A Complete Guide to Surviving In the Wilderness: Everything You Need to Know to Stay Alive and Get Resuced

A Complete Guide to

Surviving in the Wilderness

Everything You Need to Know to Stay Alive and Get Rescued

By Terri Paajanen

A Complete Guide to Surviving in the Wilderness: Everything You Need to Know to Stay Alive and Get Rescued

Copyright © 2012 Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Paajanen, Terri, 1971-

A complete guide to surviving in the wilderness : everything you need to know to stay alive and get rescued / Terri Paajanen.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-60138-581-9 (alk. paper) -- ISBN 1-60138-581-1 (alk. paper) 1. Wilderness survival. 2. Survival. I. Title.

GV200.5.P236 2012

613.6’9--dc23

2012015627

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

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A few years back we lost our beloved pet dog Bear, who was not only our best and dearest friend but also the Vice President of Sunshine here at Atlantic Publishing. He did not receive a salary but worked tirelessly 24 hours a day to please his parents.

Bear was a rescue dog who turned around and showered myself, my wife, Sherri, his grandparents Jean, Bob, and Nancy, and every person and animal he met (well, maybe not rabbits) with friendship and love. He made a lot of people smile every day.

We wanted you to know a portion of the profits of this book will be donated in Bear’s memory to local animal shelters, parks, conservation organizations, and other individuals and nonprofit organizations in need of assistance.

– Douglas and Sherri Brown

PS: We have since adopted two more rescue dogs: first Scout, and the following year, Ginger. They were both mixed golden retrievers who needed a home.

Want to help animals and the world? Here are a dozen easy suggestions you and your family can implement today:

Adopt and rescue a pet from a local shelter.

Support local and no-kill animal shelters.

Plant a tree to honor someone you love.

Be a developer — put up some birdhouses.

Buy live, potted Christmas trees and replant them.

Make sure you spend time with your animals each day.

Save natural resources by recycling and buying recycled products.

Drink tap water, or filter your own water at home.

Whenever possible, limit your use of or do not use pesticides.

If you eat seafood, make sustainable choices.

Support your local farmers market.

Get outside. Visit a park, volunteer, walk your dog, or ride your bike.

Five years ago, Atlantic Publishing signed the Green Press Initiative. These guidelines promote environmentally friendly practices, such as using recycled stock and vegetable-based inks, avoiding waste, choosing energy-efficient resources, and promoting a no-pulping policy. We now use 100-percent recycled stock on all our books. The results: in one year, switching to post-consumer recycled stock saved 24 mature trees, 5,000 gallons of water, the equivalent of the total energy used for one home in a year, and the equivalent of the greenhouse gases from one car driven for a year.

Dedication

I wouldn’t have been able to write this book without Mike Wilson, who shared a great deal of his own wilderness knowledge while I was working on it. And of course, I have to thank my daughter Emily who happily tagged along on so many of our adventures.

I also greatly appreciate the help from those who supplied their own wilderness survival stories that contributed to the content of this book.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Preparation and Avoidance

Chapter 2: Your Survival Gear

Chapter 3: Starting and Maintaining a Fire

Chapter 4: Finding Water

Chapter 5: Finding Food

Chapter 6: Shelter

Chapter 7: Signaling

Chapter 8: Navigation

Chapter 9: First Aid

Chapter 10: Survival Skills

Chapter 11: Survival on the Water

Chapter 12: Winter and Snow Survival

Chapter 13: Disaster Survival at Home

Conclusion

Bibliography

Author Biography

Introduction

The idea of being prepared for any type of disaster is not new, but with reality TV shows such as Survivorman and Man vs. Wild bringing the importance of wilderness survival into the public eye and making it glamorous, people are becoming aware of wilderness skills they should have, even in this modern world. It is no longer only crazy mountain folk who can make fire with flint or learn how to eat wild roots. These are skills anyone can master, and even a small kit of gear can help you survive an unexpected problem in the woods.

In the past, it was generally common knowledge how to start up a fire or read a map. Today, our lives have changed, and these skills are no longer commonplace. We travel with GPS units in our cars and rarely have the need to start a fire. Modern technology has made our lives easier, and yet it has also caused us to move away from these basic hands-on type of skills. Unfortunately, technology can fail at any time. Your learned skills, on the other hand, are always ready to use.

