Wilderness Survival: Being Prepared for the Worst Situation

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Humans are born with knowledge and instincts related to survival such as the need to find shelter, food, water, and heat; however, if one of these four components is missing from a person’s life, it can result in dire consequences such as sickness, disease, permanent injury, and even death. With one’s knowledge of their surroundings, and ability to stay calm in stressful conditions, their chances of survival are greatly increased. However, if one panics in a life or death situation, the chances of making it out alive are greatly lowered. Being prepared for the worst situations may be a person’s best shot at survival. Unwillingness or inability to prepare could result in extreme results, including death.

Preparing for a trek in the wilderness comes with two major responsibilities. These two responsibilities are to pack lightly, and always remember that Mother Nature is not always on a person’s side. Packing lightly ensures that one will not be overloaded as they go out into the woods, and can save a person’s necessary energy for a later obstacle in the wilderness. Mother Nature is a very unpredictable factor in the climates one may encounter in the wild. Whether it is ran, snow, sleet, hail, heat, or bitter cold, one can never predict the outcome of the forces that they may face.

When one packs for a hike or camping trip, they may be tempted to pack as much as they can, however, this is not always the best idea. The top five things needed on a wilderness trip is a knife, rope, water, a fire source, and food. These things are necessary because without them, survival is limited. Also, one having his or her mind right at all times is just as important as packing necessary items.

Survival situations can be handled ...

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No matter what situation one is in, they should always understand that they are smaller than the forces of nature. One should never underestimate the environment that they are about to encounter. A person going into the wilderness for thrill, or for leisure should stay on their toes and focus. There are too many factors in the wilderness that if not taken serious, could result in dire consequences. One should always remember that they should have fun, but they should also be smart.

Works Cited

Ellar, Simon. Survival Skills. Mankato, MN: Capstone, 2011. Print.

"How to Survive in the Woods." WikiHow. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.

"Introduction." - Wilderness Survival. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.

"Scouting." Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales). N.p., 15 May 2006. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.

"Wilderness Survival." Personal interview. 21 Mar. 2013.

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