Daniel Shrigley Professional Actor13/4/2016 Dan is available currently for casting calls and auditions. Casting Producers/Directors contact for interview or appointments: via email at Daniel@DanielShrigley.com Thank You
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MY SURVIVAL THOUGHTS19/2/2016 My Survival Thoughts by Daniel W. Shrigley Survivalism is not limited to Primitive Skills. Modern technology should not be avoided. However consider devices that can be recharged with solar energy or crank generation. Solar power generators are available in individual use ideal for hiking, backpacking, packrafting, hunting, and outdoor sport or adventure enthusiasts. The buck doesn't stop there either. Preppers are a ideal candidate for this type of solar power generation platform. Nautical enthusiasts are additionally ideal consumers. Goal Zero puts out solar power platforms to entice all the before mentioned and then some. For the last several months I have been product testing Goal Zero products and am extremely satisfied with the outcome at the end of each test phase. In a true survival situation nothing is more valuable than the ability to communicate. Consider amateur Ham radio as a option. The ability to reach out and talk to someone is invaluable when a life depends on efficient rescue response. The define line between being a Prepper or a Survivalist is so thin it's almost invisible. Yet the difference does exist. Survivalist tend to rely on bushcraft skills, primitive survival knowledge and creativity. Technical and mechanical skills are encompassed into this category as well. As I have said in the past on multiple occasions. We don't put ourselves in survival situations, we find ourselves in survival situations. That a survivalist is a successful survivor. Most survivalist plan ahead and take precautionary measures to limit work. To limit weight carried, minimize risk. True survivalist focus efforts to successfully maximize productivity and self-reliance within the confines of their environment. From urban, deserts, jungles, woodlands, grasslands, tropics, flat plains, mountainous etc... Survivalist follow along lines of traditions and skills passed down through generations. Typically these survivalists are that are true in definition come from tribes or sects. Modern man has imbedded within the cultures of these tribal people to gain knowledge. To learn the secrets that are on the verge of becoming forgotten. Modern man has been racing against the clock to obtain the ancient skill sets such as Bushcraft and Wilderness Survival before these cultures disappear. A survivalist in my humble opinion will outlast a Prepper if everything was reliant on skill solely. Preppers are the people that prepare and stock inventory. Establish skill sets much like the survivalist. The premise of the Prepper is to achieve self-sustainment, self-reliance and security. Some Preppers are more extreme than others. With the most extreme being potentially combative and militia in mentality. Stocking weapons and ammo, additionally to water, foods, equipment and medical supplies. My opinion is the survivalist possesses the better ability to maneuver more freely. While the prepper is limited to the restrictions of the established resources and stockpile. Being forced to protect and secure their inventories they will not travel great distances. This is why some Preppers have taken to mobility. Even still they are invisibly tied to their transport vehicles. Survivalist is more adaptive and can more effectively sustain, escape and evade. I like to remind people that in the frontier days there were no such things as the technologies of modern day. A survivalist is in all reality a modern day frontiersman. Frontiersman would set camps, sustain and constantly improve. Through improvement and settlement came Posts, Villages and Towns. In the old days the focus was community not individualism. This is the greatest flaw I see with the Prepper Extreme Mentality. Not all Preppers fall into this extremism. The ones that do pose the greatest risk to the community idealism. They are one sighted and focused on individualism with a death before dishonor mentality. Now most Preppers are peaceful and simply desire to protect themselves and loved ones. Nothing wrong with this at all. As I have read, watched or listen to information pouring out from all mediums I seen this first hand. I have also seen the extreme mentality. The ones that plan to run for the wilderness. Take over state or federal lands and shoot the first thing that moves. These people need to think and focus on community. We are a nation built on "We The People" not "Me The People". As hard to believe in our society as things do appear, we the people are the governing body. If SHTF (Stuff Hits The Fan) or TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) did happen we will only thrive if we establish a priority to regroup and reform community. In all my years of military service one lesson that I learned is inventories do expire or run dry. A dictatorship would count on this and plan around, taking actions knowing this information. This is why my jaw drops everytime I see a Prepper posting on the internet "Hey I am a Prepper come visit my website or watch my videos." It's like advertising to BIG BROTHER raid my house first!!!!! Lessons Here: • Survival & Communication. • Solar Power Generation Platforms. • Difference between a Survivalist & Prepper. • What a Survivalist is by definition. • What a Prepper is by definition. • What is extremism in Prepping. • Prepping and Community vs Individualism. • Prepper OPSEC My Observations About Survival Television Shows by Daniel Shrigley Survivalists barefoot in the jungle on T.V. cracks me up! I appreciate the belief and dedication of lifestyle. But when your lifestyle impairs your safety and forward momentum enough is enough. Then for some odd reason the other partner too is barefooted and typically not his lifestyle. Where is the true educational value for survival skill sets here? I am a hardliner with doing things right! One stupid act, demonstrated on purpose far removes all credibility as a leader. Why don't they show the right way, beginning to end each episode. Why don't the progressively expand skill sets from basic to advanced on these shows per episode. I see regurgitated content