I used to hike for miles in the woods all the time. I hardly ever walked on any man-made trails. My travels brought me into places that I’m sure were fairly unexplored by other humans, probably for years. I’m 58 now and can’t do those walks because of a back injury which limits my movement. I still take shorter adventures, looking for mushrooms, antler sheds from deer, or just a walk to breathe in the forest again.
I also love to practice my survival skills as much as I can. It’s important to keep up with your skills to stay proficient in them. I don’t carry much in my haversack – an old WW2 paratrooper shoulder bag. But I carry enough supplies so if an emergency happened, I’d probably be okay.
As a young boy, I was at my grandparent’s house almost every day, and was always hiking on and around their property. They had these hardwood trees that seemed huge back then. I would spend my days roaming through the forest, building shelters, making fire pits, or learning to use a bow drill for making a fire. I would read out of books, learning to make snares for small wild game, such as squirrels or rabbits. I know some of you are highly skeptical of the snaring idea, but I always thought, and still do, that folks should know all types of survival skills, from fire making, water purification and shelter building, and as a last resort – snaring.
In my shoulder bag I carry a water purification device, a ferrous rod for lighting fires, a GPS, a compass, some paracord, one smaller knife than the one I carry on my side, a fold-up mushroom bag, a basic small first aid kit and a few other essentials.
Here’s why all these items are important to carry:
The knife to me is one of the most important items for any outdoor adventure. A knife can be used for many different circumstances. I carry a Mora Garberg; made in Sweden. This knife is a carbon steel full tang blade – which means the blade and rest of the knife continue where the handle is. It has a 90 degree spine on the back of the blade which is perfect for striking a fire steel or ferrous rod. This knife is used for everything from mushroom hunting to building a debris shelter. It will run you around $70, but to me it is worth every penny. You don’t want a cheap blade in case you ever really need to depend on it.
Why a water purifier? I use a Sawyer purification device. It’s very small and light. It will process about 100,000 gallons. This purifier will filter out most sediment. It’s something you’ll need if you have to drink from a stream. Once I run the water through the purifier, I carry some around in a water bottle. But, knowing I can use my Sawyer, I don’t worry about running out. These puppies will cost about 30 dollars.
A ferrous rod is a fantastic add on. Whether it gets wet, it will still throw sparks. Most come with its own striker made of metal. A knife can also be used also to get a ferrous rod sparking. Mine cost about 20 dollars.
A GPS is a handy gadget to have in the bag if you are traveling off trails. I use it to mark locations I want to go back to. For instance, I may find a great mushroom spot – but then I have to remember it! Having a GPS to store this information is a huge convenience. I must have over 50 mushroom spots stored in its memory. Don’t keep the batteries in it. It isn’t fun when you finally head out, only to find after 20 minutes into your hike, your GPS is dead. Always keep a few spare batteries handy in a small container in your bag. I also use a compass as a backup. Get to know how to use a compass and learn how to take a bearing.
Why paracord? It’s incredibly useful. I’ve used it for many different tasks – from making tarp shelters, to tying a splint on a friend’s injured leg. It works great for a ridge line that you can hang a tarp on as a form of shelter. One time I made a triggered fishing pole with paracord. I carry about 50 feet of it
A small first aid kit is definitely a must-have. You can make your own and put it into a small tin or buy one – they’re cheap. A good first aid kit should have a few band aids of different sizes, a couple patches of gauze, some anti-bacterial gel, and tweezers. I even have some sutures in mine. Yes, I have sewn up some nasty cuts on myself.
If you depend on a cell phone for anything out in the woods, you may want to carry a portable small battery backup to charge the phone if need be. They are fairly inexpensive these days. Don’t forget your phone cord or this won’t be of any use to you! I have a couple of chargers that have lasted for a long time. Many of them are about the size of a cigarette pack.
The small knife I have is a Mora Eldris. It’s a small, but sharp little bugger. These knives are not expensive. I got mine for around 25 dollars. It’s good for doing small camp chores or cutting plants or mushrooms up for dinner. I would recommend this knife to everyone.
I could go on and on about what to carry in a pack. These are the basic items everyone should have. I have had things happen to me while out in the forest and believe me, it’s nice when you can rely on your gear to get you home. In two separate incidents I had to spend the night in the woods because of certain things happening. In one situation my GPS failed because of weak batteries and I had no cell service. But, I built a debris hut and made a fire and was fine till dawn when I could take a bearing with a compass.
Learn some outdoor survival skills. Learn to use a ferrous rod. Make some tarp shelters in your back yard. Look up some of these things on YouTube. You never know when you may find yourself lost or needing to rely on some of these devices.
Add the items to your pack that make you comfortable. There are a lot more I could list but these are some of the basic necessities. I carry a small compact roll of duct tape wrapped around a small bottle. It works great for patching holes in a tarp; to dressing a wound.
Get yourself a book on bush craft. There are many out there, which will show in detail fire making to shelter building. Again, YouTube has all the videos. You will feel more confident about yourself after learning some outdoor survival skills.
Anyway, I wish you all safe travels in the woods. Now, go take a hike.
Till next time.
Barry Knights
Barry Knights is a lifelong resident of Kinderhook village in Kinderhook, NY.
Has been foraging for 54 years. Also taught in wilderness survival and other outdoor skills.
Has had articles published in the Conservationist, Field and Stream and Outdoor life.
Has also taught different classes on various survival techniques Upstate New York