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Huck Finn shows the importance of always being prepared, “We made an extra steering oar, too, because one of the others might get broke, on a snag or something” (Twain 64) Chapter 12. You never know when you’re gonna need something. Huck stays prepared by making an extra oar.
#alwaysbeprepared #huckfinn #survival

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How to Survive a Rattlesnake Bite | National Geographic

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“I catched a cat-fish and haggled him open with my saw, and towards sundown I started my camp fire and had supper. Then I set out a line to catch some fish for breakfast” (Twain 39) Chapter 8
#food #fishing #cool

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Bear Grylls shares with his readers what to do to help stabilize oneself in the middle of the water, “The moment you find yourself alone in your raft, throw out your sea anchor or improvise one from a bucket or any large container that will act as a drag on the current. This will help keep you in the vicinity of the wreck and make it easier for a rescuer to find you if you have been able to send out a Mayday. The sea anchor will also help keep the boat or raft heading into, and not side on to, the wind and waves” (Grylls 223-224)

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“Nobody wants to fight off a stomach bug in the middle of the apocalypse, so boil your water”

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“Nobody wants to fight off a stomach bug in the middle of the apocalypse, so boil your water”

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Discussing the safety associated with drinking water in the wild, check out National Geographic’s take on how to survive a zombie apocalypse.

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This story was updated on October 22, 2018.

The end is nigh-that is, if you believe the Hollywood hype. Turn on your television to watch The Walking Dead, crack the cover of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, or rent the classic Night of the Living Dead, and you'll begin to feel like the undead are waiting at our doorsteps.

While there are instances of parasites taking over the brains of other creatures in nature, there's no evidence that undead humans will begin rising from their graves. Still, it can't hurt to be prepared.

Training for catastrophe doesn't need to be a somber experience though. Many of the skills needed for your favorite adventure sports will prove useful in the so-far-unlikely zombie apocalypse. So get outside, get adventuring, and get ready.

A fire will keep you warm, fed, and safe-whether you're roughing it on a backcountry camping trip or wandering outside to evade the undead. Learn how to start one without matches or a lighter, and you'll be far ahead of the rest of the world's survivors. You can carry a flint and steel set with you, learn a challenging friction-based fire-building method, or use a lens to focus the sunlight. Either way, this is a skill you're going to need, so start practicing now.

Plus, if all else fails, a fire can signal your need for rescue or burn down a field of zombies-both potential life savers.

Nobody wants to fight off a stomach bug in the middle of the apocalypse, so boil your water.

The CDC recommends boiling for one minute (or three minutes if you're above 6,562 feet in elevation). Waterborne illnesses are no joke, and any adventurer worth their salt knows the dangers of catching one. Avoid this hazard by understanding the guidelines ahead of time and sticking to them, regardless of the unnatural distractions you'll be facing.

An experienced forager knows just how much the Earth can provide. Understanding which plants can kill you and which ones will keep you alive could be the difference between surviving the slow destruction of society as we know it and succumbing to the perils of its downfall, so get a guidebook that covers the flora in your region. Learn your mushrooms and greens now, so you can confidently enjoy a toxin-free salad in the comfort of your post-apocalyptic safe house.

If you give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. If you teach a man to fish, he'll eat until the water supply is so polluted by the zombie virus that all the fish become inedible.

Until that day comes, though, fishermen are going to have one up on the rest of us in terms of food supply. Hone your own skills now, study up on which fish are poisonous to eat, and learn what works best in different aquatic environments-fly fishing, spearfishing, angling, or netting, so you can ensure you're well fed when doomsday arrives.

Backcountry campers are used to carefully setting up and cleaning campsites to avoid attracting wildlife-and there's nothing wilder than the undead. To avoid both, don't camp in the path of unwelcome creatures and keep anything that smells like food (or you, in this case) far from wandering noses. Follow these rules, and you just might get a decent night's rest-if the nightmares of your new reality subside.

