Preppers as a whole are one of the most knowledgeable groups of people on the planet, as they look at what could potentially happen and prepare for it.
Since modern-day infrastructure is a house of cards, possessing primitive skills are as important now as they were 10,000 years ago.
Here are 30 primitive skills that every prepper should know:
1. How To Build A Fire
The single most important thing any prepper should know is how to build a fire. Modern-day human beings have become complacent and many people can’t even start a fire if given lighter fluid and a lighter.
Related: Turning Fire into Electricity (BioLite Camp Stove)
Being able to start a fire with limited materials can be critically important when in a survival situation. Starting a fire from scratch using a technique like the fire bow or fire spindle certainly requires a great deal of practice.
2. How To Survive A Night In The Wilderness
Surviving a night in the wilderness is not something most people have ever experienced. Darkness combined with cold temperatures, stinging insects, and potential precipitation can make for a miserable experience. In order to ride through the night, one must have a fire and a shelter that is appropriate for the environment.
3. How To Use Basic Tools
While most people should understand how to use basic tools like a saw, screwdriver, and hammer, some people have no experience with these hand tools. Anyone in the second category should start by making items like furniture using hand tools so they have some basic know-how.
4. How To Purify Water
The best way to purify water is to boil it, but this may not always be an option. A Bug Out Bag should be equipped with some sort of water purifier whether that be chlorine or iodine.
5. How To Create A Shelter
Creating a survival shelter is going to be extremely important in a long-term survival situation. Ideally, a Bug Out Bag should come equipped with a tarp to make a quick makeshift shelter for the night. However, a long-term stay will require a more sturdy structure that keeps the elements out and traps heat inside.
6. How To Make A Raised Bed
Making a raised bed keeps a survivalist off of the cold ground and away from predators while sleeping through the night.
7. How To Hunt
Hunting is a skill that everyone should have, as meat is the best calorie source in a survival situation. Hunting with a rifle, bow and arrow, spear, and knife should all be options for the experienced hunter.
Related: The Best Way to Train Your Dog For Hunting And Security
8. How To Trap Animals
Trapping animals is a time-efficient way to capture prey. Learning basic techniques like the deadfall trap, bird trap, and fish trap can greatly increase caloric intake in a survival situation.
9. How To Make A Spear
If not equipped with a rifle, hunting big game like wild boar can be done with a spear. Additionally, a spear is a great weapon for protection so understand how to make and use a primitive spear.
10. How To Make A Sling
A sling is a useful weapon that can be used to catch small game. Making a sling only requires a piece of wood, a rope, and rocks to be used as ammo.
11. How To Sharpen Tools And Knives
Sharpening tools and knives are an important part of survival in the wilderness and any Bug Out Bag should be equipped with a sharpening stone. If not equipped with a sharpening stone or file, use a stone or the bottom of a ceramic mug to sharpen blades.
12. How To Fish
A Bug-Out-Bag should have basic fishing equipment like a fishing line and hooks. Survivalists who are going to be dealing with a winter situation should also know how to ice fish, as fish is one of the most plentiful calorie sources.
13. How To Butcher Animals
Butchering animals is a skill that requires some practice, as skinning animals and cleaning them requires proper techniques.
14. How To Preserve Meat
Preserving meat is a must in a survival situation where refrigeration is non-existent. There are two main ways to preserve meat, salting it or smoking it. Meat that has been properly smoked can last for months.
15. How To Cook Outside
Cooking kills all pathogens that could turn a pleasant experience into a nightmare situation. For the most part, cooking over a fire and using fire to boil water are going to be the most basic culinary techniques a survivalist needs to know.
Related: 5 Ways To Cook When SHTF Without Attracting Attention
16. How To Make Distilled Alcohol
Distilled alcohol can provide fuel, serve as a way to sterilize wounds, be used for barter, and consumed for enjoyment.
17. How To Tan Animal Hides
After skinning an animal, the hide must be tanned before it can be used as clothing. In many cases, salt in combination with an egg yolk mixture can be used to tan hides.
18. How To Make Clothing Out Of Animal Hides
After tanning animal hides, they can be stitched together to create clothing. Leather clothing is extremely wind-resistant, resistant to moisture, and lasts nearly indefinitely.
19. How To Sew
A sewing kit should be included in the emergency section of a Bug Out Bag so learn how to sew to quickly stitch up any wounds or mend torn clothes.
20. How To Make Medicine
Making medicine from plants is another ancient skill that can come in extremely handy in a survival situation.
21. How To Make A Torch
The most straightforward torch design is composed of a stick featuring a bundle of rags bound to one end, then soaked in tree sap, pitch, oil, or animal fat.
22. How To Manipulate Metal
Being able to fabricate anything out of metal improves life quality. At the very least, preppers should have some basic metal fabrication knowledge.
23. How To Weld
Being able to weld significantly increases the number of items that can be created out of metal and allows anyone to be able to repair machinery.
24. How To Determine Edible Plants
The best way to go about determining which plant is edible is to actively identify plants in the area on sight.
25. How To Manipulate Wood
Some basic woodworking primitive skills to create wood structures and shelters come in extremely handy in the wilderness.
