Our regular readers will remember that last year we reviewed Creek Stuart’s Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag. Today Creek’s latest book, The Unoffical Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide is being released and we were lucky enough to receive a review copy just in time for this review. Like Creek’s other book, this one is also full of useful information (see the page sample to the right). Let’s dive in and see what we have in store this time.
Creek uses details from the Hunger Game book series to illustrate specific preparedness concepts, such as specific situations with individual characters like Katniss or Peeta to relate the skills represented in that fictional scenario with a real world survival or wood craft example. I found this to be a fun and engaging approach for someone who is familiar with the books. This approach may have limited impact for someone who has no knowledge of the characters and why that skill was critical to their survival, or even for someone who only watched the first movie. However, given the title and the suspected audience, I think this has the chance to pull non-preppers in and give them their first exposure to these concepts.
Overall structure
The book is composed of nine chapters as outlined with some commentary below. Of particular note are the Quick Survival tips scattered throughout each chapter. They are one or two paragraph details related to the section that they are referenced in. These often provide a little more insight into specific techniques or tricks that can help if you begin practicing these skills.
Introduction
Creek succinctly relates that our own personal Hunger Games can begin at any time, without warning, be it job loss, earthquake, tornado, etc. but we can prepare in advance for these events. He also notes that unlike in the Hunger Games books, we are not safe once we reach 18.
Also, practice is key. Katniss didn’t develop her skills in a few hours, rather long days over years in the woods. We don’t need to and often can’t devote the time to do that, but we can practice and learn new skills in our backyards.
One – Survival Mentality
Attitude is first and most useful tool. Without the right one, other tools, etc. don’t matter. It can also be your worst enemy. The wrong attitude can get you killed.
Creek also touches on:
Goals
Bravery
Positive Thinking
Never Give Up
Alliances/Relationships
Adapt and Improvise
Prepare in Advance
After Attitude, come the Core Four Basic Human Survival Needs which are:
•Shelter •Water •Fire
•Food
Two – Shelter
Various location considerations, like environmental hazards, looking at water flow, etc. when choosing a location.
Three – Water
This chapter boils down to two topics:
-
Finding water
Purifying water
Four – Fire
Foundations for a good fire
Fire starting material
Fire starting methods
Fire lays
Five – Tools
The most useful tool, a good knife
Flint knapping a blade
Cordage
Containers
Fishing kits
Fire starting tools
Six – Finding and gathering food
Plants
Snares
Making simple arrows and bows
Seven – first aid
Various natural poultices, bandages
Eight – navigation, evasion and rescue
Compasses, other ways of finding north
Signal fires, trail signs, signal mirrors
Nine – Building your survival kit
A short explanation of the tools and equipment you should carry in your bug out bag.
Appendix
An impressive list of survival resources grouped by category
Impressions
I found the book to be a good introduction into various survival skills, along with helpful practical tips, usually in the form of the Survival Quick Tip sidebars. The tie in to the popular books and movies also helped make the book fun to read as it related particular survival skills to examples from the books. In fact, I think this is where this book will really make its mark; introducing newbies to the world of prepping. Many books on the subject have the tendency to turn off people who aren’t already thinking about preparing for emergencies. This book however has the opportunity to reach a whole new group of people who otherwise might not be exposed to these ideas.
I should also note that Chapter Nine is a essentially a very short summary of Creek’s Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag which I highly recommend. The Bug Out Bag book has very little in the way of describing practical survival skills, and the Hunger Games book barely scratches the surface when it comes to gear. This is by design, to keep both books focused on their core subject. Together though, the books become a great introductory guide on the key aspects of survival and preparedness in general.
Giveaway
We’ll be giving away two copies of the book for those who have ‘Liked’ Utah Prepper’s Facebook page AND Comment on the Facebook Link for this article. Each of the two winners will receive an autographed copy of The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide, a Willow Haven Outdoor Logo Sling Pack, a 100% cotton Willow Haven Outdoor Survival Bandanna and a Multi-Fuctional Survival Tool with built in lanyard, compass, ferro rod, whistle and water-proof container for storing matches other survival kit items, all compliments of Creek Stuart and Utah Preppers!
