Just this summer, I watched nervously from behind my car as two tourists sat in camp chairs outside their van and a bison made its way across the campground in their general direction. You could almost hear them giggling in delight at how close the animal was getting. Until it deftly broke into a trot, head down, and plowed toward them.

I’ve never seen people dive headfirst into the grass as fast as those two did. Fortunately, no one was hurt and the charge was a bluff—the bison peacefully continued on its way toward a better grazing spot once the irritating bipeds had vacated the vicinity—but the scene could have ended in disaster, and it often does.

Indeed, every year people are injured by bison in the U.S., including at ever-popular Yellowstone National Park, where thousands of the animals roam free. And these unwelcome encounters are largely because visitors mistake them for docile, domesticated creatures, when the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. 

We connected with Linda Veress, park spokesperson at Yellowstone, home to the nation’s largest bison population on public land, to bust bison myths and keep you safe when you cross paths with them in the wild.

MYTH 1: Bison are essentially no more than large fluffy cows.

First things first: let’s set the record straight about the difference between cows and bison, because they may share a scientific family (Bovidae), but they are otherwise two very different animals. For starters, bison are much larger. In fact, they’re the largest land-dwelling mammal in all of North America. Males weigh about 2,000 pounds and females around 1,100 pounds.

Most importantly, “unlike cows, bison are wild animals,” says Veress. And just like other wild animals, bison will defend their territory if they feel threatened. In fact, bison have injured more people than any other animal at Yellowstone, usually because tourists got too close when snapping photos.

MYTH 2: Bison and buffalo are the same thing.

While the term “bison” and “buffalo” are often used interchangeably in North America, the scientifically correct term for the furry brown creatures that roam the plains is bison. Buffalo are technically native to South Asia and Africa (think water buffalo and cape buffalo). Though they are in the same family (Bovidae), they don’t occupy the same regions of the globe, and buffalo have larger horns and lack the pronounced shoulder hump that bison are known for.

MYTH 3: Bison are slow.

If you’re under the impression that bison are little more than larger versions of domestic cows, you might also believe that they are docile and slow, but bison can be aggressive and territorial, protective of their young, and they can run. Fast. Up to 30 mph, in fact, which is much faster than a human can run. That means if a bison takes chase and you’re too close, you’ll be within goring or trampling distance in a matter of seconds.

What’s more, bison can jump up to 6 feet high to clear fences or other obstacles and are incredibly agile, which many don’t expect, considering their heft.

MYTH 4: It’s OK to approach a bison if it’s resting.

No matter a bison’s posture—standing, lying down, back turned, you name it—you should never get within 25 yards of a bison. Even when they appear to be resting or calmly feeding—as they often do—their reactions can be quick and defensive; all it takes is a visitor turning his or her back for a moment and the bison could be on its feet and ready to address the nearby threat.

So whether you’re on a trail, boardwalk, road, at a campsite, or in a parking lot, if you unwittingly find yourself within 25 yards of a bison, make some space. Walk slowly in the other direction while keeping an eye on the animal to avoid an unwanted interaction. If it’s the bison that moves closer to you, even if it’s slowly, that doesn’t mean you have permission to approach. You need to back away to maintain that safe distance, says Veress. 

Veress also reminds visitors that if your presence or actions cause a wild animal to move, you’re too close. It’s actually illegal to willfully remain near or approach wildlife within any distance that disturbs or displaces the animal. That includes touching young, as one tragically misinformed visitor did just this year.

MYTH 5: There’s no way to know when a bison is about to charge.

Fortunately, there are many ways to determine if a bison has marked you as a threat and is considering charging. First, its tail will likely be standing straight up in the air. It may then respond by bluff charging, bobbing its head, pawing at the ground, bellowing, or snorting. 

“These are warning signs that you are too close and that a charge is imminent,” Veress says.

While bison can and will react to human presence defensively any time of year, mating season, also known as rut, which happens in July and August, and calving season in the spring means female bison will be extra protective of their vulnerable young. So be extra cautious about keeping your distance during these seasons.

Bottom line: Keep your distance (like even this six-year-old boy knows you should), remember that bison are wild animals, and respect the fact that the outdoors is their home; you’re just visiting.

The post 5 Bison Myths, Busted (With Some Help from an Expert at Yellowstone National Park) appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Backcountry (2014-R)

Based loosely on a true story, Backcountry follows an Ontario couple who camp in the remote area of Missinaibi Lake in Missinaibi Park. While camping in the backcountry, Alex and Jenny get lost searching for a waterfall Alex remembers from his childhood. His ego gets in the way by ignoring foreboding signs on their way back to camp, including a black bear paw print and a deer carcass. You’ll have to watch to get the rest of this thriller. Filming took place in Powassan, Ontario and Caddy Lake, Manitoba.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, AMC+, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Tubi 

Cabin in the Woods (2011-R) 

If you are looking for a mixture of laughter and terror, Cabin in the Woods is a good choice. When friends visit a secluded cabin in the woods, they are in for a big surprise, and a stop at a rundown gas station provides some foreshadowing. Watch in horror as these friends are put through a science experiment from your nightmares. The movie was filmed at Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. The “Secret Cove Cottage” is located in Half Moon Bay, British Columbia. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Max YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu

Deliverance (1972-R)

Backwoods locals terrorize a group of four adult men on a canoe trip in this 1972 thriller starring big names like Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, and Ned Beatty. Based in the mountains of Georgia, the locals don’t appreciate anyone visiting their woods. To make the visitors pay, the residents stalk and attack the group of men while they try to escape the rugged terrain and swift water. Director John Boorman said the movie was based partially on real events, although nothing was ever confirmed. The film was shot in Rabun County in northeastern Georgia. The canoe scenes were filmed on the Chattooga River on the Tallulah Gorge.

