From: amirza@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (anmar mirza)
Subject: Re: If You get Lost
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 92 15:54:56 GMT

In article <9434@vice.ICO.TEK.COM> hall@vice.ICO.TEK.COM (Hal Lillywhite) writes:
>In article <2660010@hp-vcd.vcd.hp.com> abyingto@hp-vcd.vcd.hp.com (Angela Byington) writes:
>
>>One thing I thought was interesting was the discussion about
>>rationing food and water.  I took a class in survival skills
>>and the theory there was to NOT ration your food or water,
>>especially in a hot climate.  I know this goes against intuition,
>
>Well, I have to disagree.  There may be times when you need to burn
>a lot of energy fast to construct a shelter or something similar.
>However usually this only lasts for a couple of hours.  Generally
>you can take your time and reduce the energy expenditure.  If you

I'll agree with the original poster.  I've spent much time learning
how to survive in the wild.  Unless I'm in a tropical environment, my
priority list is:
Shelter 
Fire
Water
Food

The most important need to attend to is prevention of hypothermia.
This includes shelter and fire.  Obviously you wouldn't need a fire
during the day in a desert environment, or summer in the midwest, but
anywhere where the nighttime temperature drops below 70F fire is a
priority.  Advantages to fire include water and food purification and
psychological comfort.  Water and food are comparatively simple if one
is properly trained.  Rationing of water should be avoided.
Dehydration leads to hypothermia and reduced psychological states.
Rationing of food is not necessary unless I am
caving and merely waiting for high water to recede.  If I am lost, my
best chances for ensuring future survival depend on my actions during
the first 24 hours.  In that time I need to secure the first 3 and
start on the fourth.  By 3 days in to a survival situation (in the
wilderness, not in a caving or water situation) assuming no
debilitating factors I should be able secure all four and be able to
live for extended periods of time.  This has been demonstrated to me
in PRACTICE, not just theory.  It is what is currently taught in most
survival classes. 


>
>Building shelters:  Unless the weather is really bad you can take a
>long time and save energy.

But it should not be put off.  It should be done immediately.

>Finding water:  A solar still doesn't take much energy to build.
>However if a practical source of clean water can be had, by all
>means put it near the top of your priority list.  Except in really
>nasty weather having plenty of water may be the most important thing
>you need.

Whether you build a solar still, find a pristine stream, lick dew off
of rocks, or whatever, it still is a high priority.  If you can easily
obtain it then it has made accomplishing that priority simple, but it
still is a high priority.

>
>Gathering firewood:  If it is to be had you have plenty of time to
>gather it.  Don't push it.  You can still haul firewood when you are
>dehydrated and starving.

If you are intelligent and/or trained, you gather your firewood while
building your shelter, scouting water, and gathering food.

>Of course if you just have to burn off some nervous energy, by all
>means use it to do something constructive, not just walk around.
>Remember, however that doing things fast takes more energy than
>taking your time.

And remember that once you realize your hypothermic it may be too late
to do anything about it.


I'm sorry for the long post here folks, but this last post pushed a
few buttons.  I've been interested in wilderness survival as long as I
can remember, and there are a lot of people out there dispensing
second and third hand information and passing it off as expert advice.

THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN ENSURE YOUR OWN SURVIVAL IN THE WILDERNESS IS TO
PRACTICE IT.  Bow drills are neat in theory, but it takes a *lot* of
practice to get it to work.  I'd rather have the practice beforehand
than have to learn it "on the fly".  The same applies to shelter,
water and food.  If you are going into a wilderness situation, you
should at least be familiar with the basics of all of these.  There is
*no* excuse for an healthy individual to die of dehydration or
starvation in most wilderness area of the USA.


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