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BASIC
SURVIVAL
SKILLS
There is so much information on basic survival skills that you might be asking "Where to start?" Here are 6 primary components of
wilderness survival to help you thrive in any situation.
Six Basic Survival Skills:
Number 1: Attitude
More than any other skill, your attitude determines how
successful you are in a survival situation. This first of the
basic survival skills might even determine whether you live or
die!
To start, consider "The Rule of Threes." A human can
survive for:
- 3 minutes without air
- 3 hours without a regulated body temperature (shelter)
- 3 days without water
- 3 weeks without food
Number 2: Shelter (find out more on page 23)
Number 3: Water (find out more on page 25)
Number 4: Fire (find out more on page 24)
Number 5: Food (find out our cookbook on page 27)
You might be surprised to see food so low on the basic survival skills priorities list, though we can survive for much longer without it
as compared with shelter and water. Remember "The Rule of Threes": humans can survive without food for roughly 3 weeks.
Thankfully, most natural environments are filled with a variety of items that can meet our nutritional needs. Wild plants often
provide the most readily available foods, though insects and small wild game can also support our dietary needs in a survival
situation.
Number 6: Naturalist Skills
The more you know about nature, the better you will be able to survive in the outdoors. To be great at wilderness survival, beyond
the basic survival skills, requires an in-depth understanding of a variety of nature skills. For example, wildlife tracking skills allow
one to effectively locate wild game for food, and knowledge of herbal medicine allows one to heal illnesses with wild plants.
Especially for the situation where you may choose to purposefully practice survival living for a lengthened period of time, naturalist
knowledge is absolutely invaluable. All of our hunter–gatherer ancestors had classification systems for living organisms, knew their
names, understood their uses, recognized how they inter-related to each other, and were aware of exactly how to utilize those
resources in a sustainable fashion. This knowledge was at the foundation of their ability to thrive within the natural environment.
For even the recreational wilderness skills practitioner, a basic knowledge of the natural sciences (such as botany, ecology, geology,
etc…) can be very useful and enriching. A great place to start is by purchasing the relevant plant and animal field guides for your
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