Modern man, or woman for that matter, from city, town, or farm has little knowledge of the real wilderness. Many hunters, fisherfolk, joggers, backpackers, hikes and adventures know how to handle a prepared path, planned campsite or landscaped trail but the real woods were every thing, and I mean every thing is 'natural' they are lost. They have never seen any food walking around or any plants out of a plastic package. Thus off the planned path they hit the panic button and may needlessly die. A considerable number of people lost in the wilds die every year just because they did not have the basic knowledge to survive. A recent example from the Western states was a group of people perished in the woods with a host of good food all around. They just didn't know what to eat as they had never seen it growing in the ground. Few of today's citizen realize they are never more than a few seconds from trouble as their car rolls to a stop many miles from civilization with a dead engine. Every year many people buy a gun and become hunters. They know they are hunters, they now have a hunting license. The license gives them no knowledge of the woods, but they don't realize this until they get lost on the first trip. Some die. Some get themselves out with just dumb luck and fear to ever return, to the woods again many hours of true fun have been lost forever. This book could have helped save a life or made their trip a fun adventure to be enjoyed again and again. This book is full of basic information and how to for the novice, but the experienced outdoors person will find a wealth of useful information here as well. There are details on many different ways to live in the outdoors with little professional 'equipment' some may be new or a little different to other books on the subject, to build a fire, break in boots, walk, approach game, travel, finding food, water, shelter, how to cook without pots or pans, tell coming weather, what works in many places and what doesn 't. How to make the things you need with only what tools you can devise or may have with you at the time is stressed as is outdoor first aid and confidence. All subjects very different to what you will experience in town or in a formal camping, backpacking or hiking situation. This book is different in that everything here has been tested over and over all over the country to be sure everything will work for the novice as well as the experienced outdoors person. This is not a table top or book shelf book it is a book to put in your pocket and take with you. It may well save a life.