26. How To Make A Walking Stick
A walking stick with a Y structure on one end and a point on the other end serves as both defense and a way to pin animals to the ground.
27. How To Tie Knots
Tying knots, specifically square knots and slipknots, is another basic skill that every survivalist should know, as it is required in many types of shelters and when creating animal traps.
28. How To Ride A Horse
Riding a horse is a skill that everyone should possess. Learn to ride a horse and jump in the saddle if the situation presents itself.
29. How To Calculate Direction
Calculating between north and south is fairly easy. In the northern climates, moss always grows on the north side of trees, but not on the south side.
30. How To Calculate The Hours Left In The Day
To calculate the hours left in the day, simply place your hand underneath the sun and count how many fingers fit between the bottom of the sun and the terrain. All four fingers indicate that one hour is left in the day, with each finger indicating 15 minutes.
Primitive Skills Every Prepper Should Know
Armed with these primitive skills, preppers have the necessities that allow them to get through tough times.
You may also like:
10 Survival Crops You Can Grow Without Irrigation
The Long-Lasting Food That Amish Pioneers Turned To In Dark Times (Video)
If You Don’t Have These 9 Self-Defense Items, You Are Not Really Prepared
That would require the majority to leave the couch…. so good luck with that. I am sure Dale will be reporting in on anyone that has these skill sets or teaches them to the fed.
I don’t believe many couch potatoes would be on this site you so called Reven Prepper expert!
Expert: A guy from out of town with a Cross pen.
So my only pet peeve with the article and suggestion for future improvements….
No links.
why not add a link to an article on “Askaprepper.com” that has been done here covering the mentioned area…
Unless of course it hasn’t been covered.
And if not, theres an idea for an upcoming articles?
“6. How To Make A Raised Bed
Making a raised bed keeps a survivalist off of the cold ground and away from predators while sleeping through the night.” Would be better with a “Click here to see how we do it, or a step by step guide”…
Thanks for all ya’all do.
Exodus 20 / Deuteronomy 5..
I agree that links should be included when possible. A comprehensive list would do just that, allow a person to comprehend what you are talking about. A list of “skills” is just a list that leaves room for disagreement about the content. “You didn’t put XX in” or “Why is XX listed?” Prepping is a journey and not a destination. Each one of us has a skillset that we are either proud of, or is severely lacking in areas that needs improvement.
While some links were included, they are not “all encompassing”, which would be a waste of time and space. Like the link for butchering animals takes you to an AskAPrepper article on butchering a turkey. This opens the door for our “expert” to claim that a turkey is not an animal, so therefore should not be included in this list. It also leaves out all of the small/medium/big game butchering suggestions.
The thing I like about this site is the articles, even those that are poorly written, give me “food for thought” and a chance to go down the rabbit hole in research mode. I am, by no stretch of the imagination, an expert at anything, but I am well rounded in my abilities to research/apply/retain that which has truly piqued my curiosity. I am still building a library of information that I may find useful, and even if it doesn’t help me, it may help someone else. We should all be willing to aide when possible, but always with a wary attitude.
Your library will get you killed,like most you rely on your library and intellectual debate. We all know a turkey is food period…to be smart on-line.your library means nothing when your only real skill is reading. To really prep is to know most skills this article mentions by musele memory.you must become an alpha preditor. If the DOD is correct an 90% of the population will not survive past a year that year will be brutal
Exodus: Pardon me, but why don’t you tell us how you would do it? I’m not be facetious but you are respected and intelligent.
It’s not hard. I like the kang, a raised earthen bed. Lay out brush in a row, burn it to coals, cover with more soil. It should be easy to sleep on, and stay warm most of the night. In the morning, dig it out for charcoal and hot coals. Brick stoves like Russian fireplaces and Chinese kang stoves are used as beds in winter. Mass holds heat for hours even during a bitterly cold night. I heard of children put to bed on top of cast iron cook ranges to keep them from freezing to death. Just make sure the fire is cool enough it doesn’t cook the kids! 🙂 niio
Red I’m using speech to text so forgive me of something seems out of place
Respected? I don’t know about that there’s a few heathens in here that don’t like Bible scriptures when I post them.
And I was using the bed as an example from the article.
Since you asked what would I do different like I said it was pertaining to the way the article was written the only thing I would do differently if I was the author or authors is if there was a article on the site itself I would provide a link for it that’s it. And if there wasn’t already an existing article on ask a prepper.com then that would be an idea to throw around with the riders and editors for future article especially when creating a vague list like this that really doesn’t have any meat or potatoes to it. Having a quick list that says hey you need to store water I mean that’s great , but actually showing them how and stuff like that makes it a lot better.
Give a man a fish feed him for a day teach a man to fish feed him for life right?
Exodus: Yes, respected. I don’t let people worry me. I’ve run into backstabbers on this site, but so what? Pray for them and God avenges you. That works every time. When a bishop (protestant harass me about speaking in tongues, I said yes, I do believe because I’d never accuse God of being a liar. A soft answer is usually best. Remember, the Bible is the original book on psychology. niip
If it was not for Askaprepper the Raven crew wouldn’t have a
forum for their bullshit. You don’t see them elsewhere because
they have been banned.