over and over and it's backed up by stupidity along the way. Oh boy... When you want something done right you need to do it yourself. Just like what's the educational value in surviving Naked for 21 days? The skill sets by these two people camping in the same isolated location are highly limited. Survival is not about camping out, roughing the elements. It's about maximizing your ability to survive, counter the elements, signal, communicate, egressing to safety as safely as possible. It's funny to me to see drama factors of relationships applied to a survival situation. I see so many unnecessary risks being taken by these survival experts. From the top of the fame ladder all the way down to the contestant nobodies. If you're in a survival true to life situation you would NOT do half the crap you see on TV! You have simplistic goals to meet to ensure you survive. Water for hydration, sanitation and hygiene, fire for warmth, cooking, sanitizing and cutting. Shelter to defeat elements of sun, wind, sand, cold and rain. Clothing for warmth and barrier against elements. Tools to make easy your survival for the ability to sustain until you are rescued or escape. So much on these tv shows misses the mark. If you don't have a map or compass, at least know how to fabricate one. If you are relying solely on meat and insects for food then you need to become knowledgable with edible plants. I sit here watching these experts walk past numerous edible plants each episode complaining about needing to find food. This observation applies to the top rung in the industry of televised experts all the way to the unknown survival contestants. If you know your weaknesses then turn what your weak at into a strength. Survival Is A Lifestyle19/10/2015 Survivalism and Prepping are no longer hobbies, the trends have grown into lifestyles. With 1.72% of the population now stocking inventory and obtaining survival skills. This statistic is .72% larger than the size of the number of Servicemembers serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Follow Daniel Shrigley as he teaches you how to STAY ALIVE and puts the odds of survival in your favor. From film, literature, interviews, magazine articles to radio Dan has become a icon in both the Survival and Prepper industries. Known globally by faithful followers Dan has touched the lives of people and has become known as a survival encyclopedia and wealth of knowledge. Batoning And Wedge Splitting19/10/2015 SELECTING A KNIFE First you should select a knife that is durable. A fixed blade knife is best for using in most cases outdoors. You'll want a steel fabricated knife that is temper treated. When it comes to knives it really all comes down to comfort and use. In this case a fixed blade knife serves a better purpose and can take the abuse of being hammered on using the batoning method. You will also want a blade that is not serrated. BATONING A knife is a great tool to use for splitting wood. It offers control for precision cutting while conserving energy. Some people use the batoning method and some do not. However the technique is good if you find that you need to rely on it. I use this method and stand by it's useful purpose. The concern to others is that it dulls or potentially damages the blade. Really the only way to maintain a knife is to keep it sharp and know its limits. Yes there is a risk to damage, that's why I suggest having a sturdy, durable knife. If you practice this method you will become proficient with the technique and this will help to limit breaking or chipping the blade. First step is selecting the wood that you will use to club with on the back side of the blade. Ensure the surface is smooth and has the correct thickness and weight to hammer down with on the back edge. When selecting the wood that you are about to baton, avoid knots and joints in the wood. Always remember safety first with proper eye protection. The last thing anyone needs is flying debris to get in your eyes. You want to keep your knife perpendicular to your body and the ground. Also before you come down with full force ensure the blade of the knife is set in the wood first. Batoning is a great way to make a fire board or hearth. Additionally kindling for fire for creating coals that will burn larger pieces of dry wood. This method is not to replace using an axe, however if you do not have an axe this is a good alternate. Avoid splitting wood down the center and work on removing strips of wood. This will put less wear and tear on your knife. WOODEN WEDGE
Using a wooden wedge to split wood with is a good way to conserve your knife. All you need to do is carve a hard wood into the shape of a wedge. Then you baton the wedge down a log that has a natural split or crack. This method will not work on green wood or freshly cut wood from a living tree. You'll want to stick with dead, dry wood. Woods rich with resin will also be harder to split with a wooden wedge. SURVIVING ON A DESERTED ISLAND13/10/2015 As a result of shipwreck or getting separated from a group, you find yourself stranded on an island. Surviving is your focus and only consideration. You do not have to be an experienced outdoorsman, in order to take basic steps that will help keep you alive until rescue arrives. Finding water is one of the top priorities and fundamentals of survival. You will want to find fresh drinkable water that can be boiled and/or filtered if possible. Always treat water before consumption while in the outdoors. If you must drink water without treating it first, look for pools or puddles of rainwater that's fresh and collected on rocks or smooth surfaces. Drinking water is crucial to your survival. You can survive by drinking water, consuming very little food, plants, fish, insects, reptiles, muscles, seaweed, coconuts, and small game animals. Water is needed to digest foods. Also water help regulate your core temperature. NEVER DRINK SALT WATER! Stream or springs are great sources to seek out. Running water is always a better option. Sometimes locating water sources proves to be difficult. You set up water collection devices to help create an artificial source. Use any containers you can find to collect rainwater or morning dew; each day, your hat or shoes can work as collection devices. A solar still is another way of collecting condensation water, build a still