The 5 Most Important Survival Skills When You’re Lost In The Wilderness

Written by: Kevin Danielsen Extreme Survival 5 Comments  Print This Article

Image source: galleryhip.com

You don’t necessarily have to know 200 ways to sharpen a knife, but if you’re new to the art of bushcraft/survival you will want to make sure that you’ve got a few of the basics out of the way prior to your first serious group outing in the backwoods.

This knowledge also is important for any survivalist for the simple fact that it can be useful for anything from a time when you’re lost in the wilderness to a bugout operation when the big one hits. The five following skills are critical areas of study to master before you find yourself in the middle of nowhere.

No. 5: Tracking

The science and art of tracking is basically the study of how to interpret what the land is telling you about recently transpiring events within the immediate vicinity. Whether it’s a fallen tree, a deer track, a human footprint or a broken twig, the land itself tells a story. And you need to learn how to read that story. Trackers are essentially detectives, but without the chalk outlines and paperwork.

Tracking knowledge is not just needed for hunting and trapping. If you know what you’re doing, you’d be able to tell if there’s a nearby human presence (which would be a critical skill during a bugout situation). This is one reason why elite combat units learn tracking – it helps them determine troop strengths and their corresponding movements.

No. 4: Weather

A few years back, I had mulled over the idea of purchasing an altimeter wristwatch. I wanted the slight edge of being able to predict immediate changes in local weather. Let’s face it, knowing what the weather is going to do on any given day would give me a HUGE advantage, especially during a 24/7 post-bugout situation.

Well, it didn’t take me long to realize that I’d have to drop at least $200 to get one that actually worked the way I needed it to. After I spoke with the owner of the hiking store I frequented, he literally said: “Dude, I wouldn’t get one. For why you need it, just learn to study the clouds.”

Image source: survivalbased.com

What a novel thought, right? Needless to say, knowing how to predict the weather while in the field is a huge necessity. But purchasing expensive gear in order to do so is not. If you learn how to interpret signs in the sky, then you’ve just saved yourself a pretty penny on gear you didn’t actually need in the first place.

No. 3: Shelter and Fire

These two topics are probably the most obvious on this list because exposure is one of the biggest killers in the field. If you can’t build a fire then you could be up a creek, especially when the temperatures begin to plummet.

The Secret To Starting Fires In Even The Most Extreme Conditions

This skill will be your key advantage in everything from signaling for help to cooking your day’s catch. Perhaps the most commonly held requirement in the business is that you should know at least five ways to build a fire, including at least three “primitive” methods.

Having shelter, like having fire, is crucial for staving off hypothermia. If properly built, your shelter should also keep you dry during rainy nights. It’s also a way to keep that sleep-robbing mental boogie man at bay while you’re out there in no man’s land. In order to be prepared, I recommend knowing how to build the basics: a debris hut, lean-to, A-frame, and wickiup are common but time-tested shelters.

No. 2: First Aid

Think about it. If you’re in a survival situation, then how did you probably end up in that predicament in the first place? It’s usually because something unpredictable happened, like capsizing your canoe on the Snake River or flipping your sedan in the Adirondacks. And when people find themselves in these scenarios, injuries are usually an accompanying factor.

If you’re well-studied in first aid, then you’ll know precisely what to do when somebody on your team (or you) is bleeding, has a broken bone, or desperately needs their body’s core temperature increased after a fall into that breathtakingly frigid mountain river.

By the way, having even basic medical knowledge will make you indispensable in a disaster scenario. Your team might just want to do their due diligence in protecting the one guy that knows how to fix a nasty knife wound.

No. 1: Land Navigation

This is my No. 1 for a very, very good reason.

Ultra-Efficient Water Filter Fits In Your Pocket!

Image source: oars.com

If you’re in a 72-hour survival scenario, and ESPECIALLY if you’re rolling full-steam toward your retreat, then there’s no way you’ll succeed in arriving safely at your intended destination without knowing where you’re going. Quite frankly, if you have no clue how to get around without your GPS, then you might as well have just stayed home in relative safety.

Getting lost could walk you right into hostile situations. It also will increase your bugout time during a very chaotic and dangerous time. And worst of all, you might not even make it to your retreat because you run out of roads to follow. Following a road is easy. Moving from point “A” to “B” over dense, foliage-covered land is not, especially if you have little or no experience in doing so.

In the same way, knowing how to orient yourself after you just wound up on a river bank, soaking wet with all your gear being churned with the rapids could profoundly reduce the time it takes to get you back home.

Let’s Get After It

Getting where you’re going and accomplishing this in a non-bleeding or broken or freezing or dehydrated or lost fashion is always the primary objective. So study up on Google, YouTube or any of the many other resources out there and get prepared.

