Camping Tips for Survival

You might already love spending some evenings under the stars, but if you’re interested in learning some survival tips that could be useful in the future, I would be delighted to share what I’ve learned throughout the years.

Prepare yourself for camping this summer by reviewing these tips while you’re on your next hiking trip or spending time outside with your loved ones. By doing so, you’ll be more equipped to handle any possible survival scenarios or emergencies that could arise.

Similar to the process when camping, it’s crucial to inform someone about your location in case your family ends up in a survival emergency. This ensures that in case you disappear, the individual in civilization can effectively search for you using the provided information.

It is advisable to have at least one friend or family member residing in another area as your emergency contact. This is because selecting someone from your hometown could mean they are experiencing the same crisis and therefore, may not be very helpful in urgent situations. The Importance of Having Emergency Contact Information.

It’s a wise decision to have multiple individuals who are aware of your plans to ensure that there is always someone available if your primary contact is not accessible.

In the event that you are compelled to leave your house and your phone’s navigation system fails you, what actions would you take? Without access to GPS or a satellite location tracker, it would be effortless to lose your way while traveling through forests and remote areas. Although GPS services have become a normality, they may not always be functional.

and map navigation skills can be essential for survival when you’re exploring the wilderness, so I suggest taking the opportunity to enhance those skills by camping or going on a day hike. By doing so, you’ll be better equipped to face unexpected emergencies where you might not have access to a home.

Learn to Hunt, Fish, and Gather Food

Not only are fishing and hunting enjoyable pastimes to share with loved ones, but they also impart the skill of self-sufficiency necessary for providing sustenance. Educating oneself on trap-setting techniques for small game, in accordance with regional laws, is an additional pursuit worth pursuing.

It’s advisable to bring fishing equipment, especially if you know of any bodies of water like ponds, lakes, streams, or rivers nearby.

If you identify as a vegetarian, it is advisable that you acquire knowledge on foraging and become acquainted with the different edible plants and herbs. It will prevent your family from unknowingly consuming any poisonous food. “Foraging: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Food in the Wild” can assist with this.

Discover More than One Way to Build a Shelter

Once you can no longer depend on the security of your own dwelling, it is essential to provide your family adequate protection from the weather and potential threats with a suitable sanctuary. In addition to utilizing a tent for shelter, acquiring knowledge on various techniques for constructing a makeshift sanctuary is crucial.

Your simplest option, the “lean-to”, requires placing a tarp over a trapezoidal prism made of sticks. However, I came across an instructional article on constructing emergency shelters which can guide you through the process step by step. 7 Techniques for Creating a Shelter to Survive.

The use of sturdy twine, rope, a tarp, and duct tape can simplify this procedure.

Knowing How to Perform Basic First Aid

I am certain that you possess a rudimentary first-aid kit. Nevertheless, it is wise to equip oneself for the worst in any survival circumstance. Acquiring the knowledge of administering basic first-aid measures to your family members when an injury occurs is an essential skill that everyone must acquire, particularly if you have young children.

Before the next family camping trip, I strongly suggest that you consider taking CPR and basic first-aid courses. It will prepare you for any emergency scenario that may arise.

In situations where medical supplies are scarce, utilizing household items such as thread and glue can effectively control bleeding by means of basic stitching and wound cleaning. Hence, it is advisable to have a few essential first-aid supplies in stock to be prepared for any contingencies.

Essential Camping Survival Items that You’ll Need

Should you find yourself in a survival scenario, you might not have sufficient time or space to carry every single piece of survival equipment that you possess or believe you will require. Nonetheless, don’t fret. As long as you possess essential items that campers typically carry, you should be fine. These are the camping survival essentials that you should include in your survival kit or emergency evacuation bag.

: Although you may intend to rely on the wilderness for sustenance for a brief period, it’s critical to have an alternative method to feed your family in an emergency situation. You must have an adequate supply of high-calorie and protein-rich foods to maintain yourself. Your optimal choice is to store shelf-stable foods. This includes both emergency and survival food storage.

Planning for survival essentials involves including foods in your diet that provide enough calories to help you perform tasks, think clearly, and maintain bodily functions.

: In addition to ensuring that you have an adequate supply of drinking water, it is highly recommended that you invest in a water filtration system to simplify the process of purifying water. This is particularly important if you find yourself having to filter water for drinking or cooking in different locations while exploring the wilderness. By doing so, you can avoid falling ill. It is also advisable to provide each member of your group with a water bottle, water purification tablets, and, if necessary, a UV purification light. Check out the top-rated portable water filtration unit.

It is imperative to always carry a camping knife as it serves as an essential tool for various purposes. It not only aids in food preparation, but also helps in cutting through ropes and other materials required to construct temporary shelters or even mend shoes and clothing. Additionally, a multitool proves beneficial for everyday tasks while traveling. To ensure convenience, it is recommended to have an everyday carry bag containing these items.