by digging a hole. Place a can or other capture device in the bottom and surrounding the container with wet natural materials such as green grass, leaves or wet sand. Put a piece of plastic or vinyl material over the hole and weight it down with rocks; put a single small rock in the center to weigh it down, forming a cone or funnel shape. Water will collect and drip into the container. Shelter When selecting a shelter spot within your survival camp, look around the island for places that shield you from the elements of location and weather; if you have found fresh water, put your shelter within reasonable hiking distance. Also look for natural materials that are close to camp the enhance the shelter. You want your shelter to shield you from the sun, wind, rain, ocean spray, blowing sand. Also put the shelter far enough on the beach to avoid high tide. Take whatever watercraft you have that brought you to the island and lean it on one side to build a hasty shelter. You can lean it up on it's side against a tree or rocks. Also remember to tie down your raft or boat to avoid damage or drifting in currents. Another option is a lean-to shelter. Use what nature provides, place tall branches against a solid base and covering them with leafy branches to create a wall that will keep out water, wind and sun. It's a good idea to build your shelter on or in view of the beach so you can run out quickly to signal passing boats or planes. Food Food is critical for energy and survival. You must be careful about what you eat. Insects, lizards, fish, bananas, coconuts provide protein and calories. With fish you can lay them to dry in the sun. Often rodents are in abundance on deserted islands and offer lots or protein and energy. Insects are edible and offer three times the protein than red meats. Plants are also a great food source, however very dangerous if you eat the wrong poisonous types. You MUST BE POSITIVE YOU PROPERLY IDENTIFIED THE PLANT, before consumption. Learn the plant edibility test and steps. UNIVERSAL PLANT EDIBILITY TEST STEPS: 1. Avoid ever having to use this method without careful planning. Some plants can be deadly, and even if you follow these guidelines perfectly, there is always a chance that a plant will make you seriously ill. Prepare yourself for wilderness outings by learning about the local flora and fauna, and carry a guidebook or taxonomic key to help you identify plants. Even if you are unprepared and cannot find food you know to be safe remember that, depending on your activity level, the human body can go for days without food, and you're better off being hungry than being poisoned. 2. Find a plant that is plentiful.You don't want to go through the rigorous process of testing a plant if there's not a lot of it to eat. 3. Abstain from eating or drinking anything but purified water for 8 hours before the test.(If you have to use this method, this step will probably be unavoidable.) 4. Separate the plant into parts.Some plants have edible parts and poisonous parts. In order to test if a plant is edible, you must separate it into the leaf, stem and root and test each part separately for edibility. After you have separated the plant into parts, inspect each part you are preparing for parasites. If you encounter worms or small insects inside the plant, discontinue the test with that sample and consider seeking a different sample of the same plant. Evidence of worms, parasites or insects indicates that the plant is rotten, especially if the organism has vacated the plant. Many parts of plants are only edible during certain seasons (for example, acorns collected after the fall are usually rotten). If you find grubs inside the plant, the plant is rotting, but the grubs are edible and contain high amounts of protein (although they taste sour and are gritty). 5. Find out if the plant is contact-poisonous. A contact-poisonous plant is one that causes a reaction merely by touching your skin. Rub the selected plant part on the inside of your elbow or wrist. Crush it so that the sap touches your skin, and hold it there for 15 minutes. If the plant causes a reaction in the next 8 hours, do not continue testing that part of that plant. Do this with each part of the plant until you find a part that isn't contact-poisonous. 6. Cook a small portion of the plant part. Some plants are poisonous only when raw, so it's a good idea to cook the plant part you are testing if possible. If you can't cook the plant or if you don't anticipate that you will be able to cook it in the future, just test it raw. 7. Test the plant in your mouth.This portion of the test is where things get dangerous, so proceed very slowly and carefully. Take the following steps to test the plant in your mouth: Hold a small portion of the prepared plant part against your lip for 3 minutes. Do not put the plant in your mouth. If you notice any burning, tingling, or other reaction, discontinue testing. Place another small portion of the plant part on your tongue. Hold the plant on your tongue without chewing for 15 minutes. Discontinue testing if you notice any reaction. Chew the plant and hold it in your mouth for 15 minutes. Chew the plant well, and do not swallow. Discontinue testing if you notice any reaction. Swallow the small portion of plant. 8. Wait 8 hours. Do not eat or drink anything during this period except purified water. If you feel sick, immediately induce vomiting and drink plenty of water. If activated charcoal is available, take that with the water. Discontinue testing if you experience any adverse reaction. 9. Eat 1/4 cup of the same kind of plant part prepared the same way. It is critical that you use exactly the same part of exactly the same kind of plant, and that you prepare it in exactly the same way as you did the initial sample. 10. Wait an additional 8 hours.Abstain from any other food except purified water. Induce vomiting immediately as above if you should feel ill. If no reaction has occurred, you may assume only that particular part of the plant is safe to eat, and only as prepared during the test. 11. Begin a new test, if the plant part you have chosen fails any of the tests. If the first plant part you choose appears contact-poisonous, you may immediately test a new plant on your other arm or behind your knee. If the plant causes a reaction before you have swallowed it, wait until the symptoms have disappeared before testing a new plant. If you have an adverse reaction after you've swallowed the plant, wait until symptoms have disappeared and start a new test. Although there may be edible parts of the plant you initially chose, it is preferable to move on to a different plant for subsequent tests. 