10 Survival Tips to Keep You Alive in the Wild!

Whether you’re a novice hiker or a seasoned outdoorsman, knowing something about wilderness survival is invaluable. Here are 10 essential wilderness survival tips that will help you stay safe, warm, hydrated, and nourished in the great outdoors.

1. Gather natural resources: Don’t underestimate the importance of natural resources like dry firewood, grasses, and leaves. Collecting them can provide insulation, warmth, and shelter. And they can be used to construct temporary structures.

2. Start a fire: A fire is essential for warmth, cooking food, and providing light in the dark wilderness, so knowing a few simple fire-starting methods is vital. There are many ways to start a fire, from using matches and tinder to using primitive tools like a bow drill and fire plow.

3. Stay hydrated: When you’re in the wild, the need for water is especially important – not only for sustenance, but also for warding off dehydration and heat exhaustion. To stay hydrated, carry a water bottle and purify any water sourced from streams and other natural sources before drinking it.

4. Purify food: In the wilderness, food can be hard to come by, so it’s wise to know how to safely purify food and make it edible. You can do this with boiling water or chemical treatments, or by simply drying or curing food in the sun or over an open flame.

5. Find shelter: Building a shelter is one of the most important aspects of wilderness survival. Crafting a shelter with natural materials – such as leaves, vines, and branches – will provide you with protection from the elements. If you have access to man-made materials like tarps or rope, you can use them for shelter as well.

6. Use natural navigation: Being able to navigate your way around the wilderness is essential for a safe journey. To do this you’ll need to use natural navigation tools such as understanding your environment, spotting landmarks, and using the stars and sun for directional guidance.

7. Carry a first-aid kit: When you’re out in the wilderness, minor injuries can quickly become a major problem. That’s why it’s important to always carry a first-aid kit with you. This should include items like bandages, antiseptic creams, painkillers, and antidiarrheals.

8. Forage for food: Finding edible plants in the wild can be a tricky affair so it’s important to be able to recognize which ones are edible and safe to eat. Some plants that can provide sustenance include dandelions, wild berries, certain mushrooms and lichens, and wild grains such as amaranth and quinoa.

9. Set traps: Knowing how to set animal traps can be an invaluable skill if you’re looking to supplement your diet with fresh proteins. Traps can include snares made from string or lasso-like nooses made from sticks, stones, and vines.

10. Signal for help: If you find yourself in an emergency situation in the wilderness, it’s important to be able to signal for help should you need it. Different methods of signaling can include three whistle blasts in rapid succession, sustained fire smoke signals from burning green foliage, mirror signals reflecting sunlight into the sky in morse code flashes, or flares at night.

By following these 10 wilderness survival tips in 10 minutes, you’ll not only be better prepared for any situation that arises whilst out in the wild but will also be able to enjoy nature far more knowing that you have the skills to handle anything that comes your way!