An introduction to weapons, tools, and gear required for wilderness survival.

It is important to properly maintain your weapons, tools, and gear. This is especially true of your knife. You must always keep it sharp and ready to use. A knife is your most valuable tool in a survival situation. With the proper knowledge and skills, you can easily improvise needed items. In survival situations, you…

After having solved the problems of finding water, shelter, and animal food, you will have to consider the use of plants you can eat. In a survival situation you should always be on the lookout for familiar wild foods and live off the land whenever possible.

Unless the situation occurs in an arid environment, even water, which is more important to maintaining body functions, will usually follow food in our initial thoughts.

Always light your fire from the upwind side. Make sure you lay the tinder, kindling, and fuel so that your fire will burn as long as you need it. Igniters provide the initial heat required to start the tinder burning. They fall into two categories: modern methods and primitive methods.

X-ray of transfusion-related acute lung injury in chest

Heatstroke, hypothermia, diarrhea, and intestinal parasites are environmental injuries you could face in a survival situation. Read and follow the guidance provided below.

About infections in the wild Boils, fungal infections, and rashes typically do not pose serious health problems unless poor hygiene results in a secondary infection. They cause discomfort though and may be treated to reduce discomfort and accelerate healing time. Treating Boils in the wild A boil is a localized infection in the skin. Over…

Andrew Hudson suffered head wounds from alligator attack

Introduction Open wounds are serious in a survival situation, not only because of tissue damage and blood loss, but also because they may become infected. Bacteria on the object that made the wound, on the individual’s skin and clothing, or on other foreign material or dirt that touches the wound may cause infection. By taking…

West African Gaboon viper (Bitis rhinoceros) showing its fangs

If you are familiar with the various types of snakes and their habitats, the chance of a snakebite in a survival situation is rather small. However, it could happen, and you should know how to treat a snakebite if you plan on spending time in their domain.

If you are bitten by a spider in the wild, there are a few things you should do to help the situation: Stay Calm – Panic can cause your heart rate to increase, which can spread the venom throughout your body more quickly. Identify The Spider – Try to identify the spider that bit you…

Closeup of bee stinging a person's finger

If stung by a bee, immediately remove the stinger and venom sac, if attached, by scraping with a fingernail or a knife blade (yellow jackets, wasps, and hornets do not leave the stinger). Do not squeeze or grasp the stinger or venom sac, as squeezing will force more venom into the wound.