Russia is a country of forests. About 45 percent of our country is forested. They are very beautiful and picturesque, and in addition, they are rich in various berries and mushrooms. Every year, millions of people go hiking, not knowing how not to get lost in the forest. Someone is attracted by the gifts of nature, others - the opportunity to relax from the noisy cities, some attract beauty, others are looking for extreme sensations. But regardless of the purpose of the trip, do not forget about precautions. Every year, dozens of people are lost in the forests of our country. In order not to tell the terrible stories of those who got lost in the forest, you need to follow a few simple rules.
How to pack in the forest
1. Before you go to the forest, you need to study the area in detail. Tell your relatives and close friends about your plans, mention the place where you are going, and when you plan to return. After all, if a person gets lost in the forest, rescuers should know in which area to look.
2. Collect everything you need. The main thing is to have a fully charged phone, matches in waterproof packaging, a knife, it is also worth taking a compass and a flashlight with you. Then the question of how not to get lost in the forest will not be so acute. Be sure to take drinking water. It is advisable to grab a small supply of products. It is better if they are not heavy, but high-calorie, for example nuts, chocolate or a packet of cookies. If possible, take medication (e.g., band-aid, bandage, painkillers).
3. Be sure to choose the right clothes for the trip. It should be comfortable, waterproof. In the forest there is a danger of being bitten by a tick, therefore it is necessary that the jacket be long-sleeved and the trouser legs are tucked into boots. Do not forget about the hat. It is better if the clothes are light, this will help to quickly detect the tick. It is also worth buying repellents that repel ticks and other insects. It is only worth remembering that they can be applied only to clothing and in no case to the skin, as these agents can cause allergic reactions.
To get together correctly is half the battle, it is also worth behaving correctly in the forest and know what to do if you get lost.
How to behave in the forest?
- You should not go to the forest alone, the company is always more fun, and the chance to get lost is lower.
- It is better to visit the forest in the morning and try not to linger until dark.
- You need to remember which side you entered the forest. Try to look for some landmarks, then you do not have to rack your brains on how not to get lost in the forest. For example, if you went from the side of the river and moved south, then you should return to the north, and in the end you will come back to this river. It is worth choosing linear landmarks, for example, railways, roads or rivers.
- Better to walk along the paths. If you decide to go deep into the forest, you need to leave notes along the way - you can tie bright marks on the trees, make nicks or break branches on your way. But sometimes animal paths come across. It should be understood that if branches are beaten in the face when moving along the trail, it means that wild animals walk on it and it is not worth continuing to move along such a path.
- If you decide to make a fire, then you need to do it right. It is better to plant it in the place where there is already an old fireplace. If this is not the case, you need to dig around the area with a shovel or an ax. Make a bonfire away from overhanging tree branches, dead wood and old dry stumps. Do not make a big fire. Even if it is small but stoned, it will give enough heat. Be sure to put out the fire before leaving the parking lot.
- Well, of course, do not litter in the forest.
Going into the forest, you often forget about time. Picking mushrooms or berries can be so fascinating that at some point you don’t understand where you are or where to go next. A small memo to the lost in the forest will help to find a way out without panic. Next, we will try to highlight all the important points.
Lost in the forest, what to do?
Stay. Try to find your tracks and return to them. If it does not work out, you should calm down and listen, perhaps you will hear the voices of your friends or other people. You can hear the noise of a road flowing nearby a river or train. Sounds are better distinguished in the evening and on the hillocks. It is believed that the sound of a passing train is heard at a distance of 10 kilometers, the cries of people - for 1.5-2 kilometers.
Cellular and emergency call
Try calling the people you went camping with or your relatives who stayed at home but know about your trip to the forest. Try not to say a lot of unnecessary words and after the end of the conversation turn off the phone so that the battery does not drain. If there is no telephone network, you need to call 112, the call is always available. Then there are several behaviors - either stay in place and wait until they find you, or look for a way yourself.
Waiting for help
If you decide to stay in place, it would be better to make a fire. It will help not to freeze, and it is easy to notice smoke from the air. It is better to build a bonfire in an open meadow. To make the smoke stronger, you should throw raw branches or something plastic into the flame. You can climb a tree, tie something to the top of a bright and periodically shake the tree. If you hear any sounds, scream back. This will help search engines find you faster, and scare wild animals. Remember that finding lost in the forest is not an easy task, it is important to indicate your location by any means. If you understand that help is still not far and it is worth taking care of yourself, then you need to go to seek civilization.
Orienteering
In childhood, we were often taught to navigate the terrain and how not to get lost in the forest. It was said that moss usually grows on the north side of trees, anthills are located in the south. But nature is changeable, and you should not rely on these signs, it is better to be guided by objective data. Your senses will help in the search .
- Take a closer look. On the ground there may be imprints of the soles of human shoes. Having found out the direction of the tracks, follow them. If you notice power lines, go along them.
- Listen. Walk in the direction of the sound of water or the noise of cars. When reaching the river, it is better to move along it along the stream. Rivers usually flow into large bodies of water, and there is a chance to meet people.
- Take a sniff. If you feel the smoke of a fire, then you need to go against the wind to smell.
Very often, a person is knocked off in the right direction by walking in a circle. This phenomenon is quite simple. The step size of the right foot is different from the left, this leads to the fact that a person “rakes” one leg, as it were. Most often, a person unconsciously turns left. As a result, if you go straight ahead without any reference points, you can significantly deviate from the course.
Wild animals
Various dangers can lurk in the forest, including wild animals. Basically, they are afraid of a person and will not attack first if they are not teased. When meeting with a wild beast, you must try to leave a safe distance. If the animal is interested in you, you need to start making noise - screaming, banging, jumping and waving your arms. If there is a wild boar on the way, then it is better to frighten it either from a large stone or from a tree, as wild boars are very unpredictable and can rush forward in fear. The main thing is not to run away from animals, otherwise, obeying their instincts, they will rush after. It is much more dangerous to meet a wolf on its way. You don’t need to make noise with him, on the contrary, you need to speak loudly and calmly, stepping back with your back.
Subsistence
Often the question comes: "If you get lost in the forest, what to do first?" We have already talked about the designation of a place. Separately, you need to think about nutrition. There are many berries and mushrooms in our forests. Of course, you can eat berries, but you don’t really need to rely on them, you can’t eat a lot of them, and in small quantities they are not very nutritious. If you understand mushrooms, it is worth collecting them. Otherwise, it is better not to risk it. It is better to boil the mushrooms in water twice. If you don’t have a pot with you, don’t be upset, you can get by with a tin can.
Hazelnuts are very nutritious . If you find hazel, take nuts with you in reserve. You can eat tree bark and burdock root, which tastes like potatoes.
Overnight place
In the event that the search has dragged on, and time is approaching night, it is worth thinking about an overnight stay. It is better to choose a dry place in an open area near the water. It is necessary to collect as many dry branches as possible to make a fire so that it burns out all night. This will give the necessary heat and scare away predators. Well, if you have a plastic bag, you can put it on yourself. For an overnight stay, it is worth collecting spruce branches, they retain heat better. You can take shelter with dry leaves. You have to go to bed by the fire, stretching out along it.
It is, of course, difficult to fall asleep to a person in a stressful situation. You need to fall asleep with the thought that in a few hours it will be light again, and the chances of salvation will increase. Do not despair, panic, lose hope of returning. The main condition for salvation is the desire to survive!