Have you ever been on a hike, admiring the forest flowers, looking at the treetops - and suddenly realizing that you are completely alone and lost? What would have happened to you if you had not found your way back and returned safe and sound? While getting lost in the woods can be a terrifying ordeal, surviving alone in the wild is, well, a matter of common sense, patience and wise use of nature's gifts. If you want to learn how to survive in the forest, follow these instructions.

Steps

Preparing for the hike

Do your research first. Don't rush headlong into the wilderness; Scout your environment thoroughly. Study the map of the territory where you will go, and be sure to take it with you - all this will significantly reduce the risk of losing your way. Familiarize yourself with the flora and fauna of the area you are exploring. Knowing about local plants and animals can save your life.

• One of the most accurate books on this topic is “Bushcraft - Course and Skills for Survival in wildlife» by Morse Kochansky.

1. Make sure someone in your family knows where you are going and for how long. Don't make the mistake of James Franco on 127, the survival film is based on a true story - make sure someone knows exactly where you're going and when. This way, this person will understand that you are missing, quickly call rescuers and tell you where to start the search.

   Bring rescue gear with you. Basic safety equipment is: knife, flint (metal match), regular matches (in a waterproof box), rope (550 paracord is the best), whistle, spare blanket, signal mirror, water purification tablets and a compass, which can be critical. If you are going on a day hike, take everything you need with you.

   • Having all this equipment means absolutely nothing if you don’t know how to use it for its intended purpose. Practice repeatedly in a safe environment before you venture into the wilderness.
   • Don't forget to take a first aid kit. It should contain an adhesive plaster, an antiseptic, and tweezers to remove debris that could cause infection.
   • If you need any medicine or injections, put them in your first aid kit, even if you won't be leaving for a long time.
   • Before setting off, learn how to use a compass. If you have a map and can recognize known landscapes on it, you can use a compass to compare your location and decide where to go next.
   • When you choose a spare cover (made from lightweight, thin, reflective Mylar fabric), spend a little more money to purchase a wider and more durable model. The blanket protects from wind, rain and hypothermia. If there is a fire burning behind you, cover your back with a blanket - it will reflect the heat of the fire. However, if the fabric is too small or breaks as soon as you unpack it, you won't expect the same protective properties from the cover.

2. Bring communications equipment with you. Mobile phone with a spare battery or a portable CB radio - the most quick ways to escape if you are lost or injured. Cellular signal is only available from a hill or a tree, but it's still better than nothing. Experienced backpackers purchase personal location-finding beacons such as SPOT Messenger for long, dangerous and long-distance travel.

   • SPOT Messenger is a satellite communicator that allows you to contact emergency services, maintain personal contact for help in non-emergency situations, or simply check that your friends and family are okay while you're camping. Maintenance it's paid and not cheap.

   Survival in the forest

   1. Don't panic if you get lost. Panic is far more dangerous than anything else, because it obscures reason, which is the single best, most useful and universal means of salvation. The moment you realize you are lost, stop. Take a deep breath and remain calm. Before you act, follow the tenet of the STOP acronym:

      • S = sit down
      • T = now think
      • O = Look around the area
      • P = prepare for rescue by gathering materials

   2. Get your bearings. The place where you are will become your “zero point”. Mark this area with a piece of clothing, a pile of rocks, a piece of paper, or anything else visible from a distance. Decide on the cardinal directions - the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Use these directions by adjusting your compass (clockwise from the 12:00 apex) to north, east, south, west.

      • For example, if it is late afternoon and the sun is to the right, then you are facing north.
      • If you know how to find the North Star in the night sky in your backyard, this skill will prove invaluable.

   3. Stay in one place. Not only does this increase your chances of being found, but it also conserves your body's energy by consuming less of the water and food you need to maintain it. Squat down and stay still. There is a chance that they have already started looking for you, especially if you told someone about your plans. Also, if you are with someone else, don't split up. Your strength is in numbers.

      • If it is sunny, try to search in the shade - this will reduce the risk of dehydration and burns. Don't be tempted to take off your clothes because doing so will actually increase the risk.

   4. Light a fire. Build a fire pit with enough coal to keep it warm for a few hours, and make sure you have plenty of firewood. Start a fire before you need it, even if it's warm in the woods. It is better to start a fire in a calm state, not in a panicked state when the sun goes down. Not to mention, you'll feel comfortable and safe when you're near a fire that identifies your location.

