How To Survive In The Wild or keep Alive till Help Arrive. People have been able to live on Earth for thousands of years. Living in the wilderness takes a special kind of person because most people can’t stand up to the challenges for very long. It’s not easy to stay alive. We often hear about adults, kids, and pets who went camping or hiking. These people were left in the bush but could remain alive for days or weeks. Being able to stay alive in the wild is a skill that can be useful.
Wild animals can be hard to eliminate, but ideally, people won’t have to deal with them. To stay alive in the wild, you need to find food and a place to stay out of the weather. You also need to keep yourself safe and plan how to get back to civilization. I think it’s time we talked about how to survive in the wild.
What You Need To Know To Survive In The Wild.
Let’s pretend you’re lost in the woods in the middle of November, and it’s freezing outside. And now you have no idea where you are, how much time has passed, or what day it is. Your first instinct may be to try and return to civilization or contact rescuers, but this is a losing battle because you will quickly become exhausted and run out of food. Therefore, calories and water are the two most important things, but not necessarily in that order. While water is essential, securing shelter comes first, and food may wait. You can start gathering food and building a fireplace to prepare it when you’ve established a secure dwelling.
That said, you shouldn’t feel secure just yet. I’ve put out the tips below and done the research you need to gain everything you need to survive. Now that you have the basics covered, you’ll need to figure out how to keep your body warm and protected from the elements while also warding off potential threats like wild animals and weather events.
Locating Food Source
It’s natural to think that you should put food as your priority, but as I said, food shouldn’t be your top priority. But, let’s put it in the first tip as people will always worry about food. Nature offers food for both carnivores and herbivores, but you may not have much choice in the wild. Here are some pointers to avoid being hungry in the wilderness:
- Keep some energy bars and food in your backpack in an emergency. Take note of this before you go hiking or camping. Packing up essentials is necessary and preparing is the best strategy before you do something dangerous and unpredictable.
- Forage for eggs in birds nests; I know, this may seem cruel, but eggs are nutritious, relatively easy to obtain, and (for the most part) will not harm you.
- Forage for berries in the woods. As small as they can be, they can help you survive hunger.
- Forage for mushrooms, but make sure to research wild mushrooms in the area where you want to camp or visit.
- To catch little bugs, use various ways such as zip ties or bungee shoe laces.
Nuts, seeds, fruit, and berries are more readily available. Unless you know what you’re searching for, edible flowers, mushrooms, and tree bark can be dangerous. Protein is abundant in insects and larvae. Small wildlife like birds and rodents are on the menu if you can improvise a trap.
If you live near a body of water that has fish, this could be another source of food. A stick and a zipper fish hook will suffice if you don’t have a fishing rod. Cut a backpack zipper and sharpen it with a rock to make the hook. You may also construct a fish hook out of a drink can. Avoid going deep into unknown water when fishing because river sharks and other predatory animals can be found in some rivers.
Game hunting
If all else fails, or if you require a few extra calories, you must begin hunting. Find a young hardwood sapling and chop it down with a rock. A sturdy and long sapling, about 2 meters long and 3 to 5 centimeters thick, is required. Cut off excessive branches and sharpen the end, but not too much so that it becomes unstable. Then, over a fire, harden it. Carry the spear with you throughout the day and try to kill small animals like squirrels, frogs, or rabbits to roast over the fire later.
Locating Water Source
You should look for freshwaters like a pond, river, or lake. Because water always flows downhill, depressions or valleys are ideal for water accumulation. If you’re near a mountain, there’s a good possibility you’ll come upon a river that flows from it.
Numerous hazardous animals are looking for water. Suppose you come to a body of water and attempt to find a suitable location for a shelter nearby. But don’t build a shelter on the water’s edge because you’re not the only one looking for water.
Make Certain That the Water is Clean
You’ve discovered a source of water. Congratulations! But, no matter how thirsty you are, never drink water directly from the source. It should always be boiled first. If you have a sterilized container, ideally a metal one, you may pour it into it and boil it for half an hour on the stove to make it suitable for ingestion.
A boiling pit can also be made by separating clay from the soil, creating a hole, and lining it. Make sure there are no fractures or gaps in the clay layer. Then, using a hat or a shoe, carry water from your water source to the boiling pit until it is full. Heat rocks on your campfire once your pit is full. Heat them for about 10 minutes before dumping them into the pit. Finally, rotate the freshly heated stones in the pit until a continuous boil is achieved. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes.