Very true.
As I have commented in the past – anyone who has been there and done that can spot a wannabe from a mile away. Also anyone who uses the tag line “Expert Prepper” is anything but….
Not my circus and not my monkey, but Expert Prepper – please go back to your room while the adults are having a conversation.
Impressive list.
I would recommend or add:
1) Put knives in No. 3 Basic Tools Use. I have seen more injuries in the wilderness from the knife than any other tool.
2) A bed of debris in a leaf bag to stay off cold ground in a shelter is a must.
3) FIRE is the king of survival skills. Practice Starting/establishing a fire.
4) Practice wet weather fire starting/establishment
5) By far, most efficient protein is to trap rodents, i.e., the Paiute Dead fall.
You are right putting fire near the top, but in my experiences in the Third World (which, BTW is excellent training for survival, cuz they have been doing it for generations) show me that WATER is the top priority. Without water, you die quickly. Without clean water, you die slowly.
Do I agree! I can’t count the number of times, including the fingers on both hands and all ten toes, the number of times that I have sliced my hands or fingers or both at the same time. Even at this advanced age when I should have learned, within the last two years I stabbed myself in the base of my thumb on two separate occasions.
The first one prompted a visit to the local Doc in the Box. The doc looked at (well, I think he was a doc” the cut and the P.A. who identified himself as such actually treated me. No stitches, just three or four butterfly bandages and a $225 fee which for some reason wasn’t covered by my insurance.
About a year later same dumb mistake. This time I figured I would save myself $225 and do home remedy. After all, I had a good supply of butterfly bandages and had watched the P.A. apply them.
One of my favorite aphorisms is: Brain surgery looks easy when you know what you are doing.
The same aphorism applies to applying butterfly bandages. The second stab was in approximately the same places as the earlier one. Piece of cake.
Placing butterfly bandages with two hands is easier than the same task one- handed. For reasons not relevant here, my wife was unable to assist in E.R. protocol. Got the butterflies in place and the outside slice healed nicely without a scar. However, I probably should not have used butterflies. Inside the slice did not heal as rapidly and for a long time was quite tender. It has finally healed to the point that I am no longer reluctant to use my left hand to do anything that requires any application of force. It still is very slightly tender when I employ it thusly, but bearable.
Obviously I need some additional schooling in wound analysis. I wish my domestic duties allowed me the luxury of pursuing the same. My best advice to all readers of this post, try your best to get some advanced first aid instruction, especially in treating cuts and punctures.
Ignore the Red Cross training. I can give it to you in a couple of sentences. First, ask the vic what is wrong. If unresponsive check for unobstructed airway. Next check for respirations. Third check for bleeding. If not breathing, start what on the old days was called artificial respiration. If you don’t know how to palpate the chest to simulate breathing, learn how. Once breathing has started, then stop any bleeding by using pressure over the wound with a (a) sterile pads if available. (b) any clean cloth (c) any cloth if nothing clean is available.
If upon arrival on the scene you notice blood spurting into the air like from a squirt gun, that is arterial bleeding. That will very quickly allow all other efforts to fail. It must be stopped. If in a limb, apply a tourniquet — you do have at least one in your EDC gear, don’t you? If not, why not?
— to the involved limb as high up on the limb as you can get it. Cinch it down as tight as you possibly can. Get assistance in cinching it if available. Note the time of application of the tourniquet on the instrument itself.
If that has not stopped the bleeding, apply pressure to the site of the wound in addition to the tourniquet. If noting spurting blood from the abdomen or chest, neck or head, apply as much pressure as you can and hope that EMTs arrive very soon.
Be sure that either you or someone else calls 911 as soon as possible.
ThereI just saved you $50 and four evenings of wasted time at the Red Cross initial first aid class.
If their advanced classes are as big a waste of time as the beginner class, I would recommend seeking training at some other organization’s training. Jeez Louise, the long long ago boy scout first aid merit badge back when I was in scouts, so you know how long ago that was — 70+ years ago — was a lot more detailed than that. We learned how to extract someone from under a downed hot power line. We learned how to bandage wounds after stopping the bleeding. We learned how to splint broken bones and set them if no doc was around. We learned how to treat for shock. How to transport someone injured using make-do transportation devices or how to carry without creating more injury. Remember, this was all before 911 and publicly supported EMT service. Most hospitals did not have a regular emergency service. You got any doc who might be in the hospital or waited until one could get free from his office practice and get to the hospital.
If you were lucky somebody would drive by and you could flag them down and they would haul the injured party to the hospital or a doc’s office whichever was closest. Folks stopped more readily to someone waving their arms in the air in those days than today.
Anyway, to bring this long post to a close, get first aid instruction from some organization if you can’t do any of the above. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, get a good tourniquet and practice applying it to yourself for starters. You never know when that knife slip might hit an artery and with no one around you have to apply it to yourself.