12. Do a gradual test if you have other food sources. If you are in a situation where you have access to other sources of safe food, you can incorporate this test into your diet more gradually by splitting it up into 3 stages, and using your 8 hours of normal sleep as the 8 hours of pre-test for each stage. Again, this should only be used if you are in a survival situation (e.g. your existing food rations are running low, and you need to start testing another source before your current one is depleted) or if you cannot find documentation for a particular plant and are willing to undergo the risks (poisoning and death) involved. Wake up and do the contact-poisonous part of the test. After 8 hours, eat a normal meal (not of the plant under test). Next morning, complete the test up to swallowing a single piece. After 8 hours, assuming you are still alive and well, eat a normal meal again. Eat the full sample of the plant under test on the 3rd morning. After 8 hours, celebrate life and the adding of a new edible plant to your experience by eating a nice meal. Don't disregard any other steps, or tips, or warnings; this alternative method is only to save your body from the stress of 24 hours of fasting, and enables you to continually test new plants in your area without going hungry for more than 16 hours a day, and only 8 hours on the final day, assuming 1/4 cup of the food can sustain you. FOOD (Cont.) Simply by sharpening a stick to spear fish or make your fishing pole. You can use string, shoelaces, strands of a rope, or tendons otherwise known as sinew of an animal. You can use traps and snares as well. Look for recognizable fruits first, like coconuts or plantains. You can also safely eat ants (make sure they are dead first), grubs and grasshoppers. Don't risk your life eating questionable berries, mushrooms or plants. Rescue Fire and smoke are great signal devices. Fire on the highest elevated and open are; if you know where the shipping lanes pass, put your fire in the most visible spot. When you see a ship or a plane, you can create big amounts of smoke by tossing on slightly damp moss or branches. Create several fire piles that you can light quickly. To attract attention from the air, arrange rocks that contrast with the sand into a very large pattern that would not occur in nature. You can also root around on the island for materials that will reflect the sun and use them to signal passing aerial vehicles and watercraft. Well like any survival situation you begin with the basics. First you prepare by having accountability of personnel or family members. Develop a escape plan with a centralized meeting spot. In case of fire you develop a designated escape route. Crouch but don't crawl to evacuate from a fire. Never touch a doorknob with bare hands in a house fire. You don't know how hot the door nob might be. Cover your mouth with a damp cloth if possible. In case of earthquake or tornado you will develop a plan that identifies the strongest most centralized location in your home. If available retreat to a reinforced shelter or underground shelter in case of tornado. In case of flood seek high ground and stick to locations that allow for easy rescue. If possible evacuate the area before the flood arrives. Obey warnings from emergency management offices or authorities. So having a reactionary plan to implement that's practiced and refined to perfection. Safety is your greatest concern. Living through the event is the priority. Next step is recovery and accountability. Get 100% accountability of all personnel or members. Render aid to those in need if at all possible without risking further injury or loss of life. Notify authorities and call for help only if damage, injury, death occurred or if rescue is needed. Beware of broken natural gas lines and down power lines assume all are live and deadly. Notify utility emergency services immediately. Mark with a bright colored signal or sign to alert others to avoid the area. Water, food, blankets, first aid kits, flashlights that are charged and back up batteries on hand. If possible use electronics that are crank generated. Crank radio on hand in case of phone failures. List of phone numbers for service provides. Enough water per person to last no less than 7 days typically. Practice water conservation and use ration control with H2o and food. Chem-lights, fire striker(s), road flares, area maps, tents, shelf stable foods, dry foods and canned foods. Pocket knives, compasses, thick trash bags 72 gallons or larger, bleach, rope and cordage, tarp(s), firewood, extra fuel stored in a approved storage container. Zip lock sealable plastic bags. Rags and sterilized bandages to include tourniquet(s). You'll want a emergency supply of over the counter medicine or relief aids. Also back up supply of prescription drugs and eyewear. All members are recommended to attend a Red Cross approved CPR class. To avoid predicted disasters it's important to adhere to the advice of passed through media outlets and emergency services. Often people place material possessions at such a high value that they risk their own safety to protect property. If you're told to evacuate it's determined that to avoid great bodily injury or death it's best to leave. It's important to be prepared, the above recommended items are a baseline to begin with, you can add too or take away what suits your needs best. Your emergency kits should provide necessity for sustainment, minimal comforts, communications and signal. The best way to survive is to beat the elements. In the cold proper clothing attire, in the heat proper sun protection and artificial shade, wind and water protected clothing and shelters. You need to remember that preparing is all about the event and or conditions. Learn historical seasonal data about your location to best prepare. Nothing beats knowledge and common sense. Safety is the number one concern. Like they say in the US Army, everyone is a safety officer and if you see an unsafe act you're obligated to sound off and put a halt to it. Sometimes life throws curve balls at you. It's how you swing back, that determines a strike, base hit or home run. Being prepared and educated is a Major League decision. You improve your odds of survival by taking simple measures that improve your chances to live. Take a survival class, learn CPR, obey warnings. It's so easy a caveman could, well you know. The Iraq War 201123/9/2015 Thought I would share a few Army photos from the Iraq war, this was from my third deployment out of four. 2011 I'm in Iraq, Baghdad @ Saddam Hussein's Cross Sabers at his Go to war parade field. 2011 that's my guys, Bravo Section, Alpha Troop, 1-7 Cavalry Squadron, 1 Brigade Combat Team.... 🇺🇸 #DanShrigley #Army #USA #Iraq #War 2011 FAMILY ESCAPE PLAN15/9/2015 YOUR FAMILY ESCAPE PLAN:
Adopt into practice escape planning and meet up points in case of disaster or emergencies. With school shootings, riots, crime, severe weather, adopting an escape plan saves lives. Here are key points to consider. 1.) At home, work, school, or a concert downtown. Plan an escape route out of your individual area. 2.) Supplies are important, check your inventory before an emergency and restock if needed. 3.) A flashlight, a radio and canned goods, water proof matches, pocket knife, gloves, rain jacket, extra water, (3) Days food rations per person. 4.) Practice escaping with family members to a designated meet up location. While testing your plan, test your family's ability to tune the radio into local news stations. 5.) In crowded urban areas always point out and establish with your group designated link up points and time intervals to check in. 6.) Every responsible member should know how to start up s fire for warmth, signal, and water/food. 7.) while you are waiting be very patient for members of your family/group to arrive. In an emergency nothing happens fast enough so remain calm. 8.) Practice makes perfect, keep updated with these tips and you and your family will reunite. 9.) Should a member fall victim or die. Render aid to the wounded. For the death of a member, remember to focus on the living you need them and they need you. We can always deal with our lost loved ones when it's safe. MY SURVIVAL THOUGHTS FROM THE FIELD14/9/2015
Crook Knife10/9/2015 The Crook Knife or Crooked Knife, Eskimo or Indian Knife. This knife allows you to carve wood in to shapes. You can use this knife to make spoons or bowls. By doing this you are making handy tools to use while outdoors. Settlers used this knife to help minimize load bearing. This way they only carried on horseback or stagecoach what was truly needed. If I were in a survival situation this would be my knife of choice. Aside of that bushcraft skills on weapon or tool construction would serve me well.
SURVIVORS CREED10/9/2015
Daniel W. Shrigley
As a minimalist in bushcraft, I rely on skill and nature to provide my tools. However technology makes tasks easy, precise and expedited. If you are a Disaster Prepper, you will rely on technology more and a survivalist or woodsman. As a combat arms war fighter, specializing in reconnaissance in the U.S. Cavalry Scouts. I used in real world operations military grade Night Vision and Thermal Vision devices. These devices with the technology behind them were combat multipliers. Delivering battlefield advantage over enemy combatants. Providing the obvious for Soldiers, the ability to see in the pitch black darkness of night. Sometimes the NVG's (Night Vision Goggles) were used during the day, inside buildings that had the sun blocked out. These devices also come in handy for cave adventurers. The ability to see at night as if it were daylight under stealth like conditions gives home field advantage. Consider adding NVG's to your inventory. Be sure to stock plenty of back up batteries. These devices burn through energy cells fast. Night vision is a wonderful tool for security of your property and offers stealthy, clear, wide scope vision. Flashlights render white light and cast illuminated beamed energy in a shape of a funnel expanding across an area. Therefore giving your position away to threats that may target you or your property. On the market you will find plenty of night sight and night vision goggles. The best type to purchase are always military specification, otherwise referred to as Mil-Spec. Military needs a device to be durable, long lasting and precise. So should you have these same requirements. Beware of cheap civilian knock off's. Sometimes an item might look tactical or cool, but the quality is left for much improvement. By this time you already spent your hard earned money. Be careful not to waste your cash on low quality. The best method is to shop around and test various makes and models. The idea is to buy a product you will enjoy for years to come. Outdoors expos and gun shows are a wonderful place to test these and many other amazing products at the exhibitors tables. Night vision and thermal vision devices come with various mounts and attachments. You can mount these to your helmet to your head or to your weapons platform. Thermal vision devices are far more costly, always a better way to go if you have the disposable income to purchase. Thermal devices use heat signatures to generate a image. Sometimes allowing you to in certain cases see through a barrier or container. They also see things like friction heat for example a fresh foot print of a assailant who is running and hiding. Being that both thermal vision and night vision can also be weapon mounted, giving you an extremely deadly advantage over an evil force trying to criminally harm or kill you or a loved one. I never support extremism in prepping or doomsday, zombie everything must die mentality. I always teach community and infrastructure rebuilding when it comes to prepping as a focal point to recovery of our American way of life. However in recent years we have seen examples of criminal elements destroying communities to include even their own communities for personal gain. Criminals will be criminals, the law abiding citizen must be equipped to protect themselves. When law enforcement and the military are outnumbered or over tasked. These technology enhancers even the odds and tipping the scales in your favor when it comes to self-defense. Do you know the difference between "lost" and "stranded?".
