Tips to survive in the wilderness
 

Selecting a proper shelter site

Survival kits

Poisonous plants

Estimate the time of day

Why a walking stick is useful
 
 
 

How to select a proper shelter site

2 requisites:  1.  It must contain material to make the type of shelter you need.
                    2. It must be large enough and level enough for you to lie down comfortably.

You must also consider whether the site –
    · Provides concealment from enemy observation.
    · Has camouflaged escape routes.
    · Is suitable for signaling, if necessary.
    · Provides protection against wild animals and rocks and dead trees that might fall.
    · Is free from insects, reptiles, and poisonous plants.

You must also remember problems that could arise in your environment.
    · Avoid flash flood areas in foothills.
    · Avoid avalanche or rockslide areas in mountainous terrain.
    · Avoid sites near bodies of water that are below the high water mark.

When considering a shelter site selection, use the word BLISS as a guide.
 B – Blend in with the surroundings.
 L – Low silhouette.
 I  - Irregular shape.
 S – Small.
 S – Secluded location.
 
 
 

Survival Kits - Why do we need them and what should we put in them?

Survival planning is nothing more than realizing something could happen that would put you in a survival situation and, with that in mind, taking steps to increase your chances of survival.  Thus, survival planning means preparation.

Preparation means having survival items and knowing how to use them.  People who live in snow regions prepare their vehicles for poor road conditions.  They put snow tires on their vehicles, add extra weight in the back for traction, and they carry a shovel, salt, and a blanket.  Another example of preparation is finding the emergency exits on an aircraft when you board it for a flight.  Preparation could also mean knowing your intended route of travel and familiarizing yourself with the area.  Finally, emergency planning is essential.
Your survival kit need not be elaborate. You need only functional items that will meet your needs and a case to hold the items. For the case, you might want to use a Band-Aid box, a first aid case, an ammunition pouch, or another suitable case. This case should be—
    · Water repellent or waterproof.
    · Easy to carry or attach to your body.
    · Suitable to accept varisized components.
    · Durable.

In your survival kit, you should have—
    · First aid items.
    · Water purification tablets or drops.
    · Fire starting equipment.
    · Signaling items.
    · Food procurement items.
    · Shelter items.
 
 

What plants should I stay away from in the wilderness?

Poison Ivy and Poison Oak - These two plants are quite similar in appearance and will often crossbreed to make a hybrid. Both have alternate, compound leaves with three leaflets. The leaves of poison ivy are smooth or serrated. Poison oak's leaves are lobed and resemble oak leaves. Poison ivy grows as a vine along the ground or climbs by red feeder roots. Poison oak grows like a bush. The greenish-white flowers are small and inconspicuous and are followed by waxy green berries that turn waxy white or yellow, then gray.
 
 
 

How to estimate the time of day

 “Ancient folks knew that they could estimate how much time was left in their day by simply counting how many hand spans it is to the spot where the sun will set.  Conveniently, the hand, extended at arms length, will bisect about 15 degrees of arc.  Because there are 24 of these 15 degree segments in a circle, that means that the sun will move approximately 1 hour for every hand span.  In the wilderness, that’s about as good as it gets, or as good as you need it to get.”                             By Ron Hood
 
 

Why a walking stick is useful

 “Lots of people [go into nature and get lost].  They get caught up in the joy of nature and forget that eventually they need to go home.  When they turn around to go back, they don’t recognize the landscape, get panicky, and then they really become lost.  One of the keys to not “getting lost” is to learn what is behind you by looking back occasionally.  It’s also a good idea to use a walking stick.  The marks it makes in the trail are easily recognizable.  If you can’t follow your tracks, you should at least be able to follow your stick marks.  Even light rains will leave behind the small pits left by a stick.  Other benefits of walking sticks include . . . that they distribute the effort of walking to other parts of your body, and they can be used for digging, investigating snaky places, pushing brush out of the way, and a myriad of other things.  Learn to use a walking stick.           By Ron Hood