If I am lost in the woods with no tools or anything just my bare hands what could i eat for food or for water? - eviltoast
  • ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠@slrpnk.net
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    1 month ago

    What part of the world and what time of year?

    In general, you want to prioritize rescue over acquiring food and water. A set of three markers in a triangle that can be seen from above is a universal sign that someone needs help. Flashing mirror at any passing aircraft is also good.

    For food, don’t worry about it until after you secure water and shelter. It takes well over a week to starve. Water, boiling is best; you can do this even without a pot by heating rocks in a fire and dropping them into a basin you’ve filled with fresh water. Failing that, fast-moving streams are somewhat less likely to have as many parasites and dangerous microbes. But boiling is best!

    For shelter, building a lean-to with fallen wood against a big rock will do for your first night; break off leafy branches and layer them over top to shed water. Longer-term, big sheaves of long grass bundled and stacked will insulate and shed water better.

    • TheOSINTguy@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      A lot of people generally don’t carry lighters or matches on them anymore so starting a fire will be hard, unless if you live in an area with easily accessible flint rocks.

      Generally if you find some dry grass, make a birds nest, rip some bark off a try to protect it, and begin moving some sticks back and rub them against the bark, you will create heat but it will take some time to get a spark going. About 30-45 minutes and it will hurt.

      From there slowly build the fire being careful not smother it. And try to keep it alive 24/7.

      • GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca
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        1 month ago

        To add to this, the Primitive Technology channel on YouTube shows how to make a fire with two sticks. The key to his preferred method is a harder stick with a point and a softer one with a notch. Then you have a lot of work, prep, and trial and error ahead of you.