Wilderness Survival

Understands fire safety rules and the fire triangle (heat, fuel, oxygen)

Gathers appropriate tinder, kindling, and fuel wood

Lights a fire with matches in ideal conditions with supervision

Maintains a fire and safely extinguishes it

Identifies natural shelter locations (overhangs, fallen trees)

Builds a simple debris hut with guidance

Constructs a basic lean-to shelter

Roasts marshmallows and hot dogs safely over a fire

Cooks simple meals on a camp stove

Cooks a full meal over an open fire (foil packets, skewers)

Understands importance of hand washing in the outdoors

Properly disposes of waste using cat hole method (6-8 inches deep, 200 feet from water)

Maintains personal hygiene on multi-day trips

Teaches Leave No Trace principles to others

Understands why untreated water can be dangerous

Uses a water filter or purification tablets with guidance

Boils water for purification and understands timing

Identifies safe water sources in the wild

Ties basic knots: square knot, overhand knot

Ties bowline, clove hitch, and taut-line hitch

Selects appropriate knots for different situations

Ties knots quickly and in low-light conditions

Identifies 5 common edible plants in local area

Identifies 5 poisonous plants to avoid

Identifies 10+ edible plants and their seasons

Uses a compass to find North

Reads a topographic map and identifies landmarks

Navigates a simple orienteering course

Cleans and bandages minor cuts and scrapes

Treats blisters, splinters, and minor burns

Recognizes signs of hypothermia and heat exhaustion

Performs basic first aid assessment

Identifies basic cloud types and what they indicate

Predicts weather changes from natural signs

Makes decisions based on weather forecasts

Starts fire with ferro rod in various conditions

Creates fire using bow drill or hand drill

Starts fire in wet conditions using natural materials

Teaches fire-making to others

Builds a weatherproof debris shelter

Constructs a quinzhee (snow shelter)

Builds shelter in under 30 minutes

Survives overnight in self-built shelter

Identifies and harvests 10+ edible plants

Identifies edible mushrooms with expert guidance

Prepares a meal entirely from foraged foods

Preserves foraged foods (drying, pickling)

Understands ethics and regulations of trapping

Builds simple snares and deadfalls

Sets effective traps in appropriate locations

Catches fish using rod and reel

Cleans and prepares fish for cooking

Uses primitive fishing methods (hand lines, traps)

Fly fishing with self-tied flies

Treats sprains, strains, and minor injuries

Recognizes and responds to hypothermia, heat stroke

Performs patient assessment and evacuation decisions

Earns Wilderness First Aid certification

Navigates using map and compass in unfamiliar terrain

Uses GPS and understands its limitations

Navigates at night using stars and terrain features

Competes in orienteering events

Uses whistle and mirror for signaling

Builds signal fires and ground-to-air signals

Uses emergency communication devices (PLB, satellite messenger)

Ties 10+ knots for different purposes

Sets up simple pulley systems for mechanical advantage

Builds rope bridges and Tyrolean traverses

Identifies tracks of 10+ common animals

Follows animal trails and interprets sign

Predicts animal behavior from tracks and sign

Selects safe, appropriate campsites

Sets up camp efficiently in various conditions

Manages a group campsite with proper food storage

Breaks camp leaving no trace

Gathers tinder and kindling, understands fire triangle

Builds and lights a fire with matches under supervision

Starts fires in various conditions using multiple methods

Builds simple debris hut with guidance

Constructs weather-resistant shelter independently

Builds various shelter types for different conditions

Understands why water purification is essential

Uses commercial filters and purification tablets

Creates improvised water filters from natural materials

Identifies 5 common edible plants in local area

Safely harvests and prepares wild edibles

Identifies 20+ edible plants and knows poisonous look-alikes

Completes hunter education and obtains license

Hunts small game successfully

Hunts big game and processes meat field-to-table

Bow hunts or uses primitive methods

Winter camps in temperatures below freezing

Builds and sleeps in a snow shelter

Travels on skis or snowshoes in backcountry

Leads winter expeditions

Uses friction methods like bow drill

Starts fires in wet conditions

Masters multiple primitive fire-starting techniques

Builds insulated shelters for cold weather

Constructs elevated and waterproof shelters

Creates semi-permanent wilderness structures

Forages seasonally for diverse wild foods

Identifies and prepares wild mushrooms safely

Plans and executes multi-day foraging expeditions

Completes a 3-day solo wilderness experience

Survives 5+ days with minimal gear

Leads others on wilderness expeditions

Earns wilderness instructor certification

Lives primitively for 24+ hours (no modern tools)

Creates fire by friction reliably

Makes primitive tools (stone knives, cordage, containers)

Teaches primitive skills to others

Earns Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification

Practices patient care in realistic scenarios

Leads medical response in wilderness settings

Volunteers with search and rescue

Understands desert hazards and water conservation

Navigates and finds water in arid environments

Survives 24+ hours in desert conditions

Completes sea survival course (life raft, signaling)

Demonstrates man-overboard recovery

Earns STCW certification