Many people love nature and want to spend as much time as possible exploring it. Nature is lovely, and it helps us understand the world, and ourselves, better. That said, it is essential to dive into this natural journey with the correct set of skills and knowledge to be able to survive in the wilderness.
That’s why we’ve decided to assemble a list of useful and valuable tips you can easily apply to make sure you stay safe and healthy in the wilderness. So, let’s check them out and make sure you remember them the next time you pack for a new adventure.
Pack for Emergencies
This might sound rather obvious, but sometimes, we simply forget about it. Due to our way of living, when packing for our next trip, we can easily forget some essential tools, which could make all the difference in an emergency.
There are simple things you can do to make sure to be ready for every emergency on your next trip; For example, you could buy stop the bleed kits, to keep them in your first aid kit.
Together with that, you can bring a multi-tool, some extra clothing, and an emergency communication device. Also, nowadays, we are all hooked on technology and use Google Maps no matter where we go. But when diving into the wilderness, it is always a good idea to bring a map of the area and a compass.
Food and supplies are also extremely important, so make sure to bring enough food and water, but also a water filter and purification tablets, in case you run out.
Prioritize Safety and Basic Needs
It is important to know which aspects and needs you should prioritize when in the wilderness, or when facing an emergency. Make sure to put your safety in the center, and prioritize actions such as finding shelter from the elements. These shelters could be places such as a cave or a fallen tree.
You could also build a makeshift shelter using natural materials you can find around you.
Make sure to stay hydrated, and ration your water and food. Together with that, it is important to try and start a fire for warmth, signaling for help, and cooking food whenever possible.
Navigation and Food Supplies
Even if you bring a compass or another navigation device, it is a good idea to pay attention to the position of the sun, stars, and even wind patterns, to make sure to know where you’re going, and how to understand the environment around you.
It is essential to use natural landmarks or follow a water source downstream, to increase your chances of reaching civilization again if lost in a wild environment.
If your food supplies would run out, you could still find plenty of edible things around you.
When going to a specific area, do familiarize yourself with which are the edible plants, berries, and nuts you could find around you. If you are unsure of anything, refrain from consuming it, and instead learn some other exciting skills, such as building fish traps, or similar traps, for sustenance.
Build a Shelter and Stay Positive
When lost in the wilderness, it is essential to build a shelter if possible. You can prepare yourself and learn how to do it and use natural materials such as branches, leaves, and other materials to create a safe shelter where you can rest and be protected from the elements. When doing so, do consider the terrain, the weather conditions, and the available sources around you.
Another extremely important aspect, as abstract as it might sound, is keeping high morale and a positive attitude.
Being lost in the wilderness, or anyway being away from civilization, can be a scary and unsettling experience for many. Therefore, mental resilience becomes one of your best allies, and it can be crucial in a survival situation.
Make sure to stay positive, focus on one task at a time, and maintain hope for rescue. Try to keep yourself occupied and practice survival skills, tell stories to each other if in a group, or find other ways to stay motivated.
These were only some tips to survive in the wilderness, but if you are passionate about this topic, there are many resources you can find to learn everything about this topic, and make sure to enhance your skills of survival.
The natural world is a complex environment, and contemporary humans don’t always know how to navigate it. That’s why it is absolutely important to learn some survival skills, which could come in handy in a plurality of situations.