---SKILLS---SKILLS---SKILLS---

 

      I have started writing a series of articles about Survival.  In talking to a number of our members - that's really what were about.  When Walt Hayward first had this idea it was all about survival.  SO -- I'm going to pursue this venture with your help. 

      Their has been so much written about survival in the past 10 years and a lot of it by people who never set foot in a forest.

      Years ago I started doing classes on survival for backpackers, hunters, outdoor clubs, backwoodsmen groups, long hunters anyone who would listen to me.   It's my conclusion that even today you can get lost and perish in almost any state in the country.  Survival is a state of mind especially when you finally discover your lost.  In my own opinion I believe that every member of the NAF should be a good survivalist.  Your not always going to have a brigade with you if you do count your blessings.  ( IF YOUR ALONE )  This is were you have to center your thinking.

       One thing is for certain -- if you read all that you can about survival and you get stranded  recollection will prevail to a point.  If you read all you can and go out into the forest and practice these skills your chances will go from 50 % to 90 %.

       First off I never ran a class or demonstration were I myself didn't learn something.  I always felt that I was on the dumb side of life so If I really wanted to learn something I had to write about it, Go out and teach or demonstrate it until it was burnt into my mind.  I'm sure you can agree to this by the way I write.  But I never let that stop me.  I sure don't know it all but I sure would love to be with me if I were to wind up in a survival situation.

     I'm going to start writing these articles for our magazine and I'm going to ask each one of you to contribute.  This is the bottom line.  Either write an article about an experience you may have had,  Write about how to do something, skin a snake, build a shelter, trap, navigate and I promise I'll include it in our articles along with you name for the credit. 

     IMAGINE THAT if we get every member to contribute an article and we put these articles all together in a book.  We can publish this and make it available to all the membership.  Think about this.

     Our up coming Rendezvous is going to be all about SKILLS.  I encourage each one of you to bring your kids, grand kids, girlfriends kids, neighbors kids and we will demonstrate to them OUR skills.  This will also prove to ourselves what we are all about.

     This morning I spoke to a number of you about what  we are planning to do and you were so excited I was blown away.  You keep giving me all that encouragement and I'll have us all marching on Track.

     We have a number of members who need to advance their rating so this will be a great opportunity to come and sit in on the skills we plan to demonstrate.  If they come and participate and learn the how too's.  I will be willing to set up a date for the following year to take all these people into the bush and help them with their advancement.  I'm sure that their are a number of Brothers willing to help.

     This is to all the brothers ---  the next time your sitting around the fire take a good look around were not getting any younger.  Now is the time to pass this knowledge along to another generation. OR.