What if YOUR WRONG....About survival....?????

[Sourdough]

You hear it all the time, "every little bit helps". Or, "Some knowledge is better than none". Or, "I just want to learn some basic survival skills". Or, "It can't hurt to have a few survival supplies".

But what if that is wrong....??? It all sounds good. But, really-What if it is not valid....???

So what is my Point.....? I am not sure. But, maybe a little is not good enough....

[tsitenha]

Hopeak, you've probably hit the nail on the head in many cases.
Too many are deluding themselves on their abilities and the effectiveness of their limited kit, that when a real situation arrives and maybe stays longer than they are ready for they become just more of the masses.
Paranoia is not needed but realistic knowledge and preparation is.

This less is more is fine when all is right but a bit extra is better, you don't buy 10$ worth of insurance but we limit ourselves to what we carry and practise (realisticly).

[Leighman]

Unfortunately, the only time a person will truly know whether or not thier survival/bushcraft skills/gear have what it takes is when they find themselves in a true life and death situation!

[trax]

Hopeak, you're making me repeat myself. This is why I tell people, practice, start small and work your way up to bigger outdoor projects. Practice your firemaking and shelter building skills in bad weather when you don't need to, (close to your vehicle or home) so that when you do.....

Reading it here is all very good people, but it does NOT replace trying the skills out in the real world. It should at least give you a better idea if you have it right or wrong....

How do you get to Yankee Stadium? Practice, son, practice.

[Geronimo!]

my take on the whole thing is that once you start second guessing yourself you're already dead. Failure in one small aspect of wilderness can mean death, but it most cases it doesn't. Your ability to not take no for an answer and improvise are what's going to save you in a survival situation. Take fire for example. Say you prepared to light your fire with a bic lighter, but it's wet. you're going to have to improvise and use a bow&drill or friction method. If there's no suitable wood for either method, then you move on. Hopefully you came more prepared for your trip that just a lighter, but you catch my drift?
A good way to sharpen your powers of improvisation is to bring too much on a hike or expedition, then only use your supplies as a backup. Look for natural shelters like overhangs, water sources, etc. This will help you become more comfortable with your surroundings and less reliant on your survival kit.

A minister once said that, "Knowledge without practice is like a glass eye, all for show, and nothing for use." The same thing is true of wilderness-survival. Make your way out to the bush more often and practice. Then when the real thing come you won't even need to think!

Cheers

[Pal334]

I am of the belief that something is better than nothing. It would be ideal for each person to [B]master all skills necessary, but is unfortunately not possible. If I did live in a "wilderness" environment, would undoubtably be much more skilled. When practical hands on training, practice is not available, at least the gathering of concepts and discussion with others who are better skilled will have to suffice. Couple this information gathering with practice, at least makes me a bit more prepared than I was.That is what I value in this forum, "picking the brains" of people with practical skills who are willing to share their knowledge. ANd one must always be cognizant of ones limitations.

[dolfan87]

You hear it all the time, "every little bit helps". Or, "Some knowledge is better than none". Or, "I just want to learn some basic survival skills". Or, "It can't hurt to have a few survival supplies".

But what if that is wrong....??? It all sounds good. But, really-What if it is not valid....???

So what is my Point.....? I am not sure. But, maybe a little is not good enough....

Then said person has very little time to live.

[Dennis K.]

I won't be so dire.
Nearly everyone here has said to "keep you wits about you," or something similar.
Yes, a situation can go bad quickly.
No, I don't think reading this forum can replace real experience.
But....
Some practice, Some knowledge, and engaging the brain will help in a real situation.
After all, there are infinite variables in any situation that will make it different from practice, or even different from previous real situations you may have had.
So....
Although experience is essential, our ability to adapt and think in a stressful situation is of equal importance.

[Pal334]

It is amazing how ones brain will drag up ideas and concepts when it is properly motivated by fear (fear is at alot of levels). I have been there, done that and I do have scars to prove it But having been at least introduced to a concept, I had a clue how to adjust and adapt to the circumstance. I think Dennis K and I are on the same wave length with this. THe alternative is that if you do not have the time, resources and ability to master a rather lenghtly list of important skills you would have to just stick your head in the ground like the proverbial Ostrich, and I am guessing that is not what any of us would advocate.

[higgy]

You hear it all the time, "every little bit helps". Or, "Some knowledge is better than none". Or, "I just want to learn some basic survival skills". Or, "It can't hurt to have a few survival supplies".

But what if that is wrong....??? It all sounds good. But, really-What if it is not valid....???

