“One of the most important, yet most neglected, aspects of wilderness living is personal hygiene. In our experience, most guys behave like unwashed heathens in the woods and won't shower, shave, or brush their teeth for weeks at a time if they don't have to, but that's a recipe for trouble.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 6/4 - Bark Shingles
“Primitive shelters ain't all they're cracked up to be. If you've studied many "survival tips" websites or quick reference guides, you get the impression that simple debris huts are all you need to stay warm and dry in any conditions. If you've ever slept in one, though... well, that's a different matter.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 5/21 - Toggles, pt. 1
“Tarp, ponchos, and emergency blankets are three of the most crucial elements of modern, fast-action shelters. And for those shelters to be effective, they need to be built correctly. But hanging them can be a pain if you don’t have much experience with it.”
Read more#WildEdibleWednesday 5/8 - Red Clover
“As medicine advances and more and more compounds are synthesized from natural sources, maybe it’s time we humbled ourselves and realized that the ancients knew what they were talking about.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 4/30 - Ranger Bands on Fire
“They won’t catch a spark, but if you have an open flame, they’ll burn easily. Lighting one is like starting a mini tire fire. Even the small ones will burn for 10-15mins in all conditions, including rain and high winds, and they're virtually impossible to put out.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 4/16 - The 9-Volt Fire
“While you can certainly carry a 9-volt battery and steel wool into the woods (there are a few pieces of gear left that still take 9-volts), I consider this to be more of a MacGyver skill.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 4/2 - Water from a Vine
“Need water but can't locate a good source? In certain areas (rarely in GA, but it happens) you might be a good ways away from a creek or stream, or it might be a time of drought and sources may be dried up. If that's your situation, consider the grapevine.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip: 6 Reasons Not to Trust Your GPS
“Those who are new to the woods and believe that wilderness skills can be hacked like everything else are especially susceptible to this fallacy. But some things can't be shortcut. Some things, the old-fashioned, difficult, inefficient and time-consuming way is still the way to do it. Land nav is one of those things.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 3/12 - Counting Your Pace
“There is no ‘hack’ to getting your pace count right. There are best practices, followed by lots of practicing. Go out and find a place to lay out a 100-meter course, and get to it. What if you’re not military or SAR? Is this relevant to you? Absolutely.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 3/6 - River Cane
“Where river cane really shines is in bushcrafting. The uses of river cane for projects big and small is limited only by your imagination.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 3/5 - Conditioning an Axe Handle
“When you upgrade to an heirloom-quality axe, you’ll soon learn that there’s a maintenance schedule that comes with it. It’s not like the old Home Depot fiberglass-handle clunker that you could just throw in the toolshed and take a file to every now and then.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 2/27 - Yucca
“While Yucca isn’t the most widespread plant in the Eastern Woodlands, it’s still a valuable asset to bushcraft and wilderness survival, and is well worth knowing.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 2/26 - Keep Your Tinder Dry
“Rain is a natural and unavoidable part of living in nature, and can be tolerated pretty well with proper planning and gear. But one thing is for sure – it certainly amps up the difficulty of firecraft.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 2/19 - It's All in Your Hands
“…If you’re carving out a comfortable living in the howling wilderness with only your knowledge and a few tools, that’s damn tough enough. I’ve got nothing to prove, so I’m wearing gloves. Here’s why.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 2/13 - Common Cattail
“Not only is it a four-season edible and a decent medicinal plant, it’s one of the few plants that can truly secure all four of your survival priorities. It’s the Wal-Mart of the swamp – providing food, medicine, building material, and fire starter. We’re talking, of course, about Typha latifolia, the Common Cattail.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 1/29 - Reflector Wall
“Regardless of what shelter I set up, one of the first things I would do to try and give myself an edge in the battle against freezing to death would be to build a reflector wall.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 1/22 - The Case for Rest
“While getting proper rest may not seem important, consider the consequences if you don’t. One night probably won’t affect you too much. You won’t be at your best, but you’ll be alright. But more than one night in harsh conditions with little or no sleep, and things start to unravel…”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 1/1 - The Overlooked Candle
“…if you’re wondering where I got the one on the right in the photo… I definitely didn’t snatch it from a candlelight Christmas Eve service, if that’s what you think. The Possum Mentality never sleeps.”
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