What are the survival skills one should take while hunting or fishing?

Whether you’re practicing basic survival skills in the wilderness or are a part of some survival team, finding adequate supply of food is important for maintaining stamina and strength. Learning how to hunt can spell the difference between failure and success of your trip. Nevertheless, this technique does not just refer to chasing after big game but also gathering edible insects, bugs, plants and berries. It will not make sense for one to starve themselves with the hope of catching a deer later on while they can easily conserve energy by taking small wild desserts.

Remember that your ultimate goal is survival, and the best way to do this taking advantage of any food opportunity that presents itself whether big or small. Don’t discard locusts and other little bugs. Also collect wild plants, berries and bird eggs if possible. A fire can be built to prepare the wild desserts you have collected, just look for two sturdy stones and knock them together against some dry leaves. Alternatively, one can place these leaves in a hole that’s dug out from a piece of log and rub them together using two sticks.

Fishing

If you are lucky enough to find some clean supply of water such as a stream or lake, then it would be appropriate to look for fish and other marine vertebrates. To catch these animals make a spear from natural wood. Start by cutting down a tree-sapling to use as your spear shaft, look for one that is long and straight plus sufficiently strong to hook at the fish and pin them down without breaking.

Sharpen each split section into one or several bars if desired so as to catch more fish, you can also put the ends on fire for a few minutes to harden further. Nevertheless, take care that the rod does not catch fire. It is advisable to look for fish at night with a spotlight or any other source of light, the fish would be attracted and flock where the illumination is coming from-making it easier for you to catch them with a makeshift trap basket.

How to track and bring down big game

1. Look for their tracks on wet mud or soil hold prints, this will give you a clear picture of where they graze and go to drink water so as to prepare an ambush. Know which animals they are and the resources you’ll need to trap them, for instance, the buffalo is big and strong compared to antelopes and a spear alone at close range may not kill the animal but aggravate it to charge. Digging a trap hole covered with leaves is more appropriate in such circumstances.

2. When assessing hoof prints left on the ground always ensure that you know which direction they are facing, mistaking this information can be dangerous especially if you are tracking big animals. You don’t want to come face-to-face with a buffalo on its way from the waterhole. Also check how fresh the tracks you have identified are and if the vegetation that was trampled on by the game is desiccate then it goes to show that the animal did not pass by recently but some time back. You will have better luck with a prey that frequents the place more often.