Accidents can happen any time. They can occur in a party where the person has slipped on a wet substance on the floor or when the individual trips on a rock while hiking on a camping trip.

These things are unfortunate but people should be ready to administer first aid when it happens. But what happens if there is no first aid? If the proper resources are not available, the individual has to improvise to stop the bleeding and clean the wound so infection will not set in.

The best things to use when there is no first aid kit around is a piece of cloth, belt, shoe lace and sticks from broken trees. These materials can be used to make a tourniquet to stop the bleeding and make a sling for a broken shoulder.

A snakebite is the worse thing that can happen to anyone on a camping trip. If there are venomous ones in the area, the best thing to do is to clean the wound using some water and try sucking the venom out.

This may be dangerous should it be swallowed by the one administering the first aid. If it is done properly, the bite mark can be closed by touching it with the tip of a heated blade. The people may not have the proper equipment to aid the victim but this can be enough to get the individual to a medical facility.

If the weather is cold and the individual feels the chills despite using a blanket or staying near the fire, it is best to warm-up some hot chocolate or coffee. A bottle of booze may also help but this is one item that should not be with you, especially if there are minors within the camping group.

Those who go on camping trips often know that some bruising or scrapes will always occur due to the uneven terrain. These are just minor injuries that can heal over time but it is still advisable to wash them with water to prevent infection.

Should there be any splinters or cactus spines, these should be removed using a pair of clippers or scissors. Putting a flashlight over the wound will make it easy for the person to remove anything that is there.

Administering first aid without a kit can be done on a victim. Though a doctor may be able to do a better job with the proper equipment, this will have to do given the circumstances until the patient is taken to a hospital or clinic for better treatment.

The wilderness is vast with many acres of undeveloped land. It contains its own version of muggers, robbers and most likely serial killers loose in it: it is no different from the urban jungle. Every action has its consequences and ignorance of the rules can get you into big trouble.

When tramping around in the forest hunting for small game, the hunter must learn to spot and avoid the potential dangers that come with the environment and with the nature of the sport itself. Hunting rules were created to enforce compliance and failure to comply will result in the revocation of a hunter?s hunting license.

When it comes to the dangers of the environment one must be aware of the following:

1. Avoid trespassing. Hunting areas are clearly delineated areas. Never cross into private property without the owner?s permission. Property owners have the right to prosecute trespassers.

2. Avoid eating unknown fruits and berries. The wilderness can feed you if you know what to look for but the slightest difference in color of a berry can be the difference between poison and sustenance. Make sure that you have an accomplished guide to forage for you if you are new to the forest.

3. Avoid dangerous areas. Do not blindly pursue your prey: make sure that you keep both feet firmly on the ground and your eyes on where you are going. Keep calm when engaging the target and do not get caught up with the thrill of the chase.

4. Avoid night hunts. It is illegal in a majority of states to hunt at night. It is a dangerous proposition with high risks. You might fall because of poor footing when you cannot see, you will be aiming at targets you cannot see clearly, and it will be difficult to locate the positions of your companions. Night hunting is the most dangerous activity a hunter can engage in.

5. Avoid littering. Wildlife Management Areas prohibit littering of any form. Any1 waste generated must be taken off the premises by the hunter. With repeated offenses you run the risk of getting your license revoked.

6. Avoid fires. Forest fires are a major offense and great care must be taken to avoid fires whether in an open area or in the forest. It is very easy for untended fires to get out of hand and create a conflagration.

Avoiding these few things will make a hunt more enjoyable and more responsible to benefit all visitors of nature.

More than ten years ago, Scott Grady, an American Air Force Pilot was shot down behind enemy lines. This happened somewhere over Bosnia when the United States started flying missions to stop the genocide that was happening in that part of the world.

Equipped with a small packet of water, some biscuits, a radio, map and gun, he was able to evade enemy soldiers until US marines were able to extract the pilot him from the hot zone.

This is one story where a person is able to survive in the wilderness under extreme conditions without the proper equipment and minimum of supplies.

Not everyone will be able to experience what this individual went through but something similar may happen if a camper does not have the adequate gear needed to go camping.

A group of hikers who plan to go up a mountain and come down may get lost on the way back. This might also occur if the time it took to go up was longer than planned making it impossible to return before dark.

When this happens, there is only one thing to do; assess the situation rather than panic since this doesn?t do any good.

Most hikers carry only a canteen and some food. This means there won?t be adequate shelter such as a tent. They should improvise by looking for an old cabin or finding a cave.

