Wilderness Arena > Supplies

Supplies

Supplies

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How to make a powerful survival bow out of cheap PVC pipe

There are a couple of ways to make a PVC bow. In a pinch, you can simply take a 4-6 foot piece of PVC pipe, notch the ends, and string with paracord at a high enough tension to bend the bow limbs. The second method is a bit more involved but results in a more powerful bow. Method 2 is possible due to PVC’s inherent ability to bend when heated and retain its shape without weakening the integrity of the material’s structure. Recurve bows, bows with tips that are bent to curve away from the archer, constructed from PVC pipe can produce anywhere from 30 – 70 pounds draw, which is significantly higher than the energy delivered from an equivalent straight-limbed bow.

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How to tap a pine tree to collect pine tree sap

Pine tree sap can be tapped and used to make paint and resin products. It makes a great water-proof sealant for buckets and tarps and can be used as an adhesive. Pine tree sap can also be used as stove fuel and it can be boiled and mixed with ash or sand and compressed to make concrete. Fortunately, tapping a pine tree for its sap causes no permanent damage to the tree. Here is how to tap a pine tree for its sap.

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Making arrows in the wild

Wood for arrow shafts Making arrows while in the wild is not difficult.  To being, collect shoots to use for the shafts (slightly dried wood is better than green wood).  Dogwood makes the best shafts, but any other straight hardwood shoots can be used. Cut them at least a couple of inches longer than the…

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How to build a Trebuchet (Catapult)

A Trebuchet (pronounced treb-oo-shay)  is a medieval siege engine that transfers gravitational energy into kinetic energy – similar to a playground see-saw.  In ancient times, it was used to launch (throw) projectiles including boulders, dead horses, and diseased bodies into or over castle walls to soften the defenses in preparation for invasion. On one end…

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Cooking and Eating Utensils in the Wild

Using wood, bamboo, and even animal parts, you can use many materials to make equipment for the cooking, eating, and storing of food. Pots and Bowls Cooking with Hot Rocks Use wood, bone, horn, bark, or other similar material to make bowls. To make wooden bowls, use a hollowed out piece of wood that will…

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Clothing and Insulation in the Wild

You can use many materials for clothing and insulation. Both man-made materials, such as tarps and tent material, and natural materials, such as skins and plant materials, are available and offer significant protection. Animal Skins The selection of animal skins in a survival situation will most often be limited to what you manage to trap…

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Making Backpacks in the Wild

Rucksack (Backpack) Construction The materials for constructing a rucksack or pack are almost limitless. You can use wood, bamboo, rope, plant fiber, clothing, plastic bags, tarps, animal skins, canvas, and many other materials to make a pack. There are several construction techniques for rucksacks. Many are very elaborate, but those that are simple and easy…

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Bola

The bola is made from weights on the ends of interconnected cords.  It is especially effective for capturing running game or low-flying fowl in a flock and does no by entangling their legs. Most bolas have two or three stones of equal weight (some bolas as been built with as many as eight).  A bola…

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Bow and Arrows

Components of a Bow A box consists of two elastic limb ends, traditionally made from wood, connected by a string.  By pulling the string backwards, the archer exerts compressive force on the string facing section, or back.  The stored energy is later released putting an arrow into flight. The curved limbs may have a single…

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Throwing Sticks

One of the earliest weapons used by humans, the throwing stick, commonly known as the rabbit stick (or throwing club, kylie, or boomerang), is very effective against small game (squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits). The rabbit stick itself is a blunt stick or wooden club, straight or naturally curved at about a 45-degree angle. In the…

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