Aquiring and practicing skills

[L Ross]

I made a post in surplus powders that prompted me to think about our future. While I find the whole "Prepper" frenzy over blown I think many us could benefit from aquiring and practicing new skills. Reading about economically displaced young people in Greece moving back to rural areas then realizing that they lack some very basic skills is alarming. We have such a wealth of knowledge among this group of folks but lots of us keep our light under a bushel basket.
I did not know mixing pull down powders with similar burn rates and treating them as the one with the fastest burn rate was old hat. That got me to thinking about knowledge we have and perhaps assume others have so we don't share it.
What skills do you possess and have actually practiced that would be valuable in times of duress?
Being lucky enough to have grown up in a rural area, and having been raised by frugal people, I was exposed to some of the old common knowledge. Then my wife and I got involved in Historical Reenacting and leaned a bunch more "old timey" skills. So I'll take a risk and offer some of the skills I feel I have and am willing to share my experiences with others and hopefully as more posters chime in I'll learn some new ones.

1. Outdoor cooking over an open fire
2. Using obsolete hand tools, including sharpening
3. Shooting flint and cap lock muzzle loaders including finding and using flints in the field
4. Four season camping
5. Harvesting fiber and making cordage and rope
6. Fire starting
7. Trapping and skinning the harvest, eating some of them, and stretching and drying furs
8. Making brain tanned leather
9. Basic black smithing with coal and hardwood charcoal
10. Foraging for wild foods
11. Gardening and preserving the harvest, i.e. pickling, drying, canning etc.
12. Wine and beer making
13. Syrup making, maple and sorghum

Heck I guess that's enough to either stimulate some conversation or the post can die a natural death. Just typing these few things out helped me realize I have knowledge like the North Platte River, a mile wide and an inch deep. I have actually done the above, hands on and while I do not profess to be an expert at any of them, I would not have to stand there and scatch my head in a pinch.

I'm weak on electricity, serious carpentry, welding/brazing, engine repair, even though I have dabbled in all of those I am not skilled.
I'll be happy to answer PM's on topics I feel competent with.

Duke

[nhrifle]

When I was 14 my dad gave me one of the best lessons of my life. He took me hiking in the Appalacians for the day, something we did often. We had parked in the usual place and taken a familiar trail. Shortly into our hike, he wanted to check something out so we veered off into uncharted territory. After awhile, we stopped for a snack and coffee, and he told me he had no idea where we were. At first I panicked. We hadn't brought any real food or suplies, and we were lost miles from anyone. We set out again. He let the farce go on for an hour or so, until he told me he knew where we were. I calmed down and enjoyed the rest of our time together. At home that night, I decided I would never be helpless like that again.

I absorbed everything I could find regarding survival skills and practiced every chance I could. I learned to build shelter, to acquire food, which plants were edible or medicinal, how to make fire without modern implements, and so on. To this day, I am confident I could live off the land if I had to.

I have worked as a carpenter, a mason, an auto and heavy equipment mechanic, a welder, and a machinist. All in all, I think my informational preps are pretty well in order and have been gathering supplies over the years to get my family and myself through most any situation.

[waksupi]

I pretty much follow L Ross. I've been in buckskinning for 40 years, grew up hunting, fishing, and trapping. Living in the mountains as I do,. there are a lot of skills one picks up by necessity. Something I have figured out about people who figure they may have to "bug out" some time. It took every one of my years living as I have, to acquire the skills. No amount of reading will really teach them to you, hands on experience is absolutely necessary. A good example I could give are the Foxfire books. They have lots of general information, that when you put them to practice you find are wrong, or inefficient. People who contributed to that series told interviewers after the fact that they were jerking the students chains, and some just plain didn't remember for sure, and made things up .

[L Ross]

Yes waksupi, hands on absolutely, but what are we going to do about the unfortunate folks who wish they had this knowledge but don't have the years to learn? Are they just out of luck? I'm 59 and still feel I need to learn constantly. Last night I was reviewing weeds of north east wisconsin looking for more tips to try. I am going to tackle soap making soon. Any time someone tells me they are sooooo bored I just get frustrated with them. Coffe break over, back to the bench.

Duke

[runfiverun]

if you wanna do a little trial run of urban survival skills just go out back and flip the breaker box off for a couple of day's.
3 would be enough to show what it would take to survive in your own home.
you have a mountain of lead and no lee pot then what?
cold,hungry,dirty?
yep you need heat and water so what you gonna do about it.
how long is that solution going to last?

