Knowing how to build traps does not guarantee that we will obtain food. If we place the traps randomly, and without being clear on what we are trying to hunt, we will probably go to bed hungry.

First we need to observe the place to have an idea of what we can find and where. The best time to do this is at dawn.

We must look for tracks, droppings, paths and other revealing clues of game presence.

Many mammals, especially the smaller ones, have regular habits. We can find their burrows or paths marked in the morning dew or in hollows and galleries among the bushes.

If we have a stable campsite, we must place as many traps as we can control and check them in the morning and night.

The mechanisms must trigger easily to prevent the prey from running away with the bait.

Snares

Snares are simple and cruel. To hunt small animals, such as rabbits, these may be built with a string, fishing lines, wire, etc. The noose will be the size of a fist and be placed 4 fingers above the ground.

Deadfall trap

This is a classic and effective device that is usually used to hold tiles that will kill the animals by crushing. It is useful to hunt mammals and birds. If we replace the tile for a basket we can capture them alive.

Hook traps

They allow trapping small birds such as humming birds and thrush as well as waterfowl. They are simply baited hooks, e.g. worms, and are tremendously cruel and painful for animals, that try to escape loudly, for which it’s better to place them near our camp and check them frequently.

There are other types of hunting traps for large game based on dropping heavy weight and stabbing with spears and stakes. They are very dangerous, since they may kill or injure a person that activates the mechanism accidentally.
 
Fishing

If we find a river or stream our survival is almost ensured, since rivers carry larger concentrations of food.

Fishing with a rod

No improvised device will be as effective as a good steel hook tied to a fishing line, which is why it is important to always carry them in our gear. In general, it is said that the best hours for fishing are in the early morning and at dusk.  An approaching storm can also be a good moment; fish may bite at any hour of the day or night.

If we are lacking a hook and/or line we will have to improvise them. It is easier to use thread from our clothes than improvising a cord with vegetable fibers. Improvised hooks are usually made Fromm wood or thorns, although we can also use nails, bobby pins and other sharp objects. Bait can be found in the rivers, looking under the rocks and among the vegetation at the riverbank and its surroundings. The best system to know what the fish eat is opening the stomach of the first one we fish.

Fishing by hand

This system is forbidden in Spain and is very effective in shallow waters as soon as a Little practice is acquired. It is best not to practice it in the presence of dangerous animals (electrical eels, water snakes…). It consists of introducing the hand very carefully under the stones, roots or hollows where fish usually hide.

Slide the hand softly towards the gills and grab them with the thumb and index.

Fishing with a harpoon, spear or trident

Fishing with these tools in deep waters requires practice and skill due to water distortion. However, in shallow waters, these devices can be introduces under the stones and hollows in order to stick the fish. Of course, this method is illegal as well. We can easily improvise a wooden harpoon carving a spear on a piece of wood or attaching a sharp bone to the end.

Trolling

This method consists of baited hooks tied to a flexible branch at a river bank left for fish to bite. This system is quite effective and completely illegal.

We must not forget that, besides the fish, the water flows offer other sources of food, such as frogs, crabs, mollusks or reptiles.

Food from wild plants

The list of edible wild plants is huge, many of them, now considered weeds, where grown for human consumption for centuries. However, nature also has powerful venoms, and when in doubt, it is best to refrain. At this point we should clarify that sometimes the poison in a plant is concentrated only in a part of it. Potato tubers are edible, while their fruit are poisonous.

On the other hand, identification of wild plants is an ability that requires practice. Many plants are consumed while they are young, and their appearance may be very different when they are adult. To recognize them with certainty, observation is necessary and a study across their vital circle.

It is calculated that Europe has around 10,000 species apt for human consumption. Many of them have little nutritious value, for which we should concentrate in recognizing those with most nutritious value, more distribution and abundance.

