Sort term survival
I worked as an Ecologist for the Zimbabwe parks dept. I owned a 1964 landrover and was issued a 1946 vintage Piper cub. Both connived to make unscheduled stops in interesting remote places at inconvenient times – especially as time wore on they wore out (they were pretty well worn out then I got them in 1982 and 1984 respectively).
However, at no point was I ever more than 3 days walk to the nearest help. And my ‘survival kit reflected this. I was also in the fairly unique position that if I shot say an Impala for dinner, ate the fillets and left the rest for the hyaena’s, I wouldn’t get into trouble for it.
Consequently my survival kit consisted of .
1) My issue .F.N. FAL 7,62 rifle I always carried two mags of soft points, one mag of tracer and one mag of 220grn solids.
2) My S&W M58
3) A sleeping bag
4) 4 water bottles
5) A 2lb pre mixed packet of pronutro (kiddies health cereal), pre mixed with full cream milk powder and sugar
6) Two cups of rice in a small bag, a small bottle of olive oil, 4 stock cubes and a small packet of salt. – it is amazing how good a meal you can fix with one dove, some olive oil, rice and the local weed (Black jack). The oil is essential, as, along with some protein it helps you feel full and keeps you going on less than normal, and being able to brown the meat in the mess tin before you add the rice/ vegetable (black jack leaves) makes a world of difference to the taste.
7) 8 coffee bags
Mess kit, and 3 means of making fire
9) Normal small back pack with useful odds and ends- mainly para cord and torch…most unnecessary kit got ditched after I had carried it a few times.
Important considerations….A good, filling, tasty meal is essential after a survival situation starts- even more so if it has been slightly traumatic (Like a dodgy landing on too short a stretch of dirt road with a dead engine). Once you have got through the first night, still have food, and ammo and water, all looks a lot better and the ‘problem’ shrinks into proportion. Sufficient coffee to a) stop the caffeine withdrawal symptoms and b) make you feel good is also a great aid to helping one think through the problem and think of the best plan to get help/reach civilisation
30 cal solids work great on game birds- guinea fowl and francolin-so do 9,3 solids for that matter. When hunting people, I used an air pistol to shoot doves to supplement the rice- in a survival situation noise wasn’t an issue and I could spend a little more time ‘hunting’ for food.
These days I simply carry 1 American MRE in my hunting pack
Longer term survival.
4,5lbs of rice, 1pint of olive oil and some salt coupled with bird lime or an air pistol will keep a man adequately fed for 1 month. Just weighed it- 11lbs with a tin of 250 pellets. Add my ‘normal’ survival/hunting kit plus S&W 60 and 24rnds, my .308 plus 80 rnds and a thin sleeping bag I am carrying 41lbs. That is (just) more than is comfortable.
