What You Need To Know So You Won’t Starve In The Wild

The wilderness will present all kinds of difficult survival challenges.

One of the main struggles is making sure you have food to eat.

Here’s what you need to know so you won’t starve in the field.

The Survival Rule of Three states that you can go three weeks without food.

While that may seem like a relatively long time, you don’t want to put it to the test.

Going without food presents all kinds of problems.

You lose muscle mass, energy, and key nutrients.

These issues will undoubtedly decrease your chances of survival, which is very dangerous.

It’s important to have food supplies in your bug out, bug out location, or camping gear when you’re out in the wilderness.

But sometimes that may not be enough, especially if you’re in the wild for an extended amount of time or you’re going off the grid.

In those instances, you’ll need to find other methods of nourishment.

Eating wild plants and fruit are viable options so long as you know what’s edible and what isn’t.

A good rule of thumb for fruits such as berries is that the shinier and more colorful the fruit, the more likely it’s poisonous.

If plants and fruits aren’t cutting it and you need more protein, you’ll need to find meat to prepare.

There are a few options available.

One option is fishing.

If you know how to fish and you’re in a good area, you could have a steady supply of fish to feed you and your survival group.

For smaller game such as squirrels, trapping is a good way to catch wild meat.

And for larger game like deer, hunting is the way to go.

If you’re hunting with a gun instead of a bow and arrow, it’s important to use the proper caliber.

Use something too powerful and you’ll tear a good chunk of your meat to shreds.

Also, it goes without saying that you should make sure you’re in compliance with any and all hunting, fishing, and trapping laws.

Disrupting the ecosystem of an area will only cause you problems in the long run.

Once you’ve caught your wild meat by one of these methods, the first thing you need to do is field dress the carcass.

This is the process of removing internal organs with a knife to make the meat suitable for consumption.

Field dressing should be done as soon as possible to ensure bacteria doesn’t begin to set in.

Once you’ve field dressed the meat, it’s time to cook it.

Different types of game cook differently, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach.

Fish cooks the quickest.

A handy rule of thumb for doneness is about 10 minutes per inch of fish thickness.

Bigger game can take longer, but it also goes a lot longer.

If you preserve the meat properly, one big game target could sustain you for quite a while.

These are just a few basics to consider.

Depending on your location and time of year, you can get a better idea about precisely which animals you should be trapping and hunting, and how long it will take to prepare.