      • According to excellent practical method, you need to collect wood until you are sure you have enough for the night. Then collect three more identical piles of wood, which may be enough for the night.
      • You must retrieve brushwood from the underbrush under the forest canopy. You can also use bark or dry droppings. If your fire does not heat up enough, throw fresh branches, bushes or tree branches into it so that the resulting smoke will serve as a fire signal.
      • The best wood for making a fire is dead wood. You can pull it away from a healthy tree. No matter what type of forest you are in, there is dry brush everywhere.
      • Remember: a small fire is easier to maintain than a large one, if only because it requires less fuel. When you have enough glowing coals, keep the fire at a moderate size so you don't have to waste time searching for fuel.
      • Do not light fires in dangerous places. Your fire should be far from flammable trees and bushes, preferably in a clearing. Be careful with fire. When you want to add fuel to it, don't overdo it. Consider the weather and other factors, and remember that escaping a forest fire is much more difficult than getting out of the forest when you're lost!

   5. Mark your location. Whistle, shout, sing, or bang rocks to create noise. If possible, highlight your location so that it can be seen from above. If you're in a mountain meadow, arrange three piles of dark leaves and twigs in a triangle shape. In sandy areas, make a triangle in the sand. Such a triangle in wild conditions considered a standard distress signal.

      • You can use a fire to send a distress signal. The universal distress signal is a straight line of three fires or three fires forming a triangle.
      • You can also blow three whistles, or fire three shots into the air from a gun, if you have one, or signal three times with a mirror, catching the sun's rays.

   6. Scout your area. Although you can't go too far, you should explore the surrounding areas to find anything useful. You may find items left behind by someone, be it a tin can or a pocket lighter, which can be useful for signaling. Make sure you can always find your way to your zero point while you're looking for water, shelter, or your way home.

   7. Find a good source of water. In a survival situation, you can go three days without water, but by the end of the second day you will be out of shape, so you need to quickly find a body of water. The best source of water is a spring, but the chances of finding one are slim. Also pay attention to birds because they often fly over fresh bodies of water. Drink the remaining water, but in portions, not all at once.

      • A running stream is also a great option. The flow of water reduces sediment. Be aware that stream water can be dangerous due to the presence of disease-causing bacteria. But when it’s a matter of life or death, the risk of getting sick should fade into the background, because you will then be cured.
      • If you're desperate and there's dew on the grass, collect it in your clothes and then suck the moisture out of the fabric.
      • You can also look for water in rock crevices.

   8. Purify your water. One of the crude ways to purify water is to boil it in a handy kettle. To kill bacteria, the water must boil for at least three minutes. You can also pour water into a clean plastic bottle and leave it for sunny place for six hours to kill most microorganisms.

      • But if there is a lot of sediment in the water, the sun's rays will not be able to penetrate through it, so this method will not work. Add a pinch of salt to the water so that the sediment sinks to the bottom.

   9. Find or make shelter. Without proper shelter you will be exposed to atmospheric phenomena, being exposed to hypothermia or heatstroke, depending on the weather. If you are not dressed appropriately for the conditions, you should definitely find shelter. Luckily, the forest is full of tools and resources to start a fire and build shelter (for warmth, safety, and signaling). Below is a list of things you can use:

      • Look for a fallen or leaning tree. You can create an A-frame shelter by placing branches on either side of a downed tree and then covering it with shrubs, fronds, leaves or other plants.
      • Use shrubs and fresh branches with leaves to protect your home from water, wind and snow, as well as to provide shade. Lock yourself in your shelter from every possible angle.
      • A cave can be an excellent shelter, but you need to check if it is occupied by bears, big cats, snakes or other animals. Undoubtedly, they know that caves are an excellent refuge, since they are constantly searching, unlike you.
      • If it snows, build a snow shelter. Snow is an excellent material in which you will feel comfortable.
      • Make sure your place is not too hidden, otherwise you will spend all your time there and no one will find you.
      • Don't waste all your energy on building the perfect shelter, otherwise you will exhaust yourself.
   10. • Pay attention to even the smallest cut, as it can lead to infection and death.
       • An equally important part of your rescue gear is having two large, lightweight garbage bags. They take up little space but are useful for many purposes. Fill one of them with water and hide it in your shelter. And use the other one differently. Make a small hole in its corner for the head, and put the rest of it on yourself (and tie it up if necessary). (You should cover your hands if it snows/rains, or if you lose heat and your clothes get wet quickly). Place one bag inside another and fill the space between them with leaves, grass and pine needles– and you will receive a temporary sleeping bag. Orange packages with contactors are the best (they can also be used to signal).
       • If you're going fishing, make a fishing rod out of a stick that's 2 meters (6 feet) long and 2-5 centimeters thick (just bring some fishing hooks). Cut the bark off the stick with a knife or ax and make a notch 5-7 centimeters from the top of the fishing rod. Tie one end of any rope or line to this mark, and then attach a hook to the other end of the rope or line. Make a bait - secure it small piece meat on a hook, such as an insect or something else.
       • The sleeves of a waterproof jacket can be used to store water if you tie the ends at one end.
       • At night, you are at greatest risk of freezing to death. So don't get wet. Wrap yourself up. Don't sit on the ground. Make a “bed” from a layer of branches, leaves, twigs - from anything - and cover yourself with the same on top. To stay warm at night, you can heat rocks in a fire, cover them with your makeshift bed and sleep on top of them, but this is a very painstaking process; it is much easier to lie down near the fire under a massive object, such as a fallen log, boulder or spare blanket.
       • If you are going on a long journey through difficult and unfamiliar terrain, always have a backup plan. Detailed maps/guides, extra food and water, and signaling devices such as a mirror, flare, or even (depending on the length and location of the hike) a satellite beacon (PLB) can save your life.
       • You can survive several weeks without food, but only a couple of days without water, and in bad times weather conditions without shelter at all, perhaps only a couple of hours. Keep your priorities straight.
       • You can use moss as a dressing. It is easy to find and will help stop bleeding. Basically, it is located near rivers.
       • If you're not entirely sure where you are or how to get back to familiar territory, don't say "I think this is the right way." The more you move around once you realize you're lost, the less likely you are to find your way back.
       • One of the most important survival items that most people don't consider is a metal mug. It is difficult to prepare any food without a metal mug.
       • Do not feed wild animals, it can be deadly. Even a small rabbit can attract other animals to your hiding place.
       • Don't waste water.
       • It is very important to remember the acronym "STOP", which means "sit down, now think, look around, prepare for rescue."
       • Attach clothing (jackets, bandanas and even underwear) to the top of the tree to attract attention.
       • Trust your instincts.
       • Rain, snow or dew can be a great source clean water. You can use anything to catch the water, from a cup and waterproof cloth to a large sheet of wood.
       • Do not panic! Try to calm down as quickly as possible, you shouldn't worry too much.
       • If you can't stay put until someone finds you, don't try to just go anywhere, even if you have plenty of supplies. Instead, try going either uphill or downhill. Once you climb the mountain, you will have a good chance of determining your location. Going down, accordingly, you can find water and then follow the flow; in most cases this will lead you to civilization. But you should not travel downstream at night, as this can lead to falling off a cliff. Never go down into the canyon. Even if there is no risk of flooding, the canyon walls may be so steep that the only way out is to follow it all the way to the end. Even worse, if there is a channel in the canyon, it can later turn into a river, which will force you to return back.
       • It's no safer than hiking alone in the desert.
       • For serious wounds, you can cut off the sleeve of your shirt and use it as a bandage. Just remember to tie it around the wound so that one or two fingers can be squeezed between the bandage and the body.
       • Your primary survival knife should be a fixed blade with a solid, sturdy handle; A folding knife should only be used as a backup tool, although it is better than nothing.
       • If it's cold and you're close to hypothermia, make sure you don't fall asleep, it could lead to death.
       • Consider bringing a cane with you. If you don't have one, any suitable stick can replace it. Any mark on the dirt can mark your path no worse than Hansel and Gretel.
       • Firearms have always been an important tool for the forest. A .22 caliber rifle or pistol can serve as a means of obtaining food and protection from people and animals, as well as a signal device.
       • If you don't have a lighter or matches, you'll have to start the fire by hand. If you find enough tinder ( a small amount of dry grass, feathers, bark, which easily ignites), then you can usually use the energy of the sun using a magnifying lens, a lens from glasses, a piece broken glass, compass or watch covers or other focusing devices. It is very difficult to make fire by friction; It is best to make fire barriers.

