Anyone into wilderness survival skills?

[Koalamom]

Just wondering if there is anyone else out there that is into wilderness survival skills? Dh and I both went to a Tom Brown school in NJ and we love the down to earth skills. I love fire by friction especially bow drill and love tracking. Would love to get better are animal skinning and hide tanning and also better at flint napping.
Anyone else into this kind of stuff?

[sosurreal09]

I have the complete desire to learn these skills but have not pursued them

[~Boudicca~]

Originally Posted by sosurreal09 

I have the complete desire to learn these skills but have not pursued them

Same here!

[philomom]

We love Dual Survival on Tv and have taken emergency preparedness classes. Not quite the same as being dropped in the woods with only an ax but still primitive.

[StoriesInTheSoil]

I am from the MO Ozarks and I LOVE the idea of knowing these skills and would love to learn them.  I think I probably will at some point.  I sincerely wish we were more hardcore outdoorsy.  We do day floats a few times a year and backyard camp/cook-out with friends but if I had it my way, I'd be living in a tent on a gravel bar cooking trout on an open fire at least half of time in the Spring, Summer, and Fall!   

I would love to learn to start a friction fire.  I also would love to know more about seeking and using medicinal and edible plants.  I think I need to find me a wilderness school :D

[Koalamom]

Philomom, what is dual survival? I don't get cable but do wish for it sometimes. I like the idea if having an axe as the school I went to was all about not even bringing a knife and teaching you how to make one. I am not good at it, lol! Dh is and his first gift he ever gave me was an arrow head on a necklace.

Stories, I used to like in arkansas and the closest resources I got is a small gathering of people would learn skills near Conway, AR. They have weekend classes and were real fun and amazing. Still pretty far.

I also know of a school in montana that is amazing, and Jon Youngs school in oregon (or could be washington) I hear raves about. He has a long distance program for all ages called Kamana.

[Orangey]

It's really nice to see this thread. Whenever we bring up learning survival skills everyone looks at us like we're crazy...lol

We have been learning survival skills for the past year. Mostly reading and researching gear. We think it's very important for us and the kids as well to be able to survive on our own if needed, plus, it's fun! We are slowly acquiring stuff for our bug out bags, and the kids's as well.

Dh and I have been thinking about a scouts sort of thing for the summer. Where we all learn a certain skill, like knot tying and when we have learned it everyone gets a badge. I'm really excited to get more into it this summer and put some of our learned skills to the test. 

[sosurreal09]

I think survival skill should definately be taught to children! Then I would already know them! Seriously though we are way too dependent on technology and the modern world. If anything ever happens where you will need these skills (and I think that is a definate for the future) God forbid you have no clue how to survive b/c there will be chaos...It makes more sense to learn survival skills than it does to learn algebra lol

[Peony]

I don't know many myself. I don't consider myself completely ignorant having grown up in a family where camping was a sleeping bag on a rock miles from any other human regardless on what was out there or what the weather was! DD1's school is big on wilderness education, once they get to the older grades, it certainly switches to survival skills.  She attends a tiny, private, crunchy school, every grade from K+ does half a day outdoors a week, winter or not. They gradually learn more and more skills. In 2nd grade they were tracking animals (not really recent ones) like bears and mountain lions. By 5th grade they are building snow caves and sleeping outdoors in the winter. The 7 and 8th graders go on week long back packing trips. I always get a kick when I pull up to pick her up and the 4th graders are out shooting bow and arrows that they have been making as a class. 

[philomom]

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/dual-survival/

You probably watch this on Hulu.

Also, I have read all the Foxfire books about Appalachian skills and lore, so while I may not have the skill or practice.. I have some stored knowledge that certain things are possible.
http://www.foxfire.org/thefoxfirebooks.aspx

And my recent studies to be a Master Gardener have honed my knowledge of edible, herbal and poisonous plants.

[les_oiseau]

subbing,  interested in seeing people's resources

[Mama2Rio]

I'm a huge Tom Brown fan! love love love him! I grew up in CT and could identify many edible plants in that area of the country, but now i live in the southwest, and it's a whole new world of survival. I started shooting guns around 6 and around then i also learned how to skin animals and a little bit of tracking. I started fishing and using bows at a very young age. Now I'm a vegetarian, for almost 15 yrs and i've always been much more into plant life for both food and medicinal uses. I want to learn things like making rope from different plants and i need to learn a lot more about the desert environment. My life has changed so much since moving to AZ and then having a child I put a lot of my learning new survival skills on hold. We still spend a lot of time outdoors and exploring and as she gets older, we'll be able to get more in-depth with things she needs to know. Right now, my focus is introducing DD to on basic cactus and tree recognition for our area.

 

[TiffanyLD]

I was taught midwifery in the hills of west Virginia by a midwife who is also a wilderness survival instructor! Absolutely amazing experience and eye opener! I've always wanted to learn more and will take a course soon. Any suggestions? I'm in virginia and can travel to wv as well.
PM me if you can

[owlhowl]

Yes! We are actually about to embark on a huge adventure. We are moving into canvas wall tent! We've always been interested in a more natural lifestyle, survival skills and have decided it's time to master the art of bush living. We'll start out on my in-laws property, we hope to camp across Canada, try WWOOF'ing maybe. So excited for our years of research to be put into practice. Our boys are super excited!

[TiffanyLD]

That is amazzziiinnnggg! Love and blessing on your family's new journey. I hope to do something similar someday.

[root*children]

I know some.  I had fun teaching a Hunger Games class to a homeschool teen group last Fall - focusing on primitive skills.  Forced me to get better at bow drill fire-making, for sure!

If you are in reasonable driving distance from Western NC, I recommend the Firefly Gathering!

fireflygathering.org

[ian'smommaya]

OH! I am thinking of taking a class taught near me (minnesota) on survival skills in the wilderness.