It doesn’t matter whether you’re hiking or taking your kids fishing, it pays off to be prepared, having the right equipment, such as a tactical rescue knife. One of the top outdoor killers is hypothermia, so a well-insulated shelter should be your first priority in any survival situation.
Shelter
Shelter is a must if you want to survive outdoors. It will protect you from the elements and also give you a place to sleep and stay warm.
There are many different kinds of survival shelters you can build, depending on your needs. Some shelters are simple while others are more durable and complex.
The first step to building a shelter is choosing the right location for it. Choose a location that is dry and high, away from any low spots or dead trees.
Consider how the weather will affect your shelter. The driest area will be best for your shelter because nothing sucks out body heat faster than rain or snow.
Once you have found the perfect spot, you are ready to start building your shelter. Begin by building a sturdy ridgepole at least 3 feet higher than your height. Next, place it on a stump or log.
Next, you can use branches to build the frame of your shelter. Make sure you use a variety of sturdy branches, about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) thick.
Once you have your frame, cover it in leaves, small sticks, or another brush. These will keep the wind out of the frame and will also provide waterproofing.
Water
Water is essential if you want survival in the outdoors. Water is essential if you are ever lost in the wild, hit by a natural disaster or find yourself in a survival situation.
First, determine where the water is. The best water sources will be rivers, streams and lakes. But if you’re in an area where water is scarce, you might have to look for groundwater or atmospheric water, like dew, mist, and snow.
To collect water that may seep into these areas, you can also dig in the crotches or rock crevices of tree limbs. It won’t supply you with a lot of water, but it’s something to have in a pinch, especially in desert areas.
If you do manage to find a source of water, be sure to purify it before drinking. Many surface waters contain bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause you to become ill in short order.
Untreated surface water is not safe to drink, even if it appears clean or fresh. If you must boil it or filter it, do so.
Be sure to bring a waterproof tarp and/or a piece cloth with you so that you can collect rainwater from above. This will be your safest bet for collecting water, as the rain cycle naturally helps to purify it.
You should also have a few other items, aside from a tarp and cloth, to ensure that you have water at all times. These items include a metal canteen, a cooking pot, and any other metal container (such as soda cans or soup cans). A small fire can help boil the water, which will kill bacteria and make it safe to drink.
Food
Food is essential for survival, whether you are camping, hiking, fishing or simply enjoying the great outdoors. It’s essential to fuel your body, sustain your life, and boost your immune system.
It can be difficult to eat outside if you don’t know what to do with the food or how it should be prepared. It is best to avoid cooking raw meat, fish, and vegetables. The risk of bacterial infection can be very serious.
It’s a good idea, too, to prepackage small amounts of food. This prevents cross-contamination and allows for you to control how much food you bring.
Finally, it’s a good idea to bring along reusable cutlery, plates and napkins. This will help you avoid dumping trash on the ground or into your drinking water.
Communication
To survive the outdoors, it is important to have a strong communication plan. This will allow you to quickly relay any information that is needed to others in an emergency.
First, communicate with your family members and other members of your group. This can be difficult, especially if it is your first time. Try to practice on someone you know well and can be trusted.
There are many ways to communicate and some are better than others. Morse code, for example, is a great way to communicate messages to others.
Hand signals are a better option if you aren’t comfortable using code. These are louder than your voice and less likely to be muddled by trees and other obstacles.
Another option is to use smoke signals or fire signals. These signals can be very useful in a survival situation, as they can be seen from afar and alert rescuers to your location.