You may be off the grid for a fun adventure or because there isn't a grid anymore. Either way, you should know how to maneuver through your environment without your phone or GPS. While most of us can read a road map, take your skills to the next level by understanding the details of a topographic map. This rendering of elevation is used by backpackers, campers, skiers, and geologists-and anyone who wants to escape the undead in a mountainous region.

When you're out of weapons and at the end of your survival rope, you'll only have one option left: run.

If you've been cursed with 28 Days Later zombies, who sprint and solve simple problems, you're probably out of luck. If you're facing the typically conveyed zombies, who ramble and trip, your trail running skills will help you escape their grasp. The speed and skill in avoiding impediments on the ground required to race through the woods will be a welcome gift when evading the undead.

And the longer you can run without tiring, the more likely you are to survive, so get training.

The zombies we see on screenare certainly frightening, but there are skills we have that their persistence can't match, like climbing. The pop-culture-portrayed undead just don't have the mental capacity or physical competence to ascend a rock wall. Lucky for us humans, we do. If you can make it to a cliff, set aside any fear of heights and take advantage of that opportunity.

Rock climbing will get you out of the path of the undead and, if you can manage a portaledge-a hanging tent system used by climbers on sheer cliffs, a highline hammock, or a tree tent, you'll maintain that safety through the night. If you're not used to sleeping in the sky, you might feel a bit unsteady at first-but it's better than being eaten.

If you're a downhill skier or snowboarder, you need to be nimble and flexible on the mountain. You have to think quickly and change routes as you barrel full speed down a snowy run to avoid unexpected ice and obstacles. The mental agility required to stay alive and awesome on the ski hill will help keep you alive and awesome in the apocalypse.

If you can adjust your journey down a steep mountain in mere seconds, you can adjust your journey through a horde of the undead. Move fast. Think faster.

Mastering a bow may seem like a long-dead summer camp activity, but there are people around the world who continue to use the tool for hunting and wildlife management. Banned in certain European countries, bowhunting is a skill that just might get a revival in the apocalypse, when firepower will likely dwindle as time goes on. Unlike bullets, you can retrieve your arrows from the corpses of the undead, making it a sustainable option for all your zombie-fighting needs.

Paddlers of the past used bodies of water to move heavy cargo, travel far distances quickly, and cover tracks when evading people or wildlife. Though most present-day kayakers and canoers hit the lakes, rivers, and sea for enjoyment, these benefits are still very real. When the (so far unlikely) zombie apocalypse arrives, you'll be thankful you know how to navigate the aquatic "roads" of the world.

Not everyone is an expert paddler, but terrain that's difficult for people to traverse will be even more difficult for the undead, so save your feet a few miles, grab a boat, and hit the water.

No one expects to be stuck on the roof of a building in the middle of a decimated city, but, if disaster movies have shown us anything, it's that it's bound to happen eventually. Most of us don't have plans for how to escape tremendous heights-but paragliders do. With just a parachute, harness, and helmet, you can ride the wind to safety.

Soaring above the undead is probably less dangerous than trekking past them, so if you're able to hone this adventure skill ahead of time, your survival chances might rise with you.

This story was originally published on October 23, 2017.

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Use these adventure skills to survive the zombie apocalypse

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This story was updated on October 22, 2018. The end is nigh-that is, if you believe the Hollywood hype. Turn on your television to watch The Walking Dead , crack the cover of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War , or rent the classic Night of the Living Dead , and you'll begin to feel like the undead are waiting at our doorsteps.

