Every single year, I see stories on the evening news about people who venture into the wilderness for a day of recreation and, due to unforeseen circumstances, they inadvertently become lost or injured and, while some of these people are found in time, others are not. However, with just a little preparation, any one of those people could have made their ordeal both more comfortable and of shorter duration and doing so may very well have preserved the lives of those who did not survive. Therefore, whenever you decide to venture into the wilderness, you should always go prepared even though you only plan to be there for a short while. Consequently, whenever I venture into the wilderness even on short day hikes, I always take a three-part survival system along.

In fact, it has been my experience that the only comforts you find in the wilderness are those that you take with you or those that you can make from the materials at hand using the tools that you have brought along. Therefore, rather than depending only on a simple survival kit, I instead increase my odds of survival in a wilderness emergency by assembling a three-part survival system which consists of the items I carry in my pockets, the items I carry in my survival kit, and the items I carry in my day pack.

Consequently, I consider the items that I carry in my pockets to be the bare minimum that I need to survive wilderness emergency and thus, I like to carry such items as a traditional, Stockman pattern, pocket knife, a folding camp knife, a diamond hone knife sharpener, a traditional sling for hunting birds and small game, a medicine bottle containing fishing gear such as monofilament fishing line, hooks, and lead split shot, a pocket chainsaw for cutting fire wood, and a butane lighter as well as waterproof matches for lighting fires. That way, even if I somehow lose my survival kit, I still have the basic necessities I need to obtain food and build a fire for both cooking and warmth. However, I also like to carry a well stocked survival kit since mine is both compact and easy to carry because I have it contained in a military surplus canvas pouch with a rubberized lining and I carry it on a military surplus utility belt along with my canteens and my survival knives. Also, because I have far more room in my survival kit than I do in my pockets, I include such items as a coach's whistle and a signal mirror for signaling rescue personnel as well as a compass for finding my way. Also, because the ability to build a fire can very well mean the difference between life and death in a wilderness emergency situation, I include such items as a magnifying glass (minus the rim and handle) along with an additional butane lighter and waterproof matches for starting fires and, for those times when it is difficult to find dry tender and kindling, I hedge my bet by also carrying fire starter blocks and a magnesium fire starter with a flint striker insert so that I can be assured of being able start a fire when and where I need it. In addition, because binding material is extremely difficult to come by in Nature, I also carry an assortment of string and cord of various diameters for such jobs as building shelters, binding arrow and atlatl dart heads and to their shafts, and for constructing animal and fish traps as well as setting snares. Plus, because knapping flint and chert is a skill that must be acquired over time, I also carry an assortment of steel atlatl dart/arrow heads combined with a modern bow string for use in constructing arrows/darts and a Self Bow which I can make from an appropriate sapling along with wire snares and additional fishing tackle. Furthermore, because even minor cuts and abrasions can quickly become infected in the wilderness, thus leading to incapacitation and even death, first aid supplies such as antibiotic ointment, band-aids, and bandages are also essential survival kit items. Therefore, between the items that I carry in my pockets and the items that I carry in my survival kit, I have the ability to obtain food, build a fire, and build a shelter to protect myself from the elements; all of which greatly increases my chance of survival in a wilderness emergency.

Last but not least, I also consider the items that I carry in my day pack to be essential to surviving a wilderness emergency. Therefore, because the Human body requires fuel to maintain its metabolism, I always carry extra, high energy, foods such as beef jerky and trail mix along with other non-perishable foods and I always carry more that I think that I will need for the duration of my adventure. In addition, because fresh, clean, water is not always easy to come by in Nature, I also include a portable water filter so that I can quickly and easily cleanse any water that I happen to find. Furthermore, because both hyperthermia and hypothermia are your number one enemies in a survival situation and the ambient air temperature can drop as much as twenty to thirty degrees after sunset (especially early in the morning), I also include a set of lightweight, fleece, thermal underwear to serve as additional insulation when the temperature does drop.

Consequently, by assembling a three-part survival system and always carrying it with me whenever I venture into the wilderness, if I ever do find myself in a wilderness emergency situation, I feel certain that I can not only survive, I can do so in relative comfort. Plus, I also feel assured that I will have the means at hand to build a fire for warmth, build a shelter for protection from the elements, and obtain all of the food necessary to maintain my health; all of which are absolutely essential to remaining alive until help can arrive.