Ray Mears demonstrates how to make a warm snow cave hide-out in severe weather when caught in the mountains.

Surviving In The Wilderness - The 8 Essentials

The most important technique for surviving in the wilderness is the will to survive. You need the correct attitude or you will have a very tough time surviving.

A lot of your survival skills can be learned from being in the wilderness. From going to seminars, shows, to learning the skills passed down from your parents or grandparents. Here I will detail some of the bare essentials that are needed in a survival situation. Having a survival kit is a necessity, but the contents of that kit will depend on your situation.

1. Your first priority is shelter. In wet or changeable weather conditions most people cannot survive for more than a few hours. Your shelter must protect you from the elements and be comfortable enough for resting and sleeping.

2. Another skill to learn is how to make a fire. Practice this skill under different conditions: wet and dry. A fire will not only keep you dry but you can use it to cook food, purify water or even sterilize bandages.

3. Water is an essential. A human can last many weeks without food, but only a few days without water. Dehydration can occur if water is not found. Rest, keep cool, stay in the shade, seek shelter are some things we can do to prevent water loss. Keep water on hand, don't wait until you are out.Remember a lot of foods contain water.

4. Finding food in the wilderness is very important, but not an essential. We can live several weeks without it, but its important to keep up our energy and our mental and emotional state.

5. Signaling for help should be learned before you have to use it. If you don't have a two way radio, cell phone or a whistle, you will need to use visual signs. Depending on what you have for material, you can either use fire and smoke, a mirror, flares, flashlight or strobe light.

6. Finding your direction without a compass. Nature gives us different ways to determine what direction to go including the moon, sun, stars, wind, trees, and even plants. With your knowledge of the terrain and these methods you can get a true direction to travel in.

7. Wilderness first aid is one of the basic principles to learn. You need to know how to apply them even under a stressful situation. Although there are along of injuries I could list, learning the basic principles with help you apply them to almost any situation.

8. Basic knowledge of how to predict weather. This will help you to take appropriate action before the worst comes. This will also keep you out of trouble and your safety is at risk.

Your survival skills will help you survive in a disaster or wilderness survival situation. Many people don't have the skill or knowledge to survive in the wilderness. That's why many people will survive in groups, even if its a small group. My advice is to learn all the survival skills you can. Learn from people who have been there, or can tutor you.

Source: Tom is passionate about the outdoors and all it has to offer. If you want to know more about the type of Survival Knives out there, please visit: http://www.mysurvivalknife.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Meyer

Wilderness Survival - Would You Survive?

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Frostbite

The prime dangers of cold-weather conditions are frostbite and hypothermia, as the cold strikes at the outer and inner body. Your extremities - hands, feet, ears and noses - are particularly susceptible to frostbite, but any exposed skin is at risk, and the risk is multiplied by wind speed.

The wind-chill factor transforms modestly-cold temperatures into deadly, tissue destroying assaults on the body. An 18 mph wind in 9.5 degree temperature results in a -23.3 degree wind-chill temperature. At wind-chill temperatures below -6 degrees, exposed flesh freezes in 60 seconds or less.

Removing a mitten long enough to undo clothing and urinate can result in frostbitten fingers. Deep frostbite, which can result in lost fingers, toes or even limbs, kills by incapacitating the victim.

The first signs of frostbite may be a waxy whiteness on the skin. Keep a close eye on your mates for these patches. If you are on your own, periodically feel your face and ears for the typical numbness.

If you encounter frostbite, rub snow onto the area until the whiteness or numbness disappears. Alternatively gently compress the area with a warm hand. Do not rub the frostbitten area directly; you are likely to break the skin, leading to an open wound infection.