       Warnings

       What you will need

       • • Whistle with built-in compass (they are sometimes sold on the parachute ring, if you need it, you can take the cord too)
         • Water container
         • Kindling: matches, lighter, flint/magnesium and iron, magnifying glass or lenses (sometimes on compass cord)
         • Kettle for boiling water/cooking
         • Multi-tool/Swiss army knife
         • Territorial map
         • Fishing hooks and long fishing line. Roll it up and put it in your pocket. Hooks weigh almost nothing and are useful not only in fishing, but in other activities. Tie them together, put them in your wallet, and put them in your back pocket.
         • Three or four protein bars or small multivitamins
         • Spare blanket or tent (made of reflective fabric, visible from afar)
         • First aid kit
         • Extra water bottles (don't unseal them before you get lost)
         • Compass
         • Water purification tablets
         • Spare clothes
         • Cotton pads and Vaseline. Vaseline is applied to chapped lips, but more importantly, cotton wool mixed with Vaseline ignites and burns evenly and for a long time. This makes it great for creating torches and starting fires. Do not use Vaseline on burn areas!
         • Rope rope
         • Sewing kit/thread (for repair work and fishing)
         • Olive oil (calories and fire fuel)
         • Ax (to cut down trees and for defensive purposes)

How to survive in the forest in the summer alone without anything

It’s not difficult to imagine a situation where one of the participants in a hike gets separated from the group and wanders into the forest. Almost anyone can find themselves in it. If you act judiciously and without panic, then there are plenty of chances to get out to people, especially in the summer.

How to survive in the forest without everything: what do you need?

It’s good if you have a minimum set of camping supplies with you.

You should take care of it in advance by wrapping the entire set in polyethylene to avoid it getting wet in wet or rainy weather.

To survive in case of unplanned circumstances you will need (Figure 1):

1. Area map and compass;
2. Matches, flashlight and knife;
3. Camping first aid kit - antiseptics, antipyretics, painkillers and a tourniquet;
4. Dry alcohol;
5. A flask with drinking water;
6. Snack - a bag of dried fruits and nuts, chocolate;
7. Clothing - spare socks and thermal underwear;
8. Thin protective blanket-screen.

Figure 1. Things that will help you survive in the forest under unforeseen circumstances

But what if all these things are not at hand and you have been at one point long enough for people to find you? At a minimum, do not change your route and find a suitable parking area.

To do this you need:

• define safe place, close to a water source;
• arrange accommodation for the night and protection from weather conditions;
• prepare brushwood for the fire and find food before dusk;
• prepare for starting a fire - make tools from available materials;
• repair or make new clothes if yours are damaged.

You should also decide on a plan for your rescue - will you act actively or sit passively in a shelter, waiting to be found.

Survival in the forest in summer

If you can’t wait for help, you’ll have to find the way yourself.

Figure 2. If you get lost, follow these tips to help you survive and find people

So that your survival does not drag on long time, follow these tips (Figure 2):

1. Look around carefully and try to find your tracks and follow them back to the starting point of the route;
2. A river or stream will suggest a way out to people - walk along their bed and you will come to dwellings;
3. Animal trails will lead you to the reservoir - paths made by animals;
4. Break out a long stick and use it to test the ground under your feet, as the paths may run through marshy areas;
5. Watch your step carefully, as there are a lot of snakes in the forest in summer.

Water extraction

Choose a parking spot next to running water - best option, but what if it is not detected? Collect dew from large plant foliage, or rainwater if the weather is favorable for rain (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Be sure to take care of drinking water

Starting a fire

It will be very difficult to make a fire without matches. It is needed to keep you warm at night and to scare away forest predators. You can also brew tea and cook food on it.

There are several ways to make a fire in the forest in the summer:

Making a hut

When you have to survive for a long time, you can’t do without reliable shelter, you need to build a hut (Figure 5).

Basic principles of building a hut:

Food: food search

IN summer time year, it is much easier to find food than in winter, but caution should be exercised (Figure 6).

When searching for food, remember:

Plants and protein foods

In extreme conditions it is easier to survive in summer, but without protein nutrition a person cannot do without.

Your source of protein may be (Figure 7):

1. Earthworms - look for them under your feet in leaves and damp soil, collect and rinse well in water before eating;
2. Insect larvae - they are found under the bark of rotten trees and stumps;
3. Fish and frogs - it is not easy to catch the former with a wooden spear; there should not be any special problems with the latter if you skin them and remove the entrails.

Figure 7. Main sources of protein in the forest

Plant foods are more accessible; you can make delicious tea from plant branches and shoots of wild apple and plum trees:

1. Burdock and dandelion roots should be thoroughly soaked in water before use to remove bitterness;
2. Young shoots of sedge and reeds are suitable, but they will not satisfy the feeling of hunger for long (Figure 8);
3. It is better to avoid lamellar mushrooms; among spongy mushrooms, do not eat those that have an unpleasant odor and turn blue around the edge if broken off;
4. In the presence of wild fruit trees There shouldn't be any difficulties.

