Table of Contents
Introduction 8
1 Before You Go
Introduction: Prepare Yourself 16
Getting into Shape 18
Mental Preparation 20
Planning Your Journey 22
Emergency Plan of Action 24
Introduction: Know Your Environment 26
Temperate Environments 28
Tropical Environments 30
Mountain Environments 32
Desert Environments 34
Cold Environments 36
Marine Environments 38
Introduction: Get the Right Gear 40
Choosing Your Gear 42
Choosing a Backpack 44
Dressing for the Outdoors 46
Extreme Survival-In the Wilderness 50
Sleeping Systems 52
Eating on the Trail 56
Camping Stoves 58
Your Survival Kit 60
2 On the Trail
Introduction: Find Your Way 64
Maps and Map Reading 66
Get Your Bearings 68
Route Finding 72
Navigating without a Compass 74
Natural Navigation 76
How Weather Works 78
Weather Phenomena 80
Understanding Local Weather 82
Introduction: Make a Move 84
Traveling on Foot 86
Crossing Rivers 88
Scrambling and Climbing 90
Extreme Survival-In the Mountains 92
Moving over Snow 94
Using Pack Animals 98
Four-Wheel Driving 100
Kayaking and Canoeing 104
Building a Raft 106
Swimming 108
3 Camp Craft
Introduction: Camp Essentials 112
Organizing Your Site 114
Staying Clean 116
Making Fire 118
The Elements of Fire 120
Char Cloth and Fire Can 122
Types of Fires 124
Making Sparks and Flames 126
Extreme Survival-In the Desert 128
Fire by Friction 130
Introduction: Manual Skills 134
Man-Made Cordage 136
Natural Cordage 138
Tying Knots 142
Using Cutting Tools 146
4 Taking Shelter
Introduction: Taking Shelter
Hollows and Caves
Use-Anywhere Shelters
Forest Shelters
Tropical Shelters
Extreme Survival-In the Jungle
Desert Shelters
Shoreline Shelters
Snow Shelters
5 Water and Food 5
Introduction: Find and Treat Water 184
The Importance of Water 186
Finding Water: Temperate Climates 188
Finding Water: Hot Climates 192
Finding Water: Cold Climates 194
Finding Water: At Sea 196
Carrying and Storing Water 198
Treating Water 200
Introduction: Find and Prepare Food 202
Wild Cooking 204
Edible Plants 206
Catching Fish 208
Preparing Fish 212
Extreme Survival-Adrift at Sea 214
Trapping Animals 216
Preparing Small Mammals 220
Preparing Large Mammals 222
Preparing Other Animals 224
Catching Birds 226
Preparing Birds 228
6 In an Emergency
Introduction: In an Emergency 232
Assessing Your Situation 234
Attracting Rescuers 236
Wild Animals 242
Extreme Survival-In Cold Conditions 244
Environmental Hazards 246
Surviving at Sea 250
7 First Aid 7
Introduction: First Aid 258
First-Aid Essentials 260
Flesh Wounds 262
Bites and Stings 266
Poisonous Plants and Intestinal Parasites 268
Bones, Joints, and Muscles 270
Treating Exposure 272
Treating Shock 274
Breathing Difficulties 275
Unresponsive Casualty 276
Moving a Casualty 278
Appendix
Wild Food
Temperate Plants 280
Desert Plants 282
Tropical Plants 284
Plants in Cold Climates 286
Coastal Plants 288
Mammals 290
Birds 292
Amphibians and Reptiles 294
Fish 296
Invertebrates 298
Natural Dangers
Wild Animals 300
Insects and Arachnids 302
Poisonous Plants 304
Resources 306
Glossary 308
Index 312
About the Author 319
Acknowledgments 319