Rough Camping & Survival Tips

[fourfive8]

My survival kit with labeled parts describe in a previous post. Of course, if hunting, I would also have rifle, binocs and possibly a spotting scope, extra ammo, snacks, water, knife sharpener, small led light, orange flagging, etc.

But, the basic go everywhere survival kit has the following labeled items and weighs about 1.5 lbs- First pic

Bagged and nested next to a modified medium ALICE pack which also weighs about 1.5 lbs.
Second pic

total weight about 3 bs.

 

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...follow-up post...
LEARN TO SURVIVE from a skilled Poachers minimalistic Survival camp perspective....?
In a certain sense, we can also all learn (not condone!) from the sly poachers' minimalistic survival camping tools!
This basic equipment example picture here also does not show clothes, weapons, snares, blankets etc. that they have.
It is interesting though to note that some of these basic survival/camping type tools shown here are the same the world over,_ though in various degrees of differentiation [eg Bic vs matches , Buscraft knife vs Machete/Okapi ,water bottle, dry food, cup etc.].
As a long ago solo wannabe bushman myself, I will maybe get by for some time with this shown basic survival kit, but I will surely add some extras given the chance!

Don't ever go unprepared or on an ego trip into the dry and dangerous wilds of Africa thinking you are Tarzan, or even assuming that if the Bushmen/San or even low poachers etc. can survive undetected in the bush, then surely I can as well!
Just look at the 'Alone' or NAA [XL] survival series to see how many semi-well equipped survival experts had to tap out for various and even unrelated reasons!
Invest more in PRACTICING your Bushcraft/Survival/Camping and mental skills, and NOT in more expensive or nicer Bushcraft/Survival tools/books.
[More tools/books are nice yes, but skills/knowledge trump the excess tools in real 'survival', and even in rough camping!].
This is a fascinating topic and meaningful debate and discussion about Bushcraft, Survival, and Minimalistic camping in the Outdoors can benefit all who are interested in these topics,
--- except off course for the few know-it-all armchair survivalists who have once done an overnight camp or read a survival book, and then try to be clever on fb...
Thanks all for your meaningful future inputs on this topic!
I salute all the participants in these series!
We can all learn to survive from each other.

 

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[fourfive8]

View attachment 474433

Correct. A compass may not get you unlost. The secret is to use it and stay oriented as you go so you won't get lost in the first place. Very small, simple, inexpensive GPS devices are available and work well. Still... awareness and not falling into the LAZY trap of technology will go a long way toward preventing inconveniences, hardships or worse.

 

[fourfive8]

Also, dire situations can vary greatly. We always instructed our people that once you realize you are lost and have no idea of how to get to help…. Stop! Plan/Prepare to survive.

The other would be where you know exactly where you are but for some reason can’t travel. Broken leg comes to mind. Again. Plan/Prepare to survive. In the kit pic above is a lensatic compass and in the case with it is a small “aiming” type mirror. Obviously, handy for aircraft signaling. Any mirror will work and only takes a couple of minutes to learn how.

 

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....where it all began....

 

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[fourfive8]

....where it all began....

View attachment 474674

You have no idea how true that is! I remember tagging along with my dad while bird hunting well before I was old enough to hunt. When you are 5 years old, that pungent smell of a freshly fired shotshell is a memory that lasts a lifetime, forever inextricably linked to that bond of hunting with your father or mentor.

 

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