Essential Survival Skills (DK Essential Skills)

✍ Scribed by Colin Towell

• Publisher: DK Publishing
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 177
• Series: DK Essential Skills
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Perfect for all ages and skill levels, the Essential Skills series is at-a-glance reference packed with instant-access, easy-to-understand tips to help you improve your game, your technique, and your creativity.Essential Survival Skills is a step-by-step guide to surviving and thriving in the wilderness. Whether you are hiking or camping, learn everything you need to know to build a shelter, apply first aid, and treat various types of insect bites. The book progresses from the very basics for beginners, through all the elements essential to becoming adept at wilderness survival.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover Page......Page 1
Title Page......Page 4
Contents......Page 5
Introduction......Page 7
1 Before You Go......Page 11
Mental preparation......Page 13
Planning your journey......Page 17
Emergency plan of action......Page 19
Understanding your environment......Page 21
Choosing your gear......Page 29
Dressing for the outdoors......Page 31
Extreme survival: in the wilderness......Page 33
Your survival kit......Page 35
2 On the Trail......Page 39
Maps and map-reading......Page 41
Get your bearings......Page 43
Taking bearings using a map......Page 45
Taking bearings using features on the ground......Page 47
Finding your position......Page 48
Calculating distance......Page 49
Navigation techniques......Page 50
Navigating without a compass......Page 51
Using the Sun to navigate......Page 53
Using the Sun to tell the time......Page 54
Using an analog watch to navigate......Page 55
Using the Moon to navigate......Page 56
Traveling on foot......Page 57
Crossing rivers......Page 59
Extreme survival: in the mountains......Page 61
Moving over snow......Page 63
Off-road driving......Page 67
Making a poncho float......Page 71
Building rafts......Page 72
3 Camp Craft......Page 75
Organizing your site......Page 77
Taking shelter in caves......Page 79
Corded A-frame......Page 80
Trench shelter......Page 81
Forest A-frame......Page 82
Forest lean-to......Page 83
Jungle A-frame......Page 85
Extreme survival: in the jungle......Page 87
Desert shelters......Page 89
Building a quinzhee......Page 91
Making fire......Page 93
The elements of fire......Page 95
Making a feather stick......Page 96
Making char cloth......Page 97
Making a fire can......Page 98
Types of fire......Page 99
Making sparks......Page 101
Extreme survival: in the desert......Page 103
Making a bow drill......Page 105
Using a bow drill......Page 107
Man-made cordage......Page 109
Natural cordage......Page 110
Making natural cordage......Page 111
Arbor knot......Page 113
Slip knot......Page 114
Siberian hitch......Page 115
Taut line hitch......Page 116
Using a knife......Page 117
4 Finding Water and Food......Page 121
The importance of water......Page 123
Finding water: temperate climates......Page 127
Finding water: hot-humid climates......Page 133
Finding water: hot-dry climates......Page 135
Finding water: cold climates......Page 137
Finding water: at sea......Page 141
Treating water......Page 145
Extreme survival: at sea......Page 149
5 In an Emergency......Page 153
Assessing your situation......Page 155
Attracting rescuers......Page 159
Making a dome signal fire......Page 161
Other rescue signals......Page 163
Extreme survival: in cold conditions......Page 165
First aid essentials......Page 167
E......Page 171
H......Page 172
R......Page 173
W......Page 174
Acknowledgments......Page 176