Random Survival Tips From Les Stroud (10 items)

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  (#1) When Cooking, Err On The Side Of Caution

  Food is a big deal in survival. Without it, people in desperate scenarios will get weak, make bad decisions, and eventually starve to death after 7-10 days. So finding food is a topic Les Stroud covers in depth. Those who watch Stroud's television shows have seen him eat every manner of food, from bugs to plants to raw meat. Stroud believes that the land provides and eating whatever one can find is better than starvation.

  That said, Stroud actually recommends cooking when possible to prevent parasites from making a bad situation worse. Overcooking is better than undercooking, so if you can get a fire going and you've got your hands on some "organic" meat, cook it up as much as you can. No fire? No problem. Stroud also stresses that meat that is fresh is safe to eat raw. Stay hydrated at the very least. Water is much more important than food.
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  (#2) Staying Calm Is Key

  Being in a survival situation can be stressful. Anyone suddenly alone in the wildnerness will be in high stress mode, focused on how to get to safety, find their bearings, and eventually find the items necessary to survive if rescue doesn't seem imminent. Not to mention the immediate adrenaline rush a person gets in survival mode will eventually wear off and leave a person quite exhausted. People make bad decisions when stressed. Les Stroud says to stay calm if you find yourself in a survival situation. Focus on the things you can do and focus on the basic tasks at hand, such as preparing for any potential danger lurking ahead - like the cold of night or a lack of water. 
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  (#3) You Sweat, You Die

  Stroud consistently mentions on his show that sweat is the enemy of anyone trying to survive an extreme situation. In addition to it being the quickest way to lose much-needed body fluids, it also has the unfortunate side-effect of making a person unnecessarily wet. In heat this can lead to chafing and other discomfort (outside of dehydration), in cold weather sweating can bring on a chill that leads to hypothermia and possible death. 

  If you can, always wear layers and avoid wearing wet clothing. 
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  (#4) Securing Water Is First Priority

  A person can go three weeks without food - though they'd be too weak to do much by even a week into such a scenario - but they can only go three days without water. Finding safe drinking water is crucial to surviving in the wilderness. Obviously, best case scenario is having water with you to begin with, or being near a water source with iodine pills to ensure the water is healthy to drink. Stroud advises boiling water if fire is an option (not to mention something that holds water to boiling point). A self-made solar still to distill dirty water is also a great idea for when everything else is a no-go. For this a piece of plastic and some sort of receptacle come in handy for capturing moisture pulled from the dirty water via the heat of the sun.

  Contrary to pop-culture myth, drinking one's own urine should be last case scenario. 
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  (#5) Immediately Take Inventory And Assess The Situation

  Les Stroud advocates for what he calls proactive survival. Rather than staying in one place, Stroud says it is best to move in order to make it out of tricky situations alive. He has a process he uses to assess the situation at hand and make a game plan for surviving. This process involves taking basic stock of any injuries a person has sustained, assessing the surrounding environment, looking for immediate shelter, and trying to get one's bearings. A person should also consider what items they have on them and of course work on getting that most basic survival element: water.
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  (#6) Trust Your Instincts And Stay Proactive

  Les Stroud is far more knowledgeable than the average person when it comes to survival. That said, his advice to those who don't spend their lives learning how to survive alone in nature is to trust the instincts every human has built into their DNA. Humans innately want to live, it's part of our programming. Trusting those instincts is key, as is being proactive. Survival is often the difference between laying down in defeat and forging ahead. 

  Stroud has spent plenty of time alone in the woods with just his instincts. He says that following good instincts and trusting them are the best thing that someone can do in a survival situation. 
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  (#7) Staying In Shape Is The Best Survival Prep

  A plane crash or other survival disaster is a tough enough situation without also being hindered by poor physical condition. Stroud says that staying in shape is the most practical key to survival we can focus on before such scenarios play out. Without being in good shape, it will take much longer and be much more difficult to get out of danger alive. Stroud often has to walk long distances and lift heavy objects while on his survival shows. An out of shape person may add unnecessary injury to an already bad situation. The sort of detail that can mean the difference between death and survival.
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  (#8) Hunting Is A Waste Of Time In Most Situations

  Survival in the wild is often depicted as a test of man versus nature with brute strength being the key to getting out alive. Few people can run as fast a deer or have the strength to wrestle a bear. According to Les Stroud, anyone in a survival situation should put aside any thought of taking down big game without a rifle or fishing without a fishing rod.

  Stroud stresses that this kind of tactical hunting is a waste of time and energy without such crucial tools and weapons. Rather, Stroud advocates finding bugs and grubs to eat. Just avoid the colorful bugs. That said, anyone who watches Stroud's shows with fervor can pick up how to trap a rabbit or squirrel, one of the easier hunting techniques and among the few Stroud considers worthwhile in survival situations.
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  (#9) Trust A Guide, But Don't Rely On Others

  An obvious aside to Stroud's advice to generally be mindful of one's surroundings and trust one's instincts is to never depend entirely on another person. Even when a designated guide is leading a trip, Stroud advises to always be proactive and educate yourself about the details of a trip. Ask to study the map of where you are going. Be aware of local towns and the nearest places of shelter and safety. Check the weather whenever traveling and know your destination route and what places you'll be traveling through or over if say traveling by airplane. There's no guarantee that a guide or leader will be there when the going gets tough.
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  (#10) Bring A Harmonica

  There are plenty of tools that prove useful in survival situations. A knife, a pack of matches, or even something reflective could be enough to save a person's life. Strangely, the item Les Stroud always has on hand isn't one most people relate to survival. In several of his episodes, Stroud pulls out the harmonics he carries with him.

  Not only does the tiny instrument keep his spirits up, but it also serves to keep animals away. Most bears and other predators don't want anything to do with humans. In one episode of Survivorman set in the Temagami Forest in Canada, he expounds on the usefulness of his harmonica, saying its useful to keep black bears away thereby avoiding a dangerous situation. 

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