Surviving in the Wilderness Essay Example for Free

Surviving in the Wilderness Essay The risk taken when adventuring in the wilderness can be a fatal one if one is unprepared and lacking some basic tools and knowledge. There are three basic points when dealing with wilderness survival. The first being food then shelter then warmth. This paper is going to give details and insight into each of the three points. Food, as anyone would know, is vital to survival. Whenever planning to take an adventure, always pack enough food and water to avoid the stress and inconvenience of looking for sustenance. If one is caught in a situation where food is not readily available here are plenty of sources in the wilderness. Fish is a great food for a balanced diet and is available anywhere in the world, and a good thing to know is that all birds are able to be eaten. Sap from a poplar is sweet and can be eaten raw. If one is at an oceanic wilderness, all seaweed is edible. If one is stranded in the arctic, all vegetation is edible with the exception of mushrooms. Deer is probably the best meat to have in the, wilder- ness though it may be hard to hunt without the proper equipment. When hunting and eating remember fat is a very important part of survival. Blood gives one the nutrition ne need and it can be added into sups and other foods, and is easy to find on most evergreens. A good source of heat and energy is Spruce tea. Spruce tea is easy to make, all one need is spruce needles and hot water. When eating plants, it is 1 2 important to know what plants one are eating to avoid further discomfort. There are certain plants that can kill you within hours. Water is very important especially when in tropical or dry places. Be sure to bring plenty of containers to gather water in. A normal human can only go a few days without water in a dry or tropical place where sweating can lead to dehydration. When looking for drinking water, look for signs of animals (McNab 58). The tracks of animals means the water is relatively safe to drink. A good way to gather water during rain without the proper supplies is to tie a rag or shirt around a branch and let it absorb the water then drink from the shirt (McNab 62). If at sea it is important to remember that salt water does more bad than good so do not drink it. If in an arctic environment, do not eat snow it lowers ones body temperature and costs ones in the long run. Our intake of water should much exceed our output of water. This is important to remember to avoid ehydration. To keep healthy and avoid parasites, always boil water first, if possible. There are a few easy ways to catch animals to eat. A death pit is a large hole in the ground with large or small spears at the bottom. Covered with sticks and brush, it is a hard fall for any animal who crosses over. A great way to catch fish is to find a stream with fish and put rocks or a net in the stream so when the fish swim with the current they are trapped on one side by the rocks or net and the other side by the current. Fish hooks and spears are also easy to make and make fishing a lot easier. Theses are a few hints and pointers so finding and hunting food and water will not be as hard as one would think thought. Warmth is more vital in some places than others. Even though in tropical climates the nights can be very cold and any little thing can help survive. There are a few little 3 things that people can know and use when supplies are running low. Making fire is easy if you have the right supplies if not there are ways to do it. This is the most common way of making a fire with nothing but a knife and what one can find in the woods. First find a stick about a foot high and another stick a little longer. Use a shoe-lace or any thin vine to attach to the longer stick to make it look like a bow. Then try to find a small rock with a notch in the middle. Next find a flat piece of dry wood for the board. Carve a hole in the middle of the board using the knife, but not all the way through. Make the hole big enough to fit the end of the shorter stick into. Have a tray and a bundle of tinder ready to light and a pile of wood for the fire. First loop the string around the center of the first bow and place the shorter bow in the socket of the board. Put the rock on top of the stick and begin to turn the stick with the bow. Add pressure to the socket and speed ones bowing until one has begin to see smoke and ash. Stop and knock the embers into the tray. Then transfer ember into ones nest of kindling and hold the nest tightly and begin to blow until fire. Then place into pile of bigger tinder and continue adding fuel. There is a lot of fuel for fire in the woods. Obviously dry wood is plentiful in the woods most of the time. If in the arctic moss, roots and lichen are also sources of fuel. A general rule of thumb is when gathering wood for a fire gather what one think is enough then triple that. If in an oceanic environment, driftwood makes great fuel. When carrying frail tinder, use a bottle or wallet to keep it dry and safe. Unless one is building a fire to be seen don’t build it too big and waste fuel. Remember to build a fire on a log or rock and not just on plain earth. Patience is important when lighting a fire one may not get it on the first try. Do not waste energy and body heat making a fire in cold weather unless it is absolutely necessary. There are ways to keep warm using things other than fire. Feathers can be used to 4 insulate. Fur and skin can also act as isolation. Oil can be gathered from animal fat to be used as water repellant. When in a cold environment watch for frostnip it is the first sign of frostbite. Be sure to control you sweating because it leads to hypothermia. If these steps are taken you just may survive. The last thing to consider is a shelter. Many think a shelter is hard to make because of the lake of supplies one would have available if stranded in the wilderness. The truth is there are some very easy and effective ones that can be made with little or no supplies at all. When one stranded, first make a shelter because when it is dark it is too late. The easiest is a lean-to. It consists of one diagonal stick five to six feet ong resting on two smaller sticks maybe two and a half forming an A-frame. On this can be laid on palm branches or any kind of covering that can be found n that specific environment. Remember when choosing a spot for a shelter choose one clear of debris and as conspicuous as possible. Also be sure to not choose a place that in the event of a flood will fill with water. A tree shelter is ideal incase of swamp or wetlands. Avoid place where there could be falling rocks or snow. Evergreen boughs can be fashioned to make a mattress. Caves are ideal when trying to escape rain and wind (Angier 128). Make sure ou make a shelter close to where you can get food and water. The mail objective when finding a place to sleep is not comfort but survival. (Angier 135). When choosing a site try to stay away form bushes that will contain troublesome insects. Take advantage of natural made shelter to save precious time and energy. After a long hike or in the morning are not ideal time to make a shelter because fatigue clouds ones judgment. In a emergency keep in a car or boat to avoid the elements. Smaller shelters keep you warmer and take less time to build. If in a arctic environment don’t build snow houses or igloos 5 hey are too complicated architecturally . If in a area with sufficiently deep snow dig a hole to use as a shelter. Be sure to build the snow shelter at the right angle to avoid snow being blown in by the wind. These are some easy ways to build and get the best out of your shelter. If you remember some of the tips and instructions you will do a better job of not just surviving, but thriving in the wilderness. This is to prove that surviving in the wilderness is a lot easier than one might think. It is easier than you think. if you have some simple knowledge and most importantly the will to survive you just might survive the wilderness.