It goes without saying that wilderness survival skills are important for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, hiking through the woods, or trekking into mountainous terrain. There are courses and books that anyone can read and get a leg up on a potential disaster that could strike at any time. Yet how many of us really have put our knowledge and skills to the test? Better yet, how many have kept those skills current?

If you remember all of your Boy Scout training from when you were younger, that’s great. The problem is that as we grow older, some of our memories begin to alter through the glass lens of time and what we think we know as a matter of basic instinct becomes much more blurred if we are put to the test. It’s akin to being a football quarterback who hasn’t played or thrown a ball around in many, many years. Sure, he could remember all those basic elements, can even imagine throwing the ball in the perfect spiral and marking the pace of the receiver with precision, but when put to the test, the average person will fall far short of those glory day memories.

Every skill needs refreshing from time to time

As a certified scuba diver, I am not one of those die hards who head out into the deep blue sea every weekend. I’m lucky if I can get out there once a year and since the skills that are needed for diving one hundred feet deep or more are skills that could mean the difference between life and death, I tend take a refresher course before those annual dives. Some people might call that being a bit over the top. I call it being responsible.

And you can be responsible for your own health and ultimate survival by taking the time out once a year to get out and test your wilderness survival skills. It only takes on weekend, maybe even an overnight from say Friday evening to Saturday morning. Since nighttime is the most important time in most scenarios to be sharp for your survival, then an overnight is definitely a must.

Choose an isolated location

Far too many people call camping these days driving out to the woods with their RVs or their pop up campers, plugging in the generator, opening the canned goods, and relaxing. Sure, this is camping, but only a few decades ago, men and women used to hike deep into the woods with a basic tent and perhaps some basic foods.

If you want to put your survival skills to the test, then the best advice would be to choose an isolated location far away from any temptations, such as motels, diners, or civilization, and head on out there. Don’t go alone. This should be an opportunity to take the challenge with other survivalists.

Don’t pack food or water. Simply head out there with the most basic survival tools, planning on building your own shelter and finding your own food and water.

If you’ve never done this, bring along an experienced leader

Of course, no one should set out to do something like this without any professional guidance. There are many survival experts who will plan an outdoor retreat just for this very purpose. These professionals will hike with you into the woods and be there as a safety net in case you put yourself in a situation you simply can’t handle. Just don’t rely on them to do anything for you, since this is your moment to shine.

Finding or building shelter is one of the most basic facets of survival and this will be your first challenge. Some people will choose to forgo the shelter if they know that the weather will be fair and the night mild, and will instead choose to build a fire put instead. Of course, this is perfectly acceptable for a nice summer outing, but remember what you’re training for: the possibility that you will be in a situation that won’t be comfortable.

The best advice when you want to put your wilderness survival skills to the test is to treat the situation as though the weather conditions are harsh, such as cold, rainy autumn. Imagine late November in the northern extremes of the country.

Whatever you do, make sure you know your way out

Sometimes the results of putting your wilderness survival skills to the test will be far less than ideal. It takes time and commitment to become an experienced survivalist. Don’t let yourself fall into a situation that could put you or someone you know in harm’s way. Wherever you go, make sure you clearly mark your way back out. That way, you won’t need to rely on those skills for real.

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