Emergency Survival - When Disaster Strikes - page 194

Dieffenbachia Dutchman's pipe European bittersweet
Foxglove (Digitalis) Frangipani (Plumeria) Horse chestnut
Horsetail Horse nettle Hyacinth
Iris Jack-in-the-pulpit Jimson weed
Jessamine Larkspur (annual delphinium) Laurel
Leafy spurge Lily, flame Lily, glory
Lily of the valley Lobelia Lupine
Marvel of Peru (Mirabilis) Marsh marigold Mayapple (except fruit)
Mistletoe Monkshood Morning glory
Mountain laurel Narcissus Oleander
Poinsettia Poison hemlock Poison ivy
Poison milkweed Poison oak Pokeweed
Poppy, horned Poppy, Iceland Poppy, Somniferum
Privet Purple cockle Rhododendron
Rhubarb (leaves) Rosary pea Skunk cabbage
Snowdrops Solomon's seal Star of Bethlehem
St. John's wort Tobacco Water hemlock
Wild black cherry Wisteria Yew
(Sources: Emery 1998, 400; Harrington 1998, 8-52; Elias 1990, 258-273; Runyon 1995, 5)
Hunting and Trapping
The bow and arrow is probably the most effective of the traditional low-tech hunting weapons,
and is not too difficult to make.
Bow
Seasoned, resilient, long-grained woods are best for bow making. English longbows were tradi-
tionally made from yew trees, but fir, cedar, hickory, juniper, oak, white elm, birch, willow,
hemlock, maple, and alder will usually do. “Green” wood bows tend to lose their strength or
crack after a couple of weeks, needing replacement. For short-term survival, crude bows of
many different green woods will suffice. For durable bows, select strong, straight, resilient,
knot-free young saplings such as yew, greasewood, ironwood, hickory, or ash. For the bow
stave, select one or two supple limbs, about 1½ to 2 inches thick in the middle, and free of
knots and branches. Fire-killed standing wood has already been seasoned. Test the flex of your
chosen wood and discard if it shows any signs of cracking. Depending on the stiffness and
spring of the wood, either shave flats in the center section of each stave and fasten two curved
staves together for a double bow (see fig. 7-27 ) or shape the stave so that it is about 2 inches
thick at the handle, tapering uniformly to 5/8 inch thick at the ends (see fig. 7-28 ) . Notch the
ends for the bowstring. Repeatedly greasing and heating a carved bow in front of the fire over a
period of several days will deter cracking and make it more durable. The best strings are made
from sinew or rawhide, but you can use any strong string or make your own cordage from an-