So what is my Point.....? I am not sure. But, maybe a little is not good enough....

I thought you were from "HOPE" Alaska? Some people I've talked to about survival situations say they don't want to live if a situation happens. They are the ones I'm afraid of because they would try to take your stuff because they aren't prepared!

[klkak]

I thought you were from "HOPE" Alaska? Some people I've talked to about survival situations say they don't want to live if a situation happens. They are the ones I'm afraid of because they would try to take your stuff because they aren't prepared!

Hopeak lives pretty darn close to Hope AK.

[klkak]

As for me. What ever I have with me when faced with a bad situation is enough. I may wish I had more. I will make do with what I have at hand. A person can't be prepared for every contingency. So the only thing left is prepare for what you can then improvise the rest. Our USMC brothers say it well. "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome".

[AKS]

If what you have done to prepare for a survival situation is not enough... then you won't survive unless someone is around who is willing and able to help you. Seems kinda simple to me?

[Dennis K.]

If what you have done to prepare for a survival situation is not enough... then you won't survive unless someone is around who is willing and able to help you. Seems kinda simple to me?

Gotta disagree here.
What about our ability to adapt? to improvise? to think clearly, but outside the box, and find alternatives?
No one can prepare for every little contingency, yet stories abound of those who figured out what to do just long enough to stay alive.
There are tragedies, too, of course... but some people are resilient and and can adapt, and by so doing, survive. The hiker in the box canyon that had to cut off his own arm comes to mind.

[trax]

Hey Remy....let's talk about 'destiny' sometime, you and I. (Was I destined to say that? mysterious background music)

[Scoobywan]

I think in reality it just comes down to the person and the situation.... what I mean is, you hear about people who are very adept type people, that don't survive a night, and on the flip side of that you hear about people with no outdoor/survival experience that last for a long time under similar conditions. Maybe it's the will to live, or fate, or the will of god, or maybe the little tree gremlins like you... I don't think anyone really knows how long they can make it until the true test comes.

[Sourdough]

Gotta disagree here.
What about our ability to adapt? to improvise? to think clearly, but outside the box, and find alternatives?
No one can prepare for every little contingency, yet stories abound of those who figured out what to do just long enough to stay alive.
There are tragedies, too, of course... but some people are resilient and and can adapt, and by so doing, survive. The hiker in the box canyon that had to cut off his own arm comes to mind.

But, what if he did not have the knife.....? What if if you are one cartridge short in a gun fight, only six months short on food. What if you should have had one more chain loop for the chainsaw. What if you would have had ??? when the snow machine went through the ice. Why Circuit City, and not Best Buy.......yet?????????

What if you had worked out more seriously, ran 6 miles per day not 5 miles per day.

What if you almost made it.......

People I am not looking for an answer. I am asking that you look in the mirror and ask, Is this a waste of my time and resources, or is this needing more concentrated effort. After all it is your life & it is your Death.

[Dennis K.]

All I can offer is that "What If's" will eat you alive.
All you have is what you have. Nothing more. Nothing less. Stuff and Brains.
What you do with it in any given situation.... That's the real question, isn't it?
Some die.
Some die realizing their mistake.
Some live realizing their mistake.
Some live in spite of themselves.
Some thrive.

And for anyone and everyone, There, but for the grace of God, could be me.

[Dennis K.]

Remy,
That pic, under other circumstances, could be any of us.
For me, I would not even begin to presume to know God's will, grace, reason or logic. But the Christian idea of God is where I choose to place my beliefs. I would not dare to presume others share my beliefs.

What you ask is:
Does evil, pain, suffering, persecution and unjust-ness exist?
Yes.
If there is a god, how could a loving god allow it?

And that discussion would send us valiantly leaping over the "no religion" rule of this forum.
Here's a thread from another forum - started 4 years ago - still going strong after 266 pages:
http://tromboneforum.org/index.php/t...topicseen.html

[Scoobywan]

I'm trying not to break any rules on this post so hopefully this doesn't offend anyone. Just going by the picture, I'm guessing that child is one of the many less fortunate humans who goes to bed hungry most nights. But I have to say, if that child were to get a bowl of rice, that bowl of rice would taste better than any meal most have ever eaten. The sunset after having that bowl of rice will be more beautiful than any sunset most have ever seen. The world is full of suffering, the world is full of hate, but those little moments when you get a glimpse of a world without those, is when the true grace of god shines through. Once again, just my 2 cents, and I hope that's not a rule breaker.