I’m going to be living off the wilderness for four nights – any survival tips?

This will be Man vs Wild / Survivorman style in the Midwest (upstate New York). I’ll have the following materials:
- 2 knives: a machette and a smaller pocket knife
- flint & magnesium
- a coffee can (with the thought that if I start a fire, I can boil water)

I would agree that an ax or hatchet would be much better than a machete for building a shelter and gathering firewood. When you do make a fire for the night or to cook on you will want hardwoods to burn hotter and longer, an ax will make it easier to cut the wood into more manageable pieces than a machete would. I would also take one good, sharp fixed blade knife over two, and take a multi-tool instead of the second knife.

You ought to know the different types of shelters that can be built before you go out. Lean-to, A-frame, etc.

I would suggest bringing a water bottle as well as your coffee can. Water doesn’t travel well in a coffee can. And take a chemical treatment for the water as a back-up, in case you can’t boil.

A reference book to edible plants in the area is a good idea, bad things can happen if you miss identify a plant and you are alone.

Probably the easiest edibles to get your hands on other than plants are insects and grubs. If you really want to catch small animals you should look up how to set snares and traps like the figure 4, and practice them before you go.

Think resourcefully while you out there and don’t be to proud to come in early if you find that it is more than you’re ready for.

Wilderness Survival Tips : Wilderness Survival Techniques

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