Are we Survivalist?

We come here and say we're survivalist, but are we? I don't know if I consider myself a survivalist or just an outdoorsmen. I enjoy hiking, camping, scouting & tracking, hunting, fishing, trekking and the like, I know I can build a lean-to, debris hut, or other emergency shelter. I know alot of edible plants not all of them, I know alot of medicinal plants not all of them, I know I can track an animal in the forest and mountains as well as any man and for that matter I can and have tracked men in the forest. I can and have trapped and set snares and dead falls with the best of them, find my way using the stars and the lay of the land, have never been lost but have been confused a time or two. But I don't consider those survival traits, I consider those part of who I am. Now I know some of you will say those are what it takes to be a survivalist, but if the SHTF could you really survive? I am pretty confident I could make it on my own or with my family. Probably with several others even if they didn't know what to do because everyone can learn and in a real situation and you'd be suprised who can step up and do what. But are these skills of a survivalist? Or are we just backwoodsmen or common folk who know the outdoors.
I don't do the usual kind of hiking that most people do, I Trek, take off into the woods and don't use a trail, unless you count game trails, I pack very lite even for a three day or week long trek, everything I carry is on me or in a snapsack cross slung on my back weighing not more than 10 to 12 pounds, I wear moc's instead of shoes, carry a knife and hatchet and just head out into the forest of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky and have journeyed into various other states. I don't rush from point A to point B, I take time to see the wilderness and nature. I have gone on some treks for a week that covered 25 miles and this January I'm doing a trek in Canada and this spring I'm going on a Canoe trek from upper NY state down past Ohio here. But am I a survivalist or an Outdoorsmen? And what's the difference?
Beo,

The forum sure as heck is "wilderness survival" so, yeah, I know you're ok and I'm ok and several others here will be just fine too. Here's my thought, in the SHTF situation, God knows we've been over various forms of this before, do you head for the wilderness if you're in an urban setting, who do you take ..or how many...and what do you have to do to get away from the urban environment?

Obviously, that's a bug-out question, what about those who hole up? How well do you survive in an urban environment in a post-disaster scenario?

I kind of think....and I'm not trying to weasel out of the question Beo, that outdoorsman...is a set of skills couple with the motivation to want to do those outdoor things. Survivalist...is a state of mind more than anything else. I think I have both, I hope I do.

Beo,

Can you believe that you and I both wrote something that long and neither of us cracked a joke!!:eek:

But I don't sit around thinking what if the SHTF, and I don't mean that that's wrong to think about if one does, I'm talking about skill sets. Because I know what I know does that make me a survivalist because of those skills or someone in tune with the outdoors or nature as I look at it. I didn't intend this to be a SHTF thread but rather a "what does our skills make us" thread.

That's because we're the only ones answering the thread right now, wait till later ;)

No doubt. Our skills make us...well let's see...

1. Outdoorsman (speaking for the skills you and I agreed upon earlier, not what some others might add)

2. Capable of surviving in situations where others might falter.

3. Incredibly attractive to members of the opposite sex...come on girls...admit it.

I still think its the mindset that makes a person a "survivalist" because what label do you slap on the person who does survive some disaster, or being lost in the great unknown, but doesn't have our particular types of skill sets?

Ha!..answer that one bush boy!

Lucky bastards :D But because one survived a burning building, flood, plane crash, or earthquake are they a survivalist or a disaster survivor? There is a difference.

Where's Doctor Fraud when I need him? Oh yeah, drove away in his Volks Wagon....


I mean, some people have been in these really horrible situations and they just have that attitude where they don't give up no matter what and guess what ...they survive!

Lucky? yeah well, luckier than all the poor bastards who died, but....more than luck partner. cuz you can say again the flip side is...all the skills in the world aren't going to do me a damn bit of good if I'm out in the bush alone and try some retardio grylli vanilli trick and break my back....(Stupid and unlucky!)

The whole thing to survival is NEVER QUIT and NEVER GIVE UP. ANd I know that Bear Gryls is secretly your hero :D

The question seems to be a bit academic although I understand what you are asking. I may posses the best of skills and training and make a single error in judgment, be in the wrong location or just be really unlucky that day and it results in my demise. The next guy may possess no skills or knowledge and get along just fine because of luck or circumstance or location. In the end, who becomes the survivalist? I think Trax is correct about state of mind. But I guess in the end, he who survives is the survivalist.

But I'm talking about right now. Forget the what happens in the future scenerio, what are you today. An outdoormen, survivalist, seperatist, tree hugger, or in tune with nature as I feel because this is a part of who I am. I go to work and during the week I hit the woods for a couple of hours (Overtie in job permitting and my pregnant wife) and on the weekends I am gonzo to the woods at least for an overnight.

I try to abide by the "Leave No Trace" philosophy and you can bet food and some other "make life easy" stuff like TP is with me when I'm out. If I were to compare myself with, say Nativedude, I'm not a survivalist in that sense. Don't want to be. And I'm not too worried about the world as we know it ending any time soon so I'm not on the separatist wagon. Hmm. Let's see. That would make me a tree huggin' outdoorsman in tune with nature starin' in the headlights like a deer gomer.

Secretly me hero? No secret about the big grylli vanilli poster in my room! But seriously folks, if someone walked into my office right now and said "hey are you a survivalist?" I wouldn't hesitate with my "damn straight I am" response. Part of that state of mind I'm talking about has nothing to do with the future, what if ...any kind of disaster...hits me right now? How do I respond?

To say yeah those people..ready all the time etc etc, are all part of survival, what about the people who don't survive?

It's state of mind dude...never give up or collapse and cry like a school girl ( apologies to really tough minded school girls)

I agree with both Trax and Rick

I kind of like the "in tune with nature" label more than "tree hugger" because I know that I am going to take what I need from nature, I'll just do so doing as little damage as possible. To me a huge part of the entire outdoor survival question becomes, are you going to work in collaboration with nature or competition with nature? Your environment is most likely going to provide whatever you need if you know how to find it.

I know a guy who was in a boating accident in late October in northern Manitoba. When he got washed ashore, all he had was his belt knife, he cut a huge "grave" in the moss and buried himself alive, stayed like that for three days before he heard the searchers and crawled out. An awful lot of people would have died of hypothermia on top of that moss....working in collaboration with his environment.

I agree with that although Bear would have used the moss to skin an elephant...never mind.
Anywhooooo. I agree. Trash and thrash, whatever you have to do in a survival situation. I just don't whack up the landscape now.

Ya know we have real wide range of people on this site, Nativedude and WarEagle69 live off the grid as much as one can, I live in the suburbs of the city and spend more time in the woods than I do in the city or suburbs, Trax you live between off the grid and suburbs if i'm correct, FVR is back country mountain country boy, we got soldiers, sailors, marines, Lady Trapper running a Guide Outfit in Canada, Mitch not sure how far out you are but he's got a lot of good survival sense and knowledge, and Jose Lobo in the Jungles Costa Rica. We have an extensive source of survival minded people here and it is comforting to know that if I get stuck in my skills or need knowledge on a skill I can find it here.
By the way I'm an In tune with Nature minded guy. Respect the earth and nature or she will bite ya and can bite real hard.
(The above mentioned people did not give express written permission to be used in this comment but I don't care, it was not the intension of this Beowulf to leave anyone out as they above mentioned people were just examples)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by trax

No doubt. Our skills make us...well let's see...

1. Outdoorsman (speaking for the skills you and I agreed upon earlier, not what some others might add)

2. Capable of surviving in situations where others might falter.

3. Incredibly attractive to members of the opposite sex...come on girls...admit it.

I still think its the mindset that makes a person a "survivalist" because what label do you slap on the person who does survive some disaster, or being lost in the great unknown, but doesn't have our particular types of skill sets?

Ha!..answer that one bush boy!

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Ok ok ,I admit it!!!!!:D

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Originally Posted by nell67

Ok ok ,I admit it!!!!!:D

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gaaawwwrrrshhh!!:o:rolleyes:

No one knows anything for sure. Here's a post I did awhile back about a guy you might think would Survive anything, remember?

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...read.php?t=281

Can't always tell.:cool:

Hey Sarge, I never panic....when you find me running around in the bush in circles crying my eyes out and flapping my wrists like a sissy.....thats intentional :D

Remember this one? The opposite situation?

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...read.php?t=282

Both incidents are taken from J. Wayne Fears' book: "The Complete Book Of Outdoor Survival.":cool:

I htink I might have been asking that question in a different way awhile back...

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...read.php?t=276

Hmmmm..........:rolleyes:

I'm a self proclaimed jackass hillbilly. Well, not really, but that's kinda a running joke with me, and people usually dont disagree too much.

Survialist is something that is hard to actually define. I don't think that everyone that considers themself one can be lumped into one group.
I think that the "mindset" describes it the best. The different people and situations that can be thought of are endless.

For me during a shtf I wouldnt even think of buggin out. But my situation is different from most. I already live off in the woods more or less.

I could even see a thug that would stay in the city and loot, mug etc, being called a survivalist by some. He is doing something to procure resources for himself to survive. It may be what he knows best, along with being his mindset to survive.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to compare him to us, or praising what he does. I'm just pointing out what could be considered being a survivalist.
Now if you drop him in the middle of the woods, he probably wouldnt last 3 days.

This is a topic that could be covered from so many angles and points of view. That's why I like the mindset the best. Skills for the area you are going to be surviving in are always a help though.

