BBC Future’s 5 Myths About First Aid

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Medical care is an extremely complex subject, and this is why we rely on doctors who have spent years studying and practicing their skills. But in emergency situations, ordinary people with limited training can minimize injuries and save lives by applying some basic trauma care techniques. For example, the use of a tourniquet, CPR, or the Heimlich maneuver can greatly increase a patient’s odds of survival until medical professionals arrive on the scene.

National stop the bleed day trauma medicine first aid tourniquet 1

Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about emergency medical care that can cause bystanders with good intentions to fail to render effective treatment. In some cases, these misconceptions can actually lead to worse injuries or death. BBC Future recently published an article titled “Five Myths About First Aid” and debunked some misconceptions that can lead to ineffective first aid — click here to read the full article. We’ll recap and share some additional resources from an American emergency preparedness perspective below.

1. Butter on a burn
We’ve never heard of this one before, so it may be more common in the UK. We can’t imagine too many people still believe in this folk remedy, but the University of Arkansas still took time to address the myth on its web site. Butter belongs on toast, not your wounds (even if your wounds look like burnt toast).

2. CPR chest compressions can cause more harm than good
It’s true that forceful chest compressions can lead to bruising and cracked ribs in rare cases. However, it’s still better to take that chance than to lose a patient who might otherwise be saved. Even if injuries are caused by the treatment, Good Samaritan laws in the United States and many other countries will protect an individual who provides CPR in an emergency. To be safe, immediately call 911 and let the dispatcher know what’s going on.

3. CPR requires compressions and mouth-to-mouth
“Hands-only CPR” is recommended by the American Heart Association for use on teens and adults. Some studies have even suggested that skipping the mouth-to-mouth portion of CPR may improve outcomes in certain cases, although rescue breaths are still required to effectively treat cardiac arrest in children, infants, or patients with respiratory failure.

4. Defibrillator uncertainty
AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator — note the word automated. The device will analyze the patient’s condition and apply treatment as needed, so just follow the instructions and let it do the rest. There’s no need to hesitate when using a public-access AED unit.

5. Tilting head for a nosebleed
Think about where the blood is going! By tilting a patient’s head back, that blood can run down his or her throat. A New York Times article on the subject stated, “Tilting the head back can create complications… it risks choking, and it can cause blood to travel to the stomach, possibly leading to irritation and vomiting.” Instead, it’s recommended to lean forward and pinch the nose shut until bleeding ceases.

Thanks to Andy Schrader for the tip about this article.

Video: Eating a 118-Year-Old Emergency Ration

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“It smells so foul and… oh man! Nice!” — Most people wouldn’t react with this level of joy after opening a practically-petrified tin of beef concentrate from the turn of the century, but YouTuber Steve1989 is not like most people. This MRE historian is dedicated to documenting and (often at great risk of illness) taste-testing military rations from throughout history and from countries all over the world. We can’t fathom how strong his stomach must be, but it’s impressive.

Steve1989 MRE 1899 British emergency ration food survival meal 2

The Second Boer War took place in South Africa between 1899 and 1902.

In years past, we wrote about Steve’s taste tests of a 1953 Food Packet and a 1943 U.S. Army K Ration, but this latest video goes much further back in time. Steve managed to procure a British emergency ration from the Second Boer War — that places the ration’s date of manufacture between 1899 and 1902. Back then, there was no convenient air-tight plastic packaging, so this ration was placed in a metal capsule that was soldered shut.

Steve1989 MRE 1899 British emergency ration food survival meal 3

Steve cautiously peels open the seams on the emergency ration, and examines its contents: 4 ounces of beef concentrate and 4 ounces of cocoa paste. This wasn’t intended to be a full meal, only a survival calorie source for dire situations. Either way, the contents certainly didn’t look (or smell) appetizing, and eating something this far out of date is clearly dangerous. But Steve digs in anyway.

Steve1989 MRE 1899 British emergency ration food survival meal 5

Check out the full video below for Steve’s detailed impressions:

Infographic: 25 Ways to Learn Faster

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Learning is at the core of preparedness — we’ve said many times that knowledge weighs nothing, so the more survival skills you can learn and master, the more ready you’ll be when the time comes to put them to use. If you’re serious about learning these skills, you’ll need to study them like you’re studying for the toughest test of your life, because survival might end up being just that.