Where to watch: Stream for free on Tubi. Rent or purchase on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu.

Friday the 13th (1980-R)

The movie that had teens dreading going to summer camp in the 1980s, Friday the 13th takes place at Camp Crystal Lake in New Jersey. Throughout the movie, Mrs. Voorhees (portrayed by Betsy Palmer) takes revenge on the camp counselors who were responsible for her son’s drowning death at the camp. Her hockey mask-wearing son Jason continues her legacy for 12 more slasher movies in the series. While most of the indoor scenes were filmed in Hope and Blairstown, New Jersey, Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick Township, New Jersey is where the Camp Crystal Lake scenes were filmed. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video and Paramount +

Gretel & Hansel (2020-R)

In this twist on the classic German children’s tale of Hansel and Gretel, two siblings escape their stepmother who has gone mad and stumble upon a house deep in the woods with a generous owner (the witch) who lures them in with food and more. The siblings must resist the temptation and escape the terror deep within the forest as they fight for their lives. The movie was filmed in Dublin, Ireland with some reshoots in Langley, British Columbia. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV

The Blair Witch Project (1999-R)

Filming a fake documentary, three film students head to the woods of the Black Hills in Maryland to film footage at the sites of various spooky legends, including the Blair Witch. The three disappear, and their video footage is found one year later, thus creating the movie audiences see. This low-budget film plays on the audience’s own imagination, creating tension and fear. The movie is filmed in the historic town of Burkittsville, Maryland. Outdoor scenes were filmed at Seneca Creek State Park, Maryland. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, Vudu, Paramount, YouTube

The Evil Dead (R-1983)

Called a campfire story made into a movie and the start of many cabin-based terror films to come, The Evil Dead (originally called The Book of Dead) was once deemed too intense for viewers. When five college friends head to a remote cabin in Tennessee, they become possessed by spirits that terrorize their lives after finding The Book of the Dead. If you are in the mood for a bloodbath, this film has it all. A sequel was released in 1987, alongside a remake/reboot in 2013. Evil Dead Rise, released in 2023, is not a reboot or sequel but follows some of the plot of the other movies. A remote cabin located in Morristown, Tennessee is where most of the film was shot. 

Where to watch: AMC+, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu 

The Watcher in the Woods (1980-PG)

When an American family moves into a home in the British countryside on the edge of the woods, they sense a strange presence. The owner of the home, who lives in the guesthouse, realizes the family’s one daughter resembles her own daughter who disappeared 30 years ago from an abandoned chapel in the woods. Strange lights, floating objects, and hauntings bring terror to the family, especially the younger daughter. The film is based on the 1976 book by Florence Engel Randall with an adaptation filmed in 1997. Filming took place in a studio and in Buckinghamshire, England. 

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video (1980 and 1997), Amazon (1997), Vudu (1997)

The Witch (2015-R)

Set in the woods, this horror film follows a religious family banished from their community in the 1600s that moves to a farm in New England. Witchcraft and devious deeds, including baby snatching, conjure fear and evil amongst the family. The ending scenes in the woods bring a horror viewers will never forget. The Salem Witch Trials had a heavy influence on Robert Eggers’ screenplay. Filming took place in Kiosk, Ontario, Canada.

Where to watch: Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Vudu, YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play 

Willow Creek (2013-R)

While most know Bobcat Goldthwait for his comedy, as a director of horror, he makes a big slash. Trying to determine whether Bigfoot exists, two young campers set out to document what they find. Audiences rave about the 20-minute sequence that makes you squirm in your seat as you watch the couple hiding in their tent as something large continues to stomp through the woods. Real residents from Willow Creek, California are featured in the film about their belief in Bigfoot. Filming took place at Lake Arrowhead in California’s San Bernardino National Forest, as well as Willow Creek, Bluff Creek, and Louse Camp, California. 

Where to watch: Google Play, Amazon Video, Vudu, Plex, Tubi

The post 10 Outdoor Horror Films That’ll Terrify You appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Humans ingest over 100 billion bananas a year, a large majority of which are Cavendish bananas. That could change as TR4 attacks these banana plants, according to Business Insider. TR4 was first discovered in Taiwan and has spread to many of the world’s largest banana-growing countries such as Australia, India, and China. 

TR4 first attacks the roots of the banana tree and spreads throughout the rest of the plant, affecting the tree’s ability to absorb water and preventing it from photosynthesizing. Scientist Dan Bebber told the New York Post, “once it’s in a country it’s very hard to get rid of it.” 

