Camping and outdoor adventures are a treasured pastime of this great nation. Unfortunately, you cannot always account for something going wrong when you are out alone in the woods. Survival can be very difficult in more unforgiving circumstances that can be found in the wild, and you should get yourself prepared for this possibility with these survival wilderness tips:
Remain Calm
The absolute worst thing that you can do when things go sideways on a hike or camping trip is to panic. With a clear head, you can make rational decisions and better plan your next thing that has to be done in order to stay alive and stay alert for potential rescue.
Get A Fire Going
Another critical aspect of your survival is going to be warmth and food preparation. This is done through building a fire. While you don’t need a substantial burning inferno, you should have a decent flame going so that you don’t have to constantly be babysitting it to prevent it from going out. An ideal fire can last for a couple of hours without you having to adjust it or add on to it.
Find A Source of Drinkable Water
Likely you have brought along enough water for the time that you intended to be out in the wilderness, but that is about it. When you become stranded or lost, you have to be thinking about water sources to keep yourself hydrated. Streams and creeks can be a good source of water in a pinch, so scope out your surroundings and find a spot to get a steady drinking source.
Start Thinking Shelter
If you were just out in the woods for a hike or a day-long excursion, you are not likely toting around a tent with you. Creating a shelter might seem like a tall order, but sites like https://www.survivalenvy.com can help you get some lightweight portable gear that can make a quality short-term shelter until help arrives.
Take Note of Your Supplies
Understanding what you have and how much of it you have can be the difference in your survival. Rationing out the food, for instance, ensures that you are able to stay nourished over longer periods of time rather than eating all of your available food well before being rescued or making it back to civilization.
Know Ahead of Time What Plants Are Edible
It is always sound advice to understand the vegetation in the area well ahead of your trip. Know what kinds of plants that you can eat, and which ones will cause you harm or make you sick. If you find yourself without food to eat, this knowledge can keep you alive.
Put Your Multi-Tool To Work
Your multi-tool can have a number of great purposes when you find yourself stranded. Pliers can prove a helpful implement for creating a shelter and a good OTF knife can help create a spear to skewer fish from brooks and creeks.
Get Your Bearings
Whether you have a compass or not, you should be able to find north at any time of the day by the position of the sun or certain stars in the sky. This can help you determine a definitive direction to travel to end up back where you came from.
Prepare A Distress Signal
If the direction cannot help you find your way back home, you have to think of a way to signal from great distances where you are when help arrives. This can be another important reason for keeping your fire going all hours of the day and night.
Talk To Your Friends and Family Ahead of Time
You can avoid the panic of not being found by talking out your planned excursion with friends and family. If they know where you are, and where you planned to go, finding you should go a lot more quickly.
These are some quality tips to help you survive out in the woods. While no one can anticipate this kind of emergency situation happening, mentally preparing for the possibility and keeping your cool through this trying time can help you to stay alive.