If you don’t come across a natural water source, you should dig a hole to get some much-needed hydration. Before bed, dig a 30 x 30 cm wide and 30 cm deep trench. The hole should fill with water overnight, but it will be dirty, so strain it with any cloth, such as your shirt. You can wring it directly into your mouth with your shirt, even if you don’t have a container to strain the water into. Don’t worry about unclean water because your shirt should catch any additional mud.
Make use of Clothing as a Filter.
If the primary method appears challenging, you can always use your shirt to absorb moisture from plants or the ground. In the morning, simply press your shirt softly into the ground to collect dew. It should absorb water, which you can wring into a counter or your mouth. Trapping your shirt through the underbrush during the day should gather moisture from the neighboring plants.
Look for Alternate Sources.
Animals have an inherent knack for seeking food and water. If you follow ants climbing trees, you should be able to detect pockets of moisture in the bark. However, avoid swallowing ants using this procedure because they may have pincers.
Building a Shelter
When you’re stranded in the wilderness and exposed to earth elements, it can be challenging to shield yourself from the wind, rain, and scorching heat. According to the rule of three, you can go three days without water, three weeks without food, but only three hours in bad weather without shelter. Even a simple rain jacket can be converted into a little tent. While this may not appear to be much, it will shield you from the rain and other elements.
You can also construct the following shelters:
- A-Frame Structure. This traditional triangle-shaped shelter, usually seen in cartoons or children’s play, is meant to retain body heat.
- Bough Shelter. Humans often notice woodland critters seeking refuge under low-hanging boughs of coniferous trees; we can do the same since the tree branches act like a roof, allowing water and snow to slide off while keeping us warm.
- Debris Shelter. Simple but adaptable. This shelter is camouflaged using broken branches and other forest stuff to create a rough, tapering triangular tent.
- Shelter from a Fallen Tree. Trees offer protection, and what better way to gain access to this safety than through a fallen tree? Choose a stable section of the tree to shelter under that will not crack on you.
- Sod House. A sod shelter’s framework must be robust and can be formed of logs, driftwood, poles, and other materials. Because the roots tend to hold the soil together, you should use sod with dense grass or weeds.
- Sapling Protection. You can build this shelter simply in a young forest with smaller trees.
- Tarp Shelter. This shelter is not very sturdy in windy conditions, but it can be utilized to ride out a storm.
- Tree Root Protection. Foxes and other burrowing creatures frequently use this secure refuge. Therefore be careful not to stumble into a fox’s den.
- Natural Hallow. These can be found in woodlands and provide a convenient, protected refuge.
- Pup Tent. This can be used for temporary protection by utilizing whatever sticks or fabric you have.
If you are injured and unable to make a shelter, try climbing a tree and staying as far away from predators as possible. Other elements to consider when building a shelter are as follows.
Location
After you’ve found a suitable water source for survival in the wild, look for a fallen tree or a cliffside. In any survival circumstance, you’ll want to build your shelter against a huge surface that can block off any wind, keep you dry, and hide you from predatory creatures. But make sure there are no other animals in the area; you don’t want any additional troubles for the few days you’ll be spending in the wilderness, and you want to survive at any cost.
Collect materials.
After discovering a tree or a cliffside, gather some tree branches and aim them at it. Because the forest floor is generally filled with fallen branches, you shouldn’t have to cut any from the trees themselves.
The branches should be as straight as possible and between 1.5 and 2 meters. Look for larger branches so you can easily lean them together. Make the shelter as tiny as possible while still being large enough to fit your entire body if curled up. The lower the shelter, the easier it will be to warm your body.
Fill in the Gaps.
After establishing a solid foundation, fill in the gaps between the larger and smaller branches. There will always be gaps between them, no matter how straight they are or how close together they are placed. Finally, cover the entire shelter with leaves, vines, or any other type of forest floor debris to ensure that the shelter is isolated from the harsh wind of the woods in any survival event or experience.
Comfort.
To give insulation against the cold and damp dirt underneath you, line the ground inside the shelter with dried leaves or pine needles. You should then make that inside functioning. And, just as you would change your bedsheets at home, you should replace the bedding in your shelter daily to keep it from becoming damp, keeping you dry and enhancing your chances of survival.
Make a fire.