If they are not that lucky, then the group should find a clearing close to a river or stream to be able to replenish the water supply: or if necessary make some makeshift fishing rods or spears to obtain food to eat.

The hikers must start a fire. This is to keep everyone warm and in order to cook dinner. Gathering some old leaves and sticks and placing these together will make it easy to light using a match or with a lighter.

The ground will not be as soft as the bed a person may have at home. The backpack will have to be used as a pillow and the jacket as a blanket until the sun comes up the following day so that they can go home.

Surviving the wilderness with few supplies will be challenging for those who did not plan on spending the night in the forest. People must use the resources available to stay safe and warm until dawn breaks to see the trail going down the mountain.

Hunting has always been a sport that hearkens back to the time when it was a means of survival. Today, hunting has been transformed into a leisure activity which takes man back to his roots. Great skill and patience are required for this type of sport, especially for the hunting of small game.

The challenge of small game hunting is that the targets are small, and small animals have been created by mother nature to be swift, sensitive to the slightest movement, and especially small. Though small game won?t usually harm you, they can be very fast at getting away from you.

Hunting small game has the same rules as hunting big game, except that it is even more rigorous. Small game like squirrels are very sensitive to their environment and a hunter who can move silently in that environment is a very skilled hunter indeed.

If this sounds like a US Marine sniper training article, remember that in the early days of America, the first snipers were game hunters. These intrepid individuals were the pathfinders for the new settlements and chief negotiators with the native Indian population. These skills of stealth have been passed down for their effectiveness.

Here are a few pointers needed to give you a chance to sneak up close to an animal for the kill:

1. Sound. The basic cardinal rule is don?t make a sound; in other words, don?t act human. Watch where you place your feet and avoid twigs, branches, and dry leaves. Walk on your heels and never make any sudden movements.

2. Smell. Mask your smell with whatever you can smear on you from the environment. The smell of Pine-Sol does not fit into the wilderness background, you know. Don?t forget to mask the smell of your rifle, and your gear as well.

3. Shape. Break up the pattern of your outline. Small animals have learned to run when faced by a larger animal. Wear camouflage and decorate your gear and clothes with bits and pieces of the environment without impeding movement.

4. Sight. Use the same color as your surroundings: wear camouflage that you won?t find when you toss it to one side. Follow the seasons. When the time comes to be still, you?ll practically become invisible.

5. Silhouette. Don?t walk on the edges of cliffs, tops of hills, anything that exposes your body against the skyline. This unnecessarily exposes you visually and alerts an animal. This is good practice for people hunting small game because small animals are always on the lookout for danger.

There are times when a hunter's need to stay ahead of the game and practicing rifling or bow skills on a wooden animal may not be enough. Here are some arcade games for next generation consoles to keep those skills sharp and have fun in the process.

And wearing a camouflage suit isn't required.

Big Buck Hunter is one of the arcade titles that can be found in the nearest arcade or mall and developed by Play Mechanix, Inc. The player can choose up to four zones in North America, which the sequel also includes Canada, and start hunting. Certain game objectives like shooting as many bucks as possible without including the doe. Bonuses are awarded for accuracy and certain double and triple kills for bucks. It may sound straightforward, but it's all about the fun factor and can be played for a couple minutes with a handful of quarters.

And if going to the mall is too much of a chore, then a gaming console is just as good nowadays with next generation consoles. Some titles for the PC and PlayStation 2 offers a better experience thanks to their unique control system and it's better than the days of Duck Hunt (remember that?).

Deer Hunt Challenge series has been around for nearly 10 years and created for the PC, and if you're lucky enough to get it off eBay, you'll enjoy the feel of being a hunter by using a mouse. Options like tournament mode and traditional hunting can be done with this game. And if the need to hold something that's similar to a gun, you may want to bring out the old PlayStation 2 and find Cabela's Deer Hunt 2005. It offers a smarter deer and hunting game and a wide variety of games. There are still 'light guns' on the market that will allow any hunter to connect to the PlayStation 2 or PC in a real hunting fashion.

So technology has given the hunter another chance to satisfy the need for the hunt, after all, it might be just as exciting as the real thing. Regardless, the developers, who are big deer hunters as well, really appreciate creating the games to the closest possible thing, and purchasing a permit isn't required.

With the Big Buck Hunter series, Deer Hunt Challenge and Cabela's Deer Hunt 2008, it's deer hunting season all year round.

Camouflage is very significant in any type of hunting activity. Note that in hunting, camouflage is never a ?fashion statement?, where functionality is more important than appearance.

