Chapter 9: Survival Hunting, Fishing & Foraging Skills You Should Develop Now
While stockpiling food and farming on a small scale may be the key to long-term survival in a Doomsday scenario, there is also something to be said for hunting, fishing and foraging. If you do not have a stockpile of food for some reason or if your supply runs out before you can begin harvesting your crops, then the abilities to hunt, fish and forage for food become very important to survival.
Hunting
Hunting for food can be handled by a variety of methods. Many preppers choose to equip their shelters with firearms, bow and arrow sets or other hunting equipment. Whether you choose to use a firearm or go back to your caveman roots and attack your prey with a club, there are certain things to keep in mind.
In a survival situation, almost any animal or bird can be turned into a ready food source. The problem with hunting for food is simply that both skill and luck are necessary for success. If you pass up a shot in favor of waiting for something more palatable to come along, you might just go hungry that night. While a roasted rat may not sound particularly delicious, it might be the meal that stands between you and starvation.
In addition, hunting for food does expose you to certain risks, such as parasites that might be living on or in your chosen prey. Cook everything thoroughly to ensure you don't become the host to some of the nasty parasites that might be lurking in the rabbit or other animal you just shot for dinner.
Don't take on something larger than you can handle. Injured animals are dangerous. If you are hunting with primitive weapons, settle for smaller, more manageable fare. While a large elk might provide you with food, sinews and hide, it's more likely to cause you a serious injury if you go up against it without the proper weapons.
If you should encounter a large predator, such as a mountain lion or bear, while tracking your prey, your wisest move is to relinquish the kill to the more prepared beast. You are in their territory. These animals are built for killing and designed by Mother Nature. They would have no qualms about adding a human with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement to their menu.
Take only what you need for survival. Taking more than necessary could lead to your food supply running out as the animal's numbers are thinned or they move to safer territory. If you have the supplies to preserve food for later, then do so, but, if you were caught unprepared for the situation, understand that having too much meat lying around could also place you in danger from predators or carrion eating insects and animals.
Use everything you can. The Native American Indians were well known for the ability to use every part of the animals they hunted. They used hides for clothing, bones for tools and sinews for string. Take a lesson from their example and use every part of your kill to your advantage. Preserve the hides for future use. Save bones to make needles, knives and fish hooks. Use sinews to make tie-downs, laces or bow strings. Even the inedible parts of an animal can be used for bait to draw out other animals or for fishing. The basic idea is to get the most benefit from the least amount of expended resources. The time and energy you spend hunting for food takes these things away from other necessities. By making the most of your kill, you limit your losses and may come out in a better position than where you started.
Fishing
Like hunting, fishing is equal parts skill and luck. The obvious advantage is that fishing for food requires much less in the way of tools. A simple string with a hook may be all you need to catch fish. In some places, it is even possible to circumvent the need for hook and line fishing in favor of fish traps, nets, spears or hand-fishing (also called noodling). By understanding a little about the behavior of fish and the basics of fishing, you can successfully survive for extended periods of time in an area with ample water and aquatic life.
The main advantage of fishing for food is that it is often more reliable than hunting. If you are fishing in an isolated pool of water, like a small pond, tidal pools or an overflow ditch, the fish are confined and won't be distributed across the countryside like land animals are. In an isolated water source, you can usually catch fish by traditional baited hook and line methods, spear fishing or by using nets.
Larger bodies of water or running streams may provide additional challenges but a prepared survivalist can still be a successful fisherman in these waterways. Traditional hook and line fishing may work well in these areas if you fish near breeding areas or submerged structures. Fish traps or nets placed across spillways or narrow spots in the stream where water is moving rapidly tend to work well for these areas.
In slow moving rivers and streams or isolated larger water bodies, the use of fish traps can be a good way to catch fish. Trot lines, a length of strong line with several baited hooks suspended from connected lines which is secured to the shore, also work well in these areas, particularly if your main line can reach all the way across the water body. The advantage to using fish traps and trot lines is you can set the devices in the morning and come back to check for fish later in the day, leaving more time open for hunting or other survival needs to be filled.
