Survival Skills

I'm interested in furthering my outdoors skills and would like to know if there are any survival courses/classes that should be recommended. I live in Texas and figured there weren't many here (if there are I'd like to know) otherwise Im looking into Colorado. If you know anything about survival courses, please respond....anything is better than nothing!

There are many schools that can help you. But be careful as some are dangerous and others are wana-be's.
Here is a story about one guy who died at such a school.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18497187/

A very excellent book on outdoor survival is;
“Tom Browns field guide to wilderness survival”.
This man is an expert on outdoor survival and tracking.
He has trained Special Forces and law enforcement personal.
Good luck with your quest.
You will find it a very satisfying feeling knowing you can survive what nature can dish out.

And I have to add that my friends and I here in Alaska have been in survival situations quite a few times. And if it were not for our knowledge and training we would most certainly have died a few times already.
Example a friend and I were stuck on a costal Alaskan island in January for 2 weeks with out a radio or food, in below zero weather and we came out fine.
Just had a bad case of the munchies when we got home. lol

2007-11-30 13:31:00 by texcjb

Editor in Chief Jon Dorn shows you how to get a fire going with nothing but your cellphone, a piece of steel wool, and some tinder.

Before going to prison, Bernad Madoff hired a private consultant to teach him "prison survival skills behind bars". Yesterday he had his first fight with an inmate and Madoff won the dispute.
He won by using his mind and social proof rather than brute force. Anyone knows who this consultant is ?

No, but I hope the next prisoner is a bit more persistant in his desire to give Madoff a kicking.

2009-10-13 22:23:32 by scuba

Price: $12.95

I live in the bay area, and want to practice survival skills. I would like to try fishing with a spear as well as using a rabbit stick, maybe even making a small trap for a rabbit or squirrel.

I am finding it impossible to find information on this. There are so many laws in California about hunting and fishing, as well as wildlife protection. I can't seem to find information on the legality of these hunting methods. Please help!

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/
.
Freshwater Sport Fishing
Regulations BOOKLET (PDF)

effective March 1, 2009

Fishing District Map (PDF)
2.30. Spearfishing.
Spearfishing is permitted only in:
(a) The Colorado River District for carp, tilapia, goldfish and mullet, all year.
(b) The Valley District for carp, goldfish, western sucker, Sacramento blackfish, hardhead, Sacramento pikeminnow and lamprey, from May 1 through September 15, except that no spearfishing is permitted in:
(1) Shasta and Tehama counties (see Section 2.12).
(2) Butte Creek (Butte Co.).
(3) Feather River below Oroville Dam (Butte Co.).
(4) Designated salmon spawning areas.
(c) The Kern River from the Kern-Tulare county line upstream to the Johnsondale Bridge for carp, goldfish, western sucker, hardhead and Sacramento pikeminnow, from May 1 through September 15.
(d) See bullfrogs (Section 5.05).
.
http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/curren t/mammalregs.asp
.
Trapping/ snaring is legal. Practice a throwing stick at NON live targets. It is more likely to wound or maim an animal without actually getting it. I consider it unethical to not track and finish a wounded animal. Sticks, rocks, and other low probability methods are a last resort, emergency tactic. They are best practiced at NON live targets.

2009-10-11 16:44:05 by Darude356

Price: $19.95

ISBN: 9780071484671
Author: Michael Pewtherer

Sorry, I had to re-do this question because of defensive remarks from others who took offense to the original question. THIS IS A SERIOUS QUESTION. By survival skills I mean lost in the wilderness.

I'm interested to know too.
But I'm thinking it would be impossible.
The only reason they survive now is because everything is pretty much set up for them so they can survive at home.
And in the wilderness the environment is pretty much unpredictable, I don't see how they could.
I guess if they were lucky enough to find a fresh water stream with salmon washing up to the shore, they could survive on that.
Till the bears come.

People lack such imagination, Helen Keller would not survive without people to show her how to communicate to other people.
She wouldn't be able to survive on her own in the wilderness.
I don't think I could survive very long either and I can see and sort of hear.

2009-06-07 11:54:51 by Thomas K

If I were to start backpacking across country, what are some techniques, or ways of going about doing this. What do I need to know.???

As in traversing the entire United States?

Besides the basics of food, water, sleeping bag, tent you will need to know your terrain that will be coming up, the weather outlook and where the nearest emergency aid might be found.

Also, you should have a sort of time table. Where you expect to be and when you expect to be there type of thing. Let others know your planned route and establish "check in" times. That way, if you fail to check in, your friends or relatives can alert search ad rescue for you.

Take some other basic survival gear with you as well. You need a knife, matches or reliable lighter, nylon twine or small rope, and of course a first aid kit.

If you sense of direction is a bit questionable, take maps and compass with you and learn how to use both before striking out.

That is just the very bare bones stuff. A cross country hike is never to be taken lightly so prep the best you can.

2008-06-13 23:47:53 by Matt Ryan