There are many potential disaster situations, but the most common ones are covered here, and their respective chapters offer specific gear requirements and skills you will need to survive each particular catastrophe. Overall, the techniques and skills presented should help you survive any possible scenario and be ready for anything. You will be able to make a fire, find water, forage for food, and take the right steps to getting rescued. Seem extreme? The fact is that these basic needs can be at risk in an emergency, and it might be up to you and you alone to provide for the needs of yourself and your family.

Campers, hunters, hikers, and fishermen are not the only ones who might find themselves in a wilderness situation. Anyone can have a car breakdown or even slide right off the road after an accident.

In May 2011, tornadoes ripped through the town of Joplin, Missouri, and left 160 people dead. A thousand more were injured. Nearly a quarter of the town was razed, and the hospital had extensive damage. Power was out for up to a month is some areas, and cell phone communication was severely disrupted. Though shelters were quickly set up and established, many people were left helpless in the wake of the disaster. Having some good skills under your belt along with basic equipment can go a long way to help you built quick shelter or find water. Never assume that it cannot happen to you. Always be prepared.

If you ever watched an episode of Lost and started thinking about all the what if… scenarios in your own life, then this is the book to get you on the right path to being prepared.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Preparation and Avoidance

Being prepared for a disaster can save your life, but knowing how to prevent it in the first place is an even better skill. Having some talents under your belt, as well as some basic survival supplies on hand, can go a long way toward keeping you and your family safe. Staying out of disaster is the first step to surviving it.

Avoid the Disaster

Many disasters are going to be unexpected regardless of what you do. But staying on top of things and taking a few extra steps when going out can really reduce your risks. Basically, preparation is your biggest survival tool.

Plan ahead

Never get into a situation, even if it might seem benign, without some pre-planning. A little spontaneity is a great thing as long as you are not getting into serious circumstances without any preparation at all. Because getting stuck or lost in the wilderness is going to be an outdoor event, do your most serious planning when you are heading out into nature, even if it is not going to be a long stay. A trip to the mall, in which you stay secure in civilization the entire way, would not count.

Some things to consider before your outing would include:

• Where are you going?

• How do you plan on getting there?

• What is an alternate route there (or back)?

• What should you take in a best-case scenario?

• What should you take in a worst-case scenario?

• What are some problems that could arise?

• How can you best prepare for these problems?

If your trip will include several people, go over the possible issue with everyone, and give this short list to everyone as well. See if anyone else can think of possible outcomes that should be planned for. Establish within your group who will carry what supplies or equipment so nothing accidentally gets left behind or forgotten.

Communicate your plans to others

Knowing what is going on within your group is vital, but so is letting people outside your group in on your plans. If something goes awry when no one is expecting you back, you are going to have an even longer wait for any assistance. Let someone at home know where you are going, when you expect to be back, and what route you are planning to take.

You can make these arrangements with anyone, not just people you see regularly near your home. As long as you call in when you are home safe, you could even have your great-aunt who lives across the country as your backup. Arrange with him or her (or them) how much time to wait before hearing from you, and ask him or her to call the authorities if you fail to return or call in. If you find yourself running late due to non-disaster reasons, do not forget to let your contact person know so you do not wind up on the receiving end of a missing-persons manhunt.

Pack appropriately

This is not just about packing survival gear. Be practical and do not worry too much about traveling light. Do not see how little you can get away with or skimp on bringing what is necessary for your specific trip. Do not go hiking in flip-flops or decide you probably will not need any bug repellent. Weather can always get cold or wet, no matter what season you are traveling in, so a light jacket and umbrella might be a good idea.

Have gear on hand

This is more about survival gear. Aside from the typical equipment you need for your specific outdoor activity, always have a good kit of survival equipment with you as well. Even if it seems unlikely that a real disaster is going to hit, survival gear will help no one if it is left at home. Find a little room in the car or backpack for a decent kit of emergency equipment. That also means to keep it with you at your destination. Having a kit in the car while you are off hiking is not a smart approach. More about these kits and their contents is in Chapter 2.