Hand-fishing is one of the most dangerous forms of fishing. This is not for amateurs or for use in fast moving water. Fish caught by this method tend to be large because they have found a place to sit and wait for their meal to come to them, rather than actively hunting for food. The technique for hand-fishing is simple. One gets into the water and feels for submerged holes or recesses in the bank or around structures. The idea is to slide your hand into the open mouth of a fish that may be waiting there. When the fish clamps down on your hand, you begin a tug of war that ends: A) when you successfully wrestle the fish to the shore, B) when you lose your grip on the fish and it lets go of your arm or C) when you drown. This is a very dangerous form of fishing that presents the risks of drowning, snakebites, losing limbs or appendages and receiving serious cuts. People can, and have, died or suffered serious injury from this fishing method. It should not be undertaken by amateurs unless there is no other option.
As with hunting, take only what is necessary for survival to ensure the conservation of adequate supplies of fish. Over-fishing has resulted in the loss of many fish species around the world and, in a survival situation; the loss of a fishing ground due to poor conservation techniques would be unforgivable.
Like other meats, fish should be cooked thoroughly to avoid exposure to parasites. While fish can be preserved through salting and drying, do not keep excess fish lying around your camp to draw insects or predators as this could open you up to significant health risks.
Foraging
Foraging for food is the term used for locating wild growing plants, fungi, insects and other edibles. While certain wild foods, such as blackberries, mulberries and strawberries, are easily recognized and have no toxic look-alikes, other foods, such as the many varieties of wild mushrooms, often look very similar to highly poisonous plants and are easily confused with these dangers.
To assist with finding food following a Doomsday event, it is highly recommended that prepper's become acquainted with both the safe food sources and their toxic look-alikes now to avoid dangerous confusion later. While field guides to identify plants in your local area are readily available, they are no comparison to actual hands on experience so finding an individual in your community who can help you learn to recognize food sources is highly recommended. Getting to know these foods and acquire a taste for them through camping trips or outdoor excursions before an emergency is a great way to prepare for future disasters and to supplement your camp's food budget.
In some cases, parts of a plant may be edible while other parts are highly poisonous. In other cases, a poisonous or unpalatable plant may be rendered edible by special preparation techniques. This is particularly the case with a number of roots and tubers, as well as many leafy wild edibles.
Common, safe edible fruits include the fruits of the mulberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry and gooseberry plants. Greens such as asparagus and dandelions may also be available in your area. Plants that require special consideration in gathering and cooking include poke salad, acorns and cat tails.
Wild edibles, like onions, garlic and others, can add flavor to your survival cooking and make the overall experience more comfortable. Root and tuber plants can often be used to substitute for potatoes and starch. Acorns can be prepared and ground into meal for use in making survival kitchen breads. Wild nuts, like walnuts, hickory nuts and pecans, can be eaten as a snack or crushed to form a peanut butter like paste.
Foods that you may find by foraging include more than just fruits and berries. In many areas of the world, the resourceful survivalist can find shellfish, nuts, fungi, roots, eggs and insects that are edible and, in some cases, even a bit tasty. Keeping an eye out for ground-dwelling bird's nests and watching the habits of local wildlife may help you discover additional food sources in your immediate area.
The secret to long-term survival on foraged food is understanding that some of the most nutritious survival foods may seem a bit unusual to your personal tastes. High protein foods, such as eggs, grubs and larvae, are often unappetizing to look at and are usually hidden from view but can provide a life-saving meal in an emergency. In a situation where starvation is close at hand, your next meal may be sitting in the rotting log next to you.
Whether you choose to supplement your available food supplies by hunting, fishing or foraging, learning the skills and techniques you will need is best done before the emergency strikes. Many localities have groups for preppers and survivalists offer groups with weekend retreats or classes in outdoor survival techniques. It is highly advisable to participate in these groups where available.
In hunting, fishing or foraging, safety is the primary concern. NEVER put yourself in danger if it can be avoided. In a survival situation, medical attention is not likely to be available and even a minor injury can turn deadly in this scenario. The areas where food can be found in the wild often come with their own dangers, such as snakes, poisonous insects, fall hazards, unstable land formations, drowning hazards and threats from predators or territorial animals. Proper care and precautions should be taken to avoid injury in your search for food.