Surviving The Wild Outdoors Surviving_the_Wild_Outdoors | Page 10

Survival Skills
In this section of the report we will be covering the most important part of this subject,
survival. Survival in the wilderness takes wits, patience, planning, and a clear mind.
The moment you panic and react without thinking could have devastating results in the
end. You must have a plan and execute it, and only change that plan if you have
thought through what the benefits are and what the disadvantages are. For instance, if
your plan is to follow a path you have found and all of the sudden you see a road from
course to a different path may lead you back to where you started. So, as you can
see…THINK THINGS THROUGH
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So now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty…
Suppose you are out hunting or hiking. It’s in the afternoon and you’ve ventured out
further than you normally do to explode the unknown wilderness. As you decide to
head back to your vehicle you suddenly realize you don’t know how to get back to
familiar grounds. Now, at this point many people immediately just start walking and
saying, “Surely I’m not lost, I will find my way back.” It’s just something in our heads
that cause us to walk at this moment and start making stupid decisions. I think its pure
urgency and the fact of not wanting to accept that this has happened.
At the moment you feel like you are lost you need to follow these simple steps…
S.T.O.P. = Stop, Think, Observe, and Prepare.
Many times just sitting for a few minutes and thinking about what you did and where
you went will end this nightmare before it starts. However, you never know that fact so
you need to open your pack and take out your red/orange yarn. Cut off a 12inch piece
and tie it to an easily visible tree. This is your first marker indicating your first known
lost zone. It would also be wise to take out your notepad and write, “My name is blah
blah, and today’s date and time is…this is where I realized I was lost. This could really
help search parties and increase your chances of being found. It will also help you if
you are trying to find your way out and you happen to walk in a big circle like so many
lost wanders do.
Start walking in the direction you came from, but if after only a few minutes things are
still unfamiliar, turn around and go back to the spot you were at. It’s late in the
afternoon so sorry, you aren’t going anywhere. Many people tend to wander until dark
and then realize they are cold and have not shelter and freeze to death. Don’t think it
couldn’t happen to you. Just wait it out until the morning.
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