population has dropped below 19 percent and is trending downward . Outdoor skills , it stands to reason , have diminished in lockstep .
In the BWI course , Modern Wilderness Survival , students learn the skills needed to live through a typical survival situation , such as basic sheltering , starting a fire and wilderness psychology . From a statistical standpoint , close to 99 percent of all survival situations are said and done in fewer than four days , according to Zawalsky . “ The biggest percentage of students taking these courses are outdoorsy types , like hikers ,” he says . “ Some come in after getting lost , while others want to learn these skills as security for venturing further off the beaten path .”
In stark contrast to this introductory course , the BWI course called Primitive Wilderness Survival teaches students the skills needed to live in the wilderness for 40 days or more . “ Think of pre-Industrial Revolution society ,” Zawalsky explains . Students learn everything from crafting tools such as fishhooks and baskets , to harvesting , hunting and gathering food . A third discipline within Wilderness Survival encompasses both Modern and Primitive survival skills ; known as Bushcraft , students acquire skills that will help them endure between four and 40 days in the wilds of Canada .
While skill acquisition is an important component of surviving in the wilderness , the most underappreciated and overlooked aspect of survival is psychology .
Dr . Gino Ferri is the director of Survival in the Bush , Inc ., an organization that provides instructional and consulting services for military personnel , outdoor educators and indigenous communities . He ’ s studied the physical and emotional impacts of being lost in the wilderness and outlined these findings in his book , The Psychology of Wilderness Survival . The research shows that the mental state of someone lost in the woods is the greatest predictor of the chances of being found again . “ Close to 85 percent of survival comes down to your mind ,” he says .
STUDENTS ACQUIRE SKILLS THAT WILL HELP THEM ENDURE BETWEEN FOUR AND 40 DAYS IN THE WILDS OF CANADA
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