Animals can detect a movement and therefore determine the presence of the camouflaged hunter more than the site of an uncamoflaged hunter standing still. This means that silence and camouflage go hand in hand.

Camouflage will hide your outline as well as help you to blend in with your surroundings, in order to spot and aim at your prey without them being aware of your presence.

The type of material used for your camouflage clothing is very important to achieve silence when moving about. A noisy garment will scare your prey away. Brushed denim, 100 % cotton, saddle-cloth, fleece garments or wool are materials that might be used

Here are camouflage guidelines:

1. Choose a camouflage using similar dominant colors as the area you are in. Match the patterns to the background, then wear a different pattern on your shirt and pants.

2. When you are 40 yards away from your prey, blend into the environment.

3. Avoid your prey?s eye level and scrunch down near the ground.

4. Be aware of the reflection of the sun from your glasses? lenses as it will frighten the animal. Wear a ?full billed? hat and pull it down over your eyes to avoid the sun?s rays.

5. Also use camouflage on your rifle, and all of your other hunting gear and equipment. Most equipment is available with camouflage patterns; if you do not this type of equipment, camouflage tapes can work well also.

Choosing your camouflage outfit

When selecting camouflage outfits, you should determine where you will typically be hunting and then bland the pattern to the area?s surroundings.

There is really no need purchasing an expensive and fancy camouflage outfit that you do not actually need. Although camouflage is very significant when it comes to hunting, there are many inexpensive good quality camouflage outfits available. Fancy ?camo? outfits are usually updated in terms of designs however the quality compared to reasonably priced outfits is almost the same.

If you usually hunt near the ground then you need an outfit made of very strong material and one with scent lock. A waterproof camouflage outfit is the best choice, since you can take advantage of the material?s versatility come rain or shine.

Just bear in mind, camouflage should never be a fashion statement. Buying expensive camouflage products that are more inclined to the fashion of the outfit rather than functionality would be a foolish decision. Quality and versatility should be your top priority.

Traditional deer hunting usually involves having to wait out the buck at ground level, well-hidden and making as little noise as possible. OF course there is a thing called elevated positions where hunters can sit atop a tree or on a hill. This provides a more vantage view of the whole area and a better chance of targeting that trophy buck. Today, tree stands have been a common tool for most deer hunters and provide a better edge when it comes to hunting.

Choosing a tree stand isn't that hard, but all that counts is the safety and the necessary equipment that goes with it. At first, setting up the tree stand prior to the hunt would be vital, at the same time a challenge since the hunter must choose a good place to set up where deer population may be dense. Though some State laws prohibit nailing or setting a permanent tree stand near or in a tree, it would be best to purchase the collapsible type. It's worth the investment rather than getting a used one since most of the safety features are either missing or no longer in top condition. Better to spend on something safe rather than spending it on hospital bills, or a funeral.

As for using tree stands, a hunter never climbs on one with his equipment. Better to use a haul line to lift the equipment once he's on top of the stand and nothing that exceeds the maximum weight capacity. Probably just binoculars, your rifle, ammunition and some water will do. Accept no substitutes. Really. When you think your safety harness for your tree stand falls short of a piece or a few inches, never replace it with something else. Instead it's better to call your dealer for a new replacement.

In case the tree stand model has some sort of upgrade, it's good to get it early before planning the next deer hunting trip. Sometimes even the current models need a little more safety parts and there's never too much of a good thing.

The rules of hunting haven't changed, just got more sophisticated as tree stands and the like have been part of a modern deer hunter's gear. It might cost a pretty penny to have one in the garage, but the importance of safety aside from gun handling is an important step to know that your life is safe and protected, for a thrilling hunt.

Camping is usually a pleasurable pastime to enjoy the great outdoors. However, being far from civilization can raise the risks of danger. One of the most feared types of danger during camping are wild animal attacks.

Wild animals generally do not have the propensity to seek out and attack humans. But when people intrude on an animal?s territories, the animals can get aggressive. Here are some essential tips for survival during a wild animal attack:

Black Bears

When confronted by black bear, you should stand on ground and avoid running. Doing so would make the bear think even more that you are prey. Just move quietly and slowly away while keeping eye-to-eye contact with the bear. It would be helpful to have a Bear Pepper Spray around so that you can use it should the bear advance.

Get rid of any food, especially fresh fish. If the bear continues to attack, however be sure to keep your knapsack on to help protect your body from a possible attack. Avoid getting in between a cub and a mother bear. If you do not have pepper spray or the one you have fails, drop to the ground, protect your neck with your hands and play dead.

