Wilderness Survival Merit Badge

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WILDERNESS SURVIVAL

Merit Badge Requirements

1) Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses likely to occur in backcountry outings, including hypothermia, hypothermia, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, frostbite, dehydration, sunburn, stings, tick bites, snakebite, blisters, and hyperventilation.

2) From memory, describe the priorities for survival in a backcountry or wilderness location.

3) Describe ways to (a) avoid panic and (b) maintain a high level of morale when lost.

4) Tell what you would do to survive in the following environments:

A) Cold and Snowy

B) Wet (forest)

C) Hot and Dry (desert)

D) Windy (mountains or plains)

E) Water (ocean or lake)

5) Make up a small survival kit and be able to explain how each item in it is useful.

6) Show that you can start fires using three methods other than matches.

7) Do the following:

A) Tell five different ways of attracting attention when lost.

B) Show how to use a signal mirror to attract attention when lost.

C) From memory, describe five international ground-to-air signals and tell what they mean.

8) Show that you can find and improvise a natural shelter minimizing the damage to the environment.

9) Spend a night in your shelter.

10) Explain how to protect yourself against insects, reptiles, rodents, and bears.

11) Show three ways to purify water.

12) Show that you know the proper clothing to be worn in your area on an overnight in extremely hot weather and extremely cold weather.

13) Explain why it usually is not wise to eat edible wild plants or wildlife in a wilderness survival situation.

Requirement 1

Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses likely to occur in backcountry outings. Include the following:

Hypothermia: _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Hyperthermia: _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Heatstroke: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Heat Exhaustion: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Frostbite: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dehydration: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunburn: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Insect Stings: _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Tick Bites: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Snake Bites: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Blisters: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hyperventilation: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Requirement 2

From memory, you will have to describe the priorities for survival in a backcountry or wilderness location. Use this space to write these items down, take notes, and memorize the priorities. They can be found in the merit badge book.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Requirement 3

What are some ways to avoid panic when lost? _____________________________________________________________________

What are some ways to maintain a high level of morale when you are lost? _______________________________________________

Requirement 4

Tell what you would do to survive in the following environments:

Cold & Snowy: _______________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wet (Forest): ________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hot & Dry (Desert): ___________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Windy (Mountains or Plains): ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Water (Ocean or Lake): ________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Requirement 5

Make up a small survival kit. Be able to explain how each item in it is useful. List some of the items below with a description of its usefulness.

Item: __________________________ Use: ___________________________________________________________________

Requirement 6

Describe the three methods you used, other than matches, to start fires with:

Method 1: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Method 2: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Method 3: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Requirement 7

Tell five different ways of attracting attention when lost:

1) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

4) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

5) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Show your merit badge counselor how to use a signal mirror to attract attention when lost: _______

From memory, you need to describe 5 international ground-to-air signals and tell what they mean. To help you learn, use this area to draw them and list the meaning.

Requirement 8

Show that you can find and improvise a natural shelter minimizing the damage to the environment. If possible, do this while on a campout with your troop, or this can be done in a back yard.

Show this shelter to your leader or your merit badge counselor and explain how and why you built it the way you did. ____________

Requirement 9

Spend a night in your shelter. Briefly explain the weather conditions and your experience in your shelter. ______________________

Requirement 10

How would you protect yourself from:

Insects: _____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reptiles: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rodents: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bears: ______________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Requirement 11

List 3 effective ways that you can purify water while in the outdoors:

1) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

3) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Requirement 12

List the proper clothing you would take and wear during an overnight campout in your area. List clothing for both conditions

Extremely Hot Weather Extremely Cold Weather

_________________________ _________________________

Requirement 13

Explain why it usually is not wise to eat edible wild plants or wildlife in a wilderness survival situation: ________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________