I put this kit together years ago and made one for my nephew as well.
SURVIVAL KIT
A survival kit should be small (2 pounds or less) so it is easy to carry. A pouch that attaches to your belt is the best way to carry survival equipment, it is out of your way while walking and you will not mind taking it with you. Every survival kit should have most if not all of the following items.
1. Back up compass. Your primary compass should be carried on your person.
2. Knife. Preferably a “Swiss Army” type knife, but any knife beats no knife.
3. Waterproof matches in a waterproof container. The best in a survival situation have a whistle, compass and fire starter strip (you can never have too many compasses) built into the container.
4. Space blanket. A space blanket can be used as a blanket to retain body heat or as a shelter.
5. Water container and water purification tablets. You must have some way to carry water. The Platypus Collapsible Container is best because it can be rolled up and carried in a small survival kit. As mentioned above, there are very few if any safe water sources left in the wild. Therefore, always carry water purification tablets and follow the directions on the bottle when using. These tablets make the water taste bad, but it will be safe to drink. Remember to rinse some of the treated water around the spout to wash off any bacteria which may have come into contact with the spout.
6. Candle stub. A short piece of heavy candle can be very helpful in starting a fire with a minimum of matches. You should not need it for light, because you will have a fire.
7. Magnesium match or fire starter. With this you can use the back of a knife blade to scrape against the magnesium to create sparks for a fire. If the you cannot find enough dry kindling or tinder, pieces of the magnesium can be shave off the magnesium match to help start a fire by throwing sparks onto the magnesium.
8. Fishing kit and line. Take a 35 mm film container and wrap it with 50 – 100’ of 15 – 20 pound test line. Secure it to the container with duct tape. Put a couple of dry flies and a popping bug into the container along with a couple of split shot. This can allow you to catch small fish if it becomes necessary. Remember, most survival situations are over before finding food becomes necessary. The extra line could be used to help build shelter or a multitude of other uses.
9. Wire Saw. This can be used to cut limbs for building a shelter, cut green limbs with leave for signal fires or to quarter a deer to help carry it out of the woods.
10. Survival Cards. The survival cards have information to help you deal with virtually any situation, which might occur. Read them before going to the field, but keep them in the kit because no one can remember everything.
Other items can be added to the kit, but remember to carry only what is necessary. This keeps the kit lightweight and easy to carry. Some items which, might be added are commercially prepared fire sticks and a butane cigarette lighter. These can be bought at Wal-Mart and will aid in building fires. Another might be a waterproof container of aspirin, chap-stick, band-aids, and antiseptic cream. These could come in handy at anytime.
Try to save the waterproof matches (they are waterproof and wind proof and must be special ordered) in the match container for emergencies. If you want to practice building fires, use regular kitchen matches. You can make your own waterproof matches by using the small kitchen matches and dipping the first quarter of in inch of the match in melted wax. If you cut a quarter of an inch off of these matches they will fit in a 35 mm film container and carried in the pack for general use.
I live 300 miles away from my nephew and don't get to spend much time with him. Since he was just starting to hunt in areas that he wasn't familiar with and I wasn't around enough to provide much hands on training, I wrote this short piece on dealing with being lost and included it with the kit.
SURVIVAL TIPS
At one time or another everyone who ventures off the road gets confused, turned around, disoriented or just plain lost. This happens most often on an overcast day when the sun cannot be used as a visual reference point. It can happen anywhere from a large wildlife management area to the woods behind your house. Anyone who says he has never been lost has never been in the woods much or is lying.
The manner that each person deals with the situation depends on his training, preparation and/or mental attitude when the situation occurs. With a little preparation getting lost need not be frightening and certainly not a life-threatening situation, it will only be a minor inconvenience. By following a few simple steps it will only be a matter of time before someone can find you and get you to safety. Remember lost means - Lean On Survival Training. If you follow the hints listed below getting lost is nothing to worry about:
I. Always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to return. This can be as easy as leaving a note on the kitchen table, or on the windshield of your vehicle. Preferably you can tell someone where you are going and when you will return.
II. Learn how to use a map and compass. Never go out into the field with out a compass. Even if you have a GPS, a map and compass can make the difference between spending the night in the woods and making it out on your own when the GPS batteries die or you cannot get a signal. In fact knowing how to use a map and compass (Orienteering) will make it easier to use a GPS to the best of it’s capabilities. There are several good books on the subject and following their instructions and practicing a little will make all the difference. You might find Orienteering Books in the library, if not they can be ordered from a Cabella’s Catalog.
III. Carry a survival kit every time you go out. If you carry a small one it will not be an encumbrance and can change things from an incident into an experience. (More on survival kits and their use later)
IV. Once you realize that you are lost stay calm. Getting lost does not cause injuries or accidents, but getting scared and running through the woods until you are exhausted can lead to hypothermia (hypothermia is a critical loss of body heat due to cool, damp conditions and the body not having enough energy to maintain it’s temperature properly). Find a relatively high and dry spot then sit tight. If possible, stop in a clearing or relatively open spot and build a fire (even if you don’t have a survival kit you should always carry a supply of matches every time you go into the woods). Once you have a fire and a good supply of firewood, collect a good amount of fresh or green vegetation to put on the fire. This should be added to a well burning fire to provide an ample of smoke for searchers to see and pinpoint your location. A fire will also give you a sense of security and can keep you alive in cold and wet conditions.
Building a fire is not always easy, especially if it has been raining and every thing on the ground is wet. Take the time to learn what type of fuel burns best and where to find it. Gather plenty of fuel and kindling materials (Kindling is material which will ignite easily such as; dry leaves, bird’s nests, small dead limbs still hanging on a tree, or the bark from the underside of a fallen tree) before striking a match. Once all the materials are collected, try to build a fire with only one match. Remember, in a survival situation you might have to maintain a fire for a long period of time. So try to use no more matches than absolutely needed..
V. Food and water are not an immediate concern. A person can survive three days without water and three weeks without food. In most cases people who get lost are found in twenty-four to forty-eight hours so don’t worry about water. Furthermore, there are very few, if any, sources of water which would be safe to drink without treating it first. So avoid that “clear water” which looks so inviting; giardia and other water borne pests can be debilitating and/or fatal. So never drink water from anything that is not known to be a safe source.
VI. The old adage of hunters firing three shots to signal for help is not reliable. A string of three shots is common and will be ignored by most people. The only time it might be noticed is after dark (at least one hour after full dark). So, if you want to try this method be sure to wait until there should be no hunters left in the woods and then fire. Wait at least thirty minutes before firing again. Do not exhaust your supply of ammunition the first night signaling. You might need to fire off a few rounds when you know searchers are in the area.
VI. If the weather is threatening rain and/or if it is below fifty degrees, shelter of some sort may be needed. A lean-to may be the simplest shelter to construct. However, it is hard to make a waterproof shelter with limbs and leaves from a hardwood tree. However, most wooded areas have trees, which have fallen and can be used as the basis of a structure. The trunk of the tree can be used for one side of the lean-to. Start approximately four to five feet from the root wad (the large mass of dirt and roots which stand upright after a tree falls is a root wad) then lay branches or limbs on the tree trunk for the roof. Use the root wad as a reflector for your fire. The root wad will shelter your fire from wind and reflect some of the heat into the shelter.
You might want to practice building shelters before you ever need to use one for real. Go into the wood and look for the materials to build a shelter, then try to build one.
VII. The most important survival tool is your brain. Stay calm, build a shelter if needed and build a fire for signaling and wait for help. With a fire and shelter you can wait for help to arrive in relative comfort.
