How To Survive In The Wild... Army Style!

You find yourself alone in an unfamiliar forest- the enemy is out of sight, so, for now, you're safe. But how are you going to survive this far from civilisation…?

First things first: identify a source of water. The U.S. Army Survival Manual states that the average adult loses and therefore requires 2 to 3 litres of water daily.

Heavy dew can provide water. Tie rags or tufts of fine grass around your ankles and walk through the dew-covered grass before sunrise.

As the rags or grass tufts absorb the dew, wring the water into a container. Repeat the process until you have a supply of water or until the dew is gone.

Australian natives sometimes mop up as much as a litre an hour this way.

Man’s next most important element for survival is food. It is to hunger that the human mind turns in a survival situation. Here are some tips for catching live prey:

• Position your traps and snares where there is proof that animals pass through. You must determine if it is a "run" or a "trail."
• A trail will show signs of use by several species and will be rather distinct. A run is usually smaller and less distinct and will only contain signs of one species.
• You may construct a perfect snare, but it will not catch anything if haphazardly placed in the woods. Animals have bedding areas, waterholes, and feeding areas with trails leading from one to another. You must place snares and traps around these areas to be effective.
• When you position the trap, camouflage it as naturally as possible to prevent detection by the enemy and to avoid alarming the prey. Traps or snares placed on a trail or run should use channelization.
• To build a channel, construct a funnel-shaped barrier extending from the sides of the trail toward the trap, with the narrowest part nearest the trap. 

The next priority should be finding or creating shelter.

Of prime importance is selecting the appropriate site; it must contain the material needed to construct a shelter, as well as being large and level enough for a person to lie down comfortably.

When it comes to finding a natural shelter, the manual tells us that we should look for caves, rocky crevices, clumps of bushes, small depressions, large rocks on leeward sides of hills, large trees with low-hanging limbs, and fallen trees with thick branches.

However, when selecting a natural formation, we should stay away from low ground such as ravines, narrow valleys, or creek beds.

Low areas collect the heavy cold air at night and are therefore colder than the surrounding high ground.

Check for poisonous snakes, ticks, mites, scorpions, and stinging ants.

Look for loose rocks, dead limbs, coconuts, or other natural growth that could fall on your shelter.

The final step is to create a fire - the survival manual notes that fire not only provides warmth and a means of cooking food but can act as a moral boost - an all important factor when it comes to surviving in the wild.

When without any modern method of lighting a fire - such as matches or a battery, the U.S. Army suggests the flint and steal method:

Strike a flint or other hard, sharp-edged rock edge with a piece of carbon steel (stainless steel will not produce a good spark).

This method requires a loose-jointed wrist and practice.

When a spark has caught in the tinder, blow on it. The spark will spread and burst into flames 

The army's knowledge of survival techniques just go to show how far even a basic understanding of survival can go if you’re alone in the wild.

Hopefully, with these five tips and tricks from the army, you are well on your way to thriving in the outdoors.