When new friends find out that Declan Birmingham has achieved the Eagle Scout rank, they often ask about the different badges that he had to acquire throughout his scouting tenure. No badge seems to drum up more curiosity than the wildlife badge. Most people want to learn at least basic wildlife skills, so they can keep themselves and their families safe during a camping trip. Today, Declan Birmingham will touch on some of the top wildlife skills that he believes would benefit anyone who learned them.
Declan Birmingham on Fire Building
Anyone who has watched a season of Survivor knows how difficult it can be to build a fire from scratch. Without knowing the proper technique, it can be almost impossible to rub sticks together and get enough of a spark to start a flame. Declan Birmingham recommends that anyone who enjoys hiking or goes camping learns how to build a fire from scratch. Yes, there is plenty of equipment that can make starting a fire a simple process, but a good survivalist prepares for the unexpected. While there are many different ways to build a fire, the most practical way is to practice finding dry tinder in the backyard. Watch a few different YouTube videos on fire-building techniques and get to work. Declan Birmingham recommends keeping a fire extinguisher handy as a simple safety precaution.
Declan Birmingham on Safe Drinking Water
There is nothing more important in a wildlife survival scenario than having clean drinking water. Knowing how to source clean drinking water is difficult because it is very rare to find water clean enough to drink out in the wild. Natural water sources can carry parasites, viruses, and bacteria that our digestive systems are not prepared to fight. The simplest way to make water safer to drink is to boil it before consuming it. The only issue is you can be left with a certain amount of film that makes the water taste pretty disgusting. Of course, in a survival scenario, the taste won’t be top of mind.
Declan Birmingham on Foraging
Anyone looking for a fascinating reading experience should consider a local botanical guidebook. One of the greatest skills Declan Birmingham obtained during his scouting years was learning how to forage. People are often surprised by how many different wild plants are edible and actually contain a significant amount of nutrients. The problem is people don’t understand, which plants are safe to consume and which plants could actually cause them to be sick or worse. Those new to foraging should always avoid mushrooms. It takes an advanced foraging skillset to know the difference between an edible mushroom and a poisonous mushroom. Some of the safest foods to forage include miner’s lettuce and dandelion.
Declan Birmingham on Basic First Aid
While the above wildlife skills are vital to understand in a dire situation, the likelihood of needing these skills isn’t very high. Unless of course you frequently hike dangerous mountain peaks. For the average outdoor enthusiast, the most logical skillet to obtain is first aid skills. Everything from broken limbs to bleeding due to a cut can happen without warning. Understanding what to do in an emergency health situation before help arrives is essential for anyone who goes camping or hiking on a regular basis. Declan Birmingham recommends starting with CPR Classes. In addition to learning CPR, wildlife enthusiasts should know how to control bleeding, treat basic burns, or stabilize broken limbs.