Get to know these primitive survival skills that are tried and time-tested if you want to increase your survival odds in emergency situations!
Primitive Survival Skills Everyone Should Know
Importance of Primitive Survival Skills
As survivalists, most of us are constantly honing our craft and figuring out new ways to put our skills to the test. We do this to keep our minds sharp and to make sure we have the primitive survival skills necessary to survive in whatever situation might come our way.
And sometimes, we find the best survival techniques by looking way back. Surviving in an urban environment against the backdrop of modern technology requires very specific survival skills.
That's why survivalists like us should always stay on our toes and keep abreast of what's going on in the world—so that our skills can evolve and change with the times. Some skills, though, are evergreen, and that's why they're passed down from generation to generation.
These primitive survival skills, combined with the right survival gear, might just save your ass in an emergency situation someday. Here is a list of survival skills from our ancestors that you can apply to your survivalist life.
What are primitive skills? These are a set of skills perfected by our ancestors which helped them survive over thousands of years without the tools we have today.
1. Make Simple Tools from Flint
This is where ancient survival skills can be your best friend. Long before the industrial age, humans had to survive by making their own tools from natural materials.
Making Simple Tools From Flint Photo by Survival Life
While it’s no longer mainstream, with practice anyone can learn to make their own tools without modern equipment.
These tools are always going to be useful, and need nothing more than wood, rock, twine, and know-how made perfect over time.
The featured video in this article shows how you can make simple tools from flint.
2. Find Your Own Food and Water
You may not think about this now that you have plenty of food stored up. In an SHTF scenario though, your supplies will run out, eventually.
How to Find Edible Plants in the Wild Photo by Survival Life
You will need to know how to find alternate sources of food. Fortunately, the earth is brimming with edible plants and other food sources if you know where to look.
Plants and fungi that are safe for human consumption include morels, chanterelles, puffballs, polypores, Japanese knotweed, and dandelions. Knowing to tell fungi and plants apart is an indispensable survival skill.
3. Trap for Your Life
Foraging isn't your only option for getting food in the wilderness. Learning how to build simple traps out of materials available around you could be a truly lifesaving skill.
The Squirrel Snare: Trap For Your Life Photo by Survival Life
Learn how to make one of our favorite primitive traps, the squirrel snare, here. Squirrel stew anyone?
4. How to Prepare a Rabbit for Eating
Whether you raise, hunt, or capture rabbits using a primitive trap, you need butchering skills to prepare them for eating.
How to Butcher a Rabbit: A Vital Skill for Homesteaders Photo by Survival Life
This article will teach you how to prep, kill, and butcher a rabbit — an essential primitive survival skill.
5. Find the Perfect Skinning Knife
This is a survival skill that's been around since primitive times. Every hunter worth his salt should know this.
If you're gonna skin your fresh kill, you can't just use any old knife because they're not all created equal.
A skinning knife needs to be thin and curved so it cuts through the epidermis quite easily without damaging the meat.
It just doesn't get any better than these 7 fixed blade knives. See the full list here: https://t.co/Zgdc5o2a9t pic.twitter.com/7yGxdSZMEQ
— Survival Life (@SurvivalLF) August 10, 2016
6. Make Your Own Knives
In an SHTF situation, you can't always just walk into a store and buy a weapon. You need to know how to make your own.
Knife Making Tutorials for Survivalists Photo by Survival Life
People have been making weapons since the beginning of time. These tutorials will increase your knowledge in making knives from stuff you use every day.
These 5 tips will also help you learn how to sharpen your knife effectively.
7. Make a Knife from an Old Wrench
Being resourceful will help you survive. As shops close and sources for personal defense weapons grow scarce, you may find yourself having to improvise.
Knifemaking: Make A Knife From An Old Wrench Photo by Survival Life
Weaponry will be a major concern during a survival situation, so resourcefulness is key. This video will teach you how to turn common everyday items, like a wrench, into a knife.
8. Forging Your Own Weapons and Tools
Blacksmithing is a very important primitive survival skill. Not only can it help you make your own tools for your own survival, but it can also give you an edge to trade for other items you might need.
Blacksmithing: Useful Hobby and Survival Skill Photo by Survival Life
This at-home knife making furnace burner is perfect for any amateur blacksmith, grab it here.
9. Make Your Own Pack Basket
A pack basket is undeniably useful for quick transport. If bags are unavailable for you, you might need to make your own packs. The one in this tutorial is great for carrying camping supplies and other gear.
Make a Pack Basket for Camping Photo by Survival Life
Wicker baskets like these are sturdy, self-standing, easy to pack, versatile, and durable. This article will teach you how to make them yourself.
RELATED: 29 YouTube Survival Skills Videos You Can Learn At Home
10. Make Your Own Bow
Making your own bow is essential for your survival. There's a reason why bows are still in use around the world today.
Bow Making Course | How to Make Your Own Bows Photo by Survival Life
It is the most basic ranged weapon you can have and will put you in better situations when SHTF. Besides being a self-defense weapon, it is also a great hunting tool.
