Always try to keep snacks in your vehicle or gear in case you get lost or stuck somewhere. Once your food is gone, you will need to know what is safe to eat and drink. Nuts, berries, tubers (root plants) as well as insects and small animals such as rabbits are safe to eat and available in many areas. In the desert, some cacti are full of water, others can be toxic or even hallucinogenic. You can survive for a few days without food if necessary, but only two or three days without water. So keep a filtered straw or water cleaning tablets and a cup on hand whenever possible.
Whenever you are exploring a new area or going off on your own, you should always notify someone of where you plan to be and for how long. If you get lost but find a road or a river, follow it. Eventually the path will take you to people. You should always carry a knife and a flashlight with fresh batteries as part of your survival kit. Many websites include directions on how to make your own survival kit according to where you plan to go. Learn about the animals in your area such as bears, big cats, snakes and even insects such as scorpions. Make sure you know how to avoid them and what to do if you encounter one.
You can survive without shelter (although you can make do with a cave entrance in a pinch) but you may not survive without warmth. Making a fire might seem easy with lighter fluid and charcoal, but it can be a bit more difficult in the wild. Look for fallen branches that are dry. If the center is green it may smoke and impede your visibility but it may make it easier for a search party to find you. Always carry waterproof matches as well as a second source of flame such as a lighter or flint rocks.
A basic survival kit should be small and light enough to be easily packed in a backpack or worn on a belt. It should hold food such as high calorie protein bars and sweets, which will give you energy; water cleaning tablets or filtered straws; 20 to 30 feet of nylon cord (there are companies that make survival bracelets made of this cord so it does not take up space in your kit); a flashlight; lighter and waterproof matches; a sharp knife; bullion cubes for emergency calories; a compass; fishing line and hooks; sunblock in a small foil packet; and something to hold water in. You might consider putting these objects into a thermos or similar container. A small first-aid kit should include gauze, bandages of many sizes and types, antibiotic cream, pain reliever, tweezers, medical tape and a snake bite kit if necessary.
