Outdoor Survival Have You Got What It Takes

O utdoor survival isn't           thinking of your favorite stories  about skills and knowledge      of survival against impossible     alone. These help, but you      odds. By focusing always on the    also need to have the will to         things you can do. Don't ignore    survive. Then you need to             something that can go wrong, but   prioritize. Here are the most         don't think about it for a minute  important priorities, in order.       without also deciding what you                                           can do about it.                   1. Attitude                                                                                                    2. Body Temperature                One thing you'll notice right                                            away if you read many stories of      Hypothermia - the loss of body     outdoor survival, is that many        heat - is the primary killer in    people are alive who shouldn't        outdoor survival situations.       be. Perhaps they crash a plane        Staying warm means staying dry,    and then wander into the              having enough insulation, and      wilderness where they can't be        staying out of the wind as much    easily found. Sometimes they          as is possible. Consider all your  almost freeze to death even           options. You can sleep during the  though there are plants that          day and travel in the cold of the  could be used to shelter and          night in some environments, and    cloth them. Why are they alive? A     thus stay warmer. You can stuff    strong will to live.                  dried grass between layers of                                            clothing for more insulation, or   This will to live is a great          make a fire.                       start. It has been responsible                                           for survival in the most terrible     In hot environments you might      conditions. But you also should       want to travel at night or early   develop the real belief that          in the morning, and sleep in the   survival is possible. How? By         shade during the heat of the day.  You can also fashion an umbrella      entertaining, and I even learn     of any materials available, to        something now and then. But the    shade yourself as you walk. Water     host loves to show off his skills  that isn't drinkable can still be     and daring more than his careful   used to cool you, by soaking          thinking. Don't jump off a cliff   clothing in it. A wet                 into water or climb down a water   handkerchief around your neck         fall to save a bit of              will cool you noticeably.             bush-whacking (he did both in                                            recent shows). Go around           3. Hydration                          obstacles, move slow on dangerous                                        terrain, and generally try your    Water is far ahead of food as a       best to stay uninjured.            priority. You can generally live                                         just a few days without water in      5. Get Found                       a survival situation. Once you                                           have shelter, you should              Your goal in most outdoor          immediately locate a water            survival situations will be to be  supply, and find a way to purify      found while you are still alive.   it. If obtaining water will be a      If you have reason to think that   continuing problem, try to reduce     people are looking for you, you    your need. You can stay in the        generally want to stay where you   shade more, breath through your       are. Have a signal fire ready to   nose instead of your mouth, and       light to help searchers find you.  use water only for drinking, not      If you have good reason to try to  washing.                              get out on your own (like if                                             nobody knows where you are),       4. Safety                             leave a note and mark your trail                                         just in case.                      I like the "Man Against Wild"                                            television show. It's                 6. Food                                                                                                     From a strictly physiological         Unlike water, which cannot be      perspective, food is a low            rationed too severely (many have   priority in most outdoor survival     died of dehydration with water     situations. Almost all survivors      still in their canteens), you can  in the wilderness, whether lost       stretch out what little food you   hikers, boaters or plane wreck        have to make it last. Virtually    survivors, are rescued or dead        all mammals and birds are edible   from other causes long before         if you have the means to cook      starvation can kill them. On the      them. You can also learn to        other hand, having something to       identify a few wild edible plants  eat can help you maintain             if you think you might someday be  strength, warmth, and a sense of      in an outdoor survival situation.  comfort.                               About the Author Copyright Steve Gillman. To get the ebook "Ultralight Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips)" for FREE, as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com Published At: www.Isnare.com