The Wilderness Survivor Spirit Is Alive And Well

In the last few months we have been doing articles about survival in the wilderness. Our readers enjoy them and obviously gain some benefit from them. There seems to be a resurgence in survival in the wilderness stories partially because of all the television shows on this topic that have zoomed in popularity in the last several years.

Today we will share with you several additional stories about wilderness survival. They are a testament to the human spirit and show that the wilderness survivor spirit is alive and well.

The first episode in our story today takes place in Tasmania, Australia. Tasmania is a separate island south of mainland Australia. The story is about a Bushwalker who was missing for two days in that island’s Southwest wilderness. He was with a group of friends when he got separated from them in the South Cape range. Initially he was so panic stricken he wasn’t able to think straight. Once he calmed down he did all the right things for survival, according to the police who found him. He is a pharmacist by trade so he had some medical training. He had food with him which he started to ration and eventually he followed a rivulet to the coast and laid out a tarp which was spotted by a rescue helicopter. The group he was with had an EPIRB-an emergency position indicating radio beacon-a device used to alert search and rescue services in the event of an emergency. It sends out a coded message on a distress frequency via satellite and stations to the nearest rescue coordination center. Unfortunately, he did not have it with him.

A Utah teenager recovers after spending 28 hours lost in the Utah Wilderness and newly released 911 calls show his fight for survival. The 14-year-old and his friend went duck hunting in northwestern Utah when they got lost. Instead of heading to the car, he mistakenly walked deeper and deeper into the wilderness. In one of the 911 calls, the boy could be heard saying: “I don’t feel good. I feel like I’m gonna pass out.”

About 11 miles and nine hours after the first 911 call, the teen was found around 6 a.m. Sunday, almost 50 miles from home. He was found with signs of hypothermia and was possibly hallucinating from exhaustion. Neilson said the experience taught him the importance of carrying survival gear while going out.

This is just another example of how important it is to have survival gear with you when you go into the backcountry and furthermore know how to use it.

Zhu Weiqiang, who is known as the Chinese Bear Grylls, offers up some great advice that he learned as the first Asian graduate of the Bear Grylls Survival Academy. He was one of 10 out of the 10,000 worldwide applicants chosen for a 2013 seven day intensive training course and was one of only seven graduates. He has since quit his job at the Malaysian consulate in Shanghai traveling to dangerous places in China and worldwide. Part of the course was to survive on a remote Scottish island for three days and then rescue himself. Drinking water squeezed from damp moss, eating mealworms plucked from tree bark are just some of the survival techniques he learned. In a survival situation those techniques may give you enough time to be rescued. He said that most people are just not equipped with the proper skills to cope with dangerous situations. The mental capacity to think and act rationally when faced with extreme danger is more important than physical prowess.

Three simple ways to Survive In The Wilderness using your eyewear in survival situations.

1. If your frames are stainless steel, break off a piece and magnetize it by rubbing one and against your hair and dropping it in still water. The magnetized end will point north for a great compass.
2. Make a fishing hook by bending the pieces of your metal frame into a classic fishhook shape.
3. Use the long temple part of your frames to dig out grubs from dead logs.

In our first article about Survival Stories the response from readers was exceptional maybe you should check it out for yourself.

Our online store has a great selection of Survival Kits and Supplies that can help you in any wilderness survival situation. Stock up before your next wilderness trek!

Do you know of any stories of survival in the wilderness? Please share them with us!