While I have no intention of turning this book into a survival guide, there are a few things that need to be explained. When you set out to challenge the great outdoors—in addition to selecting your equipment—you will also need a set of skills. These skills are designed to keep you comfortable, well fed, and most importantly, alive. Now, you could simply go out and buy one of my several survival books, or one written by my friend John “Lofty” Wiseman, the grandfather of survival (SAS Urban Survival Handbook). But while books show you the techniques in principle, my advice would be to get yourself on a good survival course for a weekend. Apart from being fun, you actually get to learn the survival skills first-hand. At the very worst, you should learn the basic skills of lighting and caring for a fire, how to construct a shelter against the weather, finding food that’s safe and edible, and gauging the weather before you set off for the day. Knowing what to do should you get caught out in really bad weather or if you encounter an emergency could help save your life.
No matter where you plan to go in the world, if you intend to live the life of a long–term camper or hobo, you will need some basic skills such as understanding the weather and where to find free food and clean drinking water. Starting and maintaining a fire to its maximum without setting fire to the forest and looking after your health are also very important. Then there are the skills that just might help if you should need to temporarily occupy a deserted home, or get yourself a lift by borrowing a car. These could include breaking and entering, or how to hot–wire a car, etc.
In many places, the weather can be unpredictable, and this is doubly so on hilltops, mountains, and in forests. Weather can cause many problems and potential dangers for someone alone, so you must be aware of sudden changes at all times and be prepared to act accordingly. Although we cannot change the weather, we can, to a certain extent, predict it and recognize its approach.
On the open road or in the wilderness it is well worth learning a little about clouds, temperature, and the wind. This way, you will have an idea of what weather to protect yourself against.
I have found that weather predictions can be very inaccurate on occasions, and to compensate for this I have found a method of anticipating any immediate danger from the weather by observing the sky and clouds. A clear sky with high clouds will indicate a clear and sunny day. A dark sky with low clouds will normally indicate rain. It is simply a matter of gauging the degree between the two. I do this by looking toward my direction of travel and trying to estimate the height of the clouds, color of the sky, and wind direction. With a little practice, one is able to anticipate the weather conditions for several hours ahead. Look at the sky and see which way the clouds are moving; they can tell you a lot about the coming weather.
• Clouds moving in different directions almost certainly herald bad weather.
• Altocumulus clouds, those which look like mackerel scales, also mean bad weather is on the way.
• Cumulonimbus clouds early or developing throughout the day can mean chances of severe weather.
• Cirrus clouds, high in the sky like long streamers, mean bad weather within the next thirty-six hours.
• Cumulus towers indicate the possibility of showers later in the day.
• Clear skies mean the weather is fine, but it could get cold at night.
Actually, looking up at the sky and trying to determine the weather is a good skill to have anytime. It’s easy to do, costs nothing, and is something to occupy your mind. Today you can get a wide variety of mobile phone apps that will provide you with a fairly accurate prediction no matter what part of the world you are in.
Author’s Note: Regular soldiers who want to join the British Special Forces (SAS) must go on what is known as “selection.” Selection takes place twice a year; once in summer and once in winter. Part of the selection is a series of marches with a heavy rucksack over mountainous terrain. The marches are commonly referred to as “test week,” at the end of which candidates must complete a 40-mile march with a 30-kilo rucksack (66 pounds), plus a rifle.
One candidate, Captain Carnegie, did not make it. He was found in freezing weather on the 2,907–foot Corn Du peak on Saturday, January 26, 2013. He had collapsed and died from hypothermia. This is not the first time soldiers on SAS selection have succumbed to the weather in the Brecon Beacons. This incident alone demonstrates how the weather can beat even the fittest of men.
There are two sources of food from the wild: plants and animals. Animals will usually supply richer food than plants, but it costs time, effort, and energy to hunt or trap them. The sources of wild animal food include mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, crustaceans, and insects. Any of these can provide food that, pound for pound, has much higher food value than most material derived from plants. They do not provide it willingly, however, and have to be hunted, trapped, or caught. To do any of these, information and skills are required. If you’re near habitation, farmers’ fields are a great supply of vegetables, but always check that they have not been sprayed with some poisonous insecticide.
Food from plants, on the other hand, is usually readily available, except in extreme conditions or locations. Plant foods (including roots, leaves, berries, fungus) might not provide a fully balanced diet, plus they can be relatively low in food values. You may have to eat greater quantities than normal to meet your body’s requirements. However, plants are sustaining and they are easily obtained if you know where to look and what to look for.
