Occupying your time by being in the wilderness means that you have to be looking over your shoulders every minute and be alert of what is happening.
The wilderness is not really that safe considering the fact that there are plenty of wild animals who call it their homes but it will be much safer if you are aware of the different risks and dangers. This is not to scare you and make you not go camping or what not, but it is to help you be prepared for anything, you never know and it also doesn’t hurt to have some few basic skills and knowledge on how to survive in the wilderness.
1. Looking for water – water is life, no doubt about that, you need it to survive.When you are in the wild, you need to be aware that the water normally carries viruses, contaminants etc and this is why experts and researchers advice not to drink water that hasn’t been proper boiled. Make sure to carry any filtration apparatus in your backpack since it will be very important. If the water contains chemicals pollutants, you will not be able to drink it because it will need to be neutralized by purifying tablets. If you didn’t carry these tablets, then nothing else can purify that water. So how do you look for water in the wilderness? look for damp mud or soil or a low area which normally tends to collect draining water. Inspect the vegetation, it always tends to be more greener around water. Also look for animal tracks. They walk the same paths when they are familiar with a certain water source.
2. Looking for food – food will be in plenty and plus very easy to find compared to water and shelter. There are a lot of wild rodents, animals, fish to catch plus fresh plants etc. If you are not easily disgusted, you can try eating the insects but cook them first so that you may kill and neutralize the bacteria. If your shelter is near water, fish will be in abundant. When it comes to hunting for food, you might need some knowledge and skills also. If you don’t have the experience, it will be best not to attempt. It will take up most of your time and energy and you will get back to your shelter hungry and tired. Another option would be using traps. Check after every few hours to see if any animal was trapped.
3. Shelter – you can’t spend your time in the wilderness without shelter. You wont be able to survive even for a week without it and this is due to the winds, rains, hypothermia and low temperatures. So, your first priority should be to set up shelter. Research the area first, make sure its dry and no risk of water accumulation. The place should be flat plus also remember to build it close to a water source but not too close. After getting a good place to build a shelter, look for materials. If you carried a poncho, emergency blanket or a tarp, then you are good to go since it will save you a lot of time and without it, you will have to build one from wooden branches or natural materials which will definitely take up a lot of your time. Let your shelter be strong so that it can out stand strong winds and rains. If you don’t have time to do all this, look for a natural cover among the roots of trees or just any other earthly formation but make sure there aren’t any other inhabitants inside.