Survival Tips Pine sap, which is easily gathered from tree wounds, makes a wilderness glue and sealant that is hard to beat.
To give it some body, heat and mix with a little powdered black charcoal from your campfire.
(Then ball it to the end of a stick, let it cool, and it will be easily transportable and ready to melt off as you need it.
Before throwing your fish bait in the water, douse it with cod liver oil.
The smell will make your bait more attractive and attract fish from quite a distance.
It is very effective.
Balsam fir resin makes an excellent wilderness antiseptic for treating cuts and abrasions.
To obtain it quickly, simply pierce the resin bubbles that appear on the bark surface.
Drink before you are thirsty, especially before going on a hike.
Once you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
This is important in the winter, too, because we do not overheat and sweat as easily as in the summer.
It is not as obvious that we are dehydrating.
Winters can be long, and the days short.
To help avoid depression, take advantage of all the sun you possibly can by getting outside.
Regularly expose your skin to the sun in order to as much Vitamin D that your body needs.
Breaking trail in deep snow takes a lot of energy.
When you are traveling in a group, switch off the lead person periodically.
North country wolf packs move this way in order that none of the wolves will get over tired.
This works great for humans, also.
Warm rocks by the fire, and wrap them in a towel to take to bed with you to keep your feet warm and help soothe tight, sore muscles.
For a good firestarter you can use a Duraflame fireplace log.
I broke one into small pieces and it lasted all summer into the fall starting many fires.
Just touch a small flame to it and you've got flames-a-plenty.
ALTERNATE FIRE STARTERCut up a paper egg carton, dip the small cups in paraffin and allow them to dry.
Then, pack them with saw dust and wood shavings onto whichpour liquid paraffin to top off.
They burn for a long while without a large consumption of paraffin.
FIRE CRAFT: While in the woods, collect the moss (lican) hanging from the branches of fir and pine trees.
This moss is found through out the Pacific Northwest.
Place it in your pocket to dry.
Once dried, you can light it with a simple spark from a flint bar.
Another one is using cotton balls with Vaseline worked into them.
It also can be ignited with a spark and burns hot.
All though this second method really does not represent true wilderness skills, it is excellent for a survival situation.
MAKING FIRE WITH ICE: Shape a piece of ice like a magnifying lens, and then polish it by melting the outside with body heat.
It does not work as good as a magnifying lens, but it can be done.
FOOD IN THE WOODS: Cattails are one of the most abundant and best tasting plants out there.
Sometime you should plan on getting "lost" near a patch of them, and take along a good guide.
They have six edible parts and numerous other utilitarian uses (i.
e.
insulation from the down, mats and baskets from the leaves, toothbrush, medicine etc.
Do not throw away that dryer lint! It is a great fire starter.
Save it in Zip-lock bags and flatten them, or pack it into a small plastic vitamin jar for your survival kit.
Dampen the lint with lighter fluid, and you have got a "sure fire tinder".
From www.
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