I just read an article tonight written by a guy who managed to stab himself in the chest with a new knife he was trying to loosen up. They were in a hotel in a strange city so he had to look up an emergency boom that was open late at night, drive there himself while his wife guided him with Google where even though he claimed to the P.A. that the wound was superficial, it was the PA’s opinion that the wound was not quite as superficial as our clumsy Ox believed and had x-rays and MRI taken which the doc who came by to look st them opined that the wound was indeed deeper that Ox thought and just missed penetrating the pleural cavity by millimeters. That would have most likely led to a pneumothorax condition which without a seal would have led to further complications. So just fooling around with a knife came very close to being fatal for the author of the article. How close we come but for the grace of Some Supreme Being.
I did not read your whole comment, but I will.
Now that my hands have gone soft, tools bite me often and draw blood.
My simple fix, on fingers, is black electrical tape.
I bought a 5 roll pack some years ago, a lifetime supply.
Gashes, cyanoacolate glue is helpful for closing.
Infection ?
Never had one.
Chip: please make sure that your tetanus shot is up to date. I just read an account of the final hours of a 12 y.o. girl who died of tetanus. It was gruesome and I don’t think I would wish that on somebody I really hated.
For everybody else, if you can’t remember when you got your last tetanus shot, you are probably overdue. It’s cheap and it does work, unlike some of the shots that are being forced on us. You most definitely do not want to die of a tetanus infection. There is a reason they call it lockjaw. All of your muscles spasm. You know what a leg cramp feels like. Now imagine ALL of your muscles doing a similar number, only massage doesn’t help a bit. In addition, when your chest muscles spasm you can’t breathe. That sucks big time.
Excellent point.
black smithing wasn’t on the list so that’s a little odd.
Raven maybe under metal “manipulation “?
Odd way to describe salvage metal working and repair of metal tools.
Same Odd way to describe woodworking as wood “manipulation ”
I get the impression this author has not actually done metal or wood working.
like most of the articles here…. the author has zero experience and just word vomiting ….things they heard.
I get it they need to feel important…. but man wouldn’t it be nice to see links to the topics even a mini video.
Japanese sword makers have been working iron into magnificent steel since about the eighth century just using a hammer, a furnace and quenching. While almost 100% of my study of their techniques has been focused on making high quality cutting instruments, I suspect they could make other implements and patch things made of metal that were broken too.
How about how to stay calm and quiet. If you can’t stay calm to make decisions, What you know won’t matter. And if you can’t stay quiet you become a target.
I agree! The main thing in survival is your attitude. Panic will kill you. As the Marines say, “The battle is won within.” I fully agree with being quiet. Sometimes running from danger puts you into a more vulnerable situation than just hiding quietly in some brush.
Statesman,
Another point beyond the panic, are those who freeze and become blank during trouble. I know a person who went through a lot of trauma. That person is very capable in many ways and would score well with a high number of skills but, if there is real and true danger at hand, will become catatonic. I don’t know the solution to that unexpected glitch in a team member other than lots of counseling during times of peace.
Sagebrush Lin a team realizes the strengths AND weaknesses of their members.
Knowing that you don’t put that one in a situation where their Freezing puts others in danger.
I’ve one like that in my group. Awesome gardener, best animal caretaker almost a Veterinarian skillset. Paired him up with a disabled vet who will defend.
The skillset of Leadership is more than shouting orders.
The directional ‘advice’ about moss growing on the north side of trees is utterly foolish and a longtime myth. In damp areas, moss grows on all sides of trees. Or none at all. The North Star is the best directional benchmark but of course you have to have a clear night. Also, if someone suggests going by the sun, that gets iffy the farther north you go. It was difficult for me to orient myself in Alaska, due to the fact that the summer sun comes up in the NNE and sets 21 hours later in the NNW. And in winter, came up SSE and set 3 hours later in the SSW. (We were 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle.) Keep a small but quality compass in the BOB. That also will be a bit off in the Far North but helpful.
I agree with other comments that whoever wrote this really doesn’t have a lot of experience. AND a link to how to accomplish these suggestions would be REALLY helpful. Many items on the list require you to have some supplies that are hardly obtainable in a survival situation…But on the whole, something to think about.
Fortunately, growing up poor on a farm gave me a lot of experience with hand tools, butchering animals, etc. And building things out of minimal resources. My mother taught me much about wild plants, edible and medicinal–which varies with your location. I found that out when moving so much…I knew some things in Alaska but much was unfamiliar. I did learn from our Native friends. BUT I really need to learn other things such as trapping… Maybe 79 is too late LOL but I am always open to learning.
I thought growing up poor meant living in a city, eating fast food, and playing video games instead of being outdoors.
I would add learning how to read a topographic map and using a compass, and basic first aid skills.
As Alice pointed out, the myth about moss growing on the north side of trees is just that – a myth. And if you or someone in your group gets injured, the best first aid kit in the world isn’t useful if no one has the skills to use it effectively.
Miss Kitty,
Having old fashioned paper maps is important. I have a few maps, topographical and street, but I have noticed that a generation or two younger than me will never consult a paper map. I am concerned that age group will not do as well in that skill set. Ir may be that old granny who can’t lift more than 40 pounds is still useful because she will have the skills to read a paper map.
