Lost in the woods, and you
know only one thing: quality shelter is the difference between life
and death. This is obvious in the winter, when the temperature drops
below freezing and ice clings to trees. However, it's equally
important for survival in the other seasons. Once the sun goes down
and the heat drops, hypothermia is a very real risk on all but the
warmest of nights.
The purpose of a shelter
is to protect you from the elements and to hold as much heat as
possible. Here are four shelter building tips that could be key to
your survival:
Tip
1: Assess Your Situation without Panicking
Army Rangers know that
fear leads to mistakes. Your first step is to calm yourself. Unless
you have a life-threatening wound, you'll have some time to deal with
your situation. First, you'll want to take stock of what supplies you
brought with you. Ideally, you'll have food, water, a knife, rope,
gloves, and some method of starting a fire. Remember, preparedness is
key – you should never venture into the wilderness without proper
supplies.
After calming yourself and
checking your supplies, you need to determine if there's a storm
coming, and if not, how much time you have before night. Shelter is
your first priority – but if there is no storm and you have a lot
of time before night, you can scout the area for a better location.
Tip
2: Location, Location, Location
High ground is essential.
You need to avoid valleys and ravines. If it rains, you might
experience a flash flood, also cold air collects in lower areas.
Areas with thick brush are more likely to have insects. While it's
good to have water within walking distance, you want to build your
shelter away from the water. Rivers may rise during a rainstorm. If
you build your shelter on a slope, you'll need to check above it for
loose rock that may fall on you. Avoid building beneath dead trees
for the same reason – dry branches are prone to breaking.
Tip
3: Use What Nature Gives You
When you build
a shelter for survival, your goal is to stop heat loss. While
high winds and precipitation can both hurt, nature will also help
you. Large trees can provide shade and block both wind and rain.
Empty caves prevent the wind from blasting you. Rocks, branches,
leaves, dirt, and snow can all be used to help create various types
of shelters. In fact, making a shelter out of branches isn’t
difficult at all. Simply gather sturdy materials—a combination long
thick sticks, medium branches, and small pine branches work best.
Build the frame by pushing the long sturdy branches into the ground
and build the walls by adding layers of medium sized branches around
the frame. When an Army Ranger looks at nature, they don't see fallen
branches and rocks, they see supplies for a shelter.
Tip
4: Build a Fire Wall
Your survival may depend
on your ability to build
a fire. To ensure your survival, you'll also want to build a fire
wall. A fire wall is something that can be made out of snow, wood, or
rock, and is designed to block wind from hitting your fire or your
shelter. A firewall is usually a couple of feet tall. If you have any
reflective material, you can place it on the wall to reflect the heat
of the fire and create a warmer environment.
Knowing how to build an
adequate shelter can greatly increase your chances of survival.
Warmth and protection are the main things to worry about when trying
to build a shelter and by using these tips and tricks from an
experienced Army Ranger can protect you from life or death situations
when it comes to surviving in the wilderness.
About
the Author
At Survival Life our mission is to provide vast array
of knowledge, tactics, and skills in the survival and preparedness
fields, to any and all who wish to become more prepared for whatever
may come. We will take a logical and no nonsense approach to survival
without bias in hopes of dispelling the myth that anyone who prepares
themselves is crazy or paranoid. Click here
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