SURVIVAL & BUSHCRAFT
At Eagles Survival Training, we believe survival skills are more than just a response to emergency situations—they are a gateway to confidence, resilience, and deeper connection with the world around us.
Survival skills are techniques developed and refined over thousands of years—essential for sustaining life in both natural wilderness and built environments. These include the ability to secure clean water, food, and shelter, as well as gaining the knowledge to interact responsibly and safely with animals and plants.
Whether faced with an unexpected crisis or stepping into a self-imposed challenge, survival skills empower individuals to thrive under pressure and adapt to any environment. From ancient traditions to modern applications, these core skills form the backbone of all outdoor pursuits—from hiking, fishing, and hunting to backpacking and horseback expeditions.
At Eagles Survival Training, we specialize in bushcraft, primitive living, and real-world survival scenarios. Our courses are hands-on, immersive, and designed for all experience levels. Whether you're seeking personal growth, team development, or just a deeper connection to nature, we’ll equip you with the time-tested tools and mindset to not just survive—but to live with purpose and awareness.
Shelter
Shelter: A Key to Survival
In survival situations, exposure to the weather is one of the biggest dangers. Many people die from hypothermia (too cold) or hyperthermia (too hot)—often before finding food or water. In some cases, wild animals can also pose a threat. That’s why building a shelter is one of the first and most important skills to learn.
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Shelters come in many forms:
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Natural shelters like caves, rock overhangs, or fallen trees
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Partly built shelters like debris huts, tree pit shelters, or snow caves
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Man-made shelters like tarps, tents, or wooden huts​
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Good shelters all have a few things in common:
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Safe location – Away from dangers (like cliffs or falling rocks) and close to useful resources
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Insulation – Keeps you warm and dry by blocking wind, rain, sun, and cold ground
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Heat source – Uses body heat or fire to stay warm inside
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Size – Can be for one person or for a group
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At Eagles Survival Training, we teach you how to build the right shelter using what you find around you—so you can stay safe, warm, and alive.
Water
Water: Your Most Urgent Survival Need
In a survival situation, water is the top priority. The human body is made up of mostly water, and without it, you can only survive for 3 to 5 days—sometimes less in extreme conditions. Many people who get lost or stranded don’t die from hunger, but from dehydration or drinking unsafe water.
On average, a person loses 2 to 4 litres of water a day, just through sweating, breathing, and going to the toilet. That number can go even higher in hot, cold, or dry weather—or if you're moving a lot. Most people in the wild need to drink at least 4 to 6 litres of water a day to stay healthy.
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Signs of dehydration include:
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Tiredness and weakness
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Headaches or dizziness
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Trouble focusing or confusion
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Dark yellow or brown urine
In survival training, we teach that you shouldn’t wait to feel thirsty—you should drink at regular times to stay ahead of dehydration. This is called "water discipline".
Finding clean water is one thing—making it safe is another. Water from rivers, lakes, or puddles may carry harmful bacteria or parasites. The best ways to make it safe include:
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Boiling
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Filtering with a proper water filter
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Using chlorine dioxide tablets (safer than other chemical treatments)
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At Eagles Survival Training, we show you how to find, collect, and purify water using both natural and modern methods—because in the wild, staying hydrated could save your life.
FIRE
Fire: More Than Just Warmth
Fire is a chemical reaction between oxygen and fuel that produces heat, light, and smoke. In a survival situation, fire can be a lifesaver—it helps keep you warm and can prevent hypothermia.
Starting a fire without matches or a lighter is an important skill to learn. You can use natural tools like flint and steel or newer tools like a solar spark lighter or fire piston. Practicing these skills before going outdoors is key, because fire-making can be harder when the weather is wet or windy.
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Fire is useful for many reasons:
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Keeps you warm
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Disinfects water by boiling it
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Cooks food, making it safer to eat
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Offers a sense of safety and comfort—it feels like home
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Can help keep wild animals away, although some animals might be curious about the light and heat
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At Eagles Survival Training, we teach how to build and maintain fires in all kinds of weather and conditions. Knowing how to use fire safely and effectively is one of the most important skills for surviving in the wild.
FOOD
Food: Finding Energy in Nature
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In the wild, you can find many natural foods like roots, fruits, mushrooms, nuts, beans, grains, leaves, moss, cacti, and algae. Most of these foods need to be cooked—usually boiled—to be safe and easier to digest. Except for leaves, these foods give your body energy because they are high in calories.
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Plants are often the easiest food to find because they don’t move, so you can gather them without using much energy. But catching animals, fish, or birds takes more skill and tools like bows, traps, snares, and nets.
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Because finding and preparing wild food can be risky without the right knowledge, survival experts like the Boy Scouts of America recommend focusing on staying safe and conserving energy until help arrives, rather than trying to forage if you’re unsure.
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At Eagles Survival Training, we teach safe and effective ways to find and prepare food in the wild, helping you stay strong and healthy until rescue.
Navigation
Navigation: Finding Your Way
Before going on trips or hikes, always tell a trusted person where you’re going and when you plan to return. When you get back, let them know you’re safe. If you don’t return on time—usually within 12 hours—they can alert Search and Rescue to come help.
If you get lost, survival often depends on finding your way to safety or a better spot to wait for help.
There are several ways to navigate:
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Celestial navigation: Using the sun during the day or stars at night to find directions
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Map, compass, or GPS: Tools that help you know where you are and where to go
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Dead reckoning: Estimating your position by tracking distance and direction traveled
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Natural navigation: Reading nature, like moss growing on trees, snow on hills, or the flow of water, to guide you
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At Eagles Survival Training, we teach these navigation skills so you can stay confident and find your way, even in unfamiliar places.