Before you go to the forest, you should warn loved ones where you are going. Be sure to dress in bright, noticeable clothes. Red, white, red or yellow jackets will be preferred. And not bad if you stick reflective patterns or stripes on your clothes.
Before the walk you need to find out what is possible and what cannot be done in the forest. If your relative or someone from the group is lost, try to immediately call the rescuers, as independent searches often lead to trampling of traces, which complicates the search for a person.
If you decide to shout to someone who is lost, then you need to wait for him in one place for as long as possible. You must have a knife, a watch, a box of matches with you, at least a small supply of water and medicines, especially if you suffer from chronic diseases.
If you get lost, the first thing you can’t do in the forest is to panic. First of all, stop, think - in which direction you were going. Listen, you may hear people screaming, dogs barking or the noise of cars. Various sounds help people to go out well. It can be a working tractor that can be heard for 4 km, or a dog barking, you can hear it for 2-3 km. If the railway passes somewhere nearby, then the passing train can be heard for 10 km.
In the event that you are unable to hear or see anything other than the sounds of the forest, then do not give in to despair - this is something that can never be done. In the forest there is always a mass of landmarks along which you can reach people. Try to find a stream or a river and go downstream, they will certainly lead you to human habitation.
If you are sure that they will look for you, then it is better to stay put, it is advisable to make a fire and sing songs loudly, it is easier to find by the person’s voice and smoke. You can also give sound signals: hit with sticks on the trunks of trees, this sound is carried far away in the forest.
If you still need to move, then try to navigate the parts of the world and the sun. The sun always rises in the east, and sets in the west. The north side of the bark of pine or birch is always darker. Stones, tree trunks, rock ledges on the north side are densely covered with moss or lichen. Tar drops on conifers stand out abundantly from the south side.
Never shorten the path - this refers to what you cannot do in the forest. Do not panic if you realize that you are walking in a circle. Moving forward, choose well-marked landmarks every 100 m of the way, this will help to understand whether you are moving forward or circling.
But the most insidious obstacle is a quagmire or a swamp. If you inadvertently fail - do not make sudden movements. In this case, this is the first thing you can not do. In the forest, swamps are always overgrown with grass and reeds, try to take a horizontal position and reach for reeds or grass, pull yourself up, crawl away from a dangerous place.
Well, in the case of an overnight stay, you should prepare for it. It is necessary to build a couch from the claws of coniferous trees or from simple branches and stock up on firewood. Never make a bonfire near coniferous or dry trees - this also applies to what cannot be done in the forest. Whole hordes of gnats fly at night, the fire smoke can help get rid of them. In if you sit on the banks of the river, then the cool night breeze will be the best protection against these insects.
And most importantly - leave behind noticeable landmarks, hang on the branches some noticeable things. At night, you can make several bonfires in an open area or on a hill so that people or your footprints can notice.