8 Basic Survival Skills You Can Learn In Your Own Backyard

Learning survival skills in your garden is a safe and simple way to prepare for a trip into the woods. Here are eight fundamental skills to learn and master in order to be prepared for any survival crisis.

1. CREATING A FIRE

A fire may keep you warm while also keeping predators at bay and providing heat for cooking. Building a fire can be more difficult than it appears, especially if the weather is damp or cloudy, or if you are in a survival situation with few or no supplies.

There are various creative ways to make fire without any equipment, but they require practice and patience. Building a few fires in your garden is a great way to prepare for an emergency.

Carve a feather stick or look for amadou, a fungus that grows in the bark of coniferous trees, to practice finding or making dry tinder. You can also look around your yard for quartz to construct a flint capable of producing a spark.

2. MANUFACTURING POTABLE WATER

Finding clean drinking water is probably the most critical ability to have in a survival emergency. Natural water sources, unfortunately, are not always sanitary and can harbor parasites, viruses, and bacteria. With a few easy techniques that you may easily practice at home, you can make potable water in the wild.

Boiling water is the simplest way to filter it in the wild, but you may be left with silt or other particle matter that affects the taste. Filter the water via a t-shirt, or construct a filter system inside an upside-down PET container with charcoal from your fire, sand, and small river rocks.

If you can’t find a water source, you can try pulling water from the earth by constructing a solar still. A solar is still made up of a hole about two feet across and one foot deep. Put a container at the bottom of the hole and cover it with a tarp or plastic sheet, sealing the borders with mud or sand. If you put a small rock in the center of the lid, moisture will collect on the bottom and rip into the container.

3. FOOD FORAGEING

It’s amazing how many edible wild plants can be found in your backyard farm or in your neighborhood. Plants are an important supply of nutrients and a low-impact source of energy in a survival situation.

Identifying edible plants can be difficult because many hazardous and non-toxic species have similar traits. However, there are a few immediately identified plants that are not only nutrient-dense but also delightful, like stinging nettle, dandelion, lamb’s quarters, and miner’s lettuce.

If you are new to foraging for food, you should avoid fungus and mushrooms because many kinds are poisonous. You can also practice identifying skills in your own backyard by using a local botanical handbook.

4. KNOTING KNOTS

Knot-tying, an often-overlooked talent, can improve your chances of survival by allowing you to build a shelter, lay snares, and create tools. It takes time and practice to learn how to tie secure knots, so grab a rope and brush up on your knot-tying skills.

5. DESIGNING A WEAPON

Without a weapon, you have little protection from predators hunting for an easy meal in the wilderness. A slingshot is an underutilized tool that is quick and simple to construct from common household items. A forked stick, rubber tubing, and leather or canvas for the pad are all you need.

Set up a few targets around your yard and practice pointing and shooting after you’ve built your slingshot. Wear eye protection and make sure no one comes into your line of sight when you fire your ammunition.

6. CREATING A SHELTER

If you are lost in the woods, one of the first things you should do is look for shelter, but finding a safe place to stay out of the weather can be difficult. Use your childhood fort-building skills to try building a makeshift shelter in your backyard.

There are numerous shelter solutions available depending on the terrain, location, and season. Begin with a simple lean-to or tarp-tent and progressively improve your skills until you are comfortable tying long branches together to make a teepee. If you live in a location that gets a lot of snow in the winter, you can use the cold weather to practice constructing a snow cave shelter.

7. ESSENTIAL FIRST AID

If you are sick or injured while out in the woods, it may be difficult for emergency personnel to reach you. Understanding and administering first aid may save your life or the life of someone you care about.

Grab a buddy, partner, or family member and practice first aid for a variety of frequent risks encountered in survival circumstances. These include basic CPR, hemorrhage control, burn treatment, limb stabilization, and finding calming botanicals for insect stings and abrasions.

TRAPPING AND FISHING

Setting a snare to catch small game and survival fishing are vital skills for obtaining valuable sources of protein with minimal energy expenditure. Snares and fishing techniques varies depending on your prey, therefore it’s crucial to practice laying a variety of different snares and deploying a variety of fishing techniques so you’re ready for anything.

If you practice setting snares in your backyard, make sure to disassemble them afterward to avoid damaging local wildlife or pets.

The Bottom Line

Don’t put off practicing your survival abilities until you’re stranded in the bush. Learning important skills like fire building and shelter construction is a terrific weekend project you can accomplish in the safety of your own garden.