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Knowing what the different currents on the river mean, can save your life. “I noticed some pieces of limbs and such things floating down, and a sprinkling of bark; so I knowed the river had begun to rise” (Twain 30) Chapter 7.
#helpful #water #survival

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“Jim made a floor for the wigwam, and raised it a foot or more above the level of the raft, so now the blankets and all the traps was out of reach of steamboat waves. Right in the middle of the wigwam we made a layer of dirt about five or six inches deep with a frame around it for to hold it to its place; this was to build a fire on in sloppy weather or chilly; the wigwam would keep it from being seen” (Twain 64) Chapter 12
#awholehouse #impressive #lifesaving #surviving

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Huck knows that not all food can be found, some needs to be stolen. “Mornings before daylight, I slipped into corn fields and borrowed a watermelon, or a mushmelon, or a punkin, or some new corn, or things of that kind” (Twain 65) Chapter 12
#fruit #yummy #weneedfoodtosurvive

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It is extremely important to know the health of your food. “Once dead, unless they are preserved by being dried, smoked, or pickled, all fish rapidly become dangerous to eat because of the growth of bacteria. Unless you have killed it yourself, therefore, it is best not to eat any dead fish, regardless of how fresh you believe it to be” (McManners 117).
#ew #scary #survival

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“Many common poisonous plants in temperate regions resemble edible ones, so unless you are certain of correct identification, you should avoid eating them. Even a mouthful of some, such as the cowbane, can cause paralysis and death in minutes” (McManners 84)
#plants #informational #paralysis #becareful

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Navigating the Mississippi River was an essential part of the novel, “We judged that three nights more would fetch us to Cairo, at the bottom of the Illinois, where the Ohio River comes in, and that was what we was after. We would sell the raft and get on a steamboat and go way up the Ohio amongst the free States, and then be out of trouble” (Twain 81) Chapter 15. Jim and Huck needed to know there route and the elements and characteristics of it.
#maps #wherearewe #navigation

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Using the sun to determine what time of day, and what day of the year it is.

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Steps
1.  Examin Berry
Note size, shape, and color (stay away from yellow or white)
2. Consult field guide
Look at images and descriptions to make identification more accurate
3. Eat small
Eat small amounts then let digest to see if it affects you in anyway
#food #edible #nonedible #fruits

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Many berries that grow in the wild are tasty and harmless if eaten. If you are on a hiking trip or camping in the wild, and stumble upon a bush full of luscious looking berries, you may be tempted to eat a handful. Although many are safe to eat, be aware that some berries are poisonous. Stay safe in the wild by knowing if a berry is edible or non-edible.

Examine the wild berry and the plant that it is growing on. Note the size, shape and color of the berry. Count the number of leaves on one of the branches. Check the size and shape of the leaves, along with the color. Stay away from berries that are white or yellow.

Consult a field guide to find a description of the berries and plant. Use a field guide that has color photos in order to make identification more accurate. Compare the physical characteristics that you have noted about the berries and plant with the information in the field guide. Use the comparison to determine if the berry is edible or non-edible.

Eat just one or two of the berries if you have established that the berries are edible. Use purified bottled water to rinse the fruit before you eat it. Wait at least two hours for the berries to digest in case you have a reaction to the fruit before eating additional berries.

Wild Berry Trees And Shrubs

Both shrubs and trees produce a rainbow of wild berries. Don't eat wild berries unless you can properly identify the plant. Plums have a sweet, yet slightly acidic, flavor. The size and shape of the berries varies greatly. Wild raspberry shrubs produce a wide variety of berries, depending on the species. Latham, Royalty, Bristol, Allen and Black Hawk are just a few of the many summer-bearing raspberry bushes. Most bushes grow sweet berries, but some types, such as Brandywine, have a slightly sour taste. Elderberries grow on shrubs reaching 4 to 12 feet tall. Sandcherry shrubs grow 1 to 5 feet tall and produce round or oblong-shaped purplish-black berries in summer.

Do not use a field guide to determine if a wild berry is poisonous after you have eaten it. If you think that you may have eaten something questionable, get help immediately. Contact the nearest poison control center at once and give detailed information about the berry.

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How to Tell If a Wild Berry Is Edible or Non-Edible?

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Many berries that grow in the wild are tasty and harmless if eaten. If you are on a hiking trip or camping in the wild, and stumble upon a bush full of luscious looking berries, you may be tempted to eat a handful. Although many are safe to eat, be aware that some berries are poisonous.