Scientists have been watching the threat of disease and the impact it will have on the world’s banana supply for years now. According to a 2020 article from Time, 99% of exported bananas are Cavendish bananas.

Next time you grab a banana before heading out on an outdoor adventure, feel grateful for that self-contained piece of healthy food, because it may not be around forever.

The post Wait, Are Bananas Going Extinct? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Note: Nothing Beats Proper Training

In a backcountry emergency situation, any correct information you have will be far better than no information at all. That said, there is no replacement for a verified wilderness first responder course. Reading is great, practicing skills at home is even better, but if you find yourself entering more dangerous backcountry scenarios, it is best for you to seek out professional training. NOLS is one great resource, but there are plenty available. Seek one out that caters to the wilderness challenges you’re hoping to take on.

1. Pack For All Possibilities

When it comes to improvising wilderness medicine, what you have is what you have. This is why bringing a proper first aid kit is a great idea. The reality, though, is that you won’t always have access to one. Here are a few other items that people commonly have in the outdoors and will be highly applicable in emergency scenarios.

• Duct Tape
• Athletic Tape
• Tarp
• Trekking Poles
• Puffy Jackets
• Foam Pads
• Backpack Straps
• Reflective Emergency Blankets

These are all highly versatile items that can be used for a variety of scenarios. They can help you bandage wounds, improvise splints, or warm someone at risk of hypothermia.

2. Fully Utilize What You Have

Okay, now let’s say you find yourself standing in front of someone who just fell through the ice—they’re out of the water now, but they have under an hour before they go hypothermic. Between your group members, you have three dry, warm sleeping bags, sleeping pads, a tarp, some rope, and a few hand warmers. What do you do?

You’ll want to create a hypothermic wrap, combining those resources to warm your patient up quickly and safely. This is one of those skills you can pretty easily get the hang of at home. By learning principles of heat transfer, you can administer this aid as effectively as possible.

Another classic skill to acquire is improvising a splint. This skill can mean the difference between a fracture with a great evac story and permanent, life-changing damage to one of your limbs. There are a few principles that can guide you: make sure the injured part of the patient is immobilized and supported, ensure there’s appropriate padding between the patient’s limb and the splint’s structure, and be sure the patient’s circulation isn’t being cut off.

Again, there’s no replacement for professional, one-on-one training when it comes to mastering splints. If you suspect somebody has a spinal injury, for example, and you aren’t trained to deal with that, seek evacuation and don’t injure them further. A mentor with search and rescue experience can teach you how to make full use of what you have. Chances are, you’ll have everything you need in your backpack, you just need to know what it’s good for.

3. Keep It Clean

Cleaning and dressing a wound is a skill that just about all of us will learn in our lives. It’s easy in the frontcountry—wash out the injury, clean it, cover it with a sterile bandage. Once you’re in the backcountry, though, things get more complicated. What do you have that’s sterile? How can we disinfect this?

Essentially (a running theme), do what you can with what you have. If you have disinfected water to drink, it’s safe to use for a rinse. Many people will pack out small, single-use disinfecting wipes for blisters, and those are a great resource in this scenario too. Infection is no joke, so short of a medical kit, it’s great to pack out some gauze. You can do some things wrong in this scenario and be okay, but if you can properly clean the wound, the medical professionals you eventually reach will thank you.

4. Know Your Acronyms

Anyone who works in healthcare can probably share a wide range of acronyms that they use to remember procedures. By helping us remember which steps to take, these acronyms contain potentially life-saving information. NOLS uses them to great effect, so if you take one of their courses, you’re sure to walk away with some of these in your mental database. Here’s a couple notable ones to get you started.

SAMPLE:

• Symptoms
• Allergies
• Medications
• Pertinent History
• Last Intake/Output
• Events

The concept of “SAMPLE” is taught in most first aid and CPR courses, and it’s a vital tool to make sure you collect necessary information in an emergency situation. Provided your patient is conscious, go down the list and try to remember his or her responses. When you do eventually make contact with medical professionals, this is the information they’ll ask you for.

CSM:

• Circulation
• Sensation
• Motion

These three letters are especially vital when binding sprains or improvising splints. Ensure that your patient’s extremities are pink and warm so you know his or her blood flow isn’t restricted. Make sure he can feel his fingers and toes and wiggle them. You don’t want to make things worse in your efforts to help.

Future You Will Thank You

It takes some considerable hubris to think nothing could ever happen to you in the backcountry. Use these tips as a foundation and get yourself ready for those possible future mishaps. Each new experience, even if it’s a little terrifying, will teach you something new. Whatever skills and knowledge you take the time to acquire could be the key to a happier, healthier you in the eventuality of an accident. And remember, don’t panic.

The post Improvised Wilderness Medicine: These 4 Tips Could Save Your Life appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Disclaimer: Foraging for mushrooms is not for beginners. Never eat anything you are unsure about. Many mushrooms and plants have toxic look-alikes and can be deadly. Take caution and do your research before foraging and consuming mushrooms foraged in the wild.