Figure 8. Plants that will help you survive in the forest

Don't try to get honey yourself if you find a hive.

It is better to avoid this place to avoid painful and dangerous bites bees A similar rule applies to searching for food in an anthill.

Choosing a safe place

Finding a safe place is easy if you follow these guidelines:

Accommodation for the night

Despite the summer and relatively warm nights, you won’t be able to spend the night without a comfortable sleeping place.

A situation where a person finds himself in winter forest without means of communication and other inventions of mankind that help in Everyday life, can happen to any of the lovers of winter hikes in the forest, hunters, as well as to each of the residents of northern latitudes living away from densely populated areas. You can learn more about how to survive in the forest in winter.

You can find yourself in a winter forest without the usual survival kit in several cases:

• if a person gets lost
• Due to a coincidence of unpleasant circumstances, the means of survival were lost during the planned winter trip
• a car or snowmobile broke down during a winter hunt

The last case refers to situations with the most favorable prognosis, since usually the car is left outside the boundaries of the forest, therefore, in such an area it is easier to find the road to the nearest populated area than in the forest. Let's look at situations where you can survive in the forest in winter without anything.

First steps if you get lost

How to survive in the forest

From the very first moment, as soon as you began to understand that you have absolutely no bearings on the given area, one thing remains important - do not panic. It is necessary to stop moving and use a compass or map, if available. But, as a rule, if you have a compass with you, it is not particularly difficult to navigate an unfamiliar area. Without a compass you need to try to find north direction. In winter you can only navigate by tree bark, since other signs “work” in the warm season. Therefore, you can observe which side of the tree trunks the bark is darker in order to orient yourself to the north.

It is extremely difficult to move through the snowy forest. And therefore, in order not to climb into the impassable jungle, you need to choose large and noticeable landmarks for yourself every hundred meters, and at night choose the silhouettes of large trees as them.

Since the main goal is to get to the nearest settlement, it is necessary to stick to the flow of the river, if there is one, or the least dense areas of the forest.

If there is no chance of getting out of the forest in the next couple of hours, you need to prepare for an overnight stay, since this will be difficult to do at night. To do this, it is better to find one or a group of fallen trees. Under one of them it will be possible to dig a hole for making a fire. You can also choose a location near a slope or hill. The main thing is that the height of the “platform” to the ground is at least 50 cm. The bottom of the improvised hut needs to be covered with spruce branches, and the top of the hut is also covered with them as tightly as possible. The fire will be built inside, so the branches should be at a safe distance from the fire.

Another option for making a shelter is from snow. You need to find a snowdrift of dense snow and start laying a hut out of it along the required perimeter. Such a shelter can keep the temperature inside higher than a hut made of branches and wood. But you can't light a fire inside it.

Lighting a fire

You can't survive in winter without a warming fire. It can be obtained in two ways: using matches or a lighter, if you have them, or by friction. Making fire by friction is a rather labor-intensive task. To do this, you need to find tinder, which can be dry moss, fibers from dry birch bark, dry spruce needles, fibers from your own clothes, cotton wool. To make a bow you will need any rope or cord, as well as two wooden sticks. An arc with a stretched rope is made from one of them, in the middle of which a second stick is inserted vertically using a loop. You need to place tinder on a wooden base, then use your bow to make active rotational movements. As a result of friction, the tinder should begin to smoke; it should be placed in the main part of the firewood and fanned until fire appears. Firewood should consist of dry tree bark, dry branches, and logs from fallen trees.

Another way to make fire is to use a lens. To do this, you need to find a transparent ice floe and tinder made of dry moss, twigs, and grass. This method is used only on a sunny day, when the sun's ray is directed onto an ice lens and focused on dry tinder. After some time it will flare up, all that remains is to support it to light a large fire.

Survive in the forest in winter: getting food

Foraging for food

If you are thirsty, you should never eat snow. If there is no water, you need to collect snow in a plastic bottle or other container and place it on your outerwear. When the snow melts, you can drink it. If you don’t have any container with you, then you need to put snow in your mouth and keep it there, without swallowing, until it warms up. If you eat snow in its solid state, there is a high risk of getting a sore throat and reducing body temperature, which is very dangerous in the forest in winter.

In addition, you can melt snow and brew tea from branches of wild raspberries, rose hips, blueberries, lingonberries, and wild rosemary. Many of these plants with fruits can be found early winter up to severe frosts. It is also very good to use chaga, a tree mushroom, for infusion - it relieves cold symptoms. For the same purposes, you can boil the tips of spruce, pine, and cedar.