Hahaha…love the ‘old granny’ comment. Guess I fit that one. Once read on a ‘survival forum’ post by a young fantasizer who was planning his post-apocalypse life: NO OLD HAGS… Buddy, you should include several old wrinkled women (and men) who have skills and experience with things you never dreamed existed. When your cell phone and internet are gone, can you even keep your addicted brain in functional mode??? When your cute bimbos have no more makeup and start whining for something other than boiled dandelion greens…
It ain’t that I am so smart, it’s that I have managed to live this long and at long last have started to avoid some of the numerous mistakes I have made along the way and like the other oldsters on this list have been in attendance at the School of Hard Knocks for most of those years.
Is there a book or something to tell people who too, along with what too? Seems to me that it’s great to know what’s coming, but without the “how-to” … why bother.
Hayes:
Could you clarify your question, please?
If you are looking for instructional videos and websites, I would check YouTube for the former – lots of them there; just check under whatever skill you want to aquire.
wikiHow is also a good website for instructional articles.
Everyone has different basic knowledge and different skill levels, so that’s pretty much subjective. What skills do you feel you need to sharpen to get to a level where you feel comfortable?
There is no single book that gives you all you need to know. Presently O am reading a 3-volume prepper how-to book. So far I have found most of the advice solid. If I find it that way through the rest of the volumes, I will post info about it on this list, so stay tuned.
In the meantime go back a couple of articles and look for the book by Steven Konkoly about prepping that I posted. It is a good starting point and he has invested some thought in his advice.
Know some but not all. Twenty three years in military, over 50 years hunting, boy scouts when younger, military survival training and 2 combat tours in vietnam have provided some of those skills mentioned above. Main thing is if you want to survive you must have the will to do so and ability to adapt. Be prepared!
2AxeMax:
Agreed. Survival skills don’t mean squat if you have lost your will to survive, or panic in a shtf situation. And all the will in the world won’t help you much if you die of exposure or drinking tainted water within the first 48 hours.
Thank you for your service! ??
Articles like this are great for triggering the mind toward what is missing from a person’s skill set. Several people have commented after various articles just how important it is to practice obtaining skills.
I was busy all my working years so I never seemed to have enough time to test out very many skills. Now, that I have time to actually try out some of these skills, I am now finding that the learning curve for me is a lot steeper than I thought it would be.
AL’s comment regarding knife safety is valid. Think how many times there have been knife accidents in a nice well lit and organized indoor kitchen. Outdoors, in poor lighting, possibly sitting on an unstable surface, the possibility of injury kicks up. Pack those butterfly bandages!
Once you reach a certain age or physical condition, bugging out just isn’t an option. Unless you have family that can help you with mobility, etc.
Here in Kansas, the options for foraging are limited on the prairies, so ensuring you have adequate supplies until you are able to bring in a harvest of what will grow here. Hunting is pretty good, we have tons of deer year round and we get migratory birds such as geese and ducks every winter.
At least the mature people, my polite way of saying old, have learned the skills with the above list, and our younger generation will be rather motivated to learn them once the need comes. On of my grandsons is a sponge for his Druid grandmother, so he is the best prepared of my progeny.
Good luck to all of us, I can only pray we are all safe in our independence in the coming years.
Foraging is limited in most places, the Kansas prairie is actually better than most. Learn about Psoralea, the ground potato, historically the most prized wild plant on the prairie. Late winter, early spring, there’ll be no shortage of the various greens and all the vitamins they provide to help you recover from a starving winter.
https://www.facebook.com/kansasforagers/
https://prairiewood.com/story/images/pdf/EdiblePlantsChecklist.pdf
The prairies are rich, and the internet is rich in information.
Knowledge is Power. Read up and experiment!
What a laugh!!! The Raven Bullshit Crew said that the author of
todays article “has a need to feel important.
Being relevant or important is a quality that those assholes will
never know.
Anyone can be identified and located if necessary.
Ron the motor mouth, when will we see ANYTHING useful from your postings?
Any useless BS artist can speak poorly of other people.
I’d like to see the author flesh out the categories into some appreciable knowledge coverage of the topics >>> it’s 3lbs of crap squeezed into a 1lb crapper in this particular format
submit it over at SurvivalBlog divided into a few days of postings >>>>
Didn’t realize welding was an ancient skill.
Or primitive skill I should say.
Primitive is relevant to current practice of a given subject ….. the Wright Bros. were primitive aviators , a 1947 TV is primitive to a flat-screen.
Also, asian swords were folded & weld- forged…. in ancient times
Mike not to defend the article writer but Blacksmiths have been welding LONG before MIG Welders 🙂
There is a section of the Nordic Saga of Beowulf where one famous warrior had to seek out a Blacksmith to fix his broken sword. Yes, Viking swords were iron.
Welding is a modern term but forging used to be a fairly accepted term for working metal to encompass welding.
the creative and artistic blacksmiths still forge weld – you want one of the Damascus build ups – it’s all on you ….
it’s one of categories I’d like to see the guy expand on and explain himself – I’m guessing since he didn’t actually mention blacksmithing – he’s talking about one of the modern welding methods …..
From the book of Isaiah 2. 4 And He shall judge between the nations, and shall reprove many peoples. And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither teach battle any more
Even further back in Deuteronomy8. 7 “For יהוה your Elohim is bringing you into a good land, a land of streams of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills,
8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey,
9 a land in which you eat bread without scarcity, in which you do not lack at all, ?a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you dig copper.?