Survival psychology mindset gun backpack urban bugout SHTF 1

However, as you’ll probably remember from your school days, studying usually isn’t easy. It requires focus, determination, practice, and consistency. Fortunately, there are techniques that can be applied to make your studies easier, whether you’re prepping for a trip into the wilderness, an urban disaster, or an important presentation at work.

x-ray-diagram-of-brain

The following infographic from WriteMyPapers discusses 25 ways to learn faster, as supported by the findings of psychologists and neuroscientists. Some of these are rather obvious, like taking regular breaks, but others are more surprising. You might think doing yoga between study sessions is a little silly, but there’s scientific evidence that indicates it improves memory and cognitive function. So next time you come back from a day in the backcountry, you’ll have an excuse to meditate on the couch and eat a chocolate bar.

Infographic learn faster memory survival skills preparation study 2Infographic learn faster memory survival skills preparation study 3Infographic learn faster memory survival skills preparation study 4Infographic learn faster memory survival skills preparation study 5Infographic learn faster memory survival skills preparation study 6Infographic learn faster memory survival skills preparation study 7Infographic learn faster memory survival skills preparation study 8

Click here to download a full-size version of this graphic.

Primitive Technology: Round Hut Shelter

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Shelter is always one of the top priorities in a survival situation, and if you don’t have manmade protection against the elements, you’ll need to improvise. A simple lean-to shelter provides a good short-term solution, but if you’re going to be off the grid for an extended period, it’s worthwhile to invest more time into a structure that’s more spacious and durable.

Primitive Technology round hut shelter jungle palm fronds mud fire 2

In his latest YouTube video, the host of Primitive Technology builds a round hut shelter from naturally-occurring materials in his surrounding rainforest environment. The A-frame shelter he previously built had been damaged by heavy rainfall and moths, so he starts from scratch with a larger cylindrical shelter and conical roof.

Primitive Technology round hut shelter jungle palm fronds mud fire 4

According to the video description, this round hut shelter consists of 12 wooden posts and an incredible 700 palm fronds split in half. The walls are constructed from Loya cane, a jungle vine, which is woven between the posts and covered in clay from the soil. A drainage ditch is also dug around the exterior of the shelter, providing a gutter for rain that runs off the thatched roof.

Primitive Technology round hut shelter jungle palm fronds mud fire 3

Check out the video below and keep this technique in mind if you find yourself in need of a long-term survival shelter.

New: Aquaforno II “Kitchen in a Backpack”

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Some in the outdoor community look down on so-called “glamping”, but we’d say this disdain is not always deserved. Admittedly, staying in a fancy tent a stone’s throw away from your car doesn’t really provide the same experience as hiking up a remote trail with all your gear on your back. However, this more laid-back form of camping provides a fun and relaxing way to get outdoors with the whole family.

Aquaforno II kitchen backpack outdoor stove oven grill cooking food fire 2

Another advantage to glamping is the ability to cook more advanced food. Rather than sticking to lightweight freeze-dried food and trail mix, you’ll be able to grill, fry, saute, bake, roast, and even smoke your grub. That dutch oven and cast iron pan set would be exhausting to carry on a long backpacking trip, but they’re perfect for a campground cookout with friends.

Aquaforno, a small family-run company from the UK, has released a new outdoor stove system that looks like it’d be just right for this sort of trip. The new Aquaforno II is an updated and improved version of the company’s original stove, and it’s currently receiving funding on IndieGoGo for a mass-production run.

Aquaforno II kitchen backpack outdoor stove oven grill cooking food fire 4

The Aquaforno II stove is a three-tier telescoping device that can compress down to fit in a backpack-style carrying case. The stove is said to function as a “BBQ grill, pizza oven, rotisserie, smoker, water boiler, clothes dryer and outdoor heater all in one”. Its tiers function as follows:

  1. Base with tripod legs, removable grill top, and water boiler with spigot.
  2. Raised grill for less direct heat application — toasting, warming, or frying with a pan or wok.
  3. Oven top — a large space for cooking meat, baking casseroles or pizza, heating a Dutch oven, or smoking.

Aquaforno II kitchen backpack outdoor stove oven grill cooking food fire 3

The Aquaforno II can be used with wood, charcoal, or gas (with optional gas burner). It includes a pizza stone, a double-lined insulated lid with integrated thermometer, and pop-out side hangers for drying out wet clothing or holding utensils. A rotisserie kit for roasting meat and a paella pan for cooking stews are also available as options. The entire system packs down to 12×17 inches and weighs 44 pounds.