Because your fire, like everything else in a survival situation, your fire needs a sturdy foundation; the first step is constructing a fire pit. To make it, dig a hole at least 1 meter away from your shelter that is 2 feet 60 cm broad by 15 cm deep. Pile dry leaves and pine needles into the pit and start kindling. Finally, line the hole with stones, and you’re nearly done.
Make use of a bow drill.
The next step is to create a bow drill. Find a piece of hardwood or rock with a pivot to rest the top of your drill. Then, using a sharp stone, slice a hole through a bit of softwood. Make a triangular cut from the softwood’s edge to the hole, with the triangle’s point at the hole. Find a green, bendable branch and tie a shoestring to either end to make a bow. Then, find a 2 cm thick hardwood stick to use as a drill bit.
If you don’t have shoelaces, you can make a string by digging into the fibrous inner layer of a tree with a rock, taking out the strands, and tying them together. If you don’t live in a forested location, you can make one by cutting off pieces of your hair and binding them together.
Light the fire.
You can start your fire once you’ve prepared the hole and bow. In your campfire, arrange your softwood or other dry plants, so the kindling fills the triangle cut on the edge. Then, insert your drill into the hole while wrapping the string of your bow around it in a single loop parallel to the ground. Hold the softwood firmly with your foot and insert the head of the drill into the divot of the hardwood or rock you discovered to secure it in place. Then, move the bow back and forth, so the drill rotates, creating friction on the softwood and sparking. After a few minutes of sawing, you should notice the smoke. When this happens, gently blow on the kindling to stimulate the spark.
Once a few fire stars have formed, build three pyramids of branches that gradually increase in size, beginning with small twigs and ending with larger branches with bark in the center. Though you could always start another one, try to keep the fire blazing throughout the day by constantly adding wood.
Defending Yourself Against Your Own Body.
Late Dinner.
First, eat as late as possible. Because our bodies generate heat while digesting food, you should take advantage of this. Consuming high-protein, high-fat foods such as nuts, bugs, and small animals right before going to bed assists your body to process heat throughout the night.
Stay warm.
At night, you need a blanket, and the best you can do is cover yourself with dirt, garbage, and leaves. They will provide adequate insulation from the cold night air. But don’t go too far and sweat because sweating will chill down your body and make your mattress damp, robbing it of its isolation abilities.
How Do You Survive in a Wild Forest When You Have Nothing?
For starters, forests are far more human-friendly than deserts, marshes, and mountains. Temperatures vary only slightly between day and night. Although forests tend to cool down substantially more at night, they are abundant in resources like wood and leaves, allowing you to build a great shelter to spend the night in. Most forests are abundant in nourishing food and wild wildlife. Streams and rivers that enrich a woodland landscape generally have clean, drinkable water.
How do you survive in the woods with nothing? Here is a step-by-step guide.
- Your first instinct is to calm down and take in your surroundings. What time is it today? Should I hang around and wait, or should I go? Are there any obvious geographical elements that can help me figure out where I am?
- If it’s getting dark, you’ll need to find a warm, nice place to spend the night. The same is true if it is about to rain! Find as many branches as possible and construct a shelter, such as under a dead tree, a hollow aperture in a rock wall, or a hole in the ground. Find some leaves to cover the shelter partially.
- Optional: Build a modest campfire. Wood is ideal since it burns longer and generates more heat. Make a bow drill or use two dry pieces of wood to light embers and blow under flames. The drier the foliage, the better; your fire will require it. Don’t just go for the leaves; they burn quickly.
- The following day, look for water. Streams should be present, especially near a mountain. Collect rainwater using leaves. Water follows gravity; thus, the lower you go, the more likely you are to locate water.
- Concern yourself with eating later. You can fast for a day or two without losing too much energy from the lack of meals. Humans can go a month without food, so don’t prioritize it over warmth and water.
Finding refuge and retaining body heat is critical for forest survival. Of course, you could live there indefinitely, so what’s the backup plan? Is there anyone out there looking for you? Is there anyone who knows where to look? Should you relocate or stay put and signal your location?
How Long Can You Survive Without Anything?
Indefinitely, if you have the skill and knowledge and are ready to prioritize survival every day. Woodlands, forests, and rainforests are good places to live and thrive, and many tribes continue to do so today.
Of course, if you’re alone, your odds of success plummet even in the most welcoming environments. Most city inhabitants die within 24 to 48 hours after becoming stranded in the woods. Exposure and hypothermia are the leading causes of death. The average city dweller does not know what to do in a natural area. Let alone surviving in the wilderness with nothing.
