wog9f13

Those SPOT things are outstanding, but you have to make sure that there is satelite coverage where you are going to be using it. Up here is Alaska they don't work in certain areas; I don't care what the coverage map says.

On the Altoids survival tin thing, they are a great idea and there is a company out there http://www.lightfighter.com that sells a little survival tin deal and it's better than that commercial SAS survaval tin piece of crap. I have taken lightfighter's to the field, used and abused it and believe it or not it works pretty good.

As for this overall post "Great Job"

There are not too many people out there who actually go out and use/play with their survival kists. They just buy the stuff and put them together and hope like heck that they work when they are needed; if they have them at the time of need that is!!

After a lifetime in the Military and being in a few survival type situations myself, I have learned that if you put something into a survival kit then you darn well better know how to use it. It doesn't do you much good to spend all the money and not know how to use it. All you're doing is providing the rescue party with free gear when they find your dead carcass. Can't tell you how many times people have been found with brand new un-used gear with them.

One other thing this post proves is that not all survival situations are the same. Everyone has good ideas for a small kit to have with them when they are out in the woods. I feel like it has a lot to do with your wood craft/skills. Some people are great hunters but know nothing about surviving, Some are great survivors but lousy hunters. Other can do anything either way.

Anyway great post !!!

Phil from Maine

Nice Post! No one ever knows what can happen when on any type of outing. Whether hunting or on a fishing trip into the back woods. This is a good reminder and thank you for posting this..

jerry d

I understand everything on your list except the cottonballs soaked in vaseline.......firestarters? Anyway nice story & a very imformative post...thanks.

charlie brown

Yeah, the cottonballs are for firestarters. A couple of them will burn pretty hot to get a fire going.

Later,

Marcial

skiking

GPS units are very overrated as of now, the signal doesn't penetrate trees very well yet, and there are too few satellites. While the SV constellation consists of 32 satellites, typically only 24 are in operation at any given time any of which could be malfunctioning. That number is enough satellites to theoretically cover the entire globe with 5 satellites something like 95% of the time. But terrain and trees often reduce the number of usable satellites to 1-2, not enough to determine a location. And the farther north you go, the worse it gets. Here in MT there are typically 20-30 minutes a day that we only have 4 satellites above the horizon, but when you throw in mountains that number is closer to an hour and if you are in a canyon, forget about it. Then if you are under a dense canopy, you will probably pull your hair out trying to acquire a satellite fix.

While a GPS can be a great tool in a survival situation, in my neck of the woods, I would rather rely on a map and compass. That isn't to say that I don't carry my GPS with me, it is a rather handy device, but I won't rely on it for survival. Now if the military would put some better satellites up there, I may change my mind.

kevin1

I don't hunt off my own land much anymore, but when I do I always carry at least these:
1) Sharp knife
2) Space blanket
3) Magnesium fire starter
4) Compass
5) Whistle
6) GMRS radio
7) Cell phone

I'm certainly no Tarzan, but I know enough to live off of the land in most terrains for short periods.

Colorado Cajun

Good post! Glad you made it back okay. One thing for all to note, cheap little cigarette lighters usually do not work well at all in high altitudes.

wog9f13

Right on the money!!!

I can't say enough about the ability to read and use both a map and compass. I have 5-7 different compasses and I always have a map of the area I am in, with me. No I don't always carry 5+ compasses, but like the old saying goes. 2 is 1 and 1 is none.

This is a dying art these days, and people do rely on GPS too much.

On the cotton balls: They work pretty good, and they burn slow enough that you can usually start a small fire in most conditions with them.

charlie brown

My feeling exactly on the GPS. I have never tried a disposable lighter at high elevations, but it does make sense they won't work as well. Usually when I start a fire, I will put the carbons in "birds nest" and have a couple cottonballs handy. As soon as the carbon takes off, I throw in a couple cotton balls, and then the small tinder, etc.

As for making the carbons.

Find a shoe polish can, the kiwi brands are the best. Put a small, match diameter hole in the center. Cut up old jeans to fit inside the can. Place about 10 pieces of cotton in the can. Place the can, with the lid tight on an open camp stove outside. The cotton will get hot inside the tin, and burn off all the dies. When the smoke stops, and a flame comes out the top, plug the hole with the match you used to start the stove. When they cool, these are wonderful fire starters. One little spark is all it takes. Place that in a bird's nest, get a spark in the carbon, and blow on it until it lights, being careful not to burn yourself.

As for the bird nests

Use the normal manilla/hemp rope, if you can find it. Separate the rope, and boil it out to the bare fibers. It may take several times of changing water to get to where there is no more oil in the rope. Once the fibers are oil free, make them into little balls about the size of a golfball, and place in your pack.

With the carbons, birds nests, cottonballs, and a striker, you have a firestarter that will start a fire in the worst conditions possible.

Just in case, I also have some steel wool and a 9 volt battery in case the other way fails. I need a 9 volt for my dog tracking box. It only takes putting the steel wool to both contacts to get it hot. Place that in the birds nest and away you go.

I also have matches, but rarely use them because the wind always seems to be blowing where I am at, lol.

Hope this gives some more ideas,


Later,

Marcial

Sheridan

This thread should get a "sticky" so we can all refer back to it.


Thank you !!!