7 Tips That Could Save Your Life If You Get Lost In The Wilderness

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What to do if you’re stranded in the wilderness

Whether stranded in the woods, the mountains, or on a deserted island, the first thing to do is to signal for rescue.

Use your resources to signal any ships or planes that might pass by.
If no-one comes, take steps to avoid injury. Your feet are the most important and vulnerable tools for survival. Boots can protect you from cutting your feet as you explore.
Find fresh water. Humans can't live without water for more than ten days. You need at least 1 litre of water per day to survive. If you have to choose between dehydration and unfiltered water, take your chances with the water.

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Finding water

If you're close to the sea, you can convert salt water to fresh. Fill a can with salt water, then put a second container over the can. This will collect the freshwater that evaporates out of the can.
Look for signs of life such as vegetation, birds, and insects. It can all mean you are nearby water sources.
Roots, vegetables and cacti all contain water. Mashing them with a rock will release some liquid.
Water flows downhill, so check low-terrain canyons and mountain basis for a water source.
Morning dew can be collected with a cloth before sunrise and then wrung out.

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What not to drink

Fish juices, blood, alcohol, seawater and urine will dehydrate you, which is the opposite of what you want.

It can also trigger low blood pressure, which can damage vital organs like your heart, lungs, and kidneys.

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Know how to build a fire

Create a dry patch of ground about 4 feet wide. Build a ring of rocks or dig down a few inches to keep the fire insulated.
Then use paper, dry grass or pine needles as tinder. Pile loosely in the centre and top with kindling. If the kindling isn’t dry enough, you will need more tinder.
If you have a lighter or matches, ignite the tinder and gently blow on the fire. If you don’t have a lighter, you need to use friction to create an ember or can use a lens to harness the sun’s light.
Once you have a healthy flame, arrange firewood in a tepee shape. Ensure to keep feeding your fire.

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Quicksand

It’s impossible to drown in quicksand because humans will float in it. However, once disturbed, quicksand becomes more viscous, trapping whatever it develops.

To get out, wiggle your legs to create a pocket for water to trickle down. This will loosen the sand around your legs. Then lay back. The more you distribute your weight across the surface, the harder it will be to sink. Then use a backstroke to propel yourself backwards. When you reach solid ground, roll away from the quicksand.

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Wildlife dangers

Snakes will avoid you, but if you happen to get bitten by venomous snakes, don’t try to suck the venom out as it is delivered straight to your bloodstream and could further infect the wound.

Instead, hold the bitten limb below the heart level to prevent the venom from reaching your heart.

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Running across some bears

If the bear hasn’t seen you, slowly backstep yourself out of the situation.
If the bear does see you, the bear is probably more afraid of you and will take off on its own.
If you are attacked, don’t run. Make yourself look big. Scream and act crazy.
In the event of an attack by a black bear, you should fight for your life.
The best chance of survival agains a grizzly bear is to curl up in a ball and play dead. Protect your head and neck, and hold on. The bear will end up leaving and moving on. When you know the animal has moved off into the underbrush, quietly get up and seek medical attention.

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