Source: https://www.offthegridnews.com/extreme-survival/the-5-most-important-survival-skills-when-youre-lost-in-the-wilderness/

Six survival skills you should learn now

There are a lot of things that you could possibly spend your time on to get yourself ready in case you’re lost in the wilderness while hunting or checking out your bugout route. I debated how many categories I wanted to have but I think I came to a decent compromise. Here are the top six skills you should learn now, before you find yourself in a situation where you need to use them.

They’re not the only skills you need but you have to start somewhere. For example, I left out Navigation. It’s an important skill but not as critical as the ones below. In most cases, you should be sitting still and waiting for help but If I were to make this the Seven Survival Skills you should learn now, I’d put navigation next. On the off chance you really need to be traipsing off into the wilderness, you’ll need to navigate. The problem is that every hour you spend learning how to navigate is an hour you aren’t learning how to keep yourself alive that day. You don’t have an unlimited amount of time, so you have to prioritize things. I’d rather be someone who knows the list below first and then starts working on other things like navigation and plant identification after they get these down. Navigation is an everyday skill that you need when you’re in the wilderness so you don’t need to survive. It’s a survival skill only when you messed something up – like navigating in the first place. Not saying you shouldn’t learn navigation – you should. Just doesn’t do much good to know how to walk your ass out of the woods for three days if you die the first night. Once you have these 6 covered, consider navigation as well as several other skills such as making cordage etc.

That being said, since we don’t know what situation you’re gonna be in, navigation, or any other skill not listed here, may be the most important one to learn to keep you alive someday. You really need to know what you’re prepping for and rebalance as necessary. If you know you’re heading out into somewhere that you may not have rescue coming, you need to pull navigation into your required learning. Or whatever else may be able to help.

Obviously, each of these categories could fill an entire book so I’m just gonna explain why I chose each and give a few examples to get you started.

There are six top skills you should focus on learning. You should also pack your bugout bag and EDC with equipment to help you with each of these skills:

• Fire

• Water

• Shelter

• Food

• First aid

• Signal

Fire

The first survival skill you need to know is how to make a fire. Why? It’s hard to know exactly which skill is the most important in any situation but in general, I think making a fire is the most important. With a fire, you can keep yourself warm, purify water, see in the dark, cook food, signal for help, make tools, sterilize surgical equipment and protect yourself from critters. Having a fire is also a huge psychological advantage. Plus, it’s a manly-mans skill to know.

You should learn at least three ways to start a fire. If you’re heading out to an area and know this in advance, you should learn how the local people use local resources to start fires there. One of the best people to learn this from are native people who’ve been there for hundreds of years. Actually, this goes for all of these skills except maybe signaling for rescue.

A big part of having a fire is actually building your fire site so it’ll not only catch, it’ll stay lit. You need to know the basics of how to build a fire as well as some local materials that you can use for tinder, kindling and fuel wood. If you don’t get this part right, it won’t much matter what you use to try to light it.

The first method you need to learn to build a fire is using whatever gear you bring with you. Hopefully you have a bugout bag or at least an EDC kit. Hopefully you’ll at least have a lighter. A stormproof lighter is a better choice than a regular one because, well, I’m sure you can figure that one out. You should also carry some kind of ferrocerium rod with magnesium that you can flake off. You should always have a cheap 99 cent lighter as a backup because they’re just hella cheap and work in most conditions.

Here’s a video to show you how to use a ferrocerium rod, also called a fire steel:

You need to learn at least two other methods of how to start a fire. Since I don’t know where you’re gonna be when you need to start a fire and your lighter/rod isn’t available, I’d suggest learning how to start a fire with a fire bow and with a hand drill. They’re both a lot of work so go for the lighter if you have one.

How to start a fire with a fire bow.

How to start a fire with a hand drill.

A must-have item in your pack should be a cheap fresnel lens. They’re only a few bucks and about the same size and weight as a piece of paper. I like these so much I did a whole review on them.

Water

The next skill you need to have is how to get water you can drink. Depending on your circumstances, this one may actually be more important than getting a fire. You can go 2-3 days without water but you’ll start degrading long before that. You should be thinking about your water situation as soon as you figure out you’re screwed.

I carry a Sawyer Mini water filter in my bugout bag but I know most people prefer the LifeStraw filter. You should look at both. I even keep a MINI  on my motorcycle as well as in my personal go bag. It’s a handy little thing that doesn’t take up much room.

If you have a fire then boiling your water is usually the best way to make it drinkable. It’s not a 100% solution but it’s pretty close. If you don’t have a container that you can put water in and sit in the fire, heat up rocks and drop them into your water.

If you have a plastic bag, you can collect water from plants.

With a little more work, you can create a solar still, which works off the same principal.

Shelter

If you don’t have a tent with you for some reason, hopefully you at least have a tarp. You really should get a tent though. They’ve come a long way and you can get really nice ones that you can fit on or in a bug out bag now.

In case you don’t have anything, you should at least learn how to make a debris shelter. They cost less effort than most shelters as long as you have something available in the area. They won’t stand up to heavy winds though.

Food

Once you’ve gotten fire, water and shelter, you probably want to be thinking about food. You may be able to go a month without food without dying but in addition to the incredible amount of suck there is without eating for several days, you start losing energy to do things. One of these things is thinking. If you don’t have food in your belly, you’ll eventually start making mistakes a lot more often.

Hopefully you brought some MREs with you or at least some kind of emergency rations. I also keep a small container of olive oil because you can’t beat the amount of calories it packs per ounce and it can be used for other things.

If you don’t have food with you, you’ll have to find some. If you have a river, lake, or ocean around, fish are one of the best foods to go after. Obviously, you can make a hook and may be able to find some kind of line and some bait but a basket is usually a better option. Here’s one way to make one using vines.

For small animals, a snare trap is a great thing to learn because it’s not too difficult, can work if placed in the right spot, and you’ll probably be able to find material for. You need to do it a couple times so you know how each piece works in the system. I’d suggest putting it on a path where you can see small animals go through or making a trail funnel with some logs or stones to force them to go where you want.

You should also become familiar with the plants and animals in whatever area you’re thinking about going into. Plants are the safest and simplest way to eat but you have to know what you’re doing. I don’t care what they taught you about the Universal Edibility Test though, it’s crap. You shouldn’t be eating something if you don’t know what it is.

Here’s another pretty simple redneck mousetrap that you can use for more than just mice. I don’t know who originally filmed this gif (let me know if you find out) but it’s pretty much everything you need to know to make one yourself. The concept is pretty simple. Just use what you have available even if you have to dig a pit and put a smooth stick across it with a coke can or something:

First aid

Hopefully you’ve brought along a first aid kit. Even if you did, you still need to know how to use it. I’d suggest getting EMT certified if you can. If you don’t have the time or inclination to do that, at least get good book on survival medicine and study it.

For the most part, you need to know the basics of keeping a wound closed and clean, setting and immobilizing broken bones and identifying/treating for shock, hypothermia and heat exhaustion but you need to learn more if at all possible.

Signal

If you’re stuck out in the wilderness, hopefully you were smart enough to let someone know where you’re going and when to expect you to make contact. Or, you may be out there because your car broke down or your plane crashed. In any of these cases, your best bet is to sit tight and wait for rescue. That doesn’t mean that it’ll be easy to find you, even if they know where to look. You need a way to signal someone passing through that you’re there and need some help.

The big key is to be noticeable. If you can’t stay out in the open, put something out in the open that they’ll notice. Try to use movement, color and shapes that don’t fit in the area. Try to make it unusual. If you’re in the US, do things in groups of threes like three logs laid out in a field or three rocks together. In the UK and the Alps, use six.

Also consider building signaling into your equipment by doing something like sewing a rescue signal panel into the inside of your jacket or have a way to hook it onto the outside of your tent.

If your bag has a ham radio, try 156.8MHz or 2182kHz. You’ll want to save your battery so just pop up on the radio occasionally or if you hear or see anyone. Get as high as possible. The BaoFeng UV-5R is EXTREMELY cheap. It also has frequencies on it that you don’t need a license to use.

Because they use aircraft for search and rescue, it’s a good idea to have a way to communicate with them. A signal mirror is a pretty good thing to have because in the daylight, it’ll allow you to do just that. They don’t take up too much room in your bugout bag and can even fit into your EDC (are you getting the idea yet that you should have an EDC kit and bugout bag already figured out?). By the way, EDC means Every Day Carry. It’s what you have with you at all times during the day that you don’t ever set down.

Here’s an old WWII training video on how to use one.

If you’ve built a fire previously then a signal fire is also a good idea. The key is to have it ready to go when you see or hear someone and have it in a place that they’ll notice.

There are a lot of different things that you can do to prepare for being stranded in the middle of nowhere but the key is to start preparing now. You may not have any equipment you need (but hopefully you at least have a knife, lighter and a flashlight) but with the right knowledge and skill (some of this stuff requires practice), you’ll do fine. If you’re like me, you like to read and research things that you learn. I can only go over so much in an article but a book like SAS Survival Handbook, Revised Edition: For Any Climate, in Any Situation has a LOT of good information in it. It’s the best one I’ve found so far to teach you how to do these things.

