7 Bushcraft Skills That Will Help You Survive In The Wild

To survive in the woods for days or maybe weeks in inhospitable surroundings, one must acquire some of the essential bushcraft skills. Undoubtedly, you will face unexpected hurdles and in worst scenarios even death. Therefore, it is important to possess the right skills. It is difficult to predict the nature and hence assuming that everything is going to be fine is not the solution. To face the survival situations in the wild, adapt some of these bushcraft skills.

1. Build a Shelter

When you are exposed to certain elements, it can damage your health in the wilderness. Rain and wind cause heat strokes and hypothermia. Based on your location and the materials you have, build a shelter. If you are in a deserted area and left with nothing in hand, get hold of some dried leaves and a few sticks of wood to form a spider shelter. A shelter made of natural products is more sustainable.

 2. Start a Fire

Starting a fire in damp or rainy weather is quite a bit of a challenge. Make use of friction to form heat and set fire. If you don’t have any supplies to start a fire, learn the art of a bow drill out of sticks. However, this needs a lot of practice.

3. Navigation

One of the best survival skills in the wild is to find your way out. With the advancement in technology, there are GPS and maps made available. The real challenge is when you don’t have these options. When you are in the woods and have lost the way, figure out some of the best navigation tools. Make use of the earthly bodies like the north star and sun to know where exactly you are heading. If you are still not sure, keep heading downhill till the time you don’t find a creek or a river. When you find one, start following it.

4. Look for edible plants

Food is not a major concern for people attempting to survive in the wild. Majority of people can stay without food for a few weeks but without water, it is difficult especially in extreme conditions. However, food still plays a significant role in survival for energy. Without food for several days makes you feel weak to perform the required tasks for your survival. Therefore, begin to identify some of the edible plants. It is equally important to have a thorough knowledge of plants as some are poisonous.

5. Fishing

Besides look for edible plants, fishing is yet another skill that one must possess for survival. Hunting may be however difficult without a suitable weapon. Fishing is more convenient as there are multiple methods to catch hold of a fish without any supplies. You can spearfish with the help of a stick if there are more fish but shallow water. A fabric, a makeshift with a piece of bone or a hook is ideal for fishing.

6. Finding water

As mentioned earlier, one cannot survive without water for too long. If you are in a deserted area, finding water may be a task, but you will find a way out. When you find water, be sure to purify it before consumption. Boil the water in a metal container with the help of fire. Other options to purify water include sedimentation, distillation and so on.

7. First Aid

It is only natural to get injured when you are out in the wild. If you have injuries, figure out methods to provide first aid to yourself. It is important to know to bandage a wound and make use of the supplies available with you to treat sprains, falls and other related injuries.

Author bio

Having been on the Perkin Knives team for several years as a marketing executive, Billy has been part of a great many top-of-the-line projects. Not only has he personally contributed to the service in every way, but he also happens to be one of the most revered members of Perkin Knives.