Obtaining food from wild plants is a skill that has to be learned and practiced. Well under one half of all plants are edible, and most of them only in parts. Some are poisonous and will make you ill or even kill you. Therefore, knowledge and skill are needed to take advantage of nature’s bounty. If you know what plants to look for in your location, you should normally be able to find enough food to keep yourself alive.
There is enough food on our planet constantly being renewed to feed us, so all you have to do is to recognize what is easy to catch and what is digestible. Take ants for example. Ants are the Earth’s most abundant insect species, and their total biomass (weight) is greater than that of all the mammals on the planet combined. While ants might not look very digestible, you should take advantage of the “protein soup” recipe on the next page. Basically, if it walks, crawls, swims, or flies, then it’s edible (well, almost all of it). Below is a short list of some of the millions of insect and mammal species that live on our planet.
Barry Davies
Worms and snails cannot run—all you have to do is pick them up. Both make good eating if cooked properly.
These include:
• Ants
• Worms
• Grubs
• Termites
• Cockroaches
• Bees and Wasps
• Snails and Slugs
• Hedgehogs
• Rabbits
• Rats
• Snakes
• Wild Cats
• Wolves and
• Wild Dogs
• Pigs
• Deer
• Bears
• Goats
• Seals
• Penguins
• Birds
• Camels
• Crocodiles and Alligators
• Lizards
• Kangaroos
• Cattle
• Horses
• Monkeys and Apes
• Turtles and Tortoises
• Frogs and Toads
• Crab
• Shrimp
• Shellfish and Fish
If you should find yourself with insect or small animal food that is not palatable, you can always turn it into protein soup. Take ants for example: put as many as you can get into a tin and place the tin on the fire so that it dries the ants out, roasting them. Once roasted, use a spoon or stick to crush them onto a fine dust. You can then add a little water and all the legs, shell, and bad bits will float to the surface where you can scrape them off and discard. What you have left is a brown soup. Bring this to the boil for several minutes and then drink. Most insects are high in nutritional content, so you can make protein soup from grasshoppers, grubs, snails, worms, etc. You can try adding some recognizable plants—leaves and roots—to give your soup some body. Nettle leaves or dandelion roots are a perfect example. If you find that too many insect shells remain in your soup, try straining them out using a clean sock.
While I do not advocate taking a weapon into the wilderness, I would suggest that if you envision some long-term survival, then you can take a powerful air rifle. It is not a particularly good idea to carry it with you all the time though, just in case you get spotted by a ranger. Instead, keep it in a safe and dry place for the days when you want to go hunting. The noise from an air rifle is not very loud so you should be okay. Do NOT try to shoot larger animals, as you will not kill them with the average air rifle and your pellets will simply cause them pain. While an air rifle offers accuracy, a crossbow offers killing power; enough to take down large game, such as a moose. The same rule applies: Only take it out when you go hunting.
I mention eggs here because they are one of the most convenient and safe foods you can eat. The wilderness—especially the Canadian tundra—is home to millions of birds, both big and small. Find their nesting ground and you will find yourself a feast. Eggs have been with us since man first walked the earth, and they still come in the original packaging. They are simple to cook in a variety of ways, and if hard-boiled, provide a convenient and easily portable food reserve that will keep for several days. Covering eggs in fat or oil will help preserve the eggs for months (egg shells are permeable and it’s the air that makes them go bad).
Author’s Note: Most wild eggs are protected and I write here purely in the event of having to survive in the wild.
Eggs are the food friend of any wilderness traveler. They still come in the original packing, can be cooked and carried, and are full of nutrition and energy.
Apart from your water, sleeping bag, tent, and change of clothing, you will also want to take some food with you. As a hobo, you cannot expect to simply walk into a restaurant or store every day and buy yourself food. You will be out there on the open road or walking in the forest, so you are going to need a supply of food. One of the best ways to organize your food is to do what soldiers do and build yourself a ration pack, or better yet, buy some from a surplus store. A military ration pack contains all the things you need on a daily basis: food, matches, toilet paper, gum to clean your teeth, etc. In addition to ration packs, you should also consider a few other food products. This is my short list, and everything on it is designed to supplement any food you can get your hands on:
• Oats: High in fiber and complex carbohydrates, oats have also been shown to lower cholesterol. And they sure are cheap —a dollar will buy you more than a week’s worth of hearty breakfasts.
• Dried food: It’s lightweight and only requires water to rehydrate it. You can get both meat and fruit in a dried format.
• Curry Powder: As every SAS soldier will tell you, there is nothing better than a spoon full of curry powder to flavor your food; it makes just about anything edible.
• Eggs: You can get about a half dozen eggs for a dollar, making them one of the cheapest and most versatile sources of protein. If you have too many eggs, boil them, as they can then be used for a quick snack when walking.
• Apples: Apples are inexpensive, easy to find, come in portioncontrolled packaging, and taste good. They are a good source of pectin—a fiber that might help reduce cholesterol—and they have the antioxidant vitamin C, which keeps your blood vessels healthy.
• Onions: They last forever in your rucksack and are great at bulking out a meal when times are hard.
• Sardines: They are an acquired a taste, but a can of sardines is relatively cheap. And the little fish come with big benefits: calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. And, because they’re low on the food chain, they don’t accumulate mercury.
The discovery of how to make fire was one of humanity’s greatest advances. With the provision of shelter, it allowed humans to modify their environment, enabling them to survive in otherwise unsuitable climatic conditions. It is because fire has been such a vital part of man’s history that it also plays an important psychological role in survival efforts. It is a source of comfort; the lighting of a fire is proof that a survivor can control at least some of the dangers that face him or her. It also provides a sense of achievement in that the survivor has replaced, in his or her emergency situation, one of the major elements that contribute to normal life. Even more importantly, fire is of practical use in many ways.
Fire will provide heat and light, together with the ability to cook food. With fire, water can be purified and medical equipment sterilized. Clothing can be dried. Signals can be made with the smoke when seeking help.
It is important to know how fire works in order to make fire the first time, every time. Fire requires three elements: heat, fuel, and oxygen. If any one of these elements is missing, a fire will not burn. When considering the supply of fuel, it is helpful to recall that fire is a form of chain reaction. Part of the heat generated by the combustion of any fuel is required to ignite the succeeding supply. The initial supply of heat available to start the fire is usually small—a match flame for instance—and lasts only a few seconds. It follows that the starting fuel, which must be set alight by such a brief flame, must be a material that ignites very easily. It must be some form of tinder .
Tinder must be dry, and it will ignite more readily if it is reduced to fibers, threads, or shreds. Any material that is suitable for use as tinder will burn quickly, and it is therefore essential that before attempting to set light to the tinder, you make certain there is a supply of kindling wood ready at hand.
Kindling should consist of small dry twigs followed by dry sticks, which will enable a small, hot fire to be built. You may then gradually add larger sticks until you have a fire that will burn long enough to ignite small logs. When such a fire has been established, even green logs can be added, since the heat available will boil out the sap before the logs burn. At first, however, the wood you gather should be dead and as dry as possible. Here are a few tips prior to lighting any fire:
• Collect and grade the fuel into tinder, kindling, and heavy logs.
• Do not pile kindling on to the fire too soon as this limits the supply of oxygen.
• Ensure that the fire is well-ventilated, so it will burn efficiently.
• Smaller drier wood will produce less smoke.
The heat required to start a fire can be generated in a number of ways. The easiest to use is an open flame, as from a match or lighter. Sparks from flint and steel or from an electrical source can also be used to ignite tinder. A magnifying glass or parabolic reflector can do the same in sunny conditions. Today, matches have mainly been replaced by butane lighters, but my advice is to carry a flint and steel on your person, as this will light more than 2,000 fires, wet or dry.
There might be an emergency where you will need to make a fire quickly in order to stay warm or to dry yourself. New outdoor fuels such as Fire Dragon cooking fuel can be used in such circumstances. Simply rip off a small piece and use your flint and steel to ignite it with the sparks.
Author’s Tip: Always build your fire in a safe place and protect it from accidentally spreading or going out of control. Should you find yourself in a place for several days, one of the best ways to utilize fire is to build a rough stone Yukon stove. I have done this many times in my life, and still hold that it’s one of the best skills I ever learned.
Building a Yukon stove is always a good idea if you are in the same place for any length of time, or the weather is poor.
By far the best use of fire for cooking and general purpose can be obtained from the building of a simple Yukon stove. If you are in one location for more than twenty-four hours, you should certainly consider the possibility of building this type of stove. It is also a secure way of providing heat and cooking.
Rocks, stones, and mud are used in its construction, with the tortoise shell as the basic pattern. At one side, you need to leave a hole for the intake of fuel and air, and there should be another at the top to act as a chimney. Two further refinements are very desirable: the first is the building in of a metal box or large can into the back wall as this will provide an excellent oven. You must remember, however, that food placed in the oven will be burned unless it is separated from the metal by small sticks or stones. If twigs are used, they will turn into charcoal after a day or two. You should keep them for use in deodorizing boiled water if necessary and other medicinal purposes. The second improvement possible is to use a large flat rock as part of the top of the stove. It can be used as a griddle for making oatcakes, drying leaves for tea, parching grain, and even frying birds’ eggs.