A friend call me a survivalist once I told him not to ever call me that , as it has a very bad diffusion here , here it is someone a little off , not all there . Well it may be me at that .. But just to use the term can be quite bad so I would prefer not to be so labeled .. I,m just prepared and I do not want anyone to know even that . I keep a very low profile as I fear the Thug and the mob , to me fear like that is just being smart , I also fear my government and that is to bad . But I know that they are not going to be there for me and my even try to take my food " they see it as hording " Bad Smok for taking responsibility for me and mine

Have we met?

Blah blah blah, a lot of nonsense.
Survivalism is a commonly used term for the subculture or movement of people anticipating and making preparations for a future disruption in local, regional or worldwide social or political order. Survivalists often prepare for this anticipated disruption by learning skills (e.g., emergency medical training), stockpiling food and water, or building structures that will help them to survive (e.g., an underground shelter). The specific preparations made by survivalists depends on the nature of the anticipated disruption, some of the most commonly anticipated being: Natural disasters, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, blizzards, and severe thunderstorms.
A disaster brought about by the activities of mankind: chemical spills, release of radioactive materials, and war.
General collapse of society, resulting from the unavailability of electricity, fuel, food, and water.
Widespread chaos, or some other unexplained apocalyptic event.
See I can blather on to, but what do you call yourself with your skills at this moment?

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Originally Posted by trax

Have we met?

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For a "carpenter" you really know you're psyco-babble, like another guy thatt used to hang here from California...Hmmmm....:rolleyes:

Survivalist? no...
Outdoorswoman...yes...Some of the things I have observed or learned in nature will aid me in a survival situation no doubt...I have taken alot of information from this site just the short time I have been here. This is a valuable resource.
I go into the wilderness for the soul purpose of spending time in the place I love to be, not to put myself into any survival situation. I feel at home there. I am not niave in thinking that a survival scenerio couldnt happen, so I prepare myself.

Survivalist: It is a state of mind, courage, knowledge, leadership abilities, knowing the strength within yourself, and not knowing what the word quit means... JMHO


______________________
"A person is not finished when they are defeated.
A person is finished when they quit."

No matter where you live, you are a survivalist.

Urban/City: Urban dwellers survive from the threat of being attacked, killed, mugged, car-jacked, vehicle accidents, weather, heart attacks, strokes, illness, medical problems, etc.

Sub-Urban: Same as urban/city dwellers.

Rural: Tornadoes, or flooding, or droughts, weather, vehicle accidents, heart attacks, strokes, illness, medical problems, etc. (depending to geographic location.)

Back country/O.T.G.*: Flooding, droughts, weather, animal attacks, self-inflicted injury, illness, medical problems, etc. (depending to geographic location.)

*Where you live in close proximity to others.

The one thing that all of these scenarios has in common, is that all whom live in the listed regions is susceptible to STRESS. Stress from worrying about all of the daily trials and tribulations of society.

You breath to survive
You eat to survive
You work to survive
Etc; etc; etc. ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nativedude

No matter where you live, you are a survivalist.

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Sorry Nativedude, But that is far from reality... I've watched and seen people come apart at the seams in Hurricanes and in extreme Blizzards. Let alone scared to walk their streets at night, or getting their car jacked, or serious medical emergences, etc, etc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Wolf

Sorry Nativedude, But that is far from reality... I've watched and seen people come apart at the seams in Hurricanes and in extreme Blizzards.

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Yes Gray Wolf, I have too. Even though people come apart at the seams during a disaster, to live through a disaster you are a survivor. Living after a disaster, after all is said and done, they ultimately are survivalists. Surviving day-to-day. Many become homeless, living on the streets, eating from dumpsters, taking hand-outs, begging, stealing, pan-handling, etc. They are survivalists.

Every person, who gets up every day, is a survivalist in one form or another! :)

I guess I have a different concept of what a survivalist is and what this site is about. No harm meant Nativedude.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gray Wolf

I guess I have a different concept of what a survivalist is and what this site is about. No harm meant Nativedude.

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None taken Gray Wolf! :D It all good!! ;)

Saweeeet avatar, Grey Wolf. That picture sure says a lot. What a noble lookin' puppy.


From the American Heritage Dictionary:

n. One who has personal or group survival as a primary goal in the face of difficulty, opposition, and especially the threat of natural catastrophe, nuclear war, or societal collapse.

That would be me. Right now, today. Do I have the mental and physical skill sets to be successful, I hope.

I believe that a survival situation is only that because of a lack of knowledge and skill. What most would call a survival situation I would call an unscedualed camping trip as I believe most of us in here would. In the event of some unforseen disaster, most of us in here would be alright at least longer than most of the general population, being at most an inconvienience after a certain amount of time. A good working knowledge is all that is needed. A few basic tools, again only for the convienience, not nessessary, as our forfathers and natives knew very well.
Survival is an instinct, the knowledge to stay alive and be content not to have all the gadgets man has invented is what counts. Nature provides all that is needed.

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