To cook food, heat water, and stay warm, it’s essential to have the appropriate firestarter tools. Steel and striker, magnesium rods, and waterproof matches are excellent options. Apart from helping you start fires, these items can prove to be extremely useful in emergency situations. Don’t forget to add them to your emergency kit instead of just relying on your 72-hour bug-out bag.

When searching for a secure place to camp, whether it’s for survival or any other camping expedition, it’s essential to contemplate how you’ll start and preserve the fire you’ll require. Explore your environment for areas that feature vegetation that will provide much-needed kindling such as twigs, bark, leaves, tinder, dry moss, and small logs. Utilizing a small ax or wood saw would be highly advantageous as you strive to collect the needed firewood.

Ensure that when you pitch your camp, your fire is positioned in a spot that is unlikely to cause a massive fire due to the spread of flames, sparks, or ashes. Make a modest fire pit and utilize it to contain the fire to the best of your ability. It is recommended that you bring a little shovel to construct the pit and eliminate the ashes when you depart. When packing up camp, take your time to guarantee that you dispose of the ashes and any other items brought with you properly.

Worried about food storage and emergency preparedness? Avoid these 5 common mistakes

Mistake #1: Food that’s nutritionally incomplete and unhealthy

You would want to have good health and adequate energy to confront any challenges during a crisis. Regrettably, many individuals amass foods that are lacking in nutrients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated on its Public Health Matters Blog that the nutritional content in emergency kits is frequently overlooked. Despite this, it is crucial to prioritize self-care, which includes caring for your body in an emergency. To achieve this, consuming healthier food is one method to consider.

It is advisable to choose healthier choices that are packed with nutrients and are free from artificial components or extra sugar. While carbohydrate-rich foods may offer fast energy, it’s important to have foods that contain protein and healthy fats for long-term fitness and vitality.

“Eating foods with a low glycemic index — whose sugars are absorbed slowly — may help you avoid the lag in energy that typically occurs after eating quickly absorbed sugars or refined starches,” states Harvard Health Publishing . “In general, high-carbohydrate foods have the highest glycemic indexes. Proteins and fats have glycemic indexes that are close to zero.”

To put it succinctly, ensure that you are not exclusively consuming carbohydrates for your sustenance. Your body necessitates crucial amino acids sourced from protein and vital fatty acids from nutritious fats to operate at its prime.

Mistake #2: Storing food you don’t currently use and enjoy

To assess your readiness for emergencies and the current state of your food supply, simply examine your pantry and refrigerator. Do you have items that are past their expiration dates or that you seldom consume despite stocking up on them?

It is likely that your emergency kit and long-term food storage share a common issue. Simply because an item has a lengthy shelf life doesn’t imply that you will be eager to consume it during a crisis. To truly prepare for an emergency, you must ensure that your family has access to food that they enjoy.

According to the CDC’s article on ensuring the nutritional value of food in your emergency kit, the crucial factor in selecting the kit’s contents is to ensure that you are capable of preparing and have the willingness to consume them.

As previously stated, an optimum meal should be rich in protein and healthy fats and packed with nutrients.

Mistake #3: Impractical, inconvenient or bulky food

In addition to the distasteful food, another difficulty associated with conventional emergency planning lies in the container. Although large, cumbersome cans may be less expensive to manufacture, they are weighty, occupy an excessive amount of room, and frequently cannot be closed again. Lightweight, small, and resealable containers are optimal for preserving the nutrient-rich sustenance that your body requires.

Mistake #4: Spending too much on food storage

If you are considering the probability of a future emergency, it’s common to become overwhelmed by fear and overspend. Avoid the error of buying large food storage supplies in a single attempt and end up in debt.

Advocates for food storage, ranging from Facebook preparedness groups to religious institutions, advise against extremities when acquiring emergency food supplies. Rather than purchasing a large quantity of items simultaneously or incurring debt, they propose steadily augmenting the supply over a period of time to prevent a financial strain.

It’s crucial to consider the rotation of food storage. To prevent food from spoiling, a sensible approach is to keep commonly consumed items in storage and update your inventory often.

Mistake #5: Food that’s difficult to prepare

Despite good intentions for overall health, busy schedules and a need for convenience often compromise one’s food choices. In the event of an emergency, the last thing anyone wants is to spend time preparing complicated meals. For this reason, the CDC recommends storing non-perishable, easy-to-prepare foods that provide proper nutrition. The simpler the meal, the better it will be for both health and practicality.

Final Word

Although these tips may appear daunting at present, as you incorporate all of this advice during your camping or day hiking experience, it will eventually become effortless and second nature for both you and your family.