Edible parts of plants

Roots and tubers: These are underground parts of the plants, for which we need to dig to collect them. If they are not easy to dig around, use a stick.
Leaves and stems: They are picked when young, and paler than the rest of the plant, since they are tender. Don’t treat them or whither when moving them. They can be somewhat bitter on occasion; in this case we will change the water (tinted green) and cook them again.

Fruits: Dry fruit are more nutritious and protein rich. Also fleshy fruits, such as berries or cranberries are an important source of food in nature. Seeds and grains can be ground and mixed with water or toasted. We should check that cereal ears don’t have ergots (black protuberance shaped as a bean) since they are hallucinogen and extremely poisonous.

Bark: Inner barks of some trees, such as determined species of pine, have been used during famine periods to make a type of bread.

Precautions when picking

If you are not familiar with the plants, you should avoid:

• Those with hydrocyanic acid, recognized by a chrome smell, like almonds or bitter peaches. Cherry laurel (prunas laurocerasus), original to Minor Asia, but broadly grown as ornamental plants in parks and gardens have this acid. We can smell it by crushing one of the leaves.
• Those which are too bitter to the taste, since they may contain oxalic acid. Some plants considered edible or used for seasoning contain small amounts of oxalic acid, but if in doubt, dispose of the plants.
• Some milky sages are very poisonous, it is best to dispose of them.
• Even if the plant is edible, withered, dry or rotten leaves should always be avoided, since they may produce hydrocyanic acid.
• We will also dispose of all fruits divided in five segments that we are unfamiliar with.
• Plants with hairy stem and leaves are sometimes irritating for the mucous and digestive tract, for which we should also dispose of them.

Edibility test

If we are lost in an area where we are not familiar with the vegetation, several authors recommend an edibility test to ensure the plant is edible.

Before performing it we must ensure that the abundance of that species justifies the risk.

We should never overlook or speed the process. Obviously, only a member of the group will perform the test:

Before we will check if it adjusts to the previous characteristics and that doesn’t have parasites.

Next, we will rub a crushed plant or its use in the inside of the arm. In case it results irritating or produces any kind of discomfort we will dispose of it immediately.

Afterwards, we will carefully and slowly taste the plant, waiting for an interval of time between each part of the process. First we will put a piece on the lips and wait for a while. If there is no type of reaction we will place it in the angle of mouth, then at the tip and under the tongue, always after waiting for a few seconds. If any type of discomfort is produced, we will discard the plant immediately. The following step is to chew a small piece.

If no reaction is produced we will swallow a small amount and wait for 5 hours without eating or drinking anything.

If no stomach or abdomen pains, nausea, etc. are present the plant can be eaten. However, it is always best to eat little by little and allow our stomach to become used to the intake and increase the amount gradually.

This system DOES NOT WORK WITH MUSHROOMS.

Plant intoxication

Most poisonous plants in Europe belong to families such as ranunculaceae, euphorbiaceae and poppies. Species responsible for the most number of intoxications in Europe are the poison hemlock that may be confused with parsley or chervil; the aconite that is easily confused with angelica, greatly appreciated in salads; the European Hellebore, similar to the Genatian (Gentatia lutea).

If there is any pain we can ingest a large amount of warm or hot water. In case of intoxication, we must induce vomit by introducing fingers in the throat or vegetable coal.

We should try to evacuate the sick person to a hospital and seek a medical attention. Look for the plant remains to identify and ease the work of sanitary teams.

We must consider that a plant’s edibility is somewhat relative to aromatic seasonings that may kill us at high doses, such as rosemary and nutmeg. Other edible plants are only edible in small amounts, such as sorrel or hallelujah (they contain oxalic acid); and as we already know, a part of the plant can be exquisite and the other one deadly.

We must be careful with plants growing in wet fields if cattle live near, since they may transmit parasites. They should never be used in a salad, but cooked to avoid risks.

There is also a certain risk to contract parasites when eating berries grown at ground level, such as wild strawberries or cranberries, if they have been contaminated with animal droppings that transmit them.