The Thrill of Hunting for Mushrooms

“Once you know what you are doing, hunting mushrooms can be a great outdoor activity,” writes Bear in his book Extreme Food. “More importantly, the ability to identify certain edible species can be invaluable in a survival situation.”

Here’s what else Bear says about five fungi that you can find in the wild.

Chanterelles

“If you stumble across a patch of chanterelles, you’re lucky. They’re not only edible, they’re delicious,” says Bear in Extreme Food.

Bear says that these can be easy to identify – their color is egg-yellow, they have a

distinctive funnel shape, and they have the slight smell of apricots.

“As a survival food they can be boiled for 10 minutes before eating,” says Bear.

Giant Puffballs

“Giant Puffballs are awesome. They are totally distinctive – big white globes with no gills, that can grow to the size of a football – and extremely edible,” says Bear in Extreme Food.

Bear advises that the puffball’s flesh should be white all the way through if it’s to be eaten (avoid it if it is starting to go brown or green).

“It’s fantastic fried over the campfire with a little oil, salt, and whatever other flavorings you have to hand,” he says.

Chicken of the Woods

The chicken of the woods is also quite easy to identify, growing on trees – mostly oak. The mushroom is supposed to look like a chicken’s foot, which is where it gets its name.

“It has a distinctive bright yellow and orange coloring,” says Bear. “It has a decent taste – slightly sour, but good and mushroomy.” 

“Some people have an allergic reaction to this fungus, so make sure you cook it well and eat only small portions to begin with,” says Bear, who also warns you should avoid this if you find it growing on or near the poisonous yew tree.

Cauliflower Fungus

“The cauliflower fungus looks like a spongy cauliflower head. You find it growing at the bottom of conifers, and nothing else really looks like it,” says Bear, who says you can cook a cauliflower fungus pretty much any way you want – fried, boiled, stewed – and it will taste great.

You might find that some creepy-crawlies have taken up residence inside it, so before you cook it, immerse the fungus in purified water to wait for them all to slither out.

Beefsteak Fungus

“The beefsteak fungus is a pretty weird looking thing. It certainly doesn’t look like your regular mushroom,” says Bear in Extreme Food.

The beefsteak fungus grows on living trees like oak or chestnut. When it’s young, it resembles a large tongue and then as it gets older, it starts to look like a liver.

“If you cut into the flesh you’ll see that it looks like a piece of fatty steak. Even stranger, it’ll look as if it’s bleeding because it will exude a large amount of red fluid,” writes Bear.

For more information about edible and toxic mushrooms, check out these guides from Outdoors.com:

• How to Identify Toxic Mushrooms, According to Bear Grylls
• The Fatal Five: Avoid These 5 Deadly Mushrooms in the Wild
• Shroom With A View: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Mushrooms Outdoors
• The Foolproof Four: The 4 Easiest Mushrooms to Forage 

The post 5 Safe Mushrooms Bear Grylls Likes to Forage, Prepare, and Eat appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Stung . . . on Purpose?

First, it should be noted that Coyote, who is an intrepid adventurer and animal lover, goes into the wild and purposefully gets bitten and stung. But why? For education, he says, and to learn more about the animal he’s coming in such painfully close contact with.

In addition to the intentional bites and stings (by the way, he never takes any intentional bites or stings from things like a venomous snake or a shark), Coyote has also been bitten by a lot of things accidentally. In fact, he has been bitten or stung by well over 50 different organisms, and the number of times he’s been stung is hundreds upon hundreds. “Because with things like jellyfish [and] fire ants, you’re getting tons of stings and you can’t really quantify [it],” he explains.

Coyote calls himself a human pin cushion thanks to all the experiments he’s done on himself. Thankfully, Coyote has been able to stay miraculously healthy through all the bites and stings his body has taken in the name of entertainment and education. 

Here is what he had to say about the worst ones he’s experienced so far.

Part 1: Stings

Executioner Wasp

“The most painful thing that I have taken at this point as a singular sting is by something called an executioner wasp. It’s got a very potent venom that actually has necrotic components to its venom, and it will actually cook a hole in your skin. So, if you were to disturb a nest of executioner wasps and be stung multiple times, you would be in a lot of trouble,” Coyote said. 

Japanese Giant Hornet

The executioner wasp is number one on the list, and Coyote said that terrible experience is closely followed by his experience being stung by the Japanese giant hornet—also known as murder hornets. Watch the video, and you’ll see why.

Bullet Ant and Warrior Wasp (Tie)

In third place for the most painful sting Coyote has endured are the bullet ant and the warrior wasp (Synoeca)—which he says are a tie. Watch him take a bullet ant sting, though, and it’ll be clear that a tie for third place is still extremely painful. 

Part 2: Bites

Coyote says venomous bites are far worse than venomous stings. Here are his top two most painful bites so far.

Gila Monster

Coyote told us what it felt like when he was unintentionally bitten by a Gila monster, a venomous lizard native to the southwestern U.S. 