[foesgth]

Reader's Digest published a book called "Back to Basics" that has a lot of good information. I lived on a 30' sailboat for 10 years in my misspent youth. No hookups, no water, no refer. I used to tell people who wanted to try it that they had to promise themselves to stay for 6 months. The first 3 or 4 months without modern lifelines is hard. After that you really get to enjoy living a simpler life. When I moved off of the boat and got married living back in the modern world was strange. The water just came out of the tap. I didn't have to carry it or catch rainwater. There was this strange white box that kept everything cold.
Now 30 years later I find myself missing that life. Ice cream tastes better when you have to row 2 miles up the bay to get some!

[Love Life]

I am seriously lacking on the following:

Flintlock rifles
Making brain tanned leather
Blacksmithing
Making syrup

I am hoping to remedy the flintlock issue in the near future. As for the others if time would allow I would try to get into those. The majority I have covered. I love the outdoors and we try to be in them as much as we can. Something I have seen over the years is the people from rural areas do much better in survival training where as the urbanites have a hard time picking things up and adjusting. The rurals take to the training and usually do pretty comfortable for themselves. The urbanites know you can't stop time, the training will end, and they can go microwave a hot pocket eventually so they tend to go through the motions and let others carry their weight.

Being calm and willing to put forth the effort makes things easier. Going through the motions makes things hard. During my long range hikes it is not uncommon for me to lose 10-25 lbs depending on what I brought to eat and can find.

I am always practicing. Whenever out in the boonies and I am relaxing I may practice making a fire with a bow, or making cordage, triggers, snares, etc just to have something to do. I also collect sap from the pinion pines. Great aid in firestarting and burns for a long time.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I grew up on the farm, been in the Army, hunted most of my life. I can skin a buck and run a trot line but unlike what Hank Jr. said. It would be hard for this country boy to survive in this part of the state. There is no open range. All land is owned and most by big farmers. I'd last longer than most but a guy would have to head for the boonies and by the time I got there, it would probably be packed and well defended. Short term I'm ok but long term.............

[L Ross]

Well changes and disasters come in a variety of shapes and sizes and duration. Even a little planning can make a big difference.
Love Life if I can offer a suggestion, go with a fairly small caliber flint rifle, like a 36 or 40. The eat very little in the way of powder and lead and don't destroy much meat. Don't worry about legal minimums for big game hunting. You'll get a lot more practice on small game and target work and if you find you need to hunt big game out of necessity the game laws will be the least of your concerns.
Charlie, sounds like you need to partner up with some farmer/land owner. I'll bet you have skills you can offer to a farmer. In times of difficulty we will need to work together. Think of neighborhood watch expanded into mutual aid.

Duke

[MtGun44]

I've made maple syrup for the last 10 yrs, had to skip this year due to the severe
drought stressing the trees. Never brain tanned leather, read about it, apparently VERY
time and labor intensive. Don't drink, so no wine and beer making experience. Never made
rope or cordage. The rest, I have done at least a few times, most of it many times.
Good starting list. Always more to learn. For instance, I have made fire a couple of
ways but there are others that I have never tried and should really learn.

Bill

[x101airborne]

I am in kinda the same boat as LoveLife.
I do have a flintlock smoothbore that I LOVE for squirrel hunting. Havent tried it on pigs with the ole round ball yet, but hey, there is hope.
I do know how and have a couple times made sorghum syrup (molasses). It is an art, for sure.
I need to learn how to make home made black powder. That would be handy.
I did sleep in the coastal field the other night. I found a hole that cradled my back just right and there I was. Till 0400. I trap, I skin, butcher, raise and slaughter my own hogs, cows, chickens, goats, etc. And I dont get grossed out when my egg shell has a little poop on it. I know where it came from.

[jonas302]

Working on my first brain tan buckskin right now its not going to be perfect but should be able to make something out if it
The maple sap was just starting to flow when winter came back(:
but to really think that we could go back to the land in an instant is a dream 98 percent of country folk wouldn't make it more than a month on there own and the city folk that had no previous outdoor interests well...

[popper]

as a city boy I'll never survive. Very long at any rate. I will do what I can.

[Katya Mullethov]

12. Wine and beer making
13. Syrup making, +++++with sorghum

14 . Figure out how to combine the two for a product that is as valuable as it is flammable and rich in isobutyl proprionate .

[Adam10mm]

I know some of the basic stuff. I can hunt, fish, trap, track animals, build fires, build basic shelters. Cooking over a fire and sanitizing water is no problem.

