Posted: 10/30/2012 6:16:44 AM EDT
| Are there any such classes available in Wisconsin? The google machine isn't helping. I just want a class that teaches the basics of outdoor survival, ie. fire-starting, shelter building, first-aid, navigation, etc. Thanks! |
| Bushcraftusa.com is a good forum to start reading up on. Look for all of Terry Barney's posts and check out his bushclassusa subforum. He posts by the name of iawoodsman. He is a former USAF SERE instructor and his posts and youtube videos are great. That website is also a good place to find instructional classes near by. Another option is to find out who your local SAR team is and ask them about where/through whom they train. |
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Here is a good paper resource for beginners
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0894800191 |
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Start reading some good books. You can master a lot of basics in your backyard in terms of mechanical skills and learning your gear. Start with the rules of 3 and learn what goes into each.
You can live: 3 minutes without air 3 hours without shelter 3 days without water 3 weeks without food Any Scout merit badge books like Survival , First aid and Orienteering are good. Be able to make fire as many different ways as possible, have a good small handsaw & maybe some paracord and know shelter building, understand how to make water safe and carry it, you are better off than 99% of the people around you. Basically if you can keep your cool, avoid hypothermia or heat stroke, stay hydrated, do basic first aid and understand how to navigate and how others will search for you, you are off to a good start. I won't even take a dump in the woods without a knife, Swedish fire steel, compass and a platypus water bottle. The USAF manual is 600 pages of good stuff USAF Manual Some of the SAS books are good "6 ways in 12 ways out" if anything is a good gear list, working in layers. If you never use it for more than developing line 1 gear, it is still a good read for people new to the concepts. 6 ways in Hit the library and check out some Bradford Angier books |