One of the Yukon’s major advantages is that it can be left unattended while you are working on other activities and you can return to a warm fire and hot meal. By covering the fuel and air intake with another stone, the rate of burning can be partially controlled. In wet weather, the oven enables fuel to be dried. Clothing can be laid over the outside of the stove and will dry without burning. You can also warm yourself without risk of being burned.
The Yukon stove normally takes about two hours for one person to construct. That is, if most of the materials are at hand. In my lifetime, I have always taken the time to construct a good Yukon stove, and it has made life bearable, in all aspects.
You must provide effective ventilation if you intend on using a stove or heater inside your shelter. This means two openings: one at the top of your shelter as a chimney and another close to ground level to admit fresh air. If you are in a heated shelter and begin to feel drowsy, you may be in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning. Get out into the fresh air, moving slowly and breathing easily and evenly. Most importantly, find and remove the cause of the fumes. If a group is sleeping in a heated, closed shelter, one of their numbers should stay awake on carbon monoxide guard duty.
It is better to rely on your clothing and other insulation to keep you warm. Reserve the use of stoves or heaters inside the shelter solely for cooking. Only if you are positive of your safety should you extend their use to heating.
Barry Davies
Water is life. Without clean water on a daily basis your body will suffer. My suggestion is to use a military–type hydration system.
If you are contemplating becoming a hobo and doing a lot of walking, then your first priority above all else should be water. Water is something we take for granted, but when you’re walking out in the forest or jungle, it’s not just a matter of turning on a tap or buying a bottle from the local store. Water is vital to your survival. In general, a human body, which itself is about 70 percent water, cannot survive without water for longer than three days in a hot climate and twelve in a colder one. In a temperate climate, carrying out a normal level of activity, the body requires a daily fluid intake of two–and–a–half liters. This requirement will rise in a hotter climate and with greater physical activity. If you wish to keep your body efficient, your minimum daily water requirements must be met. It is not only the quantity of water that is important, but also the quality. Contaminated or impure water will cause more harm than good and might put you at risk for serious disease.
My advice is always carry a water reserve with you and at each and every opportunity, make sure it’s topped up. There are many ways to carry water, and the best, most efficient way is to use a rucksack that has a water bladder inside. This will allow you to carry up to three liters of water comfortably, and you will be able to drink without having to remove your rucksack. Ask any soldier: a combination rucksack and hydration system is perfect.
Do not underestimate this risk. The disease-inducing and other harmful organisms contained in impure water constitute one of the greatest enemies to survival. If your only source of water is impure—or even suspect —do not drink any until it has been filtered and purified.
The first step towards making water fit to drink is filtration. This will remove creatures of any size as well as mud particles, leaves, or other foreign matter. Clean sand held in a short sleeve, sock, or cloth can be used effectively. A bamboo section plugged with grass also makes a good filter.
Always use purification tablets if available. Follow the instructions for use with care. If no purification tablets are available, boil the water for five minutes. Try to obtain a fast enough boil rate to agitate the water, as this ensures equal distribution of heat.
If the climate is hot and sunny, consider the possibility of setting up a survival still. It can be employed to purify water in the same way that it obtains it from the ground or vegetation.
Charcoal added to any purified water will help remove unpleasant tastes or smells if added an hour before drinking. Don’t worry about any small pieces of charcoal left in the water when drinking it, as a small amount will do you more good than harm.
Of secondary importance to water is salt. The normal human requires about ten grams of salt each day to maintain a healthy balance. Sweat contains salt, as well as water, and this loss must be corrected. If it is not, you will suffer from heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and muscular cramps. The first signs of salt deficiency are a feeling of sudden weakness and a hot, dry sensation to the body. Resting and a small pinch of salt added to a mug of water will eliminate the feeling very quickly. In dry desert or sweaty jungle conditions, it is advisable to add a small amount of salt to your entire fluid intake.
As previously mentioned, you should really equip yourself with a proper shelter, similar to those used by Special Forces. However, given that you have undertaken to disappear into the forests or jungle (no one in their right mind would try to live in the desert or arctic), you will also need to know how to go about building a shelter. How and what you build will depend on where you are and how long you intend to stay there. A shelter is there to protect you from the cold, wind, rain, and snow. It is essential to protect yourself against these, as each of them is a factor that hastens hypothermia. Exposure to any combination of them can rapidly produce deadly results long before any shortage of food or water would take effect.
