Brian Morris - The Green Beret Bushcrafting Guide

Copyright 2023 by Brian M. Morris

Photography 2023 by Getty Images unless otherwise noted

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Kai Texel

Cover photos by Getty Images

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-7145-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-7146-8

Printed in China

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

Abraham Lincoln

Table of Contents

Introduction

T his book takes on the challenge of wilderness survival from my perspective as a former US Army Special Forces Soldier (aka Green Beret). This book is not simply a survival manual. It uses the traits associated with Green Berets such as always being prepared, having good contingency plans, and having the heart, knowledge, and most of all mental toughness to survive and thrive in an emergency wilderness survival situation. This book is not intended to be the survival guide of the Army Special Forces, although Field Manual 2176, the US Army Survival Manual, is a comprehensive survival tool that anyone would be smart to have in their self-reliance toolbox. This book uses some of the same techniques found in the 2176 as well as many survival techniques that are not, making it an extremely useful tool to put in your toolbox as well. This book is written so that it can be used by anyone from the novice outdoorsman to the expert survivalist, but it cannot replace real-world, hands-on experience and instruction. The aim of this guide is to assist you in applying your time and energy in the most advantageous direction in any potential wilderness survival scenario.

US Army Special Forces

Caution: There are techniques, tactics, and procedures discussed in this guide that could be inappropriate for some readers due to physical limitations, illness, injury, a lack of wilderness survival and outdoor skill sets, or some other handicap.

EDC (EVERY-DAY CARRY) BAGS

The names that are out there to describe your emergency backpack and the stuff you carry on your person every day vary greatly and, honestly, they can become quite confusing at times. Seventy-two hour pack, GBH (get back home) bag, blow-out bag, bug-out bag, etc. The bottom line is that whatever items you carry with you every day wherever you go are your EDC (every-day carry) bag. An EDC bag is nothing more than a sack containing a group of items meant to assist you in getting back to safety in the event that you find yourself in an emergency scenario. The idea is that you should keep these items on your person or in your vehicle at all times, so that if you ever do find yourself in a survival situation, you will have maximized your chances for surviving the ordeal and returning home safely. There is a plethora of backpacks on the market today and its hard to say which one is best, but you want to look for a pack that is both comfortable to carry for long distances and that is made with thick, strong materials with reinforced stitching that will not come apart when you need it most. Size will vary on how much you need to carry with you in the environment that you are in to be able to survive and make your way back to safety.

EDC BAG CONTENTS

• Concealed carry pistol with additional magazine (refer to state law for permit requirements)
• Keys with lanyard or flotation device
• Less-than-lethal device (taser, stun gun, or mace)
• Survival kit, individual
• Flashlight, tactical
• Multi-tool
• Watch
• Cell phone (with charger cable, plug, spare battery pack)
• Wallet with CCW permit, ID, credit card, and cash
• Medical mask
• Food (minimum of 3 meals and several energy bars)
• Water (2 quarts)
• Pry bar
• Bolt cutters
• Knife (full tang)
• First aid kit
• Space blanket
• AM/FM/shortwave emergency radio, small
• Walking shoes and hiking socks (seasonal)
• Change of clothing (outdoor/rugged/seasonally oriented) with gloves and hat
• Rain poncho
• Sunglasses
• Goggles
• Glass/window punch
• Bandana
• Charging devices (battery and solar)
• Paper map (local/detailed and large-scale, showing clear routes back to your home)
• GPS device (if not on smartphone)
• PLB (personal locator beacon)
• 550 cord
• Carabiner

PACE PLAN

PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) is an acronym commonly used by Green Berets as a tool to memorize a series of plans that help ensure they have multiple survival options to choose from in an emergency situation. Remember, emergency situations can be highly fluid and knowing when to stop what you are doing and refocus on something completely different can be a difficult thing to do. People run into problems in the wilderness when signs to change course are ignored. You can apply a PACE Plan in order to maximize your chances of survival no matter what the situation.

Take a look at the following PACE Plan and tailor a plan that fits your own personal level of preparedness. Note: This PACE Plan is based off the assumption that the survivor is dressed appropriately for the outside weather conditions and that they have their EDC (every-day carry) bag with them.

FOOD

• P: 6 (5,000-calorie) freeze-dried meals with my EDC bag
• A: SDS Imports Lynx LH-12 Gauge Shotgun and US Survival AR-7 .22 LR Rifle
• C: 6 (500-calorie) power bars with my EDC bag
• E: Field expedient (survival knife and survival kit: i.e., hunt, trap/ snare, fish, gather)

WATER

• P: 1 (3-quart) water bladder drinking system and 2 (2-quart) Nalgene bottles
• A: Water filtration system (such as LifeStraw)
• C: Alternate purification methods (i.e., UV, iodine, chlorine)
• E: Field expedient method (i.e., boil; field expedient filter, rainwater catch)