by Stephen Cole

Created on: September 30, 2009

Being lost or stranded in the wilderness is not something most people like to think about. However, it pays to be prepared in case you find yourself in such a scenario. In order to prepare yourself for meeting the challenges that this kind of situation would throw at you, you must ask yourself several questions:

How do I find food? How do I obtain safe drinking water? What about shelter? Does anyone know I am missing?

Hopefully you will never be caught in a scenario where you must fight for your survival. Nevertheless, being prepared for such an ordeal can mean the difference between life and death. The tips suggested here are by no means the be-all and end-all of wilderness survival. However, it is still a good idea to memorize them. You never know what may happen the next time you're camping or going for a hike in the woods.

Contingency Plan:

Before heading out for a wilderness adventure, be sure to let someone (preferably someone you know well) know where you are going. You will also want to inform them on how long you will be gone and what time they should expect you to return. If your friend notices that you are not back by the time you mentioned, they will know something is wrong and begin a search for you. It may even help to write down your information and pass it along to several friends/family members.

As an added measure of security, make sure you do not travel anywhere that you did not mention in your contingency plan. Say, for example, that you told your friend you were going to hike up that big mountain to the west. You would not want to venture ten extra miles to the east so you can check out the river in the valley. Should you become lost or injured while straying from your original destination, your friend would have a difficult time locating you.

Finding Food:

As you can imagine, food will be important if you plan on surviving in the wilderness. Should you become lost or stranded in an area with substantial vegetation, you will automatically have a decent supply of food. However, many plants can be poisonous or even fatal if consumed. Familiarizing yourself with plants in areas you intend to explore will go a long way in making sure you don't accidentally eat something harmful. Ways to learn about which plants are safe include reading field guides and spending time with someone in the wilderness who is already familiar with wild vegetation.

If you do not find the thought of eating wild plants appealing, there is a way to catch game. By building

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