Outdoor Survival Skills From Our Forefathers That We Can Still Use Today
Outdoor Survival Skills
Imagine trying build a fire without a lighter, or healing a wound without a first aid kit. What if a sudden storm catches you off guard and you find yourself with no shelter?
Fortunately, our forefathers paved the way with survival skills that don’t require any of the technologies or luxuries we have today. From them, we have learned alternative ways to thrive in the wilderness with ancient survival tips passed down for generations.
To continue their legacy, I wanted to share some of ways that we can still use our forefathers outdoor survival skills today.
Outdoor Survival Skills: Natural First Aid
Outdoor Survival Skills – Natural First Aid
If you ever find yourself in need of some healing, look no further than the great outdoors. For centuries, Native Americans and early settlers survived off the bounty of medicinal properties found in plants that can easily be grown in any garden.
One such plant is called wild lettuce, which acts as a natural morphine and had been used by Native Americans over two centuries ago to ease pain. Since it is un-scheduled by the FDA, you can grow it freely without the need for a prescription or license. You may even find it in your own backyard, providing you with a perfect opportunity to make wild lettuce extract that you can keep in your medicine cabinet.
Our forefathers knew how to cure most ailments using only mother nature as it’s source; which can still benefit us today. Most modern medicine is laced with risky side effects or addictive properties, in some cases being more deadly than the ailment they were invented to cure.
Whether you are stranded without resources to medicine or if you prefer using natural healing methods, there are plenty of plants you can turn to as a natural first aid kit.
Outdoor Survival Skills: Weather Prediction
Outdoor Survival Skills – Weather Prediction
In this day in age, forecasting the weather is as simple as turning on the TV or glancing at our smart devices. But our forefathers had to rely on intuition and a keen sense of their surroundings to accurately predict when a storm was brewing.
In many ways, their weather prediction methods are more reliable than the modern technology we use today. If you find yourself wondering what to expect in terms of the elements, you can use their survival skills to make an accurate assessment:
Behavior of Animals
Animal intuition is more reliable than any satellite in orbit; just think about the way your pets act before a storm. Our ancestors knew that if they watched closely, they could have a good idea of what sort of weather was heading their way; and animal behavior hasn’t changed since then.
An abundance of squirrels gathering food means cold is coming. Panicked livestock means we can expect inclement weather soon.
Animal forecasting skills are even embedded in the national tradition of Groundhog’s Day, where we rely on a small rodent to let us know how much longer our winter will last!
Clouds and Sky
Sometimes predicting the weather is as simple as looking to the heavens. Our ancestors used their immediate observation of the sky and clouds to forecast what type of weather they should expect.
The shape of the clouds could indicate whether storm was coming or if their fair weather would continue. And there’s a reason the old adage “Red sky at night, sailors delight” still lives on today. A crimson evening is no reason to be alarmed, but a ruby morning is the result of moisture-ridden clouds that will unleash their storm later in the day.
There are plenty of other older methods to predict the weather (one even includes a goose bone!), but these survival tips derived from our forefathers are far from old-wive’s tales. Just try them out for yourself.
Outdoor Survival Skills: Navigation
Outdoor Survival Skills – Navigation
Nowadays, we rely heavily on GPS to get us to where we’re going. So much so that the technology has pretty much replaced paper maps as a source for direction in modern life. But while a GPS system can help navigate you through the woods, what happens if the battery dies or you run out of power?
While a compass is a reliable tool for finding your way out of the forest, you may find yourself without one in an emergency. But don’t let that worry you.
Our forefathers have been able to travel far distances, exceeding 100 miles from their home, without getting lost by using methods that require nothing more than a clear sky.
Some may have just had a good sense of direction; however, if you lack the ability of inherently knowing which way is north, you can use the same methods as our ancestors to find it pretty quickly during the day or night:
– Shadow Method: Also known as the stick method, you can mark shadows to track the direction the sun is moving. This will help you find east and west.
– North Star: If you’re lost at night time, you can find the North Star (Polaris) by locating the Big Dipper.
Once you’re able to distinguish directions, you can work on finding the correct path back to civilization.
Outdoor Survival Skills: Lighting a Fire
Outdoor Survival Skills – Light a Fire
Lighting a fire is a fundamental tool every survivalist should know. Since it was discovered, the element has given humans power over nature. Whether you are using for warmth, food or to signal for help, starting a fire is useful knowledge to keep in your arsenal.
Our forefathers relied on fire for many things, and didn’t have the luxury of matches or lighters at their disposal. If you find yourself in a similar position, you can use their tried-and-true methods of starting a fire using friction between two pieces of wood.
You may already have a flint and steel kit in your survival kit; however, if you find yourself without one, you can try finding some in the wild. Although flint is ideal for creating fire, nearly any hard stone will do. (you can also use quartz if you are able to scrounge some up)
Once you have your tools to create the fire, just gather some kindling and get to work!
With these simple tips, you can continue our forefathers’ legacy of wilderness survival. No matter your survivalist situation, keeping a level head and the spirit of our ancestors will help you find the resources you need in the outdoors.
Use some of these survival tips on your next outdoor adventure to experience what our forefathers called everyday life.
These tools can help you get started:
