Tuesday 15 January 2013

The Ultimate Survival Tips

  • Water is the single most important thing you need to survive in the wild. The human body needs a minimum of 2 quarts (1.9 liters) of water per day for good health. One day without water is cause for serious concern, and three days without water will lead to almost certain death.
  • Lush vegetation and swarming insects indicates Water. Ample plant life, insects, bird flight paths and animal tracks can all point toward water sources.
  • You should melt snow or ice before drinking it because eating frozen snow and ice will reduce your core body temperature and lead to dehydration.
  • If you're facing the sun at noon in the Northern Hemisphere, walking toward it will takes you south; walking with the sun at your back takes you north. The opposite is true in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • While not precise directional guides, moss on trees and anthills can help you to figure out what direction you're facing. In the Northern Hemisphere, moss on the south side of trees will be thicker and greener because that side often gets more sun; ants often build their nests on the south or southeastern side of trees, where it's warmer.
  • When the moon rises before sunset, the bright side is in the west; if it rises after midnight, its eastern side is illuminated.
  • You should try to avoid sleeping directly on the ground. Sleeping on the ground can lead to loss of body heat. You'll retain more warmth by piling grass or pine needles on the ground to sleep on.
  • Staying near a source of water is a good idea when building a shelter. You should avoid natural hazards like cliffs and dry river beds.
  • If you're looking for insects to eat, which ones should you avoid? Although most insects are edible, a good rule of thumb is to steer clear of brightly colored ones as well as those that are hairy or pungent.
  • A battery, a magnifying lens and even a soda can with chocolate can be used to produce a spark for a fire.
  • When attempting to catch dinner using the simple snare, it is best to tie the noose at one and half times the size of your prey’s head.
  • Elderberries are safe when ripe and cooked, but can cause nausea when eaten off of the bush. Elderberries (Sambucus canaensis) contain poisons like cyanogenic glycoside, which can cause nausea and vomiting.
  • Warm sweet liquids such as hot chocolate will give the body energy to produce heat. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates such as trail mix can stimulate the metabolism. Caffeine is not good because it acutally draws body heat to the extremities and away from the core.
  • An insect diet can actually save your life by providing you with protein. The majority of an insect’s body is pure protein. Insects actually hold more than three times the amount of protein (for their size) as beef.
  • Insect larvae contains a lot of protein. Insect eggs can be found in moist areas under rocks and inside rotten tree logs or stumps.
  • The beetle species are the most popular edible insect in the world. Placing these critters over a fire will make them a sizzling delight.
  • Many experts use the snake’s eyes to determine the difference between a venomous snake and a non-venomous snake. Venomous snakes have elliptical pupils, while non-venomous snakes have round pupils.
  • To determine the distance of an oncoming storm, count the number of seconds between flashes and claps and divide this number by five to estimate how many miles away an approaching storm is.
  • When in extremely cold conditions, watch out for stiff joints, loss of bladder control, puffy face, mental confusion, shivering, slow pulse, loss of coordination, and slurred speech to indicate an onset of hypothermia. But not a cough.
  • Dry mouth and a rapid heartbeat is a sign for moderate dehydration. Vomiting and diarrhea is a strong indication for severe dehydration.

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