It is silent, light, and versatile. While it's not easy to master, you'll have a lot of time to get acquainted with it. Your bow will help you hunt your own food, and you can also use it as a weapon for self-defense.
11. Archery for Beginners
This article is perfect for beginners in learning the fundamentals of archery.
Bow Shooting Tips for Beginners Photo by Survival Life
Plus, it also shows the different kinds of bows you can use. This is one primitive survival skill you need to know.
12. Archery Sighting Exercises
Hunting with a bow and arrow takes hours of practice. By doing these exercises, you will be shooting with great accuracy in no time.
How to Practice for Bow Hunting Photo by Survival Life
You don't need to have top-of-the-line bow hunting accessories to hunt well using just a compound bow. Keep in mind though, that constant practice is the only thing that will make you really accurate with this weapon.
Take the time to know your weapon and understand its strengths and weaknesses.
13. Bow Shooting in Detail
For those who learn better visually, this infographic will show you how to shoot a bow and arrow in detail.
Bow Shooting Tactics Photo by Survival Life
14. Archery from a Female Perspective
Archery is a little different for women due to differences in weight distribution and upper body strength. This video shows how women can best use the bow and arrow.
Archery Tips for Women Photo by Survival Life
It teaches the stance and release, as well as the follow-through techniques. While being a lone wolf is appealing, you will inevitably hook up with a group to survive.
So, you should learn how to teach the fairer sex about properly defending themselves to increase your chances of survival.
15. Hone Your Fishing Skills
When SHTF, it's all about going back to your roots, and this means capturing fish for food. But even if you've never been fishing, don't you worry.
Being a great fisherman is a skill that takes practice and precision… and a little redneck ingenuity. This article will teach you how to combine all three.
Fish Like A Redneck Wacky Fishing Tips Photo by Survival Life
Fishing will be a major food source for you during survival situations. Learning how to efficiently fish will ensure a steady food supply for years to come.
Another one of my favorite fishing hacks is this tiny but incredibly effective paracord fishing pod. and it's full of the items below — basically everything you need for some emergency/SHTF fishing.
16. Identifying Animal Tracks
A lot of your time will be spent foraging and hunting for food. A skill you will need to learn when hunting is tracking.
Identifying Animal Tracks Photo by Survival Life
This includes being able to tell which animals leave which tracks. Rabbits leave different prints than gophers and squirrels, for example.
This survival knowledge will help you catch your next meal in the shortest time possible. Plus, it can help you avoid dangerous animals as well.
17. Staying on Course Without a Map or a Compass
Can you find your way without a GPS? There are a lot of tools available out there that can help you stay on course, even if you don't have a compass or working phone.
Primitive Navigation Without a Map or Compass Photo by Survival Life
Our ancestors used the stars to find their way, and so can you. Learning how to tell directions using only the sky is a primitive survival skill that will save your life in a pinch.
18. Fortify Your Emergency Shelter
You can protect yourself from harsher elements in the wild by making DIY cement for your emergency shelter.
How To Make Homemade Survival Cement Photo by Survival Life
While having a thatched hut may be enough for you, it's not exactly a long-term solution.
Learn how to make a more resilient shelter and ensure long-term survival.
19. Going Ballistic Old School Style
While it's true that you should never bring a knife to a gunfight, you've gotta keep in mind that a gun eventually runs out of ammo. Knives don't.
If you run out of ammo, you can use your knife as an effective throwing tool to incapacitate or deliver a fatal blow to an animal or a hostile intruder.
Make your ancestors proud by learning how to make fire. Thanks to azfilmcompany for this video:
Modern day technology has made living so much easier but when all else fails and SHTF, these primitive survival skills will be absolutely vital. One can only prepare for an SHTF situation for so long, and things may fall through the cracks.
Learning how to do a lot of things without the help of modern tech will put you at an advantage in a society that's become very enamored with its tech comforts. Remember, when everything collapses, you can only depend on yourself for survival.
We hope these survival tips and tricks can help you out in dire situations in the future. Keep going, survivalist!
Do you have any primitive survival skills or tips to share? Let us know in the comments section below!
Up Next: Lost In The Woods 101: What To Do When Lost In The Woods
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Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 11, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
Looking at the picture above the shooting – from a woman’s perspective article, I wouldn’t have even clicked on the article because the technique shown in this picture is ALL WRONG. However, I looked at the article to see what advice was being given, and it’s all about modern shooting with a compound bow. Shooting with a compound is a totally different technique, skill, and set of equipment than longbow shooting (shown in the picture). Disappointed in the quality and accuracy of this whole article which references other articles rather than teaching anything here. You need to delete that picture with the woman bringing the bow to the front of her face. There are techniques you use as a woman with difference physical characteristics than men. But none of them involve what this picture shows. I have taught women longbow for years with great success, because I correct much of this kind of misinformation and show them the right way to shoot for a woman.
Another good skill to have is making string or weaving your own fabric.