Grizzly Bears

Grizzly Bears are generally more aggressive than black bears, so more caution is needed when confronted by one. When a grizzly attacks, stay alert, do not run and/or make loud noises. If you have bear pepper spray use it as the bear approaches. If you have none or the one you have is broken, drop to the ground and play dead.

Grizzly bears usually just smell and nibble a little at their catch and cover it with leaves and dirt to save it for later. The bear will most likely do this to you as well, so just play dead and wait for the bear to leave.

Mountain Lions

Mountain lions are different than bears and it is best to fight back instead of playing dead when they attack. Try to kick, punch, and gouge the mountain lion?s eyes to scare it away and cause it to think of you as a strong contender instead of prey. Throw wood, rocks, and other hurtful objects but be careful when stooping down to pick objects up.

A wild animal attack may be very dangerous, but they generally will not come near you if you do not call attention to yourself. As always, it is always best to avoid than confront when it comes to wild animals.

There are a few times that a hunter will have to choose when it's time to get himself in the chase. Well, the gaming commission will announce when deer season will be open, but it takes nature to bring about the stir of things.

Most hunters anticipate the coming deer hunting season, especially those living in the Northwest where it goes into December. At this time, beginning in late September in the Northern part, hunters anticipate the Rut, or the deer mating season. This is part of nature where the doe brings about being the tease, in a sense that the buck would anticipate in order to start mating. At this point, hunters will have a clear chance of scoring a kill once a doe is sighted, thus the buck will appear shortly. It only happens during the daylight so that the doe can give birth to their offspring in the spring.

Call it superstition, but this is natural science in the making where the deer tends to go wild and are a bit less cautious. If a driver has ever run over a deer during late September to early November, well, that's pretty much it. A buck's sense of awareness is blinded to its need to find a mate in order to start breeding. It sounds like shooting fish in a barrel by the sound of it, but in regular seasons, deer tend to be more cautious and have a clear head.

On the forest trail, one way to know if a deer is nearby is to watch out for rubbings. The buck will scrape its antlers and head, in which a gland would leave behind a scent in a way dogs mark their territory. I wouldn't know its smell, but you'd know if a buck is nearby. This usually happens during a rut where they tend to be aggressive, a necessity to chase the doe in order to breed. Deep gouges on a trunk would likely be a buck just a couple yards in the area so it's best to leave and wait it out until spotted.

It takes a degree of know-how and the knowledge learned from school to know if deer hunting season and the rut is nearby. Soon enough, a trophy will be just around the corner given to their high anticipation and the appearance of the rubbings.

Some hunters prefer hunting during the night, and there's nothing more thrilling than having the feel of being the hunter catching its prey on sight. Of course best advised not to watch the Blair Witch Project or they'll see those stick figures hanging around. So instead of scaring the hunters after mentioning that movie, there are a few night hunting lights on the market that are capable of showing the way to that unsuspecting deer.

The most common lighting for most hunters is to use red light, since animals have a certain amount of color blindness, thus making night illumination possible. However, it does lack a certain amount of detail since it's important to know and determine the target is indeed a deer, or some fool wearing a hat with antlers. Red lights are used for hunters who know and live in the terrain so it's all about lighting towards their targeted buck.

The Fenix LOP (1 AAA) is the most commonly used penlight that gives of a significant amount of light without alarming the animal of the hunter's presence. Mainly just to pinpoint the path and the target, the Fenix is a must have tool, although it does lack a belt clip. Another penlight is the ARC AAA, which is small enough to be held by the mouth.

Belt lights are sturdy and give off more lumens for a more detailed search like the Surefire 9P. Although there are powerful ones, a hunter wouldn't choose one type of belt light that gives off too much focus since it will attract attention. Make sure the area of coverage is dispersed evenly and gives of a good detail to find your path and the buck. The Surefire L-4 Luxeon V is the best example for a belt light with a decent amount of lumens (about 65) that doesn't compromise the hunter's position.

Though night hunting is more for the professional and hardened hunters, it's important to know and understand that flooding the forest with light would scare any animal away, especially the whitetail deer. It would be impractical to carry a large amount of gear dedicated for lights alone that you'll be long tired before the hunt even begins. For night hunting lights, the smaller, with decent amount of lumens, the better it is to carry rather than the pinpoint lights that offer too much brightness. Unless if the hunter has natural night vision, they are better off with at least one penlight.