How to survive in the woods, without zombies

It might be the Boy Scout in me, but I am always looking for useful information on how to be better prepared for emergency situations. With the "end o the world" coming up at the end of the year, there have been a steady stream of books and documentaries on what to do when the zombies take over. These are usually worse-case scenarios and end up with dueling a zombie for the last mouse on the planet.

I am not really interested in battling zombies. I am interested in educating myself in how to survive if I get turned around while hiking, or injured in the woods and have to wait for rescue. So information on gathering food, making fire and building shelter always interest me. While I know quite a bit on each subject, I can always learn more.

In the past couple of weeks I have re-discovered an old favorite that my uncle had me read when I was a teen, and thanks to Jeff Potter at outyourbackdoor.com, an old Navy training film on survival.

Plants as of March 12, 2012

Euell Gibbons wrote "Stalking the Wild Asparagus" in 1962, and my uncle had an early copy. It is a great reference on wild plants that can be eaten, not only for survival, but as a supplement to grocery store food. These are all plants that Gibbons ate himself, in addition to his Grape Nuts for those who remember the commercials, but also served them to friends at parties. He gives ways to prepare each plant. I have tried and few, and they all all quite good. I still cannot stand boiled greens.

"Survival in the North Temperate Regions" was produced by the Navy in 1955 to prepare pilots for survival situations while flying in an area that includes Canada, Alaska, northern Europe, and as produced during Cold War, even Russia.

Designed to help pilots stay alive until rescued, it does have useful information if you are ever lost in the woods. While produced over 50 years ago, the information is still useful.