When heavy rain hits and you’re caught outdoors without proper gear, improvising a shelter quickly can mean the difference between staying dry and facing hypothermia. The exact way to do this starts with assessing your location and available materials. If you have a tarp or poncho, tie it between trees or poles in an A-frame…
Spotting mushrooms in the wild can spark curiosity, but getting it right matters a lot. To identify them accurately, start by noting where they grow—like on soil, wood, or trees—then check the cap’s shape, color, and texture. Look at the underside for gills, pores, or spines, examine the stem for rings or bases, make a…
To survive a storm, stay indoors in the sturdiest part of your home away from windows and doors, have an emergency kit ready with at least three days’ worth of water, non-perishable food, medications, and a battery-powered radio, monitor weather alerts closely, and avoid venturing out until authorities declare it safe—focusing on preparation, caution during…
To plan a safe route and prepare for backcountry trips, start by defining your trip’s basics like location, duration, and group size, then research conditions such as weather, terrain, and hazards. Choose a route that matches your fitness level using maps and apps, secure permits, pack essential gear including the ten essentials, plan food and…
Simple traps and snares for emergency food are basic setups like the drag noose, twitch-up snare, squirrel pole, figure-four deadfall, Paiute deadfall, and bottle fish trap. These use everyday or found materials such as wire, cord, sticks, rocks, or plastic bottles to catch small game, birds, or fish, providing vital protein when hunting isn’t practical….
You can make natural cordage by harvesting fibrous plants like stinging nettle, dogbane, or yucca, extracting their inner fibers through crushing or retting, then twisting them into strong rope using a reverse wrap technique. For tools, shape sturdy plant parts such as mullein stalks into fire drills, weave cattail leaves into baskets, or lash branches…
To steer clear of dangerous animals and insect threats, focus on prevention: research the wildlife in your area, make noise while hiking or camping to avoid surprising animals, wear long sleeves and pants treated with permethrin, apply EPA-registered insect repellents like DEET, store food and trash securely away from your site, stick to marked trails,…
To signal for help in a remote area, start with the universal rule of three: three short whistle blasts, three fires arranged in a triangle, or three flashes of light repeated every minute. If you have gear, activate a personal locator beacon (PLB) to send your GPS location via satellite straight to rescue teams. For…
A basic wilderness survival kit needs to cover the core needs for staying alive in tough outdoor situations: shelter, water, fire, food, navigation, signaling, and first aid. Pack these key items: a sturdy knife for cutting and building, fire-starting tools like waterproof matches or a ferro rod with tinder, water purification tablets or a small…
You can start a fire without matches or a lighter by using friction to create heat and embers, like with a bow drill or hand drill; striking sparks with flint and steel; focusing sunlight through a lens such as a magnifying glass or even a water-filled bag; generating sparks electrically with a battery and steel…