The Bushcraft Essentials Field Guide: The Basics You Need to Pack, Know, and Do to Survive in the Wild

Dave Canterbury teaches wilderness survival courses, so he has the perfect experience to put together an excellent guide for those who need to be prepared to visit a wilderness environment. After a short introduction, the first chapter lays out the five survival priorities: Self-Aid, Shelter, Fire, Hydration, and Navigation and Signaling. This has an illustrated guide to the necessities, such as a folding saw and a very useful canvas sail needle. The other eight chapters cover the five priorities as well as Bind Craft (knots and such), Landscape Resources (useful trees and such), and Pioneering (all kinds of great skills). The real strength of this little (4.5 X 7 inches) book is its thoroughness. Not only does it cover whatever anyone might need, but it gives detailed information about each tool and its uses. The line drawings for many of the items described are really helpful and complement the information nicely. Don’t know how to read a topographic map? Don’t worry. This book teaches that. Don’t know how to lash two poles together? There are several pages on that with lots of illustrations. This well-written, useful guide is perfect for any outdoors people you might know.