Deserts, both hot and cold, are the most hostile environments. Heat stroke and severe hypothermia are predicted to kill within hours. Mountainous areas are also dangerous. You’ll only be able to survive for a few days if you find shelter. Competent individuals who understand what they’re doing can live for years if they avoid falling stranded during a storm, falling off a cliff, or being in an accident. They would always carry a weapon, a bow, and a spear to ward off hazardous predators.
How Do You Survive If You Don’t Have A Shelter?
No, you don’t! At the very least, 3 hours. As the sun sets and the temperature drops, you will lose more and more body heat. Keeping your core body temperature stable in the wild should be your top goal. Because this is a post about how to survive in the wilderness with nothing, I’m assuming you won’t have a nice, fluffy blanket to cover yourself in! Even if it’s shoddy, a shelter is better than nothing.
If you don’t have a way to keep your body warm, your core temperature will decrease, and you’ll get lethal symptoms that will lead to cardiac arrest (heart-stopping). The human body needs to maintain a temperature within a 5-degree range of its usual. A shelter shields you from the burning sun and the stinging frost. It protects you from dangers such as shock, hypothermia, and hyperthermia, as well as being bitten, buried, drowned, or beaten by hail and rain.
How Long Can You Go Without Food, Water, and Heat?
Without warmth, you can only last 3 hours until your body shuts down, you lose consciousness, and you die from heart arrest, finally choking. That is hypothermia: a quick and painless death.
On the other hand, wandering out in the desert at noon when the temperature is climbing will be no less delightful. If you don’t find some shade, your body will overheat and sweat to cool off. That suggests you’re dehydrated. Even so, you will collapse from heat, lose consciousness, and die in the desert if you do not lower your core temperature.
You will eventually get too weak to move and look for water. Your body can survive for up to three days without water. But if you don’t locate something to drink, your body will dehydrate, and the dehydrating impact will begin to wear you out.
Can you live without water for an extended period of time?
External factors determine the rate at which your body dehydrates. Hot, dry climates accelerate the loss of bodily fluids. Dehydration is more detrimental in a scorching desert than in a dense, cold, humid forest. Food should be the least of your worries. You can go for a month without eating. According to several studies, eating within a time constraint can even diminish the effect of caloric restriction. When you don’t have a lot of food on hand, don’t eat all day; instead, limit your meals to a few hours. Instead of craving food, your body will burn fat.
More Wilderness Survival Advice.
Predators Should be Avoided.
Predators must be avoided at all costs. To warm them up for your arrival, sing or whistle to yourself as you walk from place to place, however dumb it may sound. Another thing you should do to avoid food odors in your home is to throw away any leftovers as much as possible. It’s also a good idea to prevent recently dead animals because predators sometimes return to their victims. Don’t be alarmed if you come upon a predator. Make no eye contact and step away slowly with a powerful big posture to appear menacing.
Keep your Skin Covered.
Always protect your skin, especially in tropical climates where the warm, moist atmosphere can hasten illnesses, and many indigenous insects transmit dangerous diseases such as malaria. If you don’t have long sleeves or slacks, leaves should suffice, but be careful not to come into contact with any poisonous plants since they can cause more harm than good.
Wounds Should be Treated Immediately.
If anything awful happens and you are hurt, you should know how to treat your injuries. For example, even in the wild, it is possible to repair a fractured bone. A shattered bone can be splinted by aligning two tree branches on the opposite sides of the bone and binding them together with a piece of fabric, shoelaces, or some green flexible branches.
Keep Hydrated.
If you notice yourself becoming ill or are sick already, the most important care you can provide is to stay hydrated and rest as much as possible. Stay inside your shelter at all times and have water close. You should also strive to keep warm because cold bodies heal slower.
Final Thoughts
To summarize, you should never walk into the wilderness unprepared. And, while nothing beats the experience of performing survival alone in the woods at least once to be prepared for something similar, reading a lot about survival before does add some points to your odds of surviving.
Survivalists will need to learn specific wilderness activities to survive in the wild, but if you stay calm and pay attention to your surroundings, you should be able to survive long enough for aid to arrive. If you find yourself in a leadership position, a survivalist should consider typical emergency scenarios and avoid them before they occur. This can help you avoid a potentially hazardous emergency.
