Kicking AWOL August 2200 | Page 5

Kindling should be thin enough to break with your hands. This is good because the tinder will be able to catch these small twigs on fire aiding in the growth.

Next, you will add the fuel wood. This is the wood that will keep you warm, and the wood that is good to cook on. Your first instinct may be to grab the biggest piece of wood you can find and put it on the fire. Do not do that. The fire will go out. Instead keep this rule in mind: fuel wood should be no bigger around than your wrist. You will have to periodically add this wood to the fire to keep it going.

Starting the fire is difficult for beginners, but with practice you will get the hang of it. Build a teepee (see picture on right from wildbackpacker.com) out of the wood using the small kindling you have selected. You will need to light the tinder using a primitive method because you will have little else at your disposal. If you have a lighter or matches, great, use that, but if not follow the next few steps carefully.

First, you will find a piece of hardwood and a piece of softwood. Hardwood comes from trees that shed their leaves every year. Softwood comes from conifers such as pines. You will need to cut a groove into the piece of softwood. Then, you will take the piece of hardwood and plow it into the groove quickly (see Figure 7-7 from wilderness-survival.net). This creates friction after a while, creating a flame that will light the tinder. The tinder, once it is lit, should be transferred to the middle of the teepee. You may

want to blow on it slightly to get the kindling to catch fire as well. To put the fire out you will want to bury it in dirt. Stomp it out with your foot slightly and move on to your next destination.

Tip Four: Find shelter.

Large trees are a great place to start in your journey to find a safe place to stay. If you are in an area with predators lurking it is a good idea to sleep in the tree. You will want to secure yourself tightly using a rope. If you do not have a rope, I would recommend sleeping on the ground. Keep your weapon close by in case a predator decides to come near your “camp”.

If you are sleeping on the ground you should make yourself a soft bed to sleep on using leaves and foliage from the surrounding forest. This will help you in the morning. An achy hiker is a slow hiker. Slow is something you cannot afford to be. Sleeping by the fire is a good idea, but be aware of where you are in regards to the fire. You do not want to burn yourself.

Tip Five: Find water and food.

Water and food are the basis of human life. You absolutely need these to survive. When it rains, collect it. You can use your hands, leaves, or any other object that water pools in to do this. Wilderness-survival.net recommends soaking the water in cloth and draining it into your mouth.

Freshwater can be found in lakes and rivers. This is your number one source of water if you are in the wild. You may stumble upon it. Drink your fill. This is important. Being dehydrated is not a good way to spend the day. It is, however, a horrible way to die. If you stumble upon a construction project be leery of the water there. This water can contain chemicals that are harmful to your body. If you have a water purification kit now would be the time to use it.

Food comes in different forms in the wilderness. Hunting and fishing are always good options. Using a spear is tricky and requires a lot of energy. If this is your only option by all means go for it. Humans are natural hunters and gatherers. This is important. You will stumble upon more plants to eat than animals. A rule of thumb when eating plants is: if you don’t know what it is try only a miniscule amount before eating it whole. We do know that leaves from trees are generally safe to eat. Nuts and berries found in the wild may be very bitter, but they are sustenance. You will have to get over the way they taste. The rule of thumb for plants applies to these items as well.

Sources:

All About Campfires and Fire Starting. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://www.campfiredude.com/

Wilderness Survival. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/