For those who pre-order the Aquaforno II on IndieGoGo, the kit is available at $239 for black finish or $299 for stainless. Retail MSRP is expected to be $339 and $399, respectively. For more info, check out the Aquaforno II IndieGoGo project page.

Book Review: The Savage by Frank Bill

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The Premise: Very rarely are novels reviewed in RECOIL OFFGRID, as this column is mostly reserved for books that delve into the how’s and what’s of surviving a variety of catastrophic situations. Post-apocalyptic fiction still offers teachable moments about survival and human nature during desperate times, though, so enter Frank Bill’s newest book, The Savage, a dark, dreary, gut punch of a novel that’ll leave readers wanting to hug their children, and be thankful for a house, job, and food on the table.

The story focuses on Van Dorn through the eyes of an omniscient point of view, allowing the reader to see, hear, and feel just enough of what’s going on to remain solidly in the dark until a spotlight is splashed in your eyes at just the right moment. We jump back and forth through a multiyear period, alternating between when he was a young teen full of petulance and disdain to a 20-something man, alone and fully engulfed in the desperate world his father warned him about.

Chock full of violence, both past and present, we see a hostile world through Van Dorn’s eyes, one of death, bloodshed, slavery, and ultimate despair.

The 411: In a word, The Savage is grim and will likely make people uneasy. Its choppy, staccato prose rat-tat-tats off of the page in fits and jerks with long stretches of vagueness pointed by sudden explosions of text, all of it purposefully jarring your ability to remain comfortable. Mixed with that is horrific imagery, presented in slow motion. When a man is shot point blank, “blood spewed like a blown head gasket,” and he meets survivors of this economic holocaust that have survived solely on “the meat of man, woman, and child.”

With elements of other popular dystopian novels at its base, like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, — The Savage presents a not-so-distant future we want to remain fiction, but the book reads like it’s happening tomorrow. There’s no clever turns of phrase as with 1984 (“the clock strikes thirteen”) or languid, stretching prose that settles you into a well-paced and linear timeline like The Road. Bill holds neither punch nor gouge from the get-go and doesn’t let up until you close the book at the end.

Of course, for the reader to not completely lose every bit of hope of humanity in Van Dorn against “the savages,” which are nothing more than packs of murderous kidnappers to deal in skin and slavery — the plot curves into the realm of a romance between young Van Dorn and a girl he knows called Sheldon (whom we meet early on, while we’re still wondering if Van Dorn is someone worth rooting for).

The Verdict: In order for a book to earn a space on these pages, it usually must present itself as a tool for a life-after-disaster scenario. Though this is a novel, there are some gems of knowledge that can be gleaned from it. Bill succinctly describes the proper method of gutting a deer, for example, and his fight scenes show a writer who has researched methods, actions, and reactions.

They can/jar provisions, build fires, properly care for weapons, and Bill describes the harrowing instincts these bleak survivors experience in an unforgiving wasteland, one that nearly lacks all scruples and morals of any kind. However, the minor characters themselves are rather two-dimensional stereotypes (the burly white supremacist and the scholarly Asian, for example), and the book contains more than its share of astronomical coincidences that the reader’s suspension of disbelief will need to put in some overtime.

Bill’s style of writing is, at times, difficult to read without stumbling. His reliance on gratuitous violence nearly hampers his ability to shape characters that the reader can associate with and adequately root for, and it doesn’t give the story a chance to build suspenseful situations that pay off in later chapters. The theme of “immediate satisfaction” shows throughout the book and Bill’s overused motifs of blood-spattered vengeance, righteousness, and justice appear obvious and tired to veteran dystopian novel readers.

That said, it’s a riveting book set in the same universe (with some of the same types of characters) as Bill’s previous novel, Donnybrook. The loss of manufacturing jobs, the devaluing of the dollar, the destruction of the national power grid, a full-blown drug epidemic, the desolation of towns and communities, and the domination of roving, warring bands of cannibals are all thing that feel too real, too close to home, and seeming coming to a town near you sooner than we’d all like.