Lost is not knowing where you are, or which way you should go. Stranded is [usually] knowing where you are but no one else seems to know where you are. Now according to most survival books, websites and search & rescue (SAR) teams. RULE # 1 - Before you take off and go anywhere you should tell someone (a) where you are going and (b) what time you will be back or be arriving at your final destination. Just in case you don't make it back or to your final destination within a certain time a search and rescue (SAR) party will know where to start looking for you. RULE #2 - Should you become lost or stranded in a disabled vehicle or you're a survivor of a plane crash, it's best to remain with the vehicle or plane. As it will be easier for a SAR party to find you in a stationery position than to look for a moving person or a group of people who have no idea where they are going. If there's no vehicle or plane and you are on foot and you have no idea where in the hell you are or which way you should go. Then again, it's best to stay where you are as it will be easier for a SAR party to find you in a stationery position then to try to look for you wandering around aimlessly not knowing where you are going. If you broke RULE # 1 - Failed to tell someone where you are going before you took off.. Then you can skip RULE # 2 and proceed directly to RULE # 3 - DON'T PANIC & LOSE YOUR HEAD, S.T.O.P.. Stop moving, sit down, relax, and think where you may have got lost. Observe your surroundings and try back tracking a little bit. See if you can recognize the terrain. And if you don't, sit down, take a deep breath and admit to yourself... "Well it looks like I'm lost, what should I plan to do next?" Well for starters you should listen up for signs of civilization. Such as listening for sounds of vehicles, trains, church bells, factory noise, etc.. This will give you a general sense of direction as to which way civilization might be located. If you do not hear anything, then look around and proceed to the nearest and highest piece of ground. From there look for buildings, towns, church steeples, roads, railroad tracks, fences, power lines, telephone lines, etc.. This will lead you back to civilization. If there's no high ground then climb the nearest and tallest tree. If you do not see or hear any signs of civilization but you see a stream, creek or river, then follow that instead. Bodies of water will not only provide you a source of water for drinking but will most likely lead you back to civilization. Possibly to some trails or roads that will get you back to civilization. Should you be on the move and you don't see or hear anything that can help guide you back to civilization, weather changes, temperature changes, darkness is quickly approaching. It's best to stop and stay where you are for the night. Begin building a shelter and fire before it's too late. Leave yourself plenty of daylight to build the shelter and fire, several hours. Avoid the risks of getting wet, cold and not seeing where you're going. PSYCHOLOGY OF SURVIVAL:
The Survival Mindset Written by Daniel W. Shrigley You find yourself in a survival situation that you were not expecting. Caught off guard and all alone. You are absent with supplies or advanced skills. All you know is a few articles you read and survival documentary films you watched for entertainment. Now this scenario often occurs to people every year all over the world. It's how you handle the situation that will determine a successful outcome. You will need to allow yourself to be mentally tough. Remaining calm in the face of a potential life threatening survival event. Survival situations come in multiple forms to all people of every walk of life. Scenarios are presented in three ways. Mother nature, man made or incidental. The psychology behind survival is most challenging. Being in the right frame of mindset is not easily come-by for all people. This takes discipline and stems from making the right decisions at critical moments. Remain calm is the first step towards being in the right mindset. To do this you need to stop in place, clear your mind from feeling panic. Organize your priorities for survival, establish your immediate needs for self-reliance, self-sustainment and achieve self-rescue. In a panic situation, you are not collected in educated decision making abilities. A panicked person makes poor choices. You need to be calculated in your decision making abilities to survive and thrive. Simply by taking a few moments to sit back and absorb your environment, soak in what is available to you in your surroundings for shelter, water, fire and food. Every scenario is unique and will require various needs to be met and methods to achieve a successful outcome. First and foremost you need to be certain you are removed from immanent danger. Avoid, direct threats to life; Using your instinct, common sense and adhering indicators. Often a panicked person lost in the wilderness will make critical mistakes. First critical failure is NOT sitting in place. People that are lost tend to run off and out of panic get even more lost. The feeling of panic while lost is one of greatest fears. Fright in any survival situation is natural, however it's controllable. FEAR KILLS!!! I teach that; In Survival Failure Is NOT An Option! Flipping this to: In Survival Fear Is NOT An Option! The fear has been compared to that of great desperation, loneliness, helplessness, hopelessness, similar to that of a drowning victim. Education and skill, through hands on practice and training is a sure way to defeat this an afford you a fighting chance. Knowing the priorities of survival and the fundamentals will help give you an edge. Knowing those are not enough, you MUST put into practice the survival skills and be familiar with look and feel. Basic knowledge will only give you a fighting chance. Instinct for shelter, fire for cooking and warmth, water for thirst, food for hunger. There is so much more that one needs to know and implement via knowledge and skill. Shelter is a necessity to shield and protect you from the elements. Elements include the following: • Wind (Wind chill factors enhance danger and exposure.) • Sun (Shade in hot temperate climates preserves hydration and energy, limits exposure.) • Sand (Shielding from blowing debris such as sand offers safety from injury.) • Snow & Ice (Maintaining your core body temperature is critical and must accompany by a heat source such as fire.) • Rain (Over exposure to rain, water for extended periods of time will present health risks and cause injury through exposure.) In a survival scenario you must protect your resources and your three greatest resources encompass your head, hands & feet. The bodies extremities suffer first in-climate weather. First you must protect from extreme conditions those extremities. Additionally you need to protect your hands and feet from injury. If you are in a situation that you must travel to self-rescue a foot injury will devastate your forward momentum if not prevent it altogether. Your hands, need to be safeguarded to continually offer resource gathering, bushcraft tool construction, climbing, fishing, hunting, grasp and much more. Trap setting, firewood cutting or finite detail work on projects will pose vast limitations with injured hands. This all falls back on the Psychology Of Survival: When you panic bad things happen and injuries or death follow. Eye sight is the other sense that must me protected. While cutting timber using a chopping instrument, be certain to close your eyes tight just before the axe impacts to avoid eye injury by debris. Also shielding your eyes from the sunlight, sand and wind is essential. You can protect your vision simply by using a little creativity. Creativity is instinct we all have a brain and with that comes imagination. Creativity often is what allows a improvement and comfort factor. Simple comforts in any situation brings reward and peace of mind. Much like a hot cup of pine or spruce tea on a cold day or evening. Fire craft is not a skill of instinct, the need for warmth is instinct. You really need to know how to start a fire with various methods to ensure your own survival. From many primitive cultures we have learned methods of fire starting. These methods have worked for mankind over thousands of years. • Fire Thong (Hearth, Cordage, Fuel) • Fire Piston (Advanced method requires a cylinder, piston, and fuel) • Hand Drill Method (Hearth Base Board and Spindle) • Fire Plough (Minimal requirements two sticks rubbed together) • Bow Drill Method (Hearth Based Board, Bow, Spindle, Socket and Cordage) • Flint Rock Spark (Banging together stones to achieve a spark) All of the above are classified as friction fires. Each requires fuel, oxygen and friction heat. Environment, weather and skill level will depict which method should be used. Each method requires previous knowledge on setup and technique. Various types of materials can be used, the secret is finding the most dry and combustible materials to obtain a burning ember. Transferring the burning ember to a dry tinder pile to ignite and build fire requires minimal skill. However you should prepare your fire and obtain enough tinder to feed your fire to last throughout your camp stay. Typically what you think you need and multiply that by five times. Woods rich with resin or sap tend to burn hotter and faster. Fatwood is a wood that is impregnated with high volumes of resin. Fatwood has a concentrated odor of Turpentine. This wood is well sought after by experienced outdoors enthusiasts for it's ease of catching a spark for fire starting. You can find fatwood in Pine trees typically at the core of the tree trunk or branch joint. Trees use sap to seal off an injury or cutoff a branch that is dying. These are indicators a person should search for to locate Fatwood. Nothing is more rewarding for the psychology of a individual in a life or death survival situation than the ability to start and maintain a fire. Fire is a tool of warmth, cooking cutting, wood hardening, disinfecting. The byproduct of fire is coal, coal is used for many things that are useful. Coal for this scenario is a component for water filtering. Proper hydration is vital for survival of all people. Typically taught is the law of threes as I refer to them: • Water (You can live for only three days without water, sometimes less.) • Air (You can live for three minutes deprived of oxygen) • Food (You can live depending on the person for two to three weeks without food.) Water is the first requirement one should locate on realization of being lost or stranded. I talked about instinct, most generally instinct will lead you to sustain. However this is not fool proof in cold weather as it relates to hydration. Water is just as important when its freezing as when it's extremely hot. Lack of sweating often tricks individuals into forgetting they need water. Profuse sweating indicated the bodies demand for water and in hot conditions you will require more then normal. Water considerations for consumption: • Wells (Underground Source Providers.) • Natural Spring Water = Safe • Hot Spring Water (Volcanic) = Generally Safe Use Caution • Run Off Water Filtered through 15 feet of earth = Safe • All surface water that is free flowing is safe to drink when boiled or treated. • Filtered water by way of primitive filter systems through imitation of earth filtering. (Layering sand, rock, soil, grass, coal in a capture device.) • Water by solar radiation stills = Safe • Water by morning dew = Safe • Water by roots or vines typically safe, use caution as some plants and roots are poisonous. Banana and coconut trees offer water and you will see depicted on every single survival television series. Also cactus can provide water, however research type varieties that are safe. Barrel cactus is a variety to look for in nature. • Water by digging = Safe may require filtering to enhance taste making it more palatable. • Water with the potential for radio active isotopes, allow sediment to settle and separate then filter. You will need to boil this water before consumption. (Nuclear Contamination) • Avoid water that has chemical exposure to enemy combat, consider the potential to chemical or gas contaminants. Additionally avoid water that is obviously polluted by industry and infrastructure. Avoid water that is found to be stagnate, still and places where animals bathe or gather. Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Iodine will kill Giardia, however it will not kill Cryptosporidium. Chlorine dioxide tablets is the better option for chemical water treatment. Boiling water kills both types. As this point is being driven about the value in education for critical skills to effectively have good psychology in a survival situation. My motto: "Know More, Need Less" becomes fitting. As you realize all you need is knowledge to survive anything, the feeling of despair can be managed and thereby overcome. Demonstrated above you have read what I call survival comfort factors, easing the mindset with proper mental hydration is good for moral. It's important to always maintain a positive mental attitude in the face of challenges. In the US Army we always said, false motivation is better than no motivation. Motivation gets the job done, and in a survival situation staying busy makes time pass and keeps you focused. I often say that a survivor is a successful survivalist. One needs to embrace all that encompasses a survival lifestyle or as many say live like the natives. Only a fool shows up in the wild with no preparations, this includes many facets. Communicate your location, time and dates, stick to the plan!!! Vehicle preparations for emergencies and sustainment kits. 72 hours minimum on hand for sustainment per person in a vehicle kits, house, boat, plane, recreational vehicles and backpacks. This includes one gallon of water per person per day as a failsafe. If you have followed me for any length of time you will know that I always make mention of the common sense approach to survival. First thing is you NEVER put yourself in a survival situation, we find ourselves in survival situations. Beware that television makes it look fun, exciting and heroic. On the contrary a survival situation is NOT fun! Survival implies life threatening. Recently in the media, we have heard about fans that have placed themselves in dangerous positions, needing rescue or even dying. Why would they do this you might ask? They want to be their hero, however they do not see all the coordination, planning, rehearsals, crew, and safety staff it takes to film a show. Every celebrity survivalist has a safety net, they are required to have safety mechanisms in place to prevent loss of life or great bodily injury. A true expert in survival is always someone else's student. I continually am learning by reading, watching, talking, sharing, and most important practicing. The more I learn the more I can share through writing, talk about on my radio and television projects. I carry the weight of a world responsibility on my shoulders. I must be sure to get right everything I teach publicly. People's lives hang in the balance on every word I share, as they hold me in the same regard as Travis Johnson, Les Stroud, Ray Mears, Cody Lundin, Mykel Hawke, EJ Snyder and Tom Brown listing only a few industry greats. Notice: Joseph Teti is not considered a Survivalist Expert? Answer: It was proven in court that he forged his military paperwork and embellished his entire record and all his claims of being Special Operations, CIA, Marine Force Recon and a Combat Veteran. For more information refer to Mykel Hawke on Facebook and Unofficial Joseph Teti on Facebook. He's no longer famous, he's more appropriately infamous. The Art Of Manliness5/5/2015 The term sounds sexist in reflection only cause women are just as capable to do all the same things and be just as effective. Bushcraft is not isolated to any gender. However in the male ego of what manliness might be perceived, bushcraft seems to be on the table.