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Follow these step-by-step instructions to build a safe and secure wigwam!

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This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Together, they cited information from 38 references.

wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article meets our high quality standards. Learn more...

A wigwam is a type of Native American dwelling, primarily used by the Algonquin Indians. Often mistaken for a teepee, a wigwam is actually quite different. While a teepee is pointed, portable, and made from hides, a wigwam is dome-shaped, stationary, and made from wood. This wikiHow will show you the traditional way of making a wigwam. If you are a student making a wigwam for a project, you can use this tutorial as a guide on a much smaller scale.

Preparing the Materials

Prepare cattail leaves for the thatching. Gather 50 bushels of cattail leaves. A bushel is a bundle that is thick enough to wrap your arms around. Separate the cattails into 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) thick bundles. Secure each bundle at one end with some string. Set them out in the sun to dry.

If you don't have access to cattails, you can use heavy canvas, which was used to cover wigwams from the late 1700s onwards. You will need 12 to 14 sheets that are 5 by 10 feet (1.5 by 3.5 meters).

If you want to be more traditional, you can sew cattail leaves into large mats. Plan on using 12 to 14 mats, each 5 by 10 feet (1.5 by 3.5 meters).

If you are making a model, you could use pieces of grass, raffia, or straw instead. You can also use pieces of cotton, linen, or canvas fabric.

Building the Frame

1. Use a wooden stake and hammer to make 16 holes around the circle. Each hole needs to be about 8 to 12 inches (20.32 to 30.48 centimeters) deep. Space the holes as evenly as you can, about 9 to 12 inches (22.86 to 30.48 centimeters) apart. If you want to, you can space two of the holes further apart for the entrance.

Try to make the holes at a slight, outward angle. This will help create a higher dome once you start building the frame.

If you are making a model, use a pen, pencil, or skewer to make the holes.

2. Lash the poles together to form a dome shape. Find two poles that are straight across from each other. Bend them together so that they overlap by 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters). Lash them together in two places, 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) from the tip of each pole. Continue lashing together opposite poles until you have a dome shape.

Do not overlap any poles just yet; you want the poles to be all oriented in the same direction (ie: north-and-south).

If you can to be traditional, use tough bark fibers from a basswood tree.

If you want to be less-traditional, or simply don't have access to basswood, you could use heavy jute cording or sisal twine.

If you are making a model, you can use baker's twine, jute cord, thread, or even brownish yarn.

Covering and Finishing the Wigwam

1. Lash the bundles of cattail thatching to the frame. Secure the cattail thatching directly to the hoops, starting from the bottom-most hoop. Leave a patch empty between the two poles you marked off for the doorway. Also, leave a hole at the top for the smoke to come out of.

Try to use one long, continuous piece of string for this.

Give the wigwam a gentle shake when you are done. This will fluff out the thatching and make it water and windproof.

If you are making a model, you can hot glue the thatching to the frame instead.

2. Add a large, woven cattail mat for the doorway. Weave or sew enough cattail leaves to fit over the gap you left in your wigwam. Secure the mat to the hoop just above your doorway with pieces of rope. If you don't have enough cattail leaves, you can use a blanket or hide instead.

Lash a stick to the bottom of your mat. This will make it easier to roll it up and tie it in place.

If you are making a model, you can use a scrap of loosely-woven fabric, such as linen or burlap. You can also use a piece of dried corn husk, or paint a piece of paper to look like a woven mat.

A wigwam is not the same as a tepee. A wigwam is semi-permanent. A tepee is portable, like a tent.

If you are making a model wigwam, keep the proportions in mind. Fur might look great on a life size wigwam, but it will look too hairy and shaggy on a tiny model.

