OK

Attitude.

I have read on here all about your Zombies, Sit X, Sit Y and Z, Economic Collapse and Nuclear Armageddon. I will not spend time debating the merits of each and every scenario. What I will do, is talk for a bit about what it takes to really survive.

One of the first basic rules of all Special Ops, is this: “If you complain, you are OUT.” Period. Why? State of mind is why; attitude is everything in a survival situation. While it is often used, it is none the less true, “if you THINK you can survive, you can.”

A good solid, positive attitude will carry you through most difficult things in life. A survival situation, while extreme, is not really any different.

A positive attitude will enable you to get through the long cold nights when you can't build a fire. A positive attitude will give you amazing amounts of energy when you are hungry, thirsty and more tired than you can ever imagine. A positive attitude will get that shelter up when you have no idea how to build one. A positive attitude will let you live.

If you ever think about giving up, you will. Then you will die.

Camping.

I have read any number of times on here, people disrespecting camping as being a good preparation for survival. Well, coming from someone that has been in a survival situation more than once, I can tell you this. I will take a good camper by my side before I would someone that has read everything but never used it. Field work, woodsmanship and general outdoor skills are impressive. Knowing what caliber you need to kill a bear, less so. Having read how to build a shelter, not at all. Someone who can cook over a fire, keep a site clean and sanitary and walk through the woods without stumbling all over the place, is a valuable asset to me.

Hunting.

I consider a good hunter to be exactly on the same level as a good camper. Why don't I consider them higher? Because shooting another person is nothing like shooting an animal. Hunters usually posses the same general skills as a good camper, so they are very valuable, but not any more so than a good camper.

Physical.

If you are not in good physical condition, you are a liability. Period. And I am not talking about “Gym” shape. Go hiking regularly, do some climbing; you will use muscles that you will never train in the gym. I promise you that.

Make sure you are physically capable of carrying everything you need all day long. If you are not, get out and get in shape.

Weapons.

If you own a weapon that you plan on using in the case of a survival situation, use it. Often. Reading about how to shoot will never teach you to shoot. Shooting once a year will never keep you in practice enough to do you any good. You must train at least 4 times a year according to the FBI, to remain adequately proficient with a firearm. I would say 6 times a year myself. I shoot at least 12.

How long will it take you, using your field knife, to cut the limbs and small trees enough to build a shelter? You don't know do you? I do. While you may have read how to build a trap, have you ever trapped anything? Have you ever really built the trap yourself? Can you really sharpen your knife in the field? Can you field dress an animal? Not asking if you have ever read how, asking if you can really do it. Can you field dress and save the nutritious blood for your soup?

Fire.

Can you build fire with just a knife? Have you only read how, or watched a video? Can you do it in the rain, with wet wood? Have you used the fire starter you plan on carrying? Do you know how to “trench” your fire in the case of rain? What wood burns best green? What are “Fat Sticks” and where do you find them? What can you use instead of wood to build your fire?

Food and Water.

What wild grains can you find and eat? Roots? Plants? Insects? Animals are wonderful sources of food, but the things I just listed are far more readily available and easier to find. How do you prepare them? Which are food and which are poison?

How do you find water in a dry environment? Can you safely drink from a stream? Should you use the energy to dig for water? What plants contain a good source of water? How should you conserve water in the heat? Can you just eat snow?

Location.

I will not spend much time on this, as I consider a place “set up” with what you need, while convenient, completely unnecessary. Your skills should be such that you can survive anywhere and you should be able to find a place to “go under” until such time as you can make your way to a safer location.


All of these things and many more, too many to list, are necessary for you to survive on your own without the help and assistance of society. I would suggest that you learn them, practice them and become expert in them if you expect to survive.

Semper

As far as I know the most important attributes of all are the will to survive and ability to fight despair . If you don't have either of those in survival scenario then you are a goner and all the practical training in the world won't help . All the while survivalists are planning for there various would Situation X they over look the case of Poon Lim . Poon Lim survived one hundred and thirty three days at sea without any formal survival training .

Cheers xpert11 .

Excellent and all true...

I think you have three types of "survivalists"

The Seasoned survivalist = someone who has learnt and used skills in the field due to necessity, profession or interest.

The theory Survivalist = someone who has read books on survival but never put it into practice. Has a kit bag the size of Madonna’s holiday luggage and is too worried about polishing his Kevlar Swiss army infrared multi tool thingy to ever consider getting it dirty. Thinks a Rambo knife made in China is the best knife ever.

The enthusiast= Like the theory survivalist but has had the balls to try it out. Maybe camping/hunting trips. Probably wasted some money on useless kit but still learning and getting better every trip.


But, as stated... positive mental attitude is the greatest asset in any survival situation!!

[edit on 27-11-2009 by Muckster]

One of the things that gets to me are the scores from some of the zombie survival quizzes online. I know they are just a form of amazement but I have seen people score a 80 plus percent that I know wouldn't survive four hours alone in a Supermarket let alone any serious situation. Attitude is a huge issue in any stressful situation and attitude can be conditioned by exposure. that's why military training exposes people to stress. no one will ever know 100% how they will react in any given situation, except Chuck Norris, but preparing yourself mentally and physically as well as keeping properly supplied is the only way to assist in ones own survival.