Bushcraft is a skill that is only developed by doing. Getting off the couch and out of the office then putting into practice these skill sets. What is bushcraft one might ask? Answer: Bushcraft is the art of Self-Reliance, by way of skill and generated tools from raw natural material that assist in providing sustainment. From nets, baskets, fishing poles, cordage, bladed stone, traps and snares to name a few. Bushcraft is the ability to create through craft the items needed to survive in the wild. Creating fire from friction, foraging wild edibles, hunting with primitive class weaponry. Bushcraft is the honed skill that only comes from manual practice. If one is proficient in bushcraft, wilderness first aid, field hygiene, foraging, hunting, fishing, fire craft, and all the fundamentals encompassed then modern technology becomes obsolete. The more you know the less you will need. Therefore: "Know More, Need Less!" We learn from Native Americans, Eskimos, Aboriginal tribes and many other primitive tribal communities around the world. As time passes these people that have lived by the primitive lifestyle fade away. So today we try to embed inside these isolated tribal communities to learn from the elders. It's a race against time to try and learn all we can before they are gone. Swallowed up by the modern age. I truly want to travel to these remote places and visit with while learning the trade craft they have used to survive for centuries. In the deepest jungles, driest deserts still live nomadic peoples that rely on these bushcraft skills daily. They are the true survival experts. Primitive weapons are now modern weapons. Just advanced with improved materials, science, and concept. The bow and arrow of centuries past is now a compound bow and arrow of today. Learning these skills will save your life should you find that you are in a real world emergency. The priorities and fundamentals of survival are the first steps in sustainment. Survival is not a game, it's a ideal of thriving until you achieve rescue or self rescue. To function smartly minimizing risk and improving your odds of staying alive. WILDERNESS SURVIVAL TORCH: Cattails5/5/2015 A great torch can be made from Cattails. The head of a cattail is soaked in oil or rendered lard. Once it is saturated it can be used as a torch. If it is fully saturated it will burn up to 8 hours.
This is a great light for in your camp. www.DanielShrigley.com Dan Shrigley | Community In Prepping5/5/2015 If Preppers focused on community versus individualism the power of politics would be in the hands of the people in a time of crisis. We as a People need to be prepared in case of political meltdown and social collapse. It takes organized patriotic constitutionalist joined at the hip to save the nation in time of despair. Like I said before power in numbers. The mission statement of a group like I suggest should be to reestablish what makes us a republic and not deviate to socialism. The Constitution is and will always be the backbone of what we should strive to preserve and defend. The trend of Preppers and individualism has streamlined a trend of what most might consider an anti-government movement. Government is not bad, it's very necessary and should be included at the lowest levels of community Prepper groups to quickly reestablish life saving resources and structure. My ideals stem from watching factions of Preppers. Whom have become extreme in their individualism, which will in my opinion lead into pockets of possible criminal groups. Exploiting the masses due to the fact that only 1.67% of Americans are classified as Preppers. Having taken up not only preparedness for sustainment but Arms for defense against their neighbor. Community should be the focus and recovery of community is the only true American way and idealism.
CATTAILS - Survival Food5/5/2015
Tech Devices vs. Basic Skills5/5/2015 Nothing replaces basic land navigation skills. The old map and compass along with terrain association are the tools needed for traversing the countryside. These skills are perishable if not practiced at least twice a year minimum. Basic survival skills are also best if practiced often. Harness your skills by utilizing hands on training, combined with book knowledge. The preferred method would be to seek out professional instruction by a certified trainer. The bare minimum requirement for your peace of mind would be at a minimum a skills practitioner or hobbyist. Alway be prepared and communicate to others your plan in detail for locations, dates & times.
Our motto at Survival Extreme Catalog, Inc. & Dan Shrigley's Survival Academy, Dan Shrigley Ventures is to: • Be Prepared • Survive • Thrive www.DanielShrigley.com Archives
June 2023
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