Novel & Author
The Savage
by Frank Bill

Publisher
FSG Originals Publishing, New York

MSRP
$10.18 (Amazon.com)

URL
FSGOriginals.com

Pages
400

Rating
Thrive
>Survive
Die

OFFGRID Library of Recommended Books

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Read articles from the next issue of Recoil Offgrid: Issue 26

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Check out our other publications on the web: Recoil | Gun Digest | Blade | RecoilTV | RECOILtv (YouTube)

Editor’s Note: This article has been modified from its original version for the web.

Buyer’s Guide: Boonie Hats

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Whether you’re escaping the harsh sun in the desert, dodging downpours in the rainforest, or simply going on a weekend hike with the family, a good hat will make the experience more pleasant. It reduces glare, protects your face and neck from sunburns, keeps you cool, and prevents sweat from running into your eyes. This is why you’ll rarely meet an experienced adventurer or outdoorsman who doesn’t don some form of headwear in the backcountry.

As you’ll read in the upcoming Wide Brim Hat Buyer’s Guide in Issue 26 of our print magazine, there are many styles of headwear to choose from. One of the most noteworthy and popular styles of outdoor-oriented hat is the boonie hat — that’s what we’ll be focusing on in this guide. Read on for a brief history of the boonie, and for our reviews of three currently-available examples of this design.

History of the Boonie Hat

Photo:

Photo: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

The term boonie is a shortened version of boondocks, a word defined as “rough country filled with dense brush”. Looking even further back, the word boondocks was adopted by U.S. military forces stationed in the Philippines at the beginning of the 20th century. These soliders derived it from the tagalog word bundók, which translates to mountain. This etymology goes to show that even the name of this hat is strongly linked to rugged environments.

So, where did the boonie hat design come from? As with many of the tools we use today, the boonie hat wasn’t invented in a vacuum by one individual — instead, it developed organically over time. The general design was borrowed from preexisting hat styles, such as the WWII-era “Daisy Mae” fatigue hat seen below:

Photo: Life Magazine, circa 1942

Photo: Life Magazine, circa 1942

This hat style remained popular among the troops due to its simplicity, flexibility, and durability. By the early days of the Vietnam War, members of the U.S. Special Forces could be seen wearing similar hats that matched their tigerstripe camouflage fatigues. Rather than being officially-issued, these hats were reportedly made by local Vietnamese tailors using cloth salvaged from other items. It was at this point that the name “boonie” was first applied.

Members of the 5th Special Forces Group and Vietnam Special Forces (VNSF) soldiers wearing boonie hats. Photo: S. L. A. Marshall Photograph Collection

Members of the 5th Special Forces Group with local VNSF soldiers in Vietnam. Photo: S. L. A. Marshall Photograph...

Since they were often custom-made, features of these first boonie hats varied. All had soft floppy brims, were made of either camouflage or muted solid-color fabrics, and could be crushed or rolled up and shoved in a pocket when not in use. Some had snaps on the sides, allowing the brim to be turned up like an Aussie slouch hat; others had eyelets or holes for ventilation.

Boonie hat buyer's guide 21

Photo: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

One of the most distinctive features of the boonie hat is the bar-tack-stitched strip of fabric around the crown. This forms a series of foliage loops that could be packed with jungle vegetation to break up the wearer’s silhouette. Foliage loops aren’t present on all boonie hats, but they have become a common feature for modern designs.

Boonie Hats for the Civilian Market

As the popularity of boonie hats grew in the military, it also carried over to law enforcement personnel and civilians. Boonie hats are now worn by many hunters, fishermen, and hikers. Rather than uniform-matching camouflage patterns, these civilian-market boonies favor solid colors. And although we may not need to fill the foliage loops with twigs and go crawl through the brush, this band does provide a handy storage spot for small items — fishing lures, paracord, sunglasses, a chemlight, or a ferro rod.

Boonie hat buyer's guide lead photo

We picked up a trio of consumer-grade boonie hats from 5.11 Tactical, Propper, and Rothco. Below, we’ll compare and contrast their features, construction, and value.

5.11 Tactical Boonie Hat

Materials: 65% polyester/35% cotton TDU ripstop fabric with Teflon coating, moisture-wicking foam sweatband, metal mesh vent eyelets

Colors: TDU Khaki, TDU Green, Dark Navy, Black

Sizes: 22 to 23-7/8 inches

MSRP: $25

URL: 511tactical.com

Boonie hat buyer's guide 05

