You are in a forest, admiring the nature that surrounds you, but, suddenly, you find yourself completely alone and lost. Are you worried that it could happen to you during an excursion? What to do? This is undoubtedly a frightening experience, but you can survive: it is a matter of having common sense and patience and using the gifts provided by nature wisely. Follow these steps to learn how to get by.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare for the Woods
Step 1. Do some research before you leave
Don't immerse yourself in nature without having a solid understanding of your surroundings. Studying a map of the area you will go to and taking it with you are two factors that will increase your chances of not getting lost. Learn about the flora and fauna of the explored area - this knowledge can save your life.
One of the most accurate books on the subject is "Bushcraft - Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival", by Mors Kochanski
Step 2. Make sure someone knows where you are going and how long you will be away
Don't make the mistake of the character played by James Franco in the movie “127”, a survival story based on real facts. This way, at least one person will know that you are not back and will contact the emergency services.
Step 3. Bring safety equipment with you:
a knife, a survival lighter to light the fire, some matches (in a waterproof container), some ropes (the Paracord 550 is the best), a whistle, a thermal blanket, a signal mirror, some tablets to purify the water and a compass. All of this can mean avoiding death. These items are indispensable even if you are only going away for a day.
- Having all this equipment is perfectly useless if you don't know how to use it. Practice in a safe environment before you leave.
- Also bring a first aid kit - patches, antiseptic, and tweezers to remove splinters that could cause an infection.
- If you need medications or injections, take them with you, even if you think you don't need them.
- Before leaving, learn to use the compass. If you have a map and can make out some prominent landscapes, you can actually use it to triangulate your location and, from here, figure out where to go.
- When you choose a thermal blanket (light, thin and highly reflective), buy a larger and more durable model. It can be used to block wind and rain, wrapped around the body to prevent / act against hypothermia or be placed behind you to reflect fire behind you. All this is impossible to do if the blanket is too small or tears as soon as you open it.
Step 4. Carry a means of communication, such as a cell phone with an extra battery or a CB transceiver
The cell phone signal could only be reached from a hill or a tree, but it's better than nothing. If you plan to hike frequently, invest in a personal tracker, such as the SPOT Messenger, for extended, precarious or very remote travel.
A SPOT Messenger is a satellite communication device that allows you to contact the emergency services, reach your personal contacts to help you in non-emergency situations or simply let your family and friends know that you are okay.. However, signing up for the service is not free
Part 2 of 2: Surviving in the Woods
Step 1. Don't panic if you get lost:
it is dangerous, as it interferes with your most useful and versatile survival tool: your mind. Immediately after realizing that you are lost, take a deep breath and keep calm. Remember the English acronym STOP:
- S = sit down (sit down).
- T = think.
- O = observe your surroundings.
- P = prepare for survival by gathering materials.
Step 2. Orient yourself
The place you are in, whatever it is, will become your "zero point". Mark it using a piece of fabric, stones, a sheet of paper, or some other element visible from a distance. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Remember this to understand which are the cardinal points as they are arranged on a compass (clockwise starting at 12 o'clock).
- For example, if it is late afternoon and the sun is on your right, you are facing south.
- Learning to spot the North Star at night from your garden will be extremely helpful.
Step 3. Stop in one place
This not only increases your chances of being found, but also reduces the energy wasted by the body and the amount of water and food you need. Probably someone is looking for you, especially if you have warned at least one person about your plans. If you are with someone, don't separate. Unity is strength.
If it's hot, find a spot in the shade, which will significantly lower your risk of dehydration and burns. Also to avoid this, do not remove your clothes
Step 4. Light a fire large enough to keep you warm for several hours and make sure you have some spare dry wood
Put it on before you think you need it, even if it's hot. It is easier to do this when you are not in stressful conditions, because, after dark, panic may assail you, and having a fire nearby will make you feel safe.
- A good rule of thumb is to collect enough wood to last all night and then create three more stacks of the same size for safety.
- You should have access to dry wood in the undergrowth. You can also use dry bark and dung. If you make a fire that's hot enough, you can burn green wood or thick branches to create a lot of smoke.
- The best wood to keep the fire going is the one that you detach from a tree, of any type it is. You will surely find some dry wood available.
- Remember that a small fire is easier to keep burning than a larger one, because obviously it requires less fuel. Once the fire is lit, keep its size manageable so you don't have to look for more wood.
- Do not start fire in an area where it is unsafe to do so. The fire should move away from the trees, so light it in a clearing. Don't overdo it with fuel either. Consider the weather. Pay attention, you don't want to cause any further problems.
