Surviving the Forest
Article by Frontierpyro
Have you ever wondered that you may be stuck in the middle of nowhere with your friends on a camping trip turned disaster? People think it's simple to survive in the forest but truth is, it’s not. This has happened a lot in the past and has happened to me once. My friends and I were lost on a camping trip in a national park. We were only lost for 3 days but it seemed like years. We had decided to make a little hut out of sticks given we had minimal supplies and little tools. We had left most of our supplies in my friend's father's truck... who got lost for three days as well. In the meantime, we had to make do as best as we could with the things we had. We eventually found by my friend's no longer lost father. From this experience and many more from cadets, I can easily guide you through the world of survival in the forest.
If you are planning on camping with minimal supplies and doing it Bear Grylls style, there are bare essentials you should bring. You should bring some kind of distress signal or emergency beacon. You should wear sturdy shoes, and long pants and shirts to protect you from scratches and other possibly dangerous creatures waiting for you in the forest. You should never go without a map and compass in case you get lost. A good quality machete is suggested as well. This is for hunting but if you can't hunt, then bring a food supply. Even if you are a confident hunter or forager, you should bring emergency rations just in case. If you have access to a rifle and know how to use one, then try to bring it. You can carry it over your shoulder side to your bag and the machete should be hung by a waist sheath. Some tools for survival are suggested though optional. These include the multi-tool, flint and steel, matches, torch, batteries and tent.
When you get to your location, you should search for a flat dry place to set up camp. If you did not bring a tent then you should gather large sticks to both make a fire and construct a hut. A campfire, shelter, food and water are you main focuses for day one. Not bringing flint and steel of matches are not suggested due to the difficulty in lighting fires with friction. From day two onwards, you should focus on hunting, fishing, foraging and generally improving your shelter and camp. A note for sleeping is to check for snakes or other creatures in your shoes when you wake up or in your shelter before you sleep. When you leave for home, remember to smother your camp fire with water so the forest does not burn. If you made a shelter you may or may not destroy it at your own will.
These tips will help you survive the forest better and hopefully injury free. Remember some important tips though. One is to check if your camping site is in a permitted site and two, and most importantly, care for the environment and it will care for you.
Have you ever wondered that you may be stuck in the middle of nowhere with your friends on a camping trip turned disaster? People think it's simple to survive in the forest but truth is, it’s not. This has happened a lot in the past and has happened to me once. My friends and I were lost on a camping trip in a national park. We were only lost for 3 days but it seemed like years. We had decided to make a little hut out of sticks given we had minimal supplies and little tools. We had left most of our supplies in my friend's father's truck... who got lost for three days as well. In the meantime, we had to make do as best as we could with the things we had. We eventually found by my friend's no longer lost father. From this experience and many more from cadets, I can easily guide you through the world of survival in the forest.
If you are planning on camping with minimal supplies and doing it Bear Grylls style, there are bare essentials you should bring. You should bring some kind of distress signal or emergency beacon. You should wear sturdy shoes, and long pants and shirts to protect you from scratches and other possibly dangerous creatures waiting for you in the forest. You should never go without a map and compass in case you get lost. A good quality machete is suggested as well. This is for hunting but if you can't hunt, then bring a food supply. Even if you are a confident hunter or forager, you should bring emergency rations just in case. If you have access to a rifle and know how to use one, then try to bring it. You can carry it over your shoulder side to your bag and the machete should be hung by a waist sheath. Some tools for survival are suggested though optional. These include the multi-tool, flint and steel, matches, torch, batteries and tent.
When you get to your location, you should search for a flat dry place to set up camp. If you did not bring a tent then you should gather large sticks to both make a fire and construct a hut. A campfire, shelter, food and water are you main focuses for day one. Not bringing flint and steel of matches are not suggested due to the difficulty in lighting fires with friction. From day two onwards, you should focus on hunting, fishing, foraging and generally improving your shelter and camp. A note for sleeping is to check for snakes or other creatures in your shoes when you wake up or in your shelter before you sleep. When you leave for home, remember to smother your camp fire with water so the forest does not burn. If you made a shelter you may or may not destroy it at your own will.
These tips will help you survive the forest better and hopefully injury free. Remember some important tips though. One is to check if your camping site is in a permitted site and two, and most importantly, care for the environment and it will care for you.