pocket knife will probably be more appropriate mostly?

I do own smaller blades and love them all, but over here it sometimes has maybe more limitations,depending on the survival / primitive situation ..

But that is the nice thing of being between friends--we can see and understand things from a different perspective & experience and in the process learn from each other....

'Survival' bird trap glue...

Parasitic Bird-lime is something I grew up with on the farm.

This plant came via bird poo to the host plant.

The small berries are inside purple in colour when ripe,

It is then harvested and chewed like chewing gum till you have a mouth full of gum/spit gue.

You then carefully try to add this gum directly from the mouth on to a previously selected suitable small branch that birds like to sit on.

It is very difficult to get this gum from your hands and nearly impossible to get it out of your clothes. If you accidentally bump your head against this branch and it get stuck into your hair, then the only solution is to take scissors and cut all the affected hair off ...... ask me, I know! lol

When the bird/dove sat on the 'loaded' branch,their feet got stuck and the gum/glue is strong enough to even stuck their wings when they frantically start flapping!

A very effective survival trap, that is probably illegal now [or should be!] as a lot of birds and doves can be caught indiscriminately this way!


Birds you want to put in a cage were cleaned with spirits.
Even hands and clothes could be cleaned with it.
I usually washed my hands in diesel.
Many many moons ago.

When you cook it, it became even more sticky!

'Survival' gold , sweets or just a very nice snack out in the African bush!
Its resin and have many different uses, but some trees like the Acacia's tastes just miles better than other trees's!

Interestingly , it burns quickly with a clear, smokeless fire -- --multipurpose!!
Warning!
Keep your hands clear of any open flames after using... !!!
(Yes, that's my office table..)

EXPERIMENT TIME...

CAMP FIRE STARTERS COMPARISON

....all 3 are burning here....

[...and it seems the winner here is duct-tape with the hottest flame...]

ANOTHER COMPARISON BETWEEN 'SURVIVAL' CAMPFIRE STARTERS 'VASELINE' AND 'HAND SANITIZER' BOTH SOAKED WITH A SMALL PIECE OF TISSUE.

Here the winner seems to be 'VASELINE'!

'Survival' fire starters comparison experiment.

Each mixed with a piece of tissue paper here.

Now the 'winner' [hottest flame] seems to be 'Vaseline' !

Here are my two favorite homemade fire starters. The first is a three strand braid of Jute twine dipped in wax (its a candle wick on steroids), the second are makeup pads (Fire Disks) dipped in a mixture of 80% wax and 20% torch oil. Both items will light with a lighter, match or ferro rod and burn for a long time, depending on the conditions, the Fire Disks will burn for 8-12 minutes with a very large and hot flame and will start the wettest tinder easily. Because of the wax both fire starters work when wet and will work for years after they are made. I cut the wick into 1-1/2" long pieces and and store 3-4 in my waterproof match case to provide instant tinder for my matches. When I'm in the field I carry both fire starters with a bic lighter and a ferro rod and I never worry about starting a fire.

Nice!

Everything carried has been tweaked and modified with in an inch of its life.
90% of everything carried has more than one function.
And , most every pocket, pouch, and hidy hole has fire making goodies in it.