Potential Disaster Situations

Some situations are more prone to problems than others. Your average afternoon across town to the movies is unlikely to present any serious problems. Whenever you are going to be in an area with high traffic and lots of people, you are going to be fine. It is when you leave the city and head out into the wilderness, even just out to a well-marked nature trail, that problems arise.

Road trouble

Road trouble can happen to anyone at any time. Having an automotive kit of gear is important to tackle car troubles. Usually if your car breaks down, you can flag someone down for some assistance or call your auto club for a tow. However, if you have road trouble in a remote area or during bad weather, or if you have been injured, you can have more serious problems and have to fend for yourself. Unless you are taking a short drive within the city, always prepare for potential road trouble.

The most serious road problems will happen in winter. Car trouble in the summer usually means (at worst) a long walk — albeit a sweaty one — to the nearest house. Of course, for children or the elderly, being stuck on the side of the road in the summer can be as deadly as during the winter if you have no shade or water. In the winter, you will have snow to contend with, and that will complicate your situation. If you cannot get back to the road due to heavy snow, you can be trapped in your car, and your kit will be vital.

Real-life scenario: In 2009, a couple took their 4 by 4 out into a remote area in the mountains near Medford, Oregon. They got stuck in the snow and were trapped in the woods for more than two days until they were able to free their vehicle and drive back to town.

Hiking and camping

Wilderness survival is more likely to come up if you are out in the wilderness to begin with. Getting lost or injured during a hiking or camping trip is the most common way people end up needing wilderness survival skills. You do not have to be in a distant or remote location for disaster to strike, so even a short hike in the woods can become more serious. People lose their way on a trail all the time and can easily get disoriented. Unexpected weather can hamper your movements, also leading to your group taking a wrong turn.

Real-life scenario: Also in Oregon, a woman was hiking with her boyfriend but took a fall from a cliff. She broke her leg and had to survive on berries and insects for four days until she was found and rescued by helicopter. This event was in 2011.

Boating

Being out on the water poses a whole other realm of potential disasters. Equipment failure can leave you stranded, damage to your boat can leave you struggling in the water, and you can get lost easily once you are out of sight of land. Being trapped on the water is a unique situation because of the lack of movement options to get yourself to safety. Chapter 11 covers many of the special skills needed for survival in a boating situation.

Real-life scenario: Off the coast of Key Largo, two men went on a boating trip to the Bahamas, but debris struck their boat and it sank. Stranded with minimal supplies in a dinghy, they survived on the water for three days until they managed to row to Boca Raton.

Plane accident

This might seem extremely unlikely, and it is. Even so, a plane crash is the one scenario that can put you at the greatest risk and the farthest from rescue when it occurs. It will be the least likely to happen and yet the one time you most need your survival skills.

Traveling on a commercial airplane is not going to be the problem. If such a plane were to go down, there would be signal beacons involved and a rescue crew quickly dispatched. But any small flight such as a private charter will be another matter. Anyone who flies to remote areas for work or for other outdoors activities (hunting, camping) will fall into this category. Fly with your kit handy, not stowed away, and be prepared should the plane go down.

Real-life scenario: In a more dramatic event, a small plane went down in the Kalahari Desert in 2000, and two survivors had to survive a 200 km walk to civilization while scrounging for water and avoiding local wildlife in order to lead rescuers back to the rest of the injured survivors.

Disasters at home

A disaster at home is not exactly a wilderness situation, but if you are going to be conscious of your own safety and security, you do need to keep it in mind. Many of the same skills and equipment will come in handy, so these situations should be part of your survival plan. Prolonged power outages, earthquakes, snow storms, tornadoes, flooding, and even simple economic hardship can all put you in danger right at home. This subject is covered in more detail in Chapter 13.

The Survival Mindset

Survival gear and even skills are only part of staying alive in a bad situation. Having the proper frame of mind can be a huge advantage.

Have a plan

By thinking ahead, you will already have a good idea of what to do when faced with the unexpected. This type of plan goes beyond the typical travel planning mentioned above. What has been discussed so far is intended to keep you out of trouble. But you also need to know the proper steps when that fails and you are in trouble.

When your situation gets out of hand, it is easy to lose your head and forget important survival steps. Even general common sense can go out the window if you are not