Yea I’d say “blacksmithing” or whatever the cool term is of the day, has been around for QUITE a while
Sounds like the Illini Weirdo wet the bed and got sent to stand in the corner.It must happen a lot.
Wait for it! Wait for it! There’s a profane reply on the way!
I think Michael is just another name used by the Raven Bullshit
Crew and the Illinois Weirdo.
you know..thats right… same person with different ip addresses…… and i got nothing better to do then have a bunch of accounts to stir your fed ass chaps up
blacksmithing is one of the oldest jobs besides rons wife job of whoring
Come on guys, play nice. I’m trying to get my grandkids to read these articles
Micheal is Not a troll!! If ya a tually listen to what he has to say you would know this.
He has been there and done that and got the T shirt.
G-d gave us 2 eyes 2 ears and 1 mouth. Think about it..
Peace
MadFab
Thanks, MadFab but you’re wasting your time with Ronald.
When he actually posts something vaguely useful instead of his bile (sorry Ron you’ll have to look that word up) I’ll pay attention to him.
MadFab have you gotten your seeds yet? Seems world events and supply issues makes extra seeds, feed and fertilizer seem better than electronic “money” in the bank.
Our Agway has had trouble getting his normal orders filled lately.
BTW I’ve plenty of things I am still learning about, but I try not to comment on things I know nothing about. Some old saying about “Better to be thought an Idiot, than to Open your Mouth and remove all doubt” 🙂
I can honestly say I have a passing knowledge on all those subject and specialised knowledge of a few. Didn’t see cordage in there but I may have missed it. Making cordage from fine thread to thick rope is a very useful skill.
Also #10, a primitive sling does not require wood, just cordage/leather about double the length from hand to armpit, a knot on one and a loop on the other with a wider pouch section in the middle. Get a rock in the pouch, slip the loop over one finger and hold the knot, a couple spin around and let go the knot. Takes practice to use but even possible for an oldie like me. Some excellent vids on YT
I just watched a Utube video of slingers on Belaria(?) a Spanish Island in the Med in a slinging contest. Obviously the guys involved had done it a couple of times before. The best one was a guy who looked just a couple of years younger than I. I think from watching, like so many skills in life, it is more a matter of technique than brute strength. The old guy didnt look as if he was actually exerting himself as contrasted to some of the younger guys who were really cranking. He only whirled the sling two times and let fly and hit the target a lot more times than the younger guys who looked like an overloaded helicopter trying to lift off.
Apparently slinging is still practiced a lot on that particular island. Wouldn’t want any of them chucking rocks at me at any distance under 100 meters — maybe 150 meters.
LCC:
It’s amazing how easy some people make it look lol.
As you said, no need to wind up like a helicopter.
You can by books on most of these subjects. Google will bring you multiple answers.
Get local maps. Get a compass and learn how to use it on a map. Buy or google instructions on how to can food, smoke, cook on an open fire, how to boil water, how to use purification properly, by a few personal water filters, locate a good source to use the filters, start a water catch system if you have the room, have bottled water on hand and only use this source when absolutely necessary, have a good supply of food that is easy to cook, other food to make soups and stews out of basic items, Beef and Chicken bullion is a good base, spices to make things tastier, I use Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers for beans, rice, pasta and other foods. I also put sugar, salt, etc in Mylar bags with no absorbers as it makes it too hard. I use a hair straightener to seal the bags. You can find a list of things you can seal up by doing a search. A good dehydrator is good to preserve all kinds of foods. You can also make a homemade one (search online). Learn how to forage and to grow a garden, use a few containers if in a limited space to test your ability (you can grow a little or a lot in containers) I get them at the feed store for free as some farmers bring them back to give away, get a few garden tools to do the basics, Cutting tools, Good quality knives for cooking, cleaning game, self defense. Saws, hatchet and axes again need to be quality tools. A few splitting wedges, a 2, 4 and 8 pound sledge hammers will help with splitting when cutting wood. Buy a few tents and sleeping bags etc for sleeping out if it comes to that. They are inexpensive in some places and check out the local yard sales, you can find a lot of the above items for cheap. A good first aid kit is a must (band aids and tape is not enough) have item along with a supply of over the counter meds and script meds. Meat Eater survival guide found on Amazon has a good first aid list as well as other resources. A good read for fire starting, purifying water, cleaning game, cooking, packing, hunting, what to do chapters and so on. I was impressed with this book. I have numerous other books to help with foraging etc. I have also built a solar generator. 1, 12 volt solar panel (about $60 more or less), a charge controller ($25), a marine battery $100 or a deep cycle ($399 and up) (I used my old marine boat batteries when I bought new ones), and a 1500 watt inverter. You can find the plans on the net. You can use it to charge your phones, some led lights, power tools and some small appliances for short time periods. Other items that are useful: Solar stove, Cast iron pots and pans, fire grate for open fire cooking. Fire starters such as bic lighters, waterproof matches, magnifying glass etc. Durable gloves and work clothes are important. Hunting: Bows, rifles and numerous other items can be used. A good 22 rifle does a good job for a lot of items. Pellet rifles for small game will keep the noise down. In my opinion, knowledge is the key to all of this along with a lot of work and common sense.
Michael,
Ordered seeds about 3 weeks ago. By the time I placed my order on the website, many of them were sold out. Could buy all the gmo I wanted, but heirloom were going fast.
I am a terrible black thumb, but I keep on trying. Was able to grow thru harvesting tomatoes last year. I just about did hand springs while I was canning them. 52 quarts of assorted tomatoes products.
My mama and I have been playing with hydroponics this winter in the green house. We have been harvesting tomatoes and salad mixed all winter.
Going to do more this spring and summer.
I think about 4 to 6 months ago, you or maybe Anony Mee said something about fertilizers being in short supply so went in with 3 families and made a huge order from the co op. Still need to get some more for the hydroponics and some specialty fish emulsion.
Tried again last year to start a compost bin, but it just doesn’t get hot enough and is a slimy mess.
Going to get some worms and start them in the greenhouse.
Hope you and family are staying warm and healthy.
We were sick with colds , one of the grandboys had viral pneumonia. Then we got covid. Getting over that. Had my mama move into our house,( she lives in her Granny Flat behind my house) so I could keep an eye and ear on her. Went and brought my older brother and SIL to stay in our motorhome cause they are sick with civid and no one around to help them out. So taking care of them also.
Well didn’t mean to write.a book. Lol
Talk to ya soon.
Peace my friend.
MadFab
MadFab fish emulsion is easy. If you have access to fish. Minnow sized fish easily caught in a 3 liter soda bottle fish trap works perfectly. Got a pond, creek or swamp nearby?
Crush or blend the minnows in water and you have fish emulsion. Smelly and draws fish eating critters but great Fertilizer.
Hunting such pests over bait, gutting them and feeding them to the chickens seems proper karma.
They will eat all but fur and bones.
Or if you have Soldier Flies you can turn a 5 gallon bucket into a Soldier flies larvae chicken feeding station. WARNING stinky but the chickens love it and doesn’t affect the eggs or chicken flavors.
One of my Patriot friends has a channel on Telegram where he goes out into the field and shows woodcraft. He has videos for both new and seasoned survivalists. I try to use only Rumble for videos, or those posted on personal channels.
Cheshirr1776 is his handle, and telegram is very easy to use and search for channels. Also a great way to make friends with like minded people.
For medical needs, try to find the nurses and doctors, even EMT’s who are around you. I promise I won’t be worried about a charge of practicing medicine without a license if shtf, and I am badass with a suture kit. This skillset will be mmy bartering skill for providing for the family for what we won’t be able to produce ourselves. And I know I wouldn’t be able to turn anyone away who needs help anyway.
Peace, brothers and sisters
VKB, Mikek, and MadFab,
THANKS so much!!!!!! I did not want to order seeds online without some… background, I guess. I printed out order forms from Annie’s and Johnny’s (I could not find a way to order offline from seedsnow or rareseeds). I filled out the printed forms. I put cash (I know, frightening) in the envelopes and I will put the order in the mailbox this morning. I am excited to try Moskvich tomatoes. My husband has been talking about those tomatoes for a few years now (although he did not know the name). My husband helped a local farmer load his truck for the farmer’s market. The farmer packed my husband a sandwich to take home. The farmer crashed on the way to the market and did not survive. Late last year we saw the farmer’s wife at a pig roast (I know, it sounds like the beginning of a bad joke). My husband asked if she knew what kind of tomato was on the sandwich. She was pretty sure it was Moskvich. I also ordered brussel sprouts, squash, and peppers.
THANKS AGAIN!!!!!
Fantastic! Now when you harvest be sure to save seeds from each type of vegetable. That way you will never run out. There’s numerous books on how to save seeds. A favorite of mine is called Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth. Another is The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds by Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough. On YouTube I suggest Gardner Scott and MI Gardener for saving seeds and all kinds of wonderful gardening tips and advice. Good luck!!!
@Michael and MadFab,
If you guys find heirloom seeds, please tell me where. I have been going to two different Agways weekly and their pickings are slim. I can find some online, but who knows what I am really buying. We were lucky this last autumn to spend some time with Amish friends. The seeds from the produce that they gifted us have all been saved and put up so at least we have that. The Winter squash is still holding up in the cold cellar.
Oh… we had a forger join our group (he makes his living as a carpenter). I cannot wait to see his work. Knives, swords, etc.
I buy heirloom seeds from Bakers Creek (rareseeds.com) and some from Annie’s Heirloom Seeds. Bakers Creek seeds have an excellent germination rate and they have a very large selection of seeds.
Seedsnow.com. seems to have a lot of GMO heirloom seeds. I’ve had good luck with them so far.
Tee,
I also use BakerCreekseeds. I also like Johnny’s.
Johnny’s has the same type of zone as I do, and seeds are really great.
Peace
MadFab
Too many, with too much to say. Living with nothing, and needing nothing is your goal. Since you don’t live out here, yet think you will just move out here in shtf, while bringing said modern mentality will be insufficient and an unacceptable trespass. Yet, people with these skills may find the wisdom to live.
Welding? That might be a homesteading skills, but not a survival skill. And certainly not a primitive one.
