Transcript Wilderness survival

Outdoor Education
 You can survive 3 minutes without air (oxygen) or in icy water
 You can survive 3 hours without shelter in a harsh environment
(unless in icy water)
 You can survive for 3 days withouot water (if sheltered from a harsh
environment)
 You can survive for 3 weeks without food (if you have water and
shelter)
SHELTER
WATER
FIRE
FOOD
• Typically, your priorities will be in this order. However, the details of a scenario
ultimately dictate the final order based on your environment and the rule of 3’s.
• For example: In extreme cold, your top priority will be fire or shelter based on
immediate environment.
 Our most basic of needs, shelter protects us from the elements and over-exposure
to extreme cold and heat. Shelter is not just about the physical structure itself, it is
just as much about the location of the shelter. For example, a perfect structure set
up in a flash flood area with large overhanging tree limbs could be a recipe for
disaster.
 A survival shelter should:
* Protect you from wind and precipitation
* Insulate you from the ground
* Be away from natural threats (flash floods, drainage areas, widow makers,
insect mounds, cliffs, etc.)
* Be close to resources such as water, building materials, fire wood, etc.
* Be southward facing to capture as much sun as possible (in cold
environment).
 There are SO many types of shelters to build. The type that will work best for you
will depend on your location (forest, mountains, desert, swamp, etc.) and the
materials you have (tarp, poncho).
 Tent and Tarp shelters: If you are prepared or lucky, this type of tarp will be
quickest to set up.
BASIC LEAN-TO
 Finding and sustaining a water source is critical to survival. Water should be at the
top of your priority list when isolated from civilization.
 NEVER wait until you are dehydrated to seek water…be proactive/pre-emptive.
 Even a moderately dehydrated person can suffer from lack of mental clarity and
degraded physical abilities. Severe dehydration brings hallucinations and
complete physical failure/fatigue and hastens hypothermia and hyperthermia.
 Gorge yourself with water when you have ample supply, conserve water as much as
possible when on the move or when supply is small.
 Clear, flowing water coming from somewhere without people, manmade things, or
obvious signs of pollution is best. If you come across a natural spring, take
advantage of the water source; chances are the water is naturally filtered.
 Lakes, ponds and rivers are less ideal. Lakes and ponds are stagnant which is a
breeding ground for bacteria and parasites (must be sterilized). The smaller the
stream = the lower probability of pollution. Be aware of what is upstream (i.e.
pollution, road/bridge runoff, etc.). Higher ground = better water quality.
 Snow and Ice (not sea ice!) provides a great, readily available source of clean water
in the winter. DO NOT eat snow or ice. Doing so will lower your body temp. If fire
is available, melt it. Otherwise, place snow/ice in container and place close to
body to gradually melt it.
 You can filter water from mud or dig in dry river beds or other low lying areas. A beach
well or swamp well is used to acquire acceptable clean water beneath the water table.
 Never drink sea water or urine. If that is all you have, you can boil them and collect
the steam with a plastic sheet or bag
.
 When fire is not an option, a solar still will work, but takes a while.
 Condensation trap- Wrapping live foliage with plastic and allowing the
condensation to drip into the low point (collection into bottle, cup, pan, etc.)


Be sure not to pick poisonous plants.
 If you cant find a water source, start walking downhill…follow the path of water.
Look for dark patches in the landscape (especially on rocky hills or faces) and any
grouping of vegetation that stands out in a low area.
Fresh water from lakes, streams, and rivers will most likely have parasites and/or bacteria
that will cause illness. Water harvested from the wilderness (especially from stagnant
sources) must be sterilized.
Methods of sterilization:
Boiling- Bring your water to a boil and all parasites and bacteria will be killed. There is not
set amount of time, just bring the water to a hard boil.
Filtration- Filtration systems can be purchased which can quickly filter the water.
Chemicals- Quickest and affordable method. Add a couple of drops of
tincture of iodine, chlorine, or bleach (small amount).
UV Light- Steripens and other battery powered devices exist that
purify water by treating it with UV light…kills both bacteria and
viruses. Works best when water is filtered from particulates.
Solar Power- As a last resort, fill a clear water bottle with clear water
and leave it out in full sun for a full day (2-3 days if cloudy). The UV
from the sun will kill any bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
STERIPEN
Conifer branch xylem- Filtration of
water using sapwood of fresh cut
conifer branch.
 Obviously, a match or a lighter is ideal…But this is a unit on survival, and in the
worst case scenario, you would not have those luxuries. Items to think about
packing when you head out on a camping trips, hikes, or anytime you are traveling
through remote areas where civilization is isolated.
Magnifying glass
Flint & Steel
Battery Ignition
 Coke can and chocolate
Works similar to a magnifying glass. Concave reflection of
Sunlight to a concentrated point.
Bow and DrillThe technique of starting a fire with a bow and drill (see 7.8) is simple, but you must exert much effort and be persistent to produce a fire. You need the following
items to use this method:
Socket. The socket is an easily grasped stone or piece of hardwood or bone with a slight depression
in one side. Use it to hold the drill in place and to apply downward pressure.
Drill. The drill should be a straight, seasoned hardwood stick about ½”in diameter and 4-6” long. The top end is round and the low end blunt (to produce more
friction).
Fire board. Its size is up to you. A seasoned softwood board about 2.5 cm thick and 10 cm wide is preferable.
Cut a depression about 2 cm from the edge on one side of the board. On the underside, make a V-shaped cut from
the edge of the board to the depression.
Bow. The bow is a resilient, green stick about 2.5 cm in diameter and a string. The type of wood is not important.
The bowstring can be any type of cordage. You tie the bowstring from one end of the bow to the other, without
any slack.
 The fire-plough is a friction method of ignition. You rub a hardwood shaft against a softer wood base. To use this
method, cut a straight groove in the base and plough the blunt tip of the shaft up and down the groove. The ploughing
action of the shaft pushes out small particles of wood fibers. Then, as you apply more pressure on each stroke, the
friction ignites the wood particles.
 Food is the last in your priorities for survival. Since you can go 3 weeks without
food, you will hopefully find civilization or be rescued by this point…however, if
you are still in need of food, you should forage for edible plants and worms/grubs
first.
 Setting traps is the most energy efficient way to acquire protein (wildlife).
 DO NOT eat a plant unless you are 100% sure that it is not poisionous.
Wood Sorrow- “heart shaped clover”
 Wild Lettuce- leaves and blooms
Chickweed- low growing weed, white flowers.
Clover- similar to wood sorrow without heart shape
Dandelion- edible flower and leaves.
Kudzu- all parts edible.