Biggest issue in a survival situation would be winter. They are long and hard. Yesterday was the first day of spring, but we've got 4 feet of snow on the ground and it's 15 degrees out. I'd be fine for spring, summer, and fall but if it was a survival situation, I'm doing like ducks and going south for the winter. It would be nice to build the skills to survive up here in the winter as the location is excellent for being left the heck alone. Lot of people move up here, then leave after their first winter because 300+ inches of snow is too much for them to handle. And that's with modern living.

One thing I really need to work on is knot tying. I can tie my shoes and I can do the fishing knot where you cross the ends, pull tight, then wrap them around each other a few times, and put the tag end through the hole and pull tight. That's it. Just two knots. It's pathetic, but I'm honest about my skills and certainly my lack of skill.

I got that Outdoorsman's Manual for Christmas last year and have been reading it over and over and over. Some good stuff in there.

[Hamish]

The old wives tale that the brain of an animal is enough to tan the hide, is just that.

What you can and cannot put in your mouth is paramount.

Here's one that millions step over every day that's not only tasty, it's very good for you. Raw, cooked, salads, whatever.

Purslane:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Purslane+Identification&FORM=RESTAB

[Love Life]

Thanks for the tips L Ross. I was looking at North Star West rifles, particularly their trade gun, but I want to stay in the 40 cal or below area. The search continues...

Freakshow hit a very good point. Winter survival is NOT easy unless you are very prepared or skilled. You can do well making snow shelters until you can build something better.
Providing water is a constant job if not near a stream. It takes water to make water when melting down snow or, believe it or not, you can burn the snow. Ice is much better since there is more water in it.
The kind of snow matters for survival as well. It is hard to build a good shelter when all you have is faceted snow. Rolling snow is best. A 'T' shelter will get you through a couple nights, are surprisingly warm, and are a good option until a larger snow shelter is made or something else is made.

Making something else- Cordage is your friend

[garym1a2]

If Florida if you want to survive, learn to fish. Find out what to keep the bugs away at night in the summer. Game is not that plentifu; but fish are.
Past that I would be lost.

[MBTcustom]

Ok, I'm in pretty good shape!
1. I cooked Chrismas dinner on the ground in the front yard.
2.check
3.I know how, need some practice.
4. Never camped in summer, other than that, I'm good.
5. I actually know how to do this! I even have a hand held spinning wheel around here somewhere.
6. If you already have the flintlock, this is no problem.
7. Yep. Done it. Grew up running steel traps. Any of you other fellers ever ate an armalillo?
8. My BIL does this. Turned out pretty good too.
9. Yep, done that too. Built my own coal forge and made a bunch of knives and tools.
10. Needs to work on this one. Although, last year I made some dandilion soup. I can spot poke salit. Scuppernongs, persimmons, and wild Berries make their way into my gullet every year. No telling how many deer I missed while munching on persimmons in the fall LOL!
11. Grew up doing all that too.
12. I'm jealous. Don't have a clue how to do this.
13. Again, crickets.
Of all these things, the sorghum and syrup, and the beer and wine is a big hole in my experiance. Wish I had time to learn now, but I'm time poor.

[MtGun44]

Freakshow -

Learn the bowline (knot), it makes a loop in the end of a rope that will never slip and will
never lock up on you if you pull a truck with it. Add in two half hitches and you'll do fine.
Most of the rest are not that critical.

goodsteel, I used to hunt armadillo in FL, they are good eating. Hardest part is getting them
out of that shell after gutting them. We eventually settled on cutting the shell in half
with tin snips and working out from that after gutting. Red and white meat, both real
good.

Bill

[Adam10mm]

Freakshow hit a very good point. Winter survival is NOT easy unless you are very prepared or skilled. You can do well making snow shelters until you can build something better.
Providing water is a constant job if not near a stream. It takes water to make water when melting down snow or, believe it or not, you can burn the snow. Ice is much better since there is more water in it.
The kind of snow matters for survival as well. It is hard to build a good shelter when all you have is faceted snow. Rolling snow is best. A 'T' shelter will get you through a couple nights, are surprisingly warm, and are a good option until a larger snow shelter is made or something else is made.

Making something else- Cordage is your friend
As harsh as it is up here, there are some perks. My inlaw's farm would be my choice to go off the grid if I had to. 140 acres with hayfields and woods. Creek runs the back of the property line. Deer, bear, red squirrels, woodcock, ruffed grouse, coyote, wolves, rabbits, fox, weasels, various birds of prey, can be found there. Lots of big overturned tree stumps to use as backing for shelter. Deep woods protects against snow but some snowshoes would make winter hunting less work traveling. And the farm is a couple hundred yards from Lake Superior, so I've got a creek, lots of snow and ice, plus the big lake for a water source. I'd love to have the money to get a farm half that size and homestead there. Still have electricity and fuel for heat, but subsidize with wood burning. But that's my dream life.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/75621cb5-fc70-4ea5-9ff2-6f4a58a079ab_zps7511cecc.jpg

[Adam10mm]

Freakshow -

Learn the bowline (knot), it makes a loop in the end of a rope that will never slip and will
never lock up on you if you pull a truck with it. Add in two half hitches and you'll do fine.
Most of the rest are not that critical.