Prepping is misleading. If you have to rely on “prepping” for more than several weeks, “prepared” or not, it’s into survival, not prepping. if you’re worried about this long-term scenario, then you might think about long term skills and preparation, which is very difficult. I’ve been working on it for 30 years now and a general review of myself tells me that it would still be extremely difficult to support myself and family into perpetuity.
Still, the skills listed are very important and useful –
I’d say finding a safe spot to be is the most important prepping skill.
Ghostrider, You provided a very comprehensive list of your survival and prepping needs. If I did not know better, I would have thought that you had access to the Emergency Supplies & Equipment List that I have on file. This list obviously applies to stores and materials for someone that is not planning to bug out. But is comprehensive enough to help plan out what you may need at a well-stocked bug out location. My wife and I are both in our mid 70’s and have built our prepping and survival needs based on staying put. We have used the adage “Two is one and one is none” along with “First in- First Out” in all of our prepping needs. However, we do have well stocked BOB’s with most of the essentials to get us through just in case the need arises to get the “H—” out of Dodge. My parents and grandparents were from Montana, and North Dakota so they passed down a fair amount of information on how they lived and survived during the “Great Depression” and earlier summers and winters. I spent many summers while growing up living with them, learning the ways that they knew. Information I still use today.
About us, we are in the Umpqua Valley of Oregon at 1350′ elevation. We built a log home on 10+ acres here 22 years ago and don’t have any better place to evacuate to. We store nearly 10,000 gallons of rainwater over the winter to use all summer and often have to get expensive potable water delivered throughout the drought periods. Our growing season is relatively short since the temperatures can vary as much as 5 to 10 degrees winter or summer, from that of the valley. We have an abundance of wild game and turkeys but when SHTF, I’m sure that will rapidly disappear. One item that I did not see on your list (unless I glossed over it) was a smoker. I have one large propane smoker, a smaller Little Chief smoker and one large one I built from the “How to” files here on the Askaprepper site, out by the barn. We cook on a propane gas top in the kitchen, have two wood burning cook stoves, one in the kitchen, one in the barn and two different rocket stoves. Wood burning fireplace for heat, subsidized by a propane furnace for heat. We have an abundance of Oak and Fir trees for firewood. We have stored extra fuels, propane, gas, and kerosene along with extra oils for equipment and vehicles. Our generators are, (gas, propane & solar electric) and additional solar panels for charging equipment.
Our biggest fear is the wildfires that we have been having the past couple of years due to the drought conditions throughout Oregon. Two years ago, we were put on an 8-hour notice to bug out. I spent six hours loading up our cargo trailer, pickup and motorhome in smoke & ash so thick you could not see more than 8 or 10 feet in front of you. It was the worst and most frightening experience of my life. I now have a very comprehensive check list for what to load out for evacuation. Food, tools, water, clothes, documents, first aid and defensive weapons. Plan your evacuation routes. When we were told to get ready to evacuate, there were fires burning along 3 out of the 4 routes that we had available to us. At that point we did not have a specific destination to go to. Plan ahead, figure out alternates in case your planned route is compromised. Thank you Ghostrider for your idea’s and comments.
To everyone else reading the articles on Askaprepper, for the most part they have a lot of good information in them regardless of the author’s accuracy of the information provided. Though sometimes a bit sketchy you can always gain some insight on many of the topics.
I appreciate some of the information that Leftcoastchuck comments on. I don’t always agree with him, but he does a fair investigation of information with references so you can review the information for yourself.
If you are an avid reader, there are a lot of reference eBooks’ online that are free to download. Some of the Science Fiction Survival books are also good at providing scenarios that help to provide food for thought. Admittedly for the most part, some are kind of out there, but I have come to realize there are conditions that can prevail when SHTF. It helps you realize that there are or may be some holes in your prepping or survival needs that you have overlooked and may want to improve on for your bug out location, homestead or survive in place home site.
Now here’s where I get on my soap box, and I humbly apologize to all readers for my rant, but I can’t let this go, it’s a major prepping and survival issue.
With the current political issues and policies both foreign and domestic, anyone that has not considered prepping in some fasion or other may possibly be in real trouble. Look around you, fuel and grocery prices are skyrocketing. The supply chain has broken down, the stock market is in decline, interest rates are going up, goods and services are becoming minimal and even if available are costly. Civil unrest and violence are rampant and, on the increase, nationwide regardless of the size of your city. All of the major powers around the world are rattling their war sabers. The world is dealing with an ongoing uncontrolled pandemic that continues to mutate. The west coast is faced with the possibility of losing the main potable water sources for millions of people due to drought and the electrical grid is highly susceptible to being knocked of the grid by terrorists or and EMP. Earthquakes and volcanoes along the ring of fire are becoming more active.
This decline may not be over very soon. Everything that I have outlined supports the need for us all to get well prepared to survive whatever may come. I hope and pray that we won’t need to use any of our prepping supplies, or resort to our knowledge for self-preservation. We’ve always been told “The best offense is a good defense”.
Bottom line, do everything possible to get your loved ones and yourselves prepared!
One of the first things a Boy Scout is taught is that moss DOES NOT always grow on the north side of trees.