8 questions. No gear list required. Honest answers only.
Question 1 - Water
You've been walking for four hours, and your bottle is empty. You spot a murky creek. It's 38°C, you're sweating, and the creek is the only water source in sight. What do you do?
A) Boil it first, then drink. You've got a pot and fire-making gear.
B) Use your water purification tablets and wait 30 minutes before drinking.
C) Filter it through your shirt, then drink it. Good enough.
D) Drink straight from it. You're thirsty, and it's nature; how bad can it be?
Question 2 - Navigation
You haven't seen a trail marker in two hours. Your phone is dead. You have a paper map but no compass. The sun is starting to dip. What's your move?
A) Climb to high ground, identify landmarks, and use the sun to orient the map.
B) Head back the way you came. Retrace your steps before dark.
C) Make camp here and wait for morning when visibility is better.
D) Keep walking in the direction you think is right. You've got a good sense of direction.
Question 3 - Shelter
A storm rolls in faster than expected. It'll be wet and cold tonight. No tent. You've got a tarp, some cordage, and a dry creek bank nearby. What do you build?
A) Rig the tarp in a lean-to angle with the open side away from the wind, off the ground if possible.
B) Dig into the creek bank for natural shelter and lay the tarp over the top.
C) String the tarp between two trees, however it fits, and hope for the best.
D) Sleep under the tarp as-is. It's just rain.
Question 4 - Fire
It's night two. Your matches are wet, and the lighter is out of fuel. You need warmth. You have a ferro rod, some dry bark, and questionable patience.
A) Scrape the ferro rod into a tinder bundle of dry bark shavings and fine grass, then strike hard.
B) Spark the ferro rod directly onto the bark repeatedly until something catches.
C) Try rubbing sticks together. You saw it on YouTube once.
D) The ferro rod is basically useless. Time to find a different way to stay warm.
Question 5 - Food
Day three, and your food supply is running low. You spot what looks like a berry bush. The berries are red and plentiful. You don't recognize the species. You're genuinely hungry.
A) Do the universal edibility test. It takes hours, but it could save your life. B) Leave them alone. You'll focus on hunting or fishing instead. C) Eat just a few and see how you feel after 20 minutes. D) Eat them. Red berries are almost always fine in Australia.
Question 6 - Navigation
You need to cross a flooded creek. The water is fast-moving and knee- to hip-deep. There's no obvious crossing point in sight.
A) Walk upstream to find a calmer section, use a stick for balance, and cross at an angle with the current.
B) Wait it out. Floodwaters usually drop by morning.
C) Throw your pack across first, then follow. Less weight.
D) Wade straight across at the narrowest point. Get it done.
Question 7 - First Aid
You twist your ankle badly on day four. It's swollen, but you can bear weight on it. You're still 15km from the trailhead. No evac possible. You have basic first aid supplies.
A) Rest, ice it with creek water, compress with a bandage, elevate overnight, then reassess in the morning.
B) Buddy tape the ankle, fashion a walking stick, and begin slowly moving toward the trailhead.
C) Make camp and activate your PLB. This is an emergency.
D) Walk it off. Adrenaline will carry you through.
Question 8 - Mindset
It's night five. You're exhausted and cold, and things aren't going according to plan. Morale is low. Two more days to go. What's actually going through your head?
A) Break it down into the next 12 hours only. Small tasks. Water, warmth, food. In that order.
B) Remind yourself of what's worked so far. Controlled reassessment.
C) Distract yourself with anything. Don't let yourself think about it.
D) Panic spiral. You start catastrophizing everything that could still go wrong.
How to Calculate Your Result
Give yourself points for each answer:
A = 4 points
B = 3 points
C = 2 points
D = 1 point
Add up your total score.
Your Survival Rating
29–32 Points: You'd be fine, honestly. You've either done serious time in the field or you've studied this stuff properly, probably both. Your decision-making is calm, prioritized, and grounded in real bushcraft logic. Not just survivalist folklore. You're the person the rest of the group quietly hopes is on the trip.
21–28 Points: You'd make it out, battered but breathing. You think under pressure, you know your priorities, and you're not the type to panic-eat an unidentified berry. A few of your calls were textbook. Others were close enough. This is someone who camps often, reads the conditions, and doesn't rely on their phone to get home.
13–20 Points: You'd muddle through... probably. You've picked up enough to avoid the obvious mistakes, but there are some gaps that could bite you in a real scenario. You know the theory on some things, but under pressure, the instinct to act fast can override good judgment. A few targeted skills sessions and you'd be genuinely solid.
8–12 Points: Please go on a course first. You've got heart. Maybe too much of it. Your instincts are bold, but a few of those calls would have turned a tough week into a genuinely dangerous one. The good news is that these are learnable skills. A basic bushcraft weekend would change everything. You'd actually enjoy it.