The situation with food in winter is more complicated than in summer. If winter is early, they may remain on the bark of trees. tree mushrooms, as well as wild berries on bushes, as well as acorns. IN coniferous forest a lot of cones and pine nuts. Not far from trees, as well as in thawed areas, you can use a stick to dig out worms, which are a rich source of protein. It is unlikely that you will be able to hunt large prey in the forest without special equipment and weapons, but you should try to track small prey such as gophers and other rodents through their burrows, which look like mounds. Since it is difficult to catch a rodent without a snare, you can fill its hole with water or blow smoke into it, after which the prey will come into your hands. If you have fishing line or nylon rope with you, you can make a trap for partridge, hazel grouse or pheasant. For small forest game, you can also make a snare by making a loop and attaching it to a tree, a strong post or a stone. Of course, you need to take into account the animal’s permeability in this particular place, which can be calculated from numerous tracks and trails, especially if the snow is fresh and soft. The loop must be made in such a way that it immediately tightens on the animal’s limb as soon as it gets into it.

Finding yourself in the forest during the cold season, it would be logical to assume that a person would be dressed for winter. However, the main thing when surviving in the forest is to stay warm, in other words, to move. The heat that the body produces when performing physical exercise is enough to survive at minus fifteen degrees. To control the degree of hypothermia, you need to periodically bring together forefinger and little finger: if they move with difficulty, this is a dangerous signal that the body is close to hypothermia.

If you feel like you're starting to freeze, you can do some squats. If you have any other things with you, you can put them on. It is very dangerous to get your feet wet. You need to breathe only through your nose.

In addition, to warm up, you can perform a special breathing exercises. To do this, you need to sit on the ground, press left leg to the body, and place the right one parallel to it. The foot of the left foot must be pressed as close as possible to inner surface right thigh. At the same time, your knees should be wide apart and your hands should rest on them, palms up. When the pose is accepted, you need to start breathing rhythmically with your stomach so that there is practically no gap between inhalation and exhalation. For the first two minutes you need to try to breathe this way, then you need to slow down your breathing. In this way, you need to breathe for another three minutes. Then return to your normal breathing rhythm, and repeat the exercise five minutes later. Thus, after the second repetition, you can feel the increase in heat in the body. This breathing practice can be done any number of times to keep warm in harsh environmental conditions.

In any case, if you suddenly experience severe drowsiness or attacks of fatigue, under no circumstances should you stop, sit down, or lie down in the snow.

By following the above tips, you will survive at least a week until you can find the slightest sign that a way out to the nearest populated area has been found.

How to survive in the forest: video

So you've gone hiking endless spaces our vast Motherland, or found themselves in wild conditions in other countries. But, here’s the problem - after long days along the way, you get lost, and you have absolutely no idea how soon you can get out to civilization.

In this article we will provide instructions for surviving in the forest in this or a similar situation. You will learn how to behave in the forest if you get lost.

This topic is quite extensive, because a lot depends on the time of year, the area, and what you have with you. But we will try to reveal the most important questions on the basics of survival in the forest.

Suppose we find ourselves in wilderness, without any equipment: without a tent, sleeping bag, knife and even without matches. What to do if you get lost in the forest with nothing?

Rules for survival in the forest: starting a fire

The first thing we may need is a fire. After all, it will soon get dark, you need to keep warm and protect yourself from wild animals.

The most important condition To make a fire without matches, the weather is dry. In winter or during rain, the likelihood of starting a fire without flammable objects decreases significantly.

Let's assume that we are lucky and the forest is dry.

In this case, there are several main options for making a fire:

• Using wood friction
• Making a spark with a stone
• With the help of a lens and the sun's rays

For each method of making a fire for survival in the forest, you will need so-called tinder. This is anything that can be ignited by a single spark. For example, a bunch of dry grass, fluff, birch bark, pine needles, or wood shavings.

In order to get a spark from the friction of wood, it is worth using a combination of soft and hard wood. For example, pine and beech sticks are suitable. A piece of pine is taken as a base; we will use a beech stick to carry out friction (see picture).

To strike sparks from stone you will need hard rocks, such as silicon. You need to strike a spark from two stones over tinder.

To build a lens you will need water and a transparent bag, or plastic bottle. And this is already a lot for a lost wanderer. But if you still have both, as well as the sun overhead, you can try collecting a beam of rays and focusing it on the tinder. In winter, you can use a piece of ice for these purposes, making it spherical.

Shelter from rain and wind

Let's say you manage to light a fire and have enough wood to keep it going. This means that you will no longer die from the cold and attacks from wild animals. The next rule of survival in the forest is to build a shelter in case of rain, strong wind or cold snap.

The simplest shelter can be made if you manage to find a fallen log located at a slope to the ground. We place poles on it, on which we will lay spruce branches on top. It is important to take into account the direction of the wind so that the spruce branches interfere with it. If you intend to get out of the forest soon, or at least leave your overnight stay in the morning, this option is most suitable. After all, its construction will not take too much time and does not require special skills. And if you lay spruce branches on the ground inside the shelter, and a fire is burning nearby, you can sleep peacefully.

Water is the source of life

If you can survive long enough without food, then without water it will be difficult. Therefore, finding a source of water is one of the primary tasks in order to survive in the forest, especially in the summer. Streams should be looked for in lowlands and ravines. Inspect the area for signs of downdrafts. If you find them, then it is worth going downstream to the place where water could have collected.

If the search for the stream is unsuccessful, you will have to collect water from the trees or grass dew. To collect condensation from a tree, place a bag on a branch with leaves and tie it on top. You can collect the dew with a cloth and then squeeze the moisture into a drinking container. In this case, the dishes can be curved birch bark and anything that does not absorb moisture.

Food: what to eat in the forest?

What can you eat in the forest to survive? In summer and autumn in the forest you can profit from berries, mushrooms, herbs, and tree bark. If you are thoroughly stuck, then the skills of a hunter and fisherman will come in handy. Without a knife or weapon, all you have to do is build simple traps for living creatures. For example, to catch fish, you fence off a section of water in a flowing river with stones, leaving a passage. In this free area, place an obstacle that will direct the fish into your enclosure. After waiting a little time, you can come back for your catch. Can also serve as a source of protein earthworms, snails, or frogs. Do not forget to carry out heat treatment before use.

Warmth: how to stay warm?

What to do if you get lost in the forest and are freezing? In addition to the fire, a source of heat can be physical exercise. Squats have proven themselves to be excellent for these purposes. In emergency situations at low temperatures, the most The best way to warm up - to use heat exchange between bodies. True, this is for those cases if you are not freezing alone. For single travelers the best warm place where you can warm your hands - this is inner part hips Use everything possible ways so as not to lose heat if your life depends on its preservation.

Orientation in the forest

And of course, the first priority that you need to solve if you are lost in the forest is how to get to civilization. First, find the highest vantage point that is available to you. It could be a hill, a mountain, or a tall tree that you can climb. If the panorama that opens does not improve your knowledge of the area in any way, you need to look for trails or rivers. Rivers, as a rule, flow into large bodies of water, near which there may be settlements. Look for any signs of civilization: power lines, the noise of cars or trains. Make notes along the way so you can see if you're going in circles. Determine the cardinal directions: north and south. The easiest way to navigate is by trees or anthills. There are more lichens and fungi on trees on the north side, and anthills are usually located on the south side of the tree.

And the most important rule of survival in the forest is to never panic. Fear is yours main enemy, because it does not allow a sober assessment of the situation. Pull yourself together, brew some mint and calmly think about everything. In the end, take everything that happens to you as an adventure and a new experience.

More information about survival can be obtained by watching the video:

We hope that the following instructions for surviving in the forest will help you get out to your family and friends healthy and unharmed.

So, you should constructively think through every step without fuss in order to provide yourself with the most necessary things, without wasting time on all sorts of trifles, and determine what needs to be done first, second, third, and what in the near future.

List of urgent matters:

1. First of all, you need to find a safe place.
2. Prepare a place to stay for the night and protect it from unpleasant weather conditions.
3. Restore damaged or make new clothes.
4. The fourth point on how to survive in the forest without anything is to find a drinking source.
5. It is worth taking care of food and finding possible sources while it's still light.
6. It is necessary to collect dry brushwood for the fire and do it with a reserve.
7. Take care of how to build a fire.
8. Make tools from available materials.
9. If you are lost, decide whether you should act actively or passively wait for rescue.

Carrying out urgent activities.

Choosing a safe place.

You need to immediately go around the place and see if there is anything nearby dangerous insects(hornets, wasps) and roosts of predatory animals.

Accommodation for the night.

It's time to prepare the sleeping bed. The day was overloaded with the first preparations, so you are unlikely to succeed before dark. But you need to at least take care not to freeze at night. Spruce “paws” are best suited for this. The branches of spruce or pine are very soft and retain heat well, and the aroma of pine needles perfectly repels mosquitoes. But be sure to keep in mind that you need to position yourself exactly parallel to the fire. Not at the head, not with your feet towards the fire, but only parallel! To be able to evenly turn from side to side at night and bask to your heart’s content.

Construction of a shelter house.

• If bad weather occurs in the forest, you can take shelter under the trees. It's better not to choose in a thunderstorm tall trees towering above the bulk of the forest. You should know that deciduous trees hold water worst of all, and fir is best. In order to improve protection from rain, the lower branches are supported by horns and additional branches with leaves or paws are placed on top coniferous trees. Such a shelter will help you wait out a short rain and stay dry.
• The tree's eyelids break off to the height of a person, and poles are installed in a circle at a distance of about 1.5 meters, the top of which rests on the trunk. The poles are intertwined in a circle with branches. Branches with leaves or spruce branches are attached to the resulting frame. This results in double crown protection and a constructed shelter.
• If there is a fallen or broken tree nearby, you can also build a shelter under it; to do this, you first need to check the stability of the trunk; if everything is in order, branches that look downwards are broken under the tree, so as to create a hole. Next, they are broken off and placed on the side branches, the branches sticking out at the top. The thicker they will be side walls the warmer and drier it will be under the fallen tree.
• Taiga hut. Simple and affordable way making a hut in the forest. Take two poles with slingshots in the upper part, about 2 meters long, and drive them or attach them to the ground at a distance of 2-3 meters. A pole and a ceiling beam are placed in the slingshots. The best option for the ceiling beam, branches of two adjacent trees. Pre-prepared poles with broken knots protruding 3-6 cm at the top are leaned against the beam at an angle of 45-65 degrees. Rafters and straight branches are placed on the knots along the length of the hut. Instead of tiles, use tree branches or spruce branches. On the branches and spruce branches near the breaking point, a twig is made by which it is hung on the rafters. The branches should be hung from bottom to top. In windy weather, the ends of the hut should be braided with branches to create a wall, and the roof should be covered with a second layer of branches. To prevent water from getting inside, a drainage ditch is dug around the hut to drain the water down the slope. If the soil is very moist, you can build a kind of bunk inside from branches.

The shelters described above will help protect you from bad weather only for a short time and are used more often for overnight stays during transitions or temporary shelter from bad weather. This design can be used from several hours to days. To protect yourself for a longer period of time, you need to build more reliable structures.

In the forest it could be: berries, mushrooms, nuts. The main rule is that you can’t eat something you’ve never tried! Only proven plant foods!

In addition to plants, the forest can be home to wild animals, birds and, if there is a river, fish that will serve as food.

Even if you don’t find one, it doesn’t matter! A person can live without food (scientifically proven) for about a month! But without water it’s less (about a week!). We'll talk about what you can eat below.

1. Woke up! We rejoiced at the morning rays. It's time to build a hut! Sleep under open air Of course it’s more romantic, but the hut is actually more practical!
2. Do not forget to build some identification signs from tree branches. What if you are not playing survival school, but are truly lost? And although it’s good in the forest, it’s better at home! Therefore, in order to be noticed, you need to take care of this too!

As a rule, in the forest on the slopes, you can find springs near the trees. Natural natural springs with the purest spring water. If there is no source nearby or there is no time to search for it, pay attention to the soil under your feet; if it is wet enough, you can try to get to the water. Available means for this purpose can be a small snag, a stick or a flat stone. Maybe you can find a piece of some kind of tin, anything will do! Wet soil is soft enough and will be easy to dig. Once you have reached a source of water, do not rush to collect water. Let it sit for several hours and only then pick it up, but don’t drink it without boiling it! You will learn how to quickly purify water.

There should be enough firewood not only for the evening, but also for the whole night, in order not only not to freeze, but also to scare away wild animals and cook food.

1. Have you collected firewood and brushwood, but have nothing to start a fire with? Despair early! The method of our ancestors, of course, also has a right to exist, but it’s still better to try something simpler. You will need any of the following

• dried toadstool spores (tinder fungus will also work)
• lint from cloth (tear a piece from clothing)
• wood dust from under the bark, eaten by insects
• rotten things
• dry bark, ground into dust
• dried moss, fleecy parts of dry plants.

Take 2 stones and hit each other to create a spark. The sparks should fall on the tinder fungus or dry toadstool; it will be the first to ignite and quickly ignite the rest of the above combustible mixture. And only after that, slowly add dry brushwood and thicker branches to the fire.

Build identification signs so that rescuers can notice you.

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