The wilderness all around us is a wonderfully enticing place, but it has its risks, with over 200,000 outdoors injuries reported in just one year in the USA.
The dangers of being out and around the wilderness seem straightforward – however, there are a few important caveats and pointers to take. Whether camping in the wilderness or tracking a well-trodden trail, have a read.
Animal Safety
One of the most glorious things you can expect to find when exploring a tract of wild land new to yourself is the litany of powerful and beautiful animals inhabiting the natural land. Unfortunately, many of these animals can be dangerous – either through natural aggression, or skittishness around a perceived invader of their territory. Bears are a particular issue in North America, and keeping bears away can be tough.
Protect yourself. First amongst this is simple awareness; keep your eyes and ears open to any danger so you’ll know about it well in advance. For a fight-or-flight situation, make sure you are equipped with bespoke long range deterrents. That can be binoculars, some sort of auditory repellant, or something like a flare gun. For the situations where you are imminently threatened by a wild animal and you don’t have another choice, ensuring that you have a powerful enough rifle with a bespoke long-range hunting scope will ensure that you’re not hurt.
Planning Ahead
Whenever you go out rambling or hiking in the wilderness, ensure that somebody knows of your whereabouts – even if it’s just the hotel owner or a local business owner. Plan out your trip ahead of time and ensure a copy of your itinerary is with them. In the event that you become lost or injured, and are unable to make your way back, this can be the difference between life and death when you’re being searched for.
Make sure your bag is properly packed with everything you need, too.
Basic Camping Skills
Even if you’re not planning on pitching a tent, it can be fruitful to plan as if you might. Bad weather conditions can come and go in a flash, and whilst it might not be a long-term affair, it will help you a lot to know how to survive when caught with low food rations and in chilly weather.
To that end, it’s worth learning the basic camping skills. How to make a fire; how to set up emergency shelter; the look and taste of edible herbs and other plants in the wild to keep you going if you are stuck and waiting for assistance.
Exploring the wilds and camping are amazing experiences that allow us to reconnect with nature and see some of the best this globe has to offer us. Make sure your experience is a happy one by taking account of your basic safety needs.
