So, you ran out of food… Now what? Hopefully, you have some sort of garden growing (outdoor and/or indoor) so you can at least get some vegetables. You can always consider trading your skills or other valuables for food. Hopefully, it is summer and you can find some fresh forest berries and some plants or roots to cook up. Raspberries, watercress, mushrooms (if you know which ones to pick) and wild asparagus are among the easy foods to forage for.
Squirrels
Squirrels actually taste decent and provide the much needed protein. It is critical to make sure the squirrel is freshly killed. Use a sharp carving knife to clean the squirrel and wear gloves. Put it down belly up and hold up the tail. Make a cut across the very base of the tail and 2 more cuts, each going down the inside of each hind leg. Now you can skin the animal and cut off its head. Make a cut down the belly and remove all of the entrails. Wash with cold water and cook. Squirrels taste good marinated, should you have some vinegar and spices available.
Crawfish
Crawfish may not be what you call “last resort”, but it’s not exactly something you but at the store every day either. If you are hunting for crawfish, make sure you get the larger ones, so that there is actually something for you to eat. Keep them alive until you are ready to cook. Boil water in a large pot, place the whole crawfish in and bring to a boil. Cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover the pot and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rip pieces of crawfish off and eat the meat (kind of like you would with shrimp).
Bugs
Bugs can be difficult because they are so many varieties and you need to know what may make you sick. As a general rule, if an insect smells bad or is brightly colored, it is probably unsafe to eat. Remove pinchers or any other obviously dangerous parts. Generally, the best way to cook insects is by simply frying them over a fire or hot coals and eating the meat. If that option is not available, you can always eat them live. If you happen to be disgusted by bugs, imagine that you are eating something else. They usually don’t taste nearly as bad as you expect.
Snakes
Snakes are very tasty, too and are a popular meal in many countries. To prepare a snake, cut off its head and neck (cut about 4-5 inches past the head for larger snakes and 3 inches for smaller snakes.) Cut along the belly of the snake, remove the entrails and wash the inside with cold water. Remove the tenderloins (like you would when you prepare fresh fish). Place the meat in cold salty water and keep it there until you are ready to cook. You can batter and deep fry the snake or cook the fillets over a fire like kabobs.
Prepare for the possibility of surviving without traditional food by studying the edible plants in your region.
To your survival,
Richard Marshall