“This is an experience you never want to go through,” he says. “I was accidentally bitten by a Gila monster. My thumb was in its mouth for less than a second, and I went through about eight hours of excruciating pain that is unstoppable. There’s no anti-venom for it. Your body just had to absorb the venom and you have to endure what is, honestly, probably if not the worst, one of the worst pains I’ve ever been through. And I’ve been through a lot of pain,” he said.

Giant Desert Centipede

“The second-worst bite I ever took was from something called a giant desert centipede,” Coyote said. “The venom from that animal specifically breaks down red blood cells, so the venom seeps into the cell and explodes it from the inside out. If you can imagine that venom going into your body and your forearms, swelling up to nearly three times in size while your blood cells are literally detonating, you’ll begin to understand the nine hours of pain that I went through with that one. And it’s actually the only bite or sting that I’ve gone and sought medical attention for because the swelling got so bad. And the pain was so intense. After about nine hours, I did go to an emergency room and had to get prescribed adult-strength Advil, which you and I may call Vicodin, to help get me through the pain.”

The post Nature’s Worst Bites and Stings, As Told by Coyote Peterson appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

1. Shelter Building

Fans of Survivor and similar shows understand that when thrust into extreme environments with unpredictable conditions, protection from the elements is crucial. It’s essential to master the art of constructing improvised structures using readily available natural materials like mud, moss, or branches. Additionally, learning to effectively utilize man-made items, such as tarps, emergency blankets, and even discarded junk, ensures you’ll have better protection from whatever nature throws your way.

More help here:

• 3 Simple Tarp Shelters
• How to Make it Through the Night if You’re Lost in the Woods
• How to Build a Shelter in a Forest or Jungle

2. Fire Starting

Carrying a fire-starting kit equipped with waterproof matches and tinder is the easiest and most straightforward method for starting a fire, whether for warmth, cooking, or light. It’s equally important, however, to understand how to effectively use tools like flints or fire steel, among others. In areas where kindling may be scarce or conditions are varied, like after a rain shower, knowing how to fuel a fire, along with ways to keep it going, are necessary survival skills. 

More help here:

• How to Start a Campfire Without Wood

3. Water Procurement

A person can go weeks without food but only around three days without water. Securing safe drinking water and avoiding waterborne illnesses is a basic necessity for all types of adventure, particularly in arid climates. Adventurers should be familiar with how to collect rainwater and purify water obtained from streams, rivers, and other natural sources. Something as simple as a sock filled with sand and rocks could become an improvised filtration device.

More help here:

• How to Filter Natural Water Sources Before Drinking
• How Bear Grylls Makes His Water Safe to Drink 

4. Navigation

Even those with the best sense of direction can become disoriented and lost in unfamiliar terrain. Accurate navigation skills, such as map reading, compass use, and orienting with the sun or distinctive landmarks, are essential for both leisurely hikes and emergency situations where reaching safety is imperative.

More help here:

• How Bear Grylls Navigates Polar Regions

5. First Aid

If you don’t have basic first-aid knowledge for facing wilderness emergencies, you might want to think twice before heading out. Skills like dressing wounds, stabilizing fractures, treating food poisoning, or performing CPR are imperative to know in locations where professional medical help is inaccessible.

More help here:

• How to Build First Aid Kit
• First Aid Skills You Need to Know For the Trail

6. Food Foraging 

Nature is the best source for sustenance when our store-bought supplies run low. Hunting and fishing are the most common means of getting food, but learning how to identify which plants, mushrooms, and even insects are edible can mean the difference between feeling refreshed and starving. Some plants and mushrooms that are completely safe to devour have look-alikes that are too toxic to touch, so it’s better to already have the skills to distinguish which ones are okay before hunger hits.

More help here:

• Survival Plants Every Forager Should Know
• How to Identify Toxic Mushrooms
• Fall Foraging Adventures

7. Wildlife Awareness

In every region, wildlife presents its own unique set of dangers. It’s vital to be aware which animals are native to a specific area and might pose a threat so you can take preventative measures to avoid potentially lethal encounters. While rattlesnakes, for example, are found in many parts of the United States, they’re most prevalent in the southwest. Alaska, on the other hand, has the biggest number of grizzly bears. Being well-informed about topics like bear safety, insect sting management, and other aspects of wildlife awareness can make a lifesaving difference.

More help here:

• How to Deal With the 5 Most Dangerous Animals in North America
• Snake Myths Busted by an Expert

8. Gear Repair 

Always being prepared is a skill unto itself, especially when dealing with gear that needs to be fixed. Ingenuity often starts with equipping camp boxes with a couple key products. Gorilla Tape is the most obvious, but gear ties, adhesive repair sealant, and even a small sewing kit can go a long way.

More help here:

• 5 Must-Have Items to Fix Camping Gear

9. Knife Skills

Knives are indispensable tools for adventurers, and you should absolutely have one in your outdoors arsenal. Versatile survival knives prove their worth in endless ways, from helping you forage wild edibles to splitting small logs to create quick kindling. The ability to sharpen a knife with a smooth stone is a valuable talent to have for maintaining your tool’s effectiveness.

