What to do when lost in the woods

Let’s talk about something that I was wanting to discuss for quite some time now. What to do when lost in the woods? That requires what is considered to be one of the most important yet highly underrated survival tricks that you could now. 

The scenario that I am going to play out today is one of the most common that could occur. That involves a person that goes out for just a few hours, nothing more than a quick day trip. They go out for a quick run,  a hiking or just to take some photos. They grab their little bag that contains only a few snacks, a water bottle and maybe a camera. They’re lucky if they have a life jacket with them. They head out, go for their hick, take a few pictures on their way, and before they know, they are completely disoriented and lost, alone and scared.

For those of us with a little bit of time in the wood under their belt, it is very easy to look at the situation and know what could and should have been done differently. And of course, that involves having the right gear, equipment, contingency items, as well as having a working knowledge of the basic survival skills and principles which are to be found in abundance in books, videos, and practical training. But, I can tell you this, coming from an experience of an outdoor man who has been caught unplanned in the woods, it’s absolutely not fun at all if you don’t know what to do when lost in the woods.

The following rules are important if you ever get lost in the forest:

• Stop turning around and sit down. Try figuring out where you are using your head first.
• Know the distance you can walk in a day
• If it’s at night or the weather is very bad, you should build a shelter and a fire as soon as possible. Be ready to gather as many dry leaves as you can, or simply keep in your bag a solar air lantern.
• Make a smoke signal in a strategic place
• Above all these rules, you have to keep your head clear. Don’t worry, don’t weaken your self by running or screaming.

So for the average person who may not have enough outdoor experience or this vast repertoire of survival skills. What is the easy the one thing that you have to do that is easy to learn and will really save your life in situations like this. It’s to let someone know where you are going and when you are expected to return. That is as simple as making a phone call or sending a text message to at least a couple of friends, family or coworkers. Once again it’s about letting them know where you are going and when you are expected to return.

If you happen to stop for a quick unplanned trip. There is an easy way to let “would-be rescuers” to know where they can find you. And that is by writing down a small note  that you can leave in your glove compartment or in a place that is highly visible that will let your rescuers know that you are in trouble and where they can find you. Allowing them to find you much faster, and hopefully reducing your distress to a matter of hours rather than for days.

This may not be most exciting survival tip in the world but it can and will definitely save your life in one of these situations and shorten that time that you will be outdoor in a survival situation if you have lost yourself in the wild and I hope this won’t happen to you, but at least you will know what to do when lost in the woods!

You can watch this short video from Lonely Planet on how to survive getting lost in the woods: