It’s not unlikely that you’ve heard one or all of these outdoor survival myths at some point in your life, but we thought it would be important to address these myths for just what they are — myths — and help you stay out of trouble when exploring the wilderness!
1. “If you’re bitten by a snake, suck out the venom.”
The last thing needed after a snake bite is to spread the venom faster by getting some of it in your mouth. Besides, you wouldn’t be able to suck fast enough to stop the venom from spreading. The best thing you can do is call emergency services, clean the wound, keep the bite location below heart level, and sit still until someone arrives with anti-venom.
2. “If you’re lost in the woods, look for moss on trees as it only grows on the north side.”
It’s not true. Although moss does grow better on the north side of trees, it can grow on any side if the tree is shaded or near water. Following this myth could send you in the wrong direction and get you even more lost.
3. “Make sure you stock up on matches.”
For the amount of space taken and number of fires you can make, lighters are far smaller and cheaper compared to matches. If you’re worried about the lighters getting wet, buy a magnesium fire starter.
4. “If it’s very cold, move to higher ground.”
The idea here is that since heat rises and cold settles in valleys and lower areas, you should move to higher ground where it might be several degrees warmer. While that is technically true, it doesn’t account for the wind chill you get from higher areas. Plus, heat from a fire will get carried away faster the higher you are. If it’s cold, stay low.
5. “You can eat snow or ice for hydration.”
This seems to make sense since snow and ice is just cold water. But doing this will lower your body temperature and waste energy. Before eating ice or snow, melt it, boil it, and then let it cool down to a moderate temperature before drinking it.
Wrapping up our post on 5 outdoor survival myths, be sure to check out: Outdoor Myths: Eating Snow and Dehydration!
Featured Image from Martin Kníže/Unsplash
