Wilderness Survival Unit Study
Wilderness survival training does not only come in handy in case you get lost out in the woods. This training is useful for almost any instance when you are faced with the unknown, particularly out of doors. Knowing how to handle yourself in a difficult circumstance goes a long way towards boosting self-esteem.
1. Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses likely to occur in backcountry outings, including hypothermia, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, frostbite, dehydration, sunburn, stings, tick bites, snakebite, and blisters.
2. Describe from memory the priorities for survival in a backcountry or wilderness location.
3. Describe ways to (a) avoid panic and (b) maintain a high level of morale when lost.
4. Tell what you would do to survive in the following environments:
a. Cold and snowy
b. Wet (forest)
c. Hot and dry (desert)
d. Windy (mountains or plains)
e. Water (ocean or lake)
5. Make up a personal survival kit and be able to explain how each item in it is useful.
6. Show that you can start fires using three methods other than matches.
7. Tell five different ways of attracting attention when lost.
8. Show how to use a signal mirror.
9. Describe from memory five international ground-to-air signals and tell what they mean.
10. Show that you can find and improvise a natural shelter minimizing the damage to the environment.
11. Advanced activity: Spend a night in your shelter you built in activity 10.
12. Explain how to protect yourself against insects, reptiles, and bears.
13. Show three ways to treat water found in the outdoors to prepare it for drinking.
14. Show that you know the proper clothing to wear in your area on an overnight in extremely hot weather and extremely cold weather.
15. Explain why it usually is not wise to eat edible wild plants or wildlife in a wilderness survival situation.
Practical Wilderness Survival Tips