There might be temporary shelter to be found among the natural features surrounding you. If you only require temporary shelter, seek it in or around trees, thick bushes, or natural hollows. If safe, make use of caves, rock overhangs, or any available natural shelter. Never waste time and energy constructing a temporary shelter or windbreak if nature or circumstances already provide it.
In the case of a more permanent shelter, the climate and terrain will always influence the sitting of a shelter and type of construction involved. There are, however, some general points worth keeping in mind when approaching the job. Choose a site that uses to its full advantage any natural cover from the wind. If no such cover is available, remember to angle the shelter so its entrance or open side is always away from the wind. Paradoxically, a hillside is usually warmer than a valley floor, even though it might be windier. Build the shelter as near as possible to a fresh water supply, to sources of building materials, and, very importantly, firewood. Any spot in a forest and near a fast-flowing stream can be the site of a very desirable residence.
In lowland areas, it is important to recognize the danger of flooding. On the coast, keep the tides in mind. In mountainous areas, make sure that the chosen site is not in the path of possible avalanches or rock falls. If in the forest, look around for fallen trees, as they may indicate an area of shallow soil. If the wind can blow one tree over, it could do the same to others nearby. For the same reason, isolated single trees are best avoided. On the other hand, the branches of an isolated tree that has already fallen could well provide a ready-made framework for a sound shelter.
Once again, I do not intend to make this book on how to disappear into a medical manual, but it would be amiss not to mention and caution you about health hazards and dealing with an accident. This applies to all those who disappear; not just those living a hobo existence. You may have disappeared overseas and now find yourself living in a remote area where the medical facilities are nonexistent or primitive. If you are on your own and you become sick or get severely injured, it could be the end of all your plans. There are three basic things you need to do: look after you personal hygiene, carry a basic medical kit, and be able to recognize when you really do need professional medical help.
When accidents happen out in the wilderness and you cannot call 911, you will need a good medical kit.
Bodily cleanliness is a major protection against disease, germs, and infection. A simple daily wash with warm water and soap is all that’s needed. If this is not possible for several days, then at least make the effort to keep your hands clean. You should, if possible, wash or sponge your face, armpits, crotch, and feet at least once a day. Everything you eat—the power that keeps you going—is ingested through your mouth, so make sure you clean your teeth first thing in the morning and last thing at night. As mentioned previously, wash your clothing whenever possible and keep it dry. If you have no water, shake it in the air as much as you can. You are likely to get insect bites from time to time, but do not scratch them—this is the easiest way to get them infected.
Buy yourself a good medical kit and always carry it with you. Most homes have a medical kit on standby; you should do the same and keep one in your rucksack. Select your items with care and do a little research into wilderness medical emergencies. Learn how to assess the problem, and what your priorities are. Most importantly, learn what to do in the case of the following major problems:
• Bleeding
• Shock
• Fractures
• Concussion and Skull Injuries
• Burns
• Heat Exhaustion and Hypothermia
• Poisoning
Your disappearance plan might require you to be alone either as a hobo or when hiding overseas. In this case, it is even more important that you recognize when you need medical help. If you are alone and have a major medical problem but can still walk, then you should make your way as quickly as possible to civilization. If you are unable to walk, then you are down to relying on your back-up plan and will need to use either a mobile phone or, if you have no signal, a satellite emergency beacon. If neither of these are an option, you will have to fend for yourself as best you can. In many cases, if you can stop bleeding, immobilize a broken bone, and prevent shock and infection, you will have a chance. Keeping warm and dry, plus getting plenty of rest will all aid recovery.
What a person needs to survive comes down to decisions about what to wear to withstand the very worst of weather, the contents of their rucksack, and the supplies he or she will carry. Depending on the country or terrain being traveled over, it’s up the individual to select any additional items, such as a mobile phone or satellite emergency beacon (remember, they all need power and you cannot rely 100 percent on getting a signal).
There is nothing better than good preparation, training, and reliable equipment to get you through most situations when you are alone. During my life, I have walked across the desert from the United Arab Emirates in the north to the city of Salala in Southern Oman—a distance of about 800 miles. I have also thrived living in the forests at the foot hills of the Rocky Mountains in Western Canada, again, totally alone.
Never be afraid of the wilderness; learn to live with it and not fight it. Learn to understand its good points and its dangers. Being alone can be a wonderful experience, but always make a mental note of what you will do if something goes wrong, as most dangers can be avoided or foreseen. Finally, if your life depends on it, forget your disappearance plan and make contact with the world once more. Anything is better than dying.