[edit on 27-11-2009 by badmoviefan]

Good to hear from you again Semper, wise thoughts you've laid out. I would add the ability to find and purify water to also be a true priority.

Reading the weather is also a very important aspect of outdoor activity, particularly in a survival situation. Attitude is THE most important aspect to survival, all the gear and skills in the world won't save you if you don't have the will to carry through. All of us who have gone hunting and/or camping have spent hundreds of dollars on gear that was well, basically junk. Knowing what gear to take and what to leave behind is another piece of the puzzle that we must figure out and fast. Anyone can benefit from loading up all their gear and walking through the woods to see just how practical your load is. It's great to be able to carry gallons of water but it is heavy, what gear can you sacrifice to carry more?
Of all the things you have mentioned there is one thing I've failed miserably at and have never accomplished - how to sharpen a knife in the field without a stone. I have tried slate to no avail and would be very interested to know any tips on how it can be accomplished.
I would take a good hunter over good camper any day for one reason - the hunter will be more aware and able to move quietly. A final note for those who will not be traveling alone - KEEP TALKING TO A BARE MINIMUM! Even the dialogue in your head must be shut down to truly be able to sense what is around you. Awareness is worth several threads all by itself but does not lend itself well to verbal explanation.
S & F my friend, I hope you had a great thanksgiving.

I never cease to wonder how all these "experts" on Survival are utterly clueless.

In ANY major crisis where something like a deadly virus has broken out of control, an invasion by commies/aliens etc etc,, the biggest threat would not be the virus, it would be the Government. After 5 to 6 days, a US President would almost certainly have been convinced by his own scientists to go nuclear.

Once nuclear bombs begin to fall, all your survival stuff is a big bag of garbage.

The human body has 5 senses, to survive a nuclear war and its fallout, you need another sense that humans do not possess.

RADIATION CONTAMINATION IS INVISIBLE AND DEADLY. No amount of determination will save you.

Furthermore, most geigercounters will be useless in a crisis. The civil defence ones need recharging from a mains electricity supply that won't be there any more.

The solution I found was to buy a medical geiger counter. These can be purchased from MEDCOM at www.medcom.com for a very reasonable rate. There are small and portable and run on rechargeable batteries that are standard ones that can be bought at almost any corner store.

You have not covered the basics either.

Simple question: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SURVIVE A NUCLEAR ATTACK?

Simple answer: Not be there when it happens.

Seems obvious, but no-one ever thinks about this.

So another really basic idea is to buy somewhere which is:-

- Well away from Government
- Well away from any potental primary targets.
- Well away from a large population that could walk to where you are.
- Is still connected by road albeit a long way so you can get there.
- Has a tiny population and a store within walking distance.

According to the CIA, one of the 5 safest places in North America in the event of a nuclear war is Carmacks in the Yukon. Why? SImple, what is Carmacks famous for? ANswer NOTHING!

Furthermore, the hils around Carmacks and river make it a natural fortress and the whole place is buiolt on coal, so if all the power goes off, you could still keep warm in the winter by just diggin up coal from under your garden.

Furthermore, until recently Carmacks was subject to a special land development policy by the provincial government and even until 2007 one could buy a large plot of woodland there for as little as $4200, and actually only put a meagre $1000 or so down and pay the rest over 5 years.

Great Thread!... I will absolutely agree without PMA you will die. That's a huge thing that goes overlooked time and time again. Thanks semperfortis because it needed to be said =)

Originally posted by Muckster
Excellent and all true...

I think you have three types of "survivalists"

The Seasoned survivalist = someone who has learnt and used skills in the field due to necessity, profession or interest.

The theory Survivalist = someone who has read books on survival but never put it into practice. Has a kit bag the size of Madonna’s holiday luggage and is too worried about polishing his Kevlar Swiss army infrared multi tool thingy to ever consider getting it dirty. Thinks a Rambo knife made in China is the best knife ever.

The enthusiast= Like the theory survivalist but has had the balls to try it out. Maybe camping/hunting trips. Probably wasted some money on useless kit but still learning and getting better every trip.


But, as stated... positive mental attitude is the greatest asset in any survival situation!!

[edit on 27-11-2009 by Muckster]

have to agree with this.... also the greatest tool you have is your mind...and it is also the greatest weapon you have

Let's suppose you live in a place like, rural Virginia. Lots of deer in those woods.

Suppose everyone with a gun and some camping savvy took for the hills and turned to hunting for survival. That's a lot of desperate people, and a lot of guns. Very rapidly, supplies will diminish, and the danger, should be obvious.

I think it's better to focus on community solutions. Sure, in the accute crisis, relocation may be necessary. But in all likelihood, what we are to encounter is not some kind of giant and sudden catastrophic event, but rather, something like continuous economic degredation.

We can't all be out for ourselves. It's not feasible. We have to find a way to restructure communities so that we can be less dependent from central authorities.

I admire the rugged individualist - and confess a touch on envy too - but I'm not going to flee with my arthritic knees and degenerating spine, and leave behind my ailing parents, or my little niece and nephews.

Localization is the answer to globalism, and our surest bet of the best possible future in hard times.

Get to know your neighbors. Bake them a pie, and say hello. Reach out. Start the process now before your first encounter with the stranger next door involves a scramble for limited resources.



Be safe!