Step 5. Report your location
Make noise by whistling, shouting, singing or banging stones together. If you can, mark your location so that it is visible from above. If you are in a mountain pasture, make a triangle with three stacks of dark leaves and branches. In sandy areas, make a large triangle on the sand. These signals are typical.
- You can send a signal with fire. The universal one is created by three foci in a straight line or forming a triangle.
- You can also whistle three times, make three shots in the air if you have a rifle, or use the signal mirror three times.
Step 6. Explore your area
You shouldn't move much, but explore the surroundings to find something useful, such as items left by someone who passed before you (a piece of tin, a lighter…). Make sure you know how to return to "zero point" as you go in search of water, shelter or a way home.
Step 7. Find a good source of water
In a survival situation, you can go up to three days without water, but by the end of the second day your physical condition will not be the best. Try to find a source before then. See if there are any birds flying near the cool water. Drink the water you have left - you should ration it, but not so much that you are immediately thirsty.
- A stream is another option, since the movement of the water reduces sediment. Don't forget that drinking this water can cause illness, but when you are in a life-or-death situation, getting sick is a secondary consideration and can be cured when you return.
- If you see dew and are desperate, you can pick it up with your clothes and squeeze it out of the fabric.
- You can also find water in the cracks of a stone.
Step 8. Purify the water
A spartan way to purify water is to put it in a saucepan and heat it. Let it boil for at least three minutes to effectively kill the bacteria. Or, you can put stream water in a plastic bottle and expose it to the sun for six hours to kill most organisms.
However, if the water is so full of sediment that the sun does not penetrate, this method will not work. If you have salt, pour a pinch into the water to bring the sediment to the bottom
Step 9. Find or create cover
Without it, you will find yourself exposed to the natural elements and risk hypothermia or heat stroke, depending on the weather. If you are not dressed appropriately for the weather, a refuge is essential. Fortunately, the forest offers tools and resources both for this purpose and for lighting a bonfire. Here's what you could use:
- A fallen or tilted tree. You can build an A-shaped shelter by stacking branches on either side of a fallen tree and covering them with leaves and other plants.
- The leaves and branches will protect you from water and snow, block the wind and create shade. Try to close your shelter as much as possible.
- Caves are ideal, but make sure the one you found isn't occupied by a bear, snake, or other unsociable animal. Even the animals know that caves are a great refuge and their search lasted longer than yours.
- If there is a lot of snow, use it to build a cave - this element is a superb insulator and will make you feel comfortable.
- Just make sure the shelter isn't hidden enough to keep you inside and do nothing to help others find you.
- Don't waste too much energy building the perfect retreat, or you will feel exhausted.
Step 10. Find safe food
Most healthy adults can survive up to three weeks without eating, unless it's cold. It is better to be hungry and healthy than sick. Before you eat anything, make sure it's not dangerous. If there is anything that will decrease your ability to survive it is being lost and seriously ill. Hunger will not be a big problem.
- Don't be afraid to eat insects. It might be disgusting, but they are nutritious. Don't eat caterpillars, brightly colored insects, or those that can bite or sting you. Remove the legs, head and wings before consuming them.
- If you are close to the water, try fishing. Minnows, for example, can be eaten whole.
- Avoid mushrooms and berries (especially white ones), even if you're hungry - they could poison you.
Advice
- Don't forget that even an untreated cut can cause infection, illness, and even death.
- One of the most important survival tools, often overlooked by people, is a tin pot, without which it is difficult to cook many foods.
- For severe injuries, you can use the sleeves of the shirts as bandages. Remember to squeeze them around the wound so that they allow a finger or two to be inserted between the bandage and the limb.
- If it's cold and you risk hypothermia, don't fall asleep. You risk dying.
- You can survive for several weeks without food, but only a few days without water and, if the weather conditions are bad, maybe a few hours without shelter. Remember your priorities.
- Another understated, but essential, item is two large, light garbage bags. They do not take up space in the backpack but can be used for multiple purposes. Fill one with water and hold it close to you. Lightly pierce the other to get your head through and wear it like a raincoat (you can also cover your backpack and arms, especially if it's cold or raining, or you'll lose heat and your clothes will get wet quickly). Or, put one bag inside the other and fill the space between them with leaves, grass and pine needles to make a sleeping bag if absolutely necessary. The best garbage bags are colored ones, which can also be used to send signals.
- If you can't stop until they find you, don't start walking aimlessly, even if you think you're in the same direction. Instead, try going up or down. In the first case, you may be found more easily. In the second case, you will probably find water. In many cases, this will lead you to civilization. But don't follow a stream at night or in fog, as you may find yourself on a cliff. Never go into a gorge. While there is no risk of flooding, its walls can get too steep. Also, if there is a stream inside it, it could become a river, forcing you to turn back.
