Welcome to my guide to surviving the wilderness! You probably have a good idea of what you’re getting yourself into, but just in case let’s go over a few things. Your world has been reduced and you must adapt in order to thrive. You must learn how to use your surroundings as natural tools instead of the luxuries you are used to in everyday life. That being said, it is not impossible, and with some practice we can master these skills together. Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Stay calm.
You’ve got to stay calm. This is important, because panic can get you into serious trouble—or even killed. If you panic, you might run around in circles, which wastes energy and makes it harder for rescuers to find you. You could also wander off on your own, but this leaves yourself farther away from people who can help if something goes wrong.
Finally, never eat or drink anything until a trained professional has confirmed that it’s safe to do so; doing otherwise could be fatal in an emergency situation like this one. And don’t take off any clothes either: That just makes things more complicated when trying to keep warm.
Make sure you are seen by rescue crews.
Make sure you are seen by rescue crews. In the wilderness, it’s important to ensure that rescuers can find you — and quickly. This means making yourself visible from the air, from ground level, and from water (if you get lost in or near water).
If you’re lost in a mountainous area where the terrain is rough and steep, try to flag down a passing plane if one flies overhead. If there are no aircraft available for search-and-rescue efforts in your immediate vicinity, use signal mirrors to reflect sunlight onto your whereabouts and make noise using whistles or something else loud enough (like banging rocks together) so that people on foot can hear you over long distances. Your survival gear should include some sort of whistle as well as bright orange or yellow clothing that will stand out against backgrounds like snow or sand; this will help make sure rescue crews don’t miss finding you while they’re searching for others who need help too!
Make sure someone knows where you are going and when you plan on returning.
If you are going to venture into the wilderness, make sure someone knows where you are going and when you plan on returning. If a hiker were to get lost in the forest, he or she should have some sort of backup plan in case they don’t find their way back. If a person finds themselves lost, they should be able to communicate with someone who can help them find their way home. A good example of this is having an emergency beacon that transmits GPS coordinates so that rescue teams can locate them easily.
If a person gets hurt in the wild, it would be best for them if someone actually knew where they were so that others could come rescue them quickly and efficiently! This way there won’t be any unnecessary delays in getting medical attention for those who need it most urgently; otherwise people could die from shock/exposure due to long waits during which time symptoms worsen exponentially until death occurs due to complications such as infection from injuries caused by lack of adequate care being received quickly enough (which happens often enough).
Don’t panic if you get lost.
If you find yourself lost, don’t worry. It happens to the best of us. If possible, try to stay in one place where it’s easy for rescuers to find you. Make sure you have a plan of action and that someone knows where you are going and when they should expect your return. If possible, leave a note behind describing where you are going and how long it will take for them not hear from you again (e.g., “Gone fishing”).
If there is no cell service or any other means for communication available within 100 yards of your current position (and this is important), then stay put! Do not move around aimlessly trying to figure out where exactly in the world are right now as this can lead only to even greater confusion and stress levels which will ultimately make matters worse than they already were before making any decisions at all: simply relax if possible while continuing waiting patiently until someone finds them once again.
Make a shelter to stay dry and protected from the wind and cold.
A tarp is an excellent way to make a shelter. It’s lightweight and can be used to build a lean-to, lean-to shelter or basha. You can also tie two tarps together with paracord or rope, creating a larger surface area for your shelter. Tarps are waterproof, windproof, fireproof and durable enough to keep you dry no matter how long it rains (as long as there’s no hole in the tarp). Plastic sheeting is another good option for making emergency shelters because it’s lightweight and waterproof — but unlike tarps, it won’t stand up well against strong winds because the material tears easily when strained at an angle.
Stay warm by cuddling up next to a hot-rock fire.
To stay warm, cuddle up next to a hot-rock fire.
The best way to keep warm is by using rocks that are in direct contact with the fire. The rock should not be too hot and should be small enough for you to hold comfortably. You can also use larger rocks if you want to share them with others who are nearby, but make sure they are not too hot before handing them off!
Be careful with your campfire — any fire — at all times.
The most important thing to remember when building a campfire is this: The only way to have a safe fire is to be careful. The first step in being careful is knowing what kind of fuel you’re working with. For example, if you’re going to build a fire in an area that looks dry and brittle, don’t do it — because those conditions make for easy ignition and fast-moving flames. The same goes for windy days; the more oxygen available for your flames, the more dangerous they become (which explains why you shouldn’t build fires on slopes). And if there are trees around your campsite? Well, just picture what happens when a tree falls down during an intense storm—that’s basically what’d happen if one fell over because of your blaze!
Never set up camp near rocks either—they’ve got sharp edges that will cause damage if brushed against by sparks or embers from your fire; also avoid rocky ground so nothing gets knocked over by stray embers flying around. As far as materials go? You can never be too careful when it comes to flammable things like tarps or tarps made from plastic-like material…or even wood that isn’t completely cured yet (such as green logs).
Signal for help.
- Use a mirror to reflect sunlight.
- Use a whistle
- Use a signal fire. This can be done by using floating material and dry tinder, or by igniting green scrub brush that is found in many areas of the desert Southwest. This will provide you with smoke that can be seen from long distances, especially on calm days when there are few other sources of smoke in the air.
- A flare gun can also be used if you have one; however, it will not last long so it must be fired at once and then discarded after use.
- Cell phones have no service out here anyway so don’t bother trying them for help…unless your phone has an old fashioned antennae on it like mine does! It works pretty well actually–just hold down both buttons at once until you hear ringing…then talk into it like normal but louder because there’s no filter anymore 🙂 I hope this helps!
Build a signal fire on high ground near your campsite, downwind of your main campfire so they smoke doesn’t mask your signal.
The signal fire is a visual aid that can relay messages, alerting others to your distress and location. If you’re lost or injured and need help, it’s vital that rescuers know where you are. Build a signal fire on high ground near your campsite so they can easily be seen from the air. If possible, build the fire downwind of your main campfire so smoke doesn’t mask it.
Use large logs and branches to create one big blaze. The flames should be clearly visible from quite far away in order for them to attract attention. You may want to use green wood if no dry wood is available as this will burn more slowly and make more smoke than dry wood does (and therefore be easier for someone looking out of an aircraft window).
Conclusion
While there are many more things to consider when in the wilderness, these are some of the most important. It is always a good idea to take a survival course so you can learn new skills and get comfortable with your gear before you need it.