Things You'll Need

16 15-foot (4.5-meter) ash saplings, 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) thick

12+ 15-foot (4.5-meter) ash or basswood saplings, 1 inch (2.54-centiemter) thick

50 bushels dried cattail leaves

7 to 10 sheets of birch bark

300+ feet (91.4+ meters) jute, sisal, or basswood bark twine

Axes, knives, machetes, saws, etc. (for cutting)

This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Together, they cited information from 38 references.

Updated: November 4, 2019

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 24,761 times.

"Instructions are clear and comprehensive."

"It helped me in writing and a project."

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A wigwam is a type of Native American dwelling, primarily used by the Algonquin Indians. Often mistaken for a teepee, a wigwam is actually quite different. While a teepee is pointed, portable, and made from hides, a wigwam is dome-shaped,...

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Most Common Injuries and How to Treat Them

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Most Common Injuries and How to Treat Them

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Check this website out if you are interested on treated wilderness injuries!

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In April 2014, a group of New Jersey Boy Scouts hiking through Harriman State Park stumbled across a female hiker who had broken her ankle. The hiker tried to get the boys to hike on, but they wouldn't leave her injured on the trail. Instead, they splinted her ankle, constructed a stretcher for her, and carried her out of the park.
Later, the boys found out their damsel in distress wasn't just any lady hiker -- it was Emmy Award-winning journalist Ann Curry, anchor for NBC News. The journalist later wrote a letter thanking the scouts for their chivalry, know-how, and kindness. She also tweeted about it, stating "If you break your leg on a mountain, I hope Boy Scout Troop 3668 finds you. Boy am I glad they found me."
Scouts are taught what many outdoors enthusiasts know: Accidents happen. And when they happen in the middle of nowhere, when you're hours away from a hospital or even cell phone reception, you'd better follow the Boy Scouts' motto and always be prepared.
Keeping that in mind, here are four of the most common wilderness injuries and how to treat them.

1. Sprained Ankles

Turning an ankle over on loose gravel or a steep trail is one of the most common injuries. It's so common, in fact, that ankle-related injuries account for 53 percent of all injury-related evacuations during the National Outdoor Leadership School courses. The NIH also has data showing that 70 percent of non-fatal injuries in the wilderness are related to broken limbs or sprains.
To treat a twisted ankle, remember "RICE": rest, ice, compression, and elevation. First, rest the ankle by getting off of it immediately. Second, reduce swelling by icing it. Since you're on the trail, you can use snow packs or, if that's not available, soak a t-shirt in cold water and wrap it around the injured ankle. Compress the joint by using an elastic band, but don't compress it so tightly that it cuts off circulation. Finally, elevate the ankle above the level of the heart. Try RICE for 20 minutes, allow the ankle to warm back up for another 15 minutes, then try carrying on with the hike. Let the injured party rest every two hours and RICE again.
Also, remember that prevention is often the best medicine. You can prevent ankle injuries in the first place by:
-Losing weight
-Strengthening the muscles of the ankle with swimming, biking, or balancing yoga poses
-Wearing good hiking boots
-Warm up the muscles with some stretches and exercises before beginning a hike
-Avoid hiking in the dark or hiking on uneven terrain

2. Near Drowning

According to the NIH, drowning and falling are the two most common causes of death in the great outdoors. When it comes to drowning, many of these accidents occur because hiking partners don't recognize that their friends are in trouble until it's too late.
A drowning person does not usually call for help. They are too busy trying to catch their breath or get out of the water to shout out. Instead, look for these common signs:
The mouth is at water level and the eyes are glassy or distant
They are upright within the water
Their arms are out to the side, not above their heads
If you ask a person in the water if they're alright and they don't respond, you need to get to them within 30 seconds
Try to avoid getting into the water to save the drowning person if you can. In the outdoors, powerful river currents can make even strong swimmers weak.
Once you get the person out of the water, search for the pulse for at least a minute before attempting any kind of CPR. Perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation only if it is necessary and if you are trained to do so.
When the person is breathing comfortably again, check for any signs of hypothermia. As soon as possible, remove wet clothes and get them warmed up.

3. Cuts and Abrasions

Treating a cut or an abrasion in the outdoors is not that different from treating a cut at home. Your first job is to stop the bleeding; your second job is to clean the wound. After the bleeding has stopped and you've cleaned dirt and debris out of the wound, apply an antiseptic cream and bandage it well.
Do not "clean" a wound in a stream, river, or lake! Even though water in the wilderness might not be chemically polluted, bacteria in the water can still infect the wound. It's much better to use something like rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
Your ability to stop the bleeding, clean, and dress a cut in the wilderness will depend completely upon the quality of your first aid kit. Make sure that you have the necessary supplies for treating these types of injuries and others before you set out on a hike.

4. Head Injuries

Rock climbing, mountain biking, and simple falls along the trail can all lead to head injuries. However, unlike the other injuries mentioned above, head injuries can be difficult to detect. The head might not bleed or redden, but there could still be a very serious injury taking place.
First, use the AVPU scale to see how injured the person is. "A" is the best, "U" is the worst:
"A" is for "Alert." The individual knows who he is, where he is, and what happened.
"V" is for "Verbal." The individual responds to verbal stimuli but is remains disoriented.
"P" is for "Painful." The individual only responds to painful stimuli, such as being poked.
"U" is for "Unresponsive." The individual doesn't have any of the normal responses above.
If alertness is seriously impeded, or if the person blacks out for longer than two or three minutes, evacuate them immediately.
Are You Certified as a Wilderness First Responder?
If you're frequently tromping around in the woods and mountains, it's important that you're trained in first aid and carry good first aid supplies as part of your pack. For example, do you know how to create a tourniquet if you or your hiking partner has a serious, deep cut? Do you know how to perform CPR? Can you treat burns, snakebites, and broken limbs? As the Boy Scouts who rescued Ann Curry can attest, you never know when you'll need this knowledge.
If you have a story about using first aid along the trail, share it in the comments section below.

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4 Most Common Wilderness Injuries and How to Treat Them

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In April 2014, a group of New Jersey Boy Scouts hiking through Harriman State Park stumbled across a female hiker who had broken her ankle. The hiker tried to get the boys to hike on, but they wouldn't leave her injured on the trail.

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Knowing where you are and how to get to safety can mean the difference between life and death. Take a look at the National Parks Service’s tutorial on how to build a compass for a better chance of survival.

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"Men," said he, steadily turning upon the crew, as the mate handed him the things he had demanded, "my men, the thunder turned old Ahab's needles; but out of this bit of steel Ahab can make one of his own, that will point as true as any."

Abashed glances of servile wonder were exchanged by the sailors, as this was said; and with fascinated eyes they awaited whatever magic might follow..."

Sewing needle about 1-2 inches long

Small bar magnet or refrigerator magnet

A small piece of cork (a flat piece from a wine bottle works but make sure it is cork and not plastic)

WARNING: Needles are sharp! Use caution.

Diagram demonstrating a magnet going along the needle in one direction only

To magnetize the needle: Rub a magnet along the needle a few times in one direction only

1. Cut off a small circle at one end of the cork (about ¼' thick)

2. Securely grip the needle with the pliers and with the circle of cork on a flat surface, push the needle through one end of the cork and out the other so that the needle is sticking out of both ends of the cork evenly. (Be careful)

Diagram of the compass floating freely in the shallow water

1. Fill the bowl half-way with water and float the "compass" on the surface of the water

2. Place the whole "compass" on a flat surface and watch the needle as it tries to align itself with the magnetic fields. The needle should point towards the nearest magnetic pole (north or south) depending on where you live.

3. Now go test out your new compass and see if you can orient yourself on a map!

Illustration of Earth's magnetic field

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How to Make Your Own Compass (U.S. National Park Service)

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"Men," said he, steadily turning upon the crew, as the mate handed him the things he had demanded, "my men, the thunder turned old Ahab's needles; but out of this bit of steel Ahab can make one of his own, that will point as true as any."