Nobody wants to find themselves fighting for survival in the wilderness. But if you ever find yourself in that situation, you need to know the basics of survival.

Find a Suitable Camping Area

There are two main rules to remember when it comes to finding the perfect place to camp. It needs to be high and it needs to be dry. Avoid any area that is likely to see water flow through it for obvious reasons. It’s a good idea to choose a place that has as much overhead tree coverage as possible too. And stay near to any food and water sources you find.

You also need to think about any dangers that you might face when you are camping. These dangers will vary depending on whereabouts you are in the world. But you should look out for insect nests and stay away from them unless you want to wake up covered in bites.

Build or Improvise Shelter

You will also need some form of shelter to keep you protected from the elements while you camp. This is not alway easy if you haven’t brought a tent with you. Visit nasussupply.com/camouflage-tarps/ to find tarps that are great for camping. It’s a good idea to have something like this with you in case the worst happens.

You can improvise a shelter easily enough if you get creative though. For example, you could use large branches to construct a small shelter that you can climb inside and get away from the wind and rain. It’s not ideal, but this kind of thing can provide you with a form of shelter that’s certainly better than nothing.

Start a Fire

Starting a fire is one of the things that everyone thinks that they will be able to do. But when it comes down to it, many people quickly find out that it’s not as easy as it looks. To start the fire, you need a large base of wood. You can then add a bundle of tinder and use a very thin piece of wood to drill into the log by rubbing it between your hands.

Obviously, if you have a lighter or some matches with you, this whole task becomes a lot easier, so it’s a good idea to take these items with you. It’s the kind of thing that you’ll be thankful for having when you’re cold and need to start a fire to get warm. And it won’t just be used for getting warm; it will also help you to cook food.

Keep Hold of What You Have

When you’re out in the wilderness, the tools, bits, and pieces that you accumulate can all come in handy. So, don’t be tempted to abandon the things that you have with you, like these Pocket Survival Knives. This is something that you might live to regret if you’re not careful. Even if your rucksack is getting heavy to carry around, you shouldn’t get rid of the basic survival kit that you’re carrying with you.

So, what should you have in your survival kit in the first place? First of all, make sure you have a rope with you that can be used to cross gaps or get across water. You should also have items like drinking canteens, compasses and maps.  You will also need a Benchmade bugout knife that can be used for hunting or for protection. These things are all essential.

Source Drinking Water

The most important thing you’ll do when trying to survive is find clean drinking water. If you have nothing to drink, you simply won’t survive for very long. It’s as simple as that. Ideally, you should take drinking water with you whenever you are going out into the wild. But if this is not an option, you need to start looking for some as soon as you find yourself in trouble.

If you can only find water that is standing still in puddles on the ground, you shouldn’t just scoop it up and drink it. This can be very dangerous because it’s full of dirt and bacteria. If that’s the only option, you will need to boil it before drinking it. Ideally, you should collect rainwater or find a stream that you can drink from.

Know What You Can Eat and What You Can’t

Some plants are edible and some of them aren’t. If you don’t know which plants are which, you will be taking a huge risk with your health, and that’s not a good idea when you’re stranded. Things like dandelions and cattail are edible. To find out which plants can harm you, you should do some research a buy a book about plants as soon as possible.

You can also eat insects as they’re great at keeping you full up and also provide small amounts of protein. They might not taste that great, but they are very easy to find, and anything is useful when you’re desperate for something to eat. You can find them all around you, and you can fry them over a fire to make them a little more palatable.

Catch Larger Animals

You don’t have to stick to insects and plants though. You could try to catch larger animals to get some meat. One of the best foods for survival is fish. If you are near a river or stream, it’s worth trying to catch some fish. They are full of protein and fat that will keep you going. You’ll have to use worms as bait and create a makeshift rod if you want to catch any. When you do catch some, remember to cook it over the fire to kill the bacteria.

Catching small mammals such as rabbits or squirrels is another great source of protein. You have to create a trap out of sticks and string if you want to have any chance of catching one though. And these mammals can be very aggressive when you back them into the corner. Getting bit can lead to an infection, so be very careful.

If you’d like to decorate your home with skulls and rugs to commemorate the animals and memories of your hunt, check out these taxidermy animals tips from professional taxidermist.

Navigate Successfully

Getting around is another big headache you will face when you’re stranded in unfamiliar territory. This is made a lot easier if you were wise enough to bring a compass and map with you. This could help you get out of the situation you find yourself in relatively quickly. Although there are alternative navigational methods that you can take advantage of too.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so this can give you a rough guide to whereabouts you are. Tracking the movement of the sun will also allow you to find out what time of day it is. If you are trying to navigate your surroundings at night, it’s a little more tricky. You will have to learn how to locate the North Star and work out where you are from its position in the sky. Go to http://www.space.com/15567-north-star-polaris.html to find out more about this.

Send Signals

If you have no real method of modern communication, such as a functioning mobile phone, you should think about sending signals. Sometimes, this is your only chance of getting found and rescued by someone. This is even more important if you are injured or unable to move for whatever reason. There are a number of different signals that can be employed.

The first kind of signal you can use is a fire signal. You should find a clearing, preferably on high ground, and start a fire. You should pile plenty of greenery and branches onto the fire because these items create lots of thick smoke. Remember, it’s the smoke that’s important not the fire. The more smoke, the more chance there is of it being seen. You can also try mirror signals that shine light over far distances.

Stay in the Right Frame of Mind

Mentality plays a bigger part in surviving in the wilderness than most people realise. It’s vital to stay in the right frame of mind if you’re going to tough it out for as long as you need to. Don’t start approaching things in a defeatist way, and don’t rely too heavily on your emotions. This kind of approach will only weaken your resolve and cloud your judgement.

Instead, you should focus on looking at things in a pragmatic kind of light. That’s the only way in which you’ll be able to keep your eyes on what’s most important: survival. Focus on doing the things that have already been mentioned above. Keep your focus at all times, and don’t let your mind slip because this could lead to you making mistakes.

Learn from Your Mistakes

When you find yourself in a situation like this, it usually means you have made a mistake somewhere along the way. That’s not always the case, but it usually is. If you take the right steps, you can make sure that you don’t end up in this kind of situation at all. Once you’re out of a situation in which you have to fight for survival, it’s important to make sure those mistakes aren’t repeated.

So, next time you head out into a situation that is potentially risky for you, make sure you tell someone where you’re going. That way, if you don’t come back, people will know where you went to and where they should start looking for you. It’s a simple thing to do, but many people either forget to do it or don’t realise how important it is.