Backwoods Safety Basics

Getting Lost:
You are marching along the forest trail with friends, when you decide to take a separate fork and meet back at the fishing hole in an hour’s time. Heading out solo, the trail starts thinning. “No worries,” you think, continuing on, “I’ll remember my way back for sure.”

You become distracted by the beauty of nature as you hike obliviously forward. The forest elms scrape the sky. The stream is hopping with fish. Oh, look – Bambi. Then, all of a sudden, it hits you: you have no clue where you are. Before you begin spinning like a top in panic, take a deep breath, calm yourself, and follow these survival tips to lead you to safety.

Sit Tight
If you know you are lost and have no idea which direction is up, sit tight for a while so the other members of the hiking group will have a better chance finding you. Signal for rescue with whatever you have available, and call for help until you are blue in the face. Not only will the loud noise attract other hikers to you, but it will scare away bears and other wild animals you do not really care to meet face-to-face in the forest.

Food & Water
Food and water is of the utmost importance if you have managed to get yourself good and lost and are having no luck hollering for help. If you have a bottle of water on hand, make it last as long as possible. You can replenish it if it begins to rain, setting your bottle in place to catch the rain, refilling your water supply. Never drink creek water. It may be contaminated with any number of unsanitary organisms, from protozoa and bacteria to toxic waste, feces, or dead organisms upstream. If rain is infrequent, or altogether unavailable, heavy morning dew may provide you with potable water. In the early morning, before the sun even rises, knot some absorbent cloth around your shins. Walk through high grass, attempting to soak up the dew. This will be time-consuming but might provide a few gulps of water when you need it most.

As for food, if you are able to find any berries or plants that you know for are safe to eat, then you can survive on a vegetarian diet. Only eat it if you are sure it is safe. Trees without discolored leaves (only green-leaved trees), flowers, or briar, are safe to eat leaves from. They will not be fancy, but they will be enough to sustain you for a time; at least until you can fashion yourself a knife and start hunting wild game.

Protect Yourself
The forest may be full of predators, including man. If you have anything that can be used as a weapon to protect yourself with, or a tool to help you survive, then you are good as gold. If you do not, then you may have to fashion yourself a multi-tool that can be used for a variety of things.

Getting Home
Follow the water. This is your best bet of returning to civilization, and it would be silly to abandon your primary water resource, and a potential resource for food (should you master spear fishing while you are lost). Head downstream and you may run into a trail, which will lead you out of your frightening predicament and home to safety.

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