- Your main survival knife should be a fixed blade with a solid, strong handle. A folding knife is only a spare, even if it is better than nothing.
- You can also use a belt to keep a bandage in place (but don't over tighten it!) Or as a trap.
- The sleeves of a waterproof jacket can be used to contain water by tying one end of them.
- You could take a trekking pole with you. If you don't have it, use a stick-like branch. The traces it will leave will help those who are looking for you to follow in your footsteps.
- In the evening, the risk of freezing to death is greater. Keep dry. Curled up. Do not stay in direct contact with the earth. Create a "bed" of branches, leaves and everything you find and cover yourself with these same elements. To keep warm at night, you can heat stones in the fire, put them in the ground and sleep on them, but this task takes a lot of effort. It's easier to settle between the fire and a large reflective object, such as a fallen log, boulder, or your thermal blanket.
- Remember the acronym STOP: stop, think, observe and plan.
- If you want to fish, you can make your own rod with a branch about two meters long and 2.5-8 cm thick (bring along the fishing hooks). Remove the bark from the branch and, with a knife or ax, make a hole about 5-6 cm from the top of the stick. Tie one end of a thread or string inserted into the hole, then insert the hook on the other end of the thread or string and start fishing. Also, you can try to put the bait; use a small piece of meat, an insect or whatever you want.
- Tie some brightly colored clothing (jackets, bandanas, or even underwear) on top of a tree to attract attention.
- If you're planning an extended trip to harsh or unfamiliar territory, it's always a good idea to have a contingency plan. Detailed maps and route guides, extra food and water, signaling devices like a mirror, rocket or even a satellite phone could save your life.
- Rain, snow, and dew can all be good sources of clean water. You can use a glass, waterproof suit, or large leaf to collect precipitation.
- Never ever go to the woods without a compass. Notice where you are at the entrance and, if you get lost, go back in the opposite direction. If you don't have it, you can learn to identify the cardinal points thanks to the stars and the position of the sun and moon.
- Trust your instincts.
- Never waste water.
- Don't feed wild animals, or this could be deadly. A bunny may attract other animals to your shelter.
- If you are not absolutely sure of your location and how to get back to a known territory, do not try it: you could make the situation worse.
- A firearm can help you. A.22 caliber rifle or pistol is for obtaining food, protecting you from humans or animals, or sending signals.
- It is safer not to wander the woods alone.
- You can use moss as a bandage, as it helps prevent blood loss and is readily available. You can find it mainly near rivers.
- If you don't have a lighter or matches, you'll have to start the fire with your hands. If you find dry grass, leaves or bark shavings, you can usually use solar energy to make a fire with a magnifying glass, a lens from your glasses, a piece of broken glass, a watch glass. or a compass or other transparent, light-intensifying object. It is very difficult to light the fire with the clutch. You may want to carry a variety of tools with you to make the task easier.
Warnings
- If you find yourself trapped in a forest in winter, don't eat the snow, unless it has melted and warmed up! Your body temperature could drop and you risk hypothermia or death. To warm it up, put it in a bottle, which you will place between your jacket and clothes.
- If you find snakes, don't disturb them - they bite if hungry or if they feel threatened. We are too big to be considered prey by most snakes, so walk straight and walk away. If one fits in your kit, pull it out with a long stick and gently push it away. If it moves towards you, don't stoop. He doesn't know that you are causing the problem, and if you don't jump, he probably won't even notice you. However, if you kill it, you can eat it. Since you don't know if it's poisonous, cut off the head and then cut off the part adjacent to the front vent, which should be the same size as the head. You will remove the poisonous glands, if there are any.
- If you heat stones, make sure they are not wet or coming from a source of water: they will explode as the water inside them will turn into steam.
- Don't rely on cell phones, GPS units and two-way radios. Bring an item of this type with you, but be aware that it is not foolproof, so you will need to have a contingency plan.
- Avoid cutting your clothes at all costs: you need them to protect you from the cold at night.
- Keep the fire contained! Make sure there are no combustible materials nearby and completely surround it with stones or a sandbank. Extinguish it with copious amounts of water, until there is even the slightest sparkle. You should be able to touch extinct coals with your bare hands. Getting lost is bad enough, starting a forest fire because of your negligence will make the situation worse.
- Never move directly into a river - water absorbs your heat much more than air, which can lead to hypothermia.
- Many advise not to drink your own urine.
