4/19/2021
Creator of www.wildplantwoodsman.com
Contributing writer to Kentucky Outdoors Media (www.kyoutdoorstv.com)
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
We all know the old saying; this rings true especially for these five items. This list is five of ten items known as the “10 C’s of Survival” and was popularized by survival expert Dave Canterbury. It is a simple, no frills way to remember the most important items you should always keep with you that will serve as emergency gear. These items are the hardest to recreate out of natural materials, taking the most time and skill to reproduce and have always been carried by man from the beginning to present day in various forms. The following short list is the basis and beginning of any bag I pack when heading out on the open trail to recreate in the outdoors. Whether it is hunting, fishing, kayaking, boating, hiking, or even just a day trip to a local park; these items are all must have gear. The best part is, they are not brand specific, choose your favorite brands and they are all multi-functional items serving more than one purpose.
1st C – Cutting Tool
Simply put, a knife of your choice. Any knife will do but some are better than others depending on what the knife is designed for and how you intend to use it. A good general outdoor knife should be full tang (meaning one solid piece of steel from tip to butt) and have a four to six-inch blade. A knife allows you to carve, cut, filet, and skin and process game, as well as cut cordage. If the knife has a 90-degree spine it can be used to scrape tinder from cedar trees or scrape a ferrocerium rod for fire making. A strong fixed blade knife can also be used with a hard wood baton in an emergency to split small pieces of wood for kindling. It does not hurt to pair your knife with a pruning style folding saw like the Bahco Laplander. The steel is personal preference with knives but there are pros and cons to both carbon and stainless steel.
Stainless steel knives are rust-resistant, keep their edge longer but are a little harder to sharpen in the field.
Carbon steel knives are easy to sharpen but must be oiled and kept clean and dry to prevent rusting. Carbon knives in an emergency can also be used with chert, flint, or quartz rocks to strike the spine of the knife to start a flint and steel fire.
A pocket knife is better than no knife at all. Bottom line – have a cutting tool of some sort.
2nd C – Combustion Device
Fire-making is a skill every outdoorsman needs to know. Fire cooks our food, warms us up, boils our water, keeps insects and most predators away, and so much more. There are many ways of starting fires, It is recommended by many outdoor experts that you carry at least three methods of fire starting with you. The three methods I choose every time are:
· Bic lighter – instant gratification of instant flame, fluid does not leak out or evaporate like a Zippo lighter will do.
· Ferrocerium Rod – A rod made of cerium, iron, magnesium and other metals that is scraped to emit showers of sparks for fire lighting. Works when wet and last a very long time.
· Magnifying Glass – The key to conserving your other fire resources. If it is a sunny day, always use the magnifying glass to get that fire going.
3rd C – Cover Element
Your first element of cover should always be your clothing. Always dress for the weather you are expecting and have those layers to keep your core body temperature warm and dry no matter the season. You should also carry a poncho, or tarp. Some item to keep you dry and out of the elements. This can be as heavy duty or light-weight as you want it to be. Staying dry is crucial especially in the winter, early spring, or late fall. Hypothermia is one of the leading outdoor killers of hunters, hikers, and outdoors men and women.
4th C – Cordage
Take your pick. 550 paracord and bank line are probably the most popular cordage options out there. Cordage helps us string up shelters, lash gear to packs, build primitive traps, or improvised fishing poles, or simply just to hang a pot over the fire to cook food or boil water.
5th C- Container
I cannot stress this one enough. Water is the single most important thing we need for human life. If you are in the outdoors and your trip goes sideways and you are lost or stranded you can go many days, even weeks without eating food; but the average human body will not function after three days with no water. Get a metal, single walled, uninsulated water bottle, or pot in case you need to boil water to make it safe for drinking. Insulated or double walled bottles are great for keeping our drinks cold or hot for longer periods of time, but if you try to boil water in one over an open fire it will explode! That is a recipe for disaster. Containers also allow us to store things such as wild edible plants, berries or anything else.
The Last Five
As a bonus the last five items for the 10 C’s to complete your kit are:
6. Candling Device – Candle, flashlight, headlamp, Coleman lantern ect. Many choices. Pick what works for you.
7. Cotton Bandana – hundreds of uses including first – aid, pre filter for your water to remove larger debris, ect.
8. Cargo Tape – make items and repair them with gorilla tape.
9. Compass – I favor the baseplate style compass with mirror and magnifying glass. Like the Suunto Mc-2.
10. Canvas sail needle or combination tool. For repairs. A Leatherman super tool 300 is my go to.
Always Leave A Plan!
In conclusion, having these multifunctional items can turn a survival situation into inconvenient camping until help arrives or you can find your way out of the forest. Always tell someone, anybody where you are going and when you plan to be back before heading out on that next hunting trip. If you tell someone you plan to be back before Sunday afternoon church and you don’t show up; they know to send search and rescue right away saving precious time if that hunting trip goes awry and your life is on the line. Every year people get lost in Kentucky’s beautiful Red River Gorge area, and sadly some people never come back out alive. Some of them could have ended on a happy note if they would have just told someone where they were heading, and when they were coming home. After all, search and rescue cannot come, if they do not know you are missing. Stay safe out there!
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