Bill
Thanks! I found a 14 inch piece of small rope and put it in the spot on that outdoorsman manual page that shows how to make the bowline. I'll have to practice every night before I go to bed. Makes for a nice bookmark and I don't have to go looking for a rope to practice on.

[edler7]

Thanks! I found a 14 inch piece of small rope and put it in the spot on that outdoorsman manual page that shows how to make the bowline. I'll have to practice every night before I go to bed. Makes for a nice bookmark and I don't have to go looking for a rope to practice on.

Learn how to tie it one handed, too. There is a method for that, and it could save your life one day.

[Adam10mm]

Learn how to tie it one handed, too. There is a method for that, and it could save your life one day.
Baby steps. I'm of a simple mind. Need to get real good at both hands before I get all fancy with just one. :)

[Love Life]

I always space out about the importance of snow shoes. Thank you for pointing it out because they are a vital piece of gear.

[P.K.]

I always space out about the importance of snow shoes. Thank you for pointing it out because they are a vital piece of gear.

http://backwoodsmercantile.com/Detailed/Shop_Backwoods/DVDs/Snowshoes_Solitude_84.html (http://backwoodsmercantile.com/Detailed/Shop_Backwoods/DVDs/Snowshoes_Solitude_84.html)

There is a tutorial in the Nov/Dec issue of 2004. I don't know if I have that issue but you can order it here: http://www.backwoodsmanmag.com/archive_issues_new.html

[P.K.]

How about that, I didn't think I had that issue. Here you go Love Life:

64834

64835

64836

64837

Sorry about the pic's, if they are unusable PM me your addy and I'll copy them and mail them to you.

[Blacksmith]

Love Life
Where are you located? Maybe I can hook you up with someplace to learn blacksmithing.

Freakshow
When i was in the fire department and trying to learn knots I used to carry a piece of thin rope with me and any time I had a free moment would pull it out and start tying. I used to be pretty good, one handed or blindfolded, but it's been a long time and I am out of practice. That's what makes you good with knots practice.

[starmac]

For knots and actually lots of other useful info, the old boy scout handbook is pretty good.

[Adam10mm]

I always space out about the importance of snow shoes. Thank you for pointing it out because they are a vital piece of gear.
I went for a walk in the woods on the farm a couple weeks ago to clear my mind and enjoy the outdoors. I walked about 3 miles in hip deep snow. That sucked, but I slept real good that night and definitely won't do that again without snowshoes. They run about $80 here locally so I'll have to save up for it.



Freakshow
When i was in the fire department and trying to learn knots I used to carry a piece of thin rope with me and any time I had a free moment would pull it out and start tying. I used to be pretty good, one handed or blindfolded, but it's been a long time and I am out of practice. That's what makes you good with knots practice.
Great idea. I'll toss one in my pocket and practice at work during my breaks.

[Love Life]

I went for a walk in the woods on the farm a couple weeks ago to clear my mind and enjoy the outdoors. I walked about 3 miles in hip deep snow. That sucked, but I slept real good that night and definitely won't do that again without snowshoes. They run about $80 here locally so I'll have to save up for it.



You only do it once!! When you do get your snow shoes make sure you tie a piece of 550 cord or something similar from your snow show to your boots. This way if a snow shoe come loose it won't slide away.

I have never regretted the purchase of my snow shoes. I bought the tough plastic ones with a detachable back piece so I can choose how large my footprint is based off of the snow pack or lack thereof. They are in my truck year round and on my pack from first snow until spring.

[429421Cowboy]

Growing up on the ranch, we have gained a skillset that it think is pretty normal, but sadly in my opinion alot of people wouldn't have clue one on where to start. That is one reason i love this site, a bunch of selfreliant guys that know how to make most things or are in the process of learning.
Things that we have learned growing up in a setting that most people would consider camping or being outdoors should prove pretty useful if things ever did get bad. I know how to raise most kinds of livestock, from beef cows, milk cows (Black and White Death, my dad calls them, i hate them things!), poultry, sheep and goats (arguably three of the more useful critters from their multiple uses and ease of transport) can train and work horses, know how to horsepack, set up tents and such that comes with living in a backcountry camp. I can slaughter and butcher any sort of livestock or game, and have the tools to do it without power, and have done it in the past, also i can cure and smoke meat or fish to keep it awhile. Naturally, reloading and general gun knowledge will be handy, never know if i may have to find a way to load a gun with whatever is on hand. I have a little bit of electrical knowledge, but nowhere near as much to claim i am any good at it, actually do have a decient bit of plumbing and water well work under my belt. I have self taught as well as gotten professional instruction in welding, and a life on the ranch working on keeping things going has taught me how to make, repair or fab about anything, i am also slowly improving my blacksmithing skills, i really need to make a halfway decient forge to work with. I have been noticing more and more how common good high-carbon steel suitable for tools or blades is if you look at things with the right mindset, at one point we made any tools we needed and someday may go back to that system. I can work leather, and have tools for that, should i need to make things or repair tack as things get prolonged. I have been hunting, fishing and trapping my whole life and would be able to hopefully find something to eat if i tried hard enough (we aren't too picky, most folk's problem is they've never been hungry before). I have practiced setting and using deadfalls and other traps that could be made out of any common materiels, and if i had access to good cable or other snare materiels, could catch anything up to deer size, they do it in Africa, i'll do it here if i have to. Also have quite a bit of knowledge concerning plants, i have studied and worked on plant id all through high school. Gardening/agriculture will be another thing that will be important if we are talking long term. I have been taught how to cook as well as can and preserve food by our mother that made sure all of her boys would be able to take care of themselves.
All in all, there are many areas i want to improve in, but i think a lifetime of hunting or working out of backcountry camps, and things you generally have to do on a ranch will at least let me problem solve most situations. I used to think i was about average, but one i started college, i realised there are alot of people that i wouldn't bet make it through the first week of things, people like you guys are far and few inbetween!

[Bad Water Bill]

freakshow10mm

You may live NEAR lake superior but have you ever checked just how thick the ice is?

You will have to have a gas powered auger to cut thru a foot or more of ice before you hit water.

Check with local ICE fishermen and be safe.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I don't understand when people say they are bored either , endless amounts to learn , and do

we get some city slicker move out here talk about how there is nothing to do , i have to beat things off my calender with a stick. I can't find the time for lots of things i want to do mush less have time to be bored.

I have more learning to do , but i have tried my hand at a lot of the things on your list

i need a flinter all my front stuffers are percussion at the moment but even with that i bought what would be a near life time supply of caps if i only shot at things to eat. and the 45 doesn't take much powder and does big and small.

raise chickens most years , heat with wood , eat mostly deer for meat

about half my small game has come with a bow , i am catching up with a gun /pellet gun but i shot a lot with a bow when i was a kid

I have been at the, boy scout thing for a while , Be Prepared!

ross your in SW wisconsin , i am over in Green as my name implies , are you going to be at any of the Rondazous this year.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I went for a walk in the woods on the farm a couple weeks ago to clear my mind and enjoy the outdoors. I walked about 3 miles in hip deep snow. That sucked, but I slept real good that night and definitely won't do that again without snowshoes. They run about $80 here locally so I'll have to save up for it.


Great idea. I'll toss one in my pocket and practice at work during my breaks.

I use the old US GI snow shoes they work , hold up and sell for about 40 dollars a pair these days , the at a traditional design but out of magnesium and cable not wood and senue

[Adam10mm]

freakshow10mm

You may live NEAR lake superior but have you ever checked just how thick the ice is?

You will have to have a gas powered auger to cut thru a foot or more of ice before you hit water.

Check with local ICE fishermen and be safe.
The ice doesn't build up across the water unless it's calm wind and single digits for several days.

My in laws have a house on the shores of Lake Superior. Here's a shot from just inside the living room. A juvenile bald eagle is eating the fox it killed. I drop my daughter off there every day before work, so I see what the lake is like daily and am pretty familiar with its habits during the winter. The lower railing in the pic is the end of the yard and the start of the beach. The ice bank only gets as big and as far as what's in the picture. The second picture below better illustrates the distance of the ice bank.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/IMG_0458_zps39ccc657.jpg

Here's a shot down the beach.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v239/freakshow10mm/IMG_0459_zps95477216.jpg

The ice build up is mostly right at the beach level due to the waves splashing and the water freezing. Ice out across the water isn't safe no matter how cold it is. Too much wave action makes thick ice dangerous. For "ice fishing", we just sit on top those ice piles and cast out into the water. Lake trout no problem. A bucket with rope attached can be tossed in the lake to haul water up from the ice banks.