Source: https://graywolfsurvival.com/3037/six-survival-skills-learn/

Survival Techniques: 5 Basic Survival Skills

Survival techniques are a-plenty, but regardless of which specific one, there are 5 Basic Survival Skills that everyone who ventures into the Outdoors should understand and be fully aware of their potential need and use. This is a just brief outline, not a full explanation of all the requirements and items required in each category. One of the most important elements to survival is between your ears, your brain. Of all survival techniques, the most important is DO NOT PANIC, use your wits and practice all elements of the 5 basic survival skills before you may need to rely on them.

Basic Survival Skill 1: FIRE

Fire is the king of survival techniques! Fire can purify water, cook food, signal rescuers, provide warmth, light and comfort, help keep predators at a distance, and can be a most welcome friend and companion. As a survival technique, it is one that is essential. Each and every person who ventures into the Outdoors should have a minimum of two ways to start a fire with them, one on their person at all times and the other with their gear. A few small fires provides more heat than one large fire. Collect firewood you think you will need for the night and then collect the same amount again, experience shows you will need it. Conserve fuel by making a "star fire"; where the ends of large logs meet in the fire only, push inward as more fuel is needed. Make a reflector from your SPACE BLANKET on the back wall of a shelter to reflect heat of your survival fire to your back, sit between fire and back shelter wall.

Basic Survival Skill 2: SHELTER

SHELTER is the survival technique by which you protect your body from excess exposure from the sun, cold, wind, rain or snow. Anything that takes away or adds to your overall body temperature can be your enemy. Clothing is the first line of shelter protection, have the right clothes for the right environment. Always have a hat. Try and keep the layer closest to your body dry. Layers trap air and are warmer than one thick garment. Do not expend energy making a shelter if nature provides one. Practice building a quick lean-to shelter in case you can not find your campsite, do not wait until you need to make one. Use a SPACE BLANKET to prevent dampness or to insulate your shelter or to wrap yourself up in a sitting or squat position to concentrate your body core heat.

Basic Survival Skill 3: SIGNALING

SIGNALING is unique among survival techniques in that it gives you the means and ability to alert any and all potential rescuers that you are in need of HELP. Fire, flashing light, bright color markers, flags, mirrors, whistles all will help you be found. Three fires in a triangular form are a recognized distress signal. Carefully bank your signal fires to prevent igniting surrounding area. Use regular signal mirrors only when you can see a plane, or people in the distance. Use EMERGENCY STROBE light at night to help attract attention from those that may be in the area. Make smoky fire with organic material over the fire during the day to attract attention. Lay out ground to air signal in open field, S.O.S. from rocks, logs or colored clothing, whatever will be seen against the background. Most search and rescue parties use aircraft as a primary method of sighting.

Basic Survival Skill 4: FOOD/WATER

FOOD/WATER are vital towards your survival. Ration your sweat not your water intake. Try to drink only in the cool of the evening. You can live up to three days without water. DO NOT eat plants you do not know. Never drink urine. Always assume that you will need extra food and water when you plan your trip. Pack energy bars and candy in your pockets at all time, just in case. If possible boil all water 10 minutes plus one minute for every 1000 feet above sea level. Strain water through your handkerchief to remove large particles. Try to drink only in the cool of the evening. Never wait until you are without water to collect it. Have some poly zip bags to collect and store water. Never eat any wild berries that you are not sure of what they are. You can catch rain water in your SPACE BLANKET by laying it out in a trench.

Basic Survival Skill 5: FIRST AID

FIRST AID as a survival technique is not just the basic medical needs, it is the primary way in which you act to survive. DO NOT PANIC, remain calm and do what you have to do to take care of YOU. STOP means Sit, Think, Observe, and Plan. It is the most intelligent thing you can do when you realize you are lost or stranded. The most important element is to keep your brain functioning rationally, this is basic first aid for survival. Analyze your needs before every trip, create a medical checklist and carry a small personal kit with you at all times. Most survival situations require only dressing for small cuts, bruises and personal medication needs, make sure you know what you have with you and how to use it. Do not over pack, pack what you feel you will need to carry with you at all times. Concentrate on being found, pack a picture of your family in with your gear to remind you of the reasons to remain calm and to survive. Prevent hypothermia by insulating yourself in a SPACE BLANKET.

First published on Get Ready Industries. Article reprinted with permission. GetReady! Industries has lots of great ideas and products for being prepared for an emergency. We thank them for sharing this very "laymans" basic survival techniques guide.

Source: https://www.wildernessawareness.org/articles/survival-techniques-5-basic-survival-skills