More help here:

• Batoning Wood with a Knife to Make Quick Kindling
• Outdoor Skills to Master During Winter

10. Weather Observation 

Reading weather signals is an art and can provide a treasure trove of knowledge for outdoors enthusiasts. While it’s not an exact science, even small insights can significantly boost safety and comfort. From knowing cloud types and how they serve as dependable indicators of impending weather shifts to understanding wind behavior as a component of climate variability, weather know-how can help survivalists make the most informed and safest decisions possible while out in the wild.

More help here:

• Bear Grylls Predicts Weather

11. Campfire Cooking

Mastering how to cook on the open flames of a campfire is important for adventurers, and it could mean the difference between bad burnt food and delicious meals featuring a smoky, charred flavor. There are also valuable tricks to ensure meals prepared outdoors are cooked to perfection. For instance, carrying foil packet meals, a campfire revelation, allows you to cook directly on hot coals, adding to the convenience of wilderness dining.

More help here:

• 7 Tips Become Campfire Cooking Master
• Hacks to Make Cooking at Camp Easier 

12. Survival Mindset

Some people have trouble remaining cool, calm, and collected in stressful situations, but maintaining a positive mindset is a cornerstone skill for adventurers — one that can stave off impending peril. The ability to develop and cultivate techniques for keeping a positive attitude and not giving up under pressure is critical, particularly when the need to make rational decisions arises, as it often unexpectedly does.

More help here:

• Bear Grylls Mindset to Survive
• How Bear Grylls Conserves Energy in Survival Situations

13. Rope Work

Proficiency in the uses of ropes is paramount for adventurers who don’t want to end up with their hands tied when venturing out. Properly securing a shelter, rappelling down steep cliffs, or rescuing a fellow sportsman all require the use of ropes. They’re also great for river crossings and even building improvised bridges. Rope skills should be considered more than a convenience; they’re often a lifeline.

More help here:

• Watch Bryce Canyon Search and Rescue Use Ropes to Save Trapped Hikers

14. Hygiene

The great outdoors is, by definition, meant to be muddy and, well, dirty. However, maintaining good hygiene practices during extended adventures is key for preventing illness and infection. Adventurers need to learn how to maintain basic personal hygiene even when resources are limited (believe it or not, cattails are great for cleaning teeth, and sunlight kills bacteria on filthy clothes laid out in the sun).

More help here:

• How Bear Makes Toothbrush in Wild

15. Self-Defense

No one should stand in the way of adventurers going on a safe adventure. Unfortunately, however, human threats exist, particularly in remote areas and/or when exploring solo. Self-defense knowledge is a valuable asset, not to mention a confidence booster, and it can help foster a sense of control and empowerment in an already unpredictable environment.

More help here:

• Essential Safety Tips for Solo Female Hikers 

16. Improvised Wilderness Medicine

Improvised wilderness medicine helps adventurers address injuries and illnesses when medical help and supplies aren’t readily at hand. This skill includes providing care with minimal resources. Whether fashioning splints from branches or making bandages from clothing, the skill equips adventurers to respond creatively in emergency situations — even in the most remote regions.

More help here:

• First Aid Skills You Need to Know for the Trail 

17. Surviving Extreme Heat

Relentless sun exposure and scorching temperatures can kill a person, so knowing how to steer clear of overheating and heat stroke, sheltering from the sun, and locating water are just a few critical skills needed when venturing into unforgiving arid landscapes. Something as simple as urinating on a hat or other head covering could keep you cool and buy time.

More help here: 

• Identifying Signs of Heat-Related Illness
• Desert Survival Tips

18. Cold Weather Survival

Wintertime skills are different than those needed in milder seasons. Key among them is the ability to stay warm when the conditions turn frigid. This means proficiency in building effective shelters, creating insulating bedding, and starting and maintaining fires. Frostbite can be common in cold weather. While prevention is the best strategy for this serious condition, when it does occur, knowing how to treat it quickly can ease suffering and prevent lasting damage.

More help here:

• How Do Survival Tactics Change in the Winter
• How Bear Grylls Deals with Hypothermia Frostbite

19. Treating Hypothermia

Hypothermia can be deadly and, therefore, recognizing its early signs — uncontrollable shivering or its sudden cessation, as well as confusion and slow movement — is a lifesaving skill all adventurists should have in their mental handbook. The life-saving steps to combating hypothermia are just as important to learn, especially CPR, which can become necessary in the most severe cases.

More help here: 

• How Bear Grylls Deals with Hypothermia and Frostbite

20. Avalanche Awareness

When buried in an avalanche, you have as little as five minutes before your life is in danger. Surviving one of nature’s fastest-moving terrors demands preparedness and know-how — everything from keeping calm and creating an air pocket with your hands if you sense the avalanche is slowing down to carrying an avalanche transceiver and other essential rescue equipment.

More help here: 

• How to Survive an Avalanche

21. Snake Bite Dos and Don’ts

Knowing what not to do when suffering a snake bite is just as important as understanding what to do. Cutting the puncture marks and trying to suck out the venom isn’t advised. According to experts, a tourniquet may not be the best way to slow the spread of toxins, either. The best thing to do is get help immediately.  

More help here: 

• What You Shouldn’t Do to Treat Snake Bites

22. Signaling

For adventurers in hostile or challenging environments, signaling skills are key when lost, injured, or in need of rescue. Visual signals, such as mirrors or smoke, auditory signals, like whistles and Morse code, and signaling devices all alert potential rescuers. The methods can also facilitate continued communication once help arrives.

More help here:

• How Bear Grylls Communicates Survival Situations 
• How to Signal For Help with a Wildlife Camera 

23. River Crossing

Learn proper river-crossing techniques to avoid disaster in swift-moving and unpredictable waters. Rivers that look completely fine can turn wild and dangerous quickly. If you’re going to risk a river crossing, you need to know what you’re doing. That means everything from choosing the right entry and exit points to knowing how to deal with the varying speeds of currents.

More help here:

• How to Cross a River Like Bear Grylls

24. Knot Tying

From basic knots like the bowline and square knots to more advanced ones like mooring and Blake’s hitches, knowing the ropes when it comes to essential knots goes a long way in outdoor situations, especially when bungee cords or similar tools aren’t available. Knots are indispensable for a wide range of tasks, including securing gear and constructing shelters.

More help here: 

• Camping Knots

25. Emergency Signaling Devices Know-How

Familiarize yourself with all personal locator beacons, satellite phones, and other navigation, communication, and safety devices before you head out with them. That includes checking their battery life and other limitations to avoid unexpected failures in remote areas. After all, the best technology won’t do much good if it doesn’t work.

More help here:

• Outdoors Partners with Holler Commerce to Launch the Outdoors Gear Shop

The post 25 Essential Survival Skills for Adventurers appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Bear has spent a lot of time teaching survival skills in the wild, and part of his expertise is knowing what you should eat to save your life in a survival situation—and how to avoid eating something that could end it. Bear says that some mushrooms are just about the most poisonous things you can find in the natural world and mistakes with mushrooms can be fatal.

“There’s no antidote, and in many cases nothing a doctor can do for you once you’ve ingested certain types of fungus . . . People die from mushroom poisoning, every year,” he writes in his book Extreme Food.

Bear says that knowing which mushrooms are toxic is information that can save your life and that it’s important to learn how to identify these before looking into what mushrooms you can eat. In his book Extreme Food, Bear highlights some of the properties of five very dangerous mushrooms. Get to know them here (and then learn even more here).

Disclaimer: There are many other toxic mushroom species. Forage at your own risk, and always educate yourself before eating anything you forage from the wild. Consult a field guide for specific information on identifying these mushrooms.

Death Cap

Bear says that if you eat a death cap mushroom, you might think it was delicious and feel fine for 8-12 hours, but then you’d get symptoms like stomach cramps, violent vomiting, and explosive diarrhea. The body would then go into shock and seem to recover, but the poison would work on damaging the liver, leading to a coma and then death.

What regions of the world is it found in? 

Europe, North America, and Australasia

Where does it grow? 

In oak, beech, and mixed woods, in small groups of about six mushrooms, widely spaced

The Destroying Angel

“Amanita virosa is a pretty-looking mushroom. That’s why they call it an angel,” says Bear in Extreme Food. There is no antidote to the destroying angel’s poison, and it causes organ failure.

“If you mistakenly put one of these in the pot, your only real chance of survival will be a liver transplant. Not easy in the field,” warns Bear.

What regions of the world is it found in? 

Europe, but there are similar toxic species all over the world

Where does it grow? 

Usually in woodlands but can also grow in fields and on roadsides 

Fly Agaric

“This is the mushroom that pixies sit on in children’s story books. You know the one – a red cap (sometimes orange), with little white spots,” says Bear in Extreme Food. This mushroom is quite common and is often easy to spot because of the bright colors.

Don’t be fooled, though, the fly agaric has some very nasty effects: drowsiness, difficulty in speaking, confusion, spasms, cramps, tremors, hallucinations, and deep coma.

What regions of the world is it found in? 

Native in the Northern Hemisphere, introduced in many areas in the Southern Hemisphere

Where does it grow? 

Forest floors 

Panther Cap

“The Panther Cap is a good example of a mushroom that can easily be confused with an edible mushroom, the Blusher,” says Bear in Extreme Food. “If you were to put the two side by side, you’d see the difference. But you’d also notice the similarities, which are a very good reminder that you need to be extremely sure of your identification before you risk eating a wild mushroom.”

This amanita mushroom has the same types of toxins as the Fly Agaric, but in greater quantities. It causes sickness and hallucinations and can easily kill you.

What regions of the world is it found in? 

North America and Europe

Where does it grow? 

Forests, especially near beech trees 

Fool’s Funnel

“The Fool’s Funnel is sometimes called the Sweating Mushroom, because that’s what its main toxin makes you do,” says Bear. From there, it gets decidedly worse, shutting down your respiratory system, causing cardiac failure, and potentially even killing you.

“Fool’s Funnel frequently appears on grassland, and is one very good reason why you should closely monitor children around ‘fairy rings’. Such rings might be harmless, but they could be deadly,” says Bear in Extreme Food.

What regions of the world is it found in? 

Europe and North America

Where does it grow? 

On grassland, sandy soil, and roadsides, often in circles

For more information about identifying both edible and toxic mushrooms, check out these guides from Outdoors.com:

• The Fatal Five: Avoid These 5 Deadly Mushrooms in the Wild
• Shroom With A View: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Mushrooms Outdoors
• The Foolproof Four: The 4 Easiest Mushrooms to Forage 
• How to Identify Toxic Mushrooms, According to Bear Grylls

The post Deadly Mushrooms That Even Bear Grylls Won’t Eat appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

If you’re a fan of the weird, wild, and slightly macabre things in life, we’ve got a list of five animals that will make your skin crawl.

1. Human Bot Fly

If you thought mosquitos were bad, here’s one for you. Native to Central and South America, human bot flies catch mosquitoes (or other flying insects) in mid-air and attach their eggs to the mosquito’s body. Then, when a host mosquito bites a human or other animal, the victim’s warm body triggers the larvae to hatch and fall from the mosquito onto their new host, where they burrow in through a hair follicle and get comfy. Humans infected by bot fly larvae develop a painful bump as the larvae feed on the host’s soft tissue and dig deeper into the skin for up to 10 weeks. If left alone, the larvae will leave on their own once they’re ready for adulthood. 

If you’re outdoor adventuring in this part of the world, use insect repellant and protective clothing, and if you do get bit, watch those bites and those bumps carefully.

2. Giant Beach Worm

Fancy a nice trip to the beach? Next time you’re in Australia, you’ll be thinking about what you’re about to read. There’s a flesh-eating giant worm that lives in the sandy beaches of Australia’s coasts, and they can be nearly 10 feet long. These animals live buried in the sand—often in mucus tubes they build for themselves—and use their sense of smell to find food at the surface. When they do, their little heads pop out of the sand and they start chomping away at whatever raised them from the depths—often dead fish, dead octopuses, seaweed, or shellfish.

In a weird reversal of fate, anglers bait giant beach worms with fish flesh and then pull them out to use as bait for other fish. Watch this video to fuel your nightmares later:

3. Surinam Toad

This aquatic frog’s birth plan is extreme, to say the least. Surinam toads are flat, dull-looking frogs (not toads, despite their name) that blend in with the leafy litter at the bottom of South American rainforests. They’re interesting amphibians thanks to their little star-shaped fingertips that sense movement in the water and because they are suction feeders that gulp their prey down whole. There’s also the fact that baby surinam toads burst through the skin on their mother’s back when they’re born. That too. 

After finding a mate, females release up to 100 eggs, which the male fertilizes and sticks to the skin on the female’s back. As the eggs develop, the mom’s skin grows up and around the eggs, enclosing them completely. When it’s time to hatch a few months later, those baby toads push through the mom’s skin and go about their lives. Mom sheds that skin and does it all again next breeding season.

Watch it happen, if you can stomach it:

4. Hagfish

Survival of the fittest sometimes gets messy, and that’s definitely the case with the hagfish. The hagfish is a spineless, eel-like fish that lives in the deep sea, and it has some strange characteristics. For instance, its mouth looks like something from a sci-fi movie about alien creatures, thanks to the tentacles around its mouth and the “two pairs of tooth-like rasps on the top of a tongue-like projection.” It’s also got really loose skin that makes it hard for predators to grab onto. 

Most notably, though, is the hagfish’s ability to suffocate its enemies with snot. The fish secretes mucus from its body that expands in seawater and can clog the gills of its predators. If, say, a shark tries to take a bite of hagfish, it’ll almost always leave with an empty stomach as it coughs and chokes on hagfish slime. 

5. Tongue-Eating Louse 

The tongue-eating louse does unspeakable things to fish, but we’re going to speak about it anyway. This marine parasite enters a fish’s body through its gills, attaches itself to the fish’s tongue, cutting off the blood flow to the appendage until it falls off, and then nestles in as the new “tongue” by affixing its body to the fish’s tongue stump and feasting off the host’s blood and/or mucus.

If there is any good news at all, it’s that tongue-eating louses don’t infect humans, but this mental image is probably still enough to make your skin crawl on behalf of all fish-kind.

The post These 5 Seriously Weird Animals Will Make Your Skin Crawl appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

In an article published in Eos, this was seen recently in 2019, when Typhoon Leikma hit mainland China. Birds that were commonly found on the mainland were found in locations where they had never been documented before, presumably because the storm swept them there.

Though it may sound rather wild, documentation of this phenomenon dates back to the 19th century, according to Nebraska Today. Crews on ships would observe birds in the eye of the storms. Today, birds can be seen on storm radars.

Birds that are not carried away by hurricanes and tropical storms prepare the best they can, similar to humans. Resident bird populations in areas like Florida will seek shelter in tree holes or urban infrastructure. Migratory birds will leave in the middle of hurricane season, but sometimes they get caught in storms as they’re traveling.

The post What Happens to Birds During Tropical Storms? appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.