31 Outdoor Survival Skills For The True Outdoorsman

If you’re a true outdoorsman, you’ve got the outdoor survival skills to endure anything the great outdoors throws your way. So I have to ask… are you a true outdoorsman?

RELATED: 19 “Old World” Primitive Survival Skills You’ll WISH You Knew Before SHTF

In this article:

1. Camping Survival Skills
2. Outdoor Survival Hacks Using Everyday Items
3. Camping in the Rain Outdoor Survival Skills
4. Defensive Survival Skills
5. Fire-Building Survival Skills
6. Build a Shower
7. Know the Tactics
8. Tell Someone Before You Go
9. Expert Tips
10. Staying Clean
11. Splinter Solution
12. Hike Safely
13. Identifying Poisonous Plants
14. Navigation Skills
15. Stay Hydrated
16. Campfire Without Smoke
17. Survival Skills and Camping Techniques
18. Building a Fire
19. Master the Compass
20. Hide in Plain Sight
21. How to Use a Poncho
22. Cooking Food Off-Grid
23. Make a Lantern
24. Tie a Square Knot
25. Bow Drill Fire Tips
26. Keep Bugs Off
27. Weather Forecasting
28. Trail Survival Skills Lessons
29. Find Dry Wood
30. Drink for Life
31. Mind Those That Slither

Outdoor Survival Skills Everyone Should Learn

1. Camping Survival Skills

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There is no better place or opportunity for survival skills training than camping. These camping skills will test your survival skills in the great outdoors.

2. Outdoor Survival Hacks Using Everyday Items

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When you’re out in the wilderness, you need to know how to improvise. You can’t always trust you’ll have a working phone or GPS unit on you.

Here are some tips on how to use just what’s around you to help you survive.

3. Camping in the Rain Outdoor Survival Skills

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To some campers, rain is a bummer. For survivalists, camping in the rain is an exciting challenge and survival training opportunity for disaster survival.

4. Defensive Survival Skills

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Being outdoors exposes you to many dangers, which is why shooting is an important outdoor skill. And of course, you need to hunt for food.

5. Fire-Building Survival Skills

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It may be elementary, but building a fire is really an essential survival skill — especially if conditions are less than ideal.

6. Build a Shower

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Being in the wilderness makes you vulnerable to all sorts of disease. Make sure you maintain good hygiene.

7. Know the Tactics

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When things go from bad to SHTF, you need to know these outdoor survival tactics.

8. Tell Someone Before You Go

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I still remember screaming this advice to James Franco when he was packing up for his bike trek in 127 Hours. Leave a note or text a friend, at least.

It does sound trivial but when things go wrong, your loved ones have to know where you have gone.

9. Expert Tips

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Take the time to learn from the wisdom of a true survival expert. These tips will help you survive in different kinds of terrains.

10. Staying Clean

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Human waste is one of the top sources of disease. Stay clean, especially when you’re outdoors and learn proper sewage disposal.

11. Splinter Solution

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It’s easy to get a splinter out in the wilderness, but the infection is the main concern. Find out how to remove a splinter properly here.

12. Hike Safely

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Hiking is a great way to hone your bugging out skills! Make safety a top priority when hiking.

13. Identifying Poisonous Plants

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You need to know what plants to avoid. An allergic reaction is the last thing you want to have out in the wild.

14. Navigation Skills

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When the grid is down and your gadgets are dead, you can always count on the old compass and map to find your way to safety. Knowing how to use a map and compass sure is one of the most practical outdoor survival skills.

15. Stay Hydrated

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As you walk, you’re using up your body fluids. Learn how to stay hydrated here.

RELATED: 10 Things Every Outdoorsman Should Know

16. Campfire Without Smoke

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There are situations where you need to keep warm or cook food without smoke so as not to reveal your location.

17. Survival Skills and Camping Techniques

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Camping becomes easier and more fun when you know these camping tricks.

18. Building a Fire

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When knowing how to build a fire won’t cut it, here’s a method that might suit you.

19. Master the Compass

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The compass can save your life if you get lost. Make sure you know how to use it, and how to read it.

20. Hide in Plain Sight

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Humans are easy to spot in the wild; learn some camouflaging techniques.

21. How to Use a Poncho

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There’s more than one way to use a poncho. Check out some survival uses for a poncho.

22. Cooking Food Off-Grid

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Electricity is nonexistent in the wilderness, so you have to learn how to cook without it.

23. Make a Lantern

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Light becomes a necessity when the sun goes down in the wilderness. A fire can quickly die out but a homemade lantern can give you light overnight.

24. Tie a Square Knot

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This is one of the easiest knots to master. If it isn’t already on your survival skills list, make sure to learn it soon.

25. Bow Drill Fire Tips

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It may not be the easiest fire to start, but a friction fire is very rewarding–a useful survival skill indeed.

26. Keep Bugs Off

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Apart from the risk of getting a disease, skeeter bites can be annoyingly itchy. Do you know the most effective ways to prevent bug bites in the wild?

27. Weather Forecasting

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Knowing how to predict the weather can help you prepare better. Learn how to predict the weather yourself – no Doppler radar required.

28. Trail Survival Skills Lessons

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Some people think hiking is all fun, but it comes with real dangers, too. Take these trail tips for your own good.

29. Find Dry Wood

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Finding the right kind of firewood and tinder is one of the useful outdoor survival skills because it’s easier and quicker to start a fire with dry wood.

30. Drink for Life

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Out in the wild, you can easily become weak and thirsty. Learn how to find and prepare potable water.

31. Mind Those That Slither

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Many snakes are venomous so make sure you know how to deal with them.

This video from TA Outdoors will show you how to set up camp and learn your outdoor survival skills by actual experience:

These 31 tips are proof of the importance of survival skills when you’re in an emergency or SHTF situation. But let me ask you this, do you have what it takes to survive in the outdoors?

Do you think you’re a true survivalist? Take our Wilderness Survival Skills Quiz, and put your outdoor survival skills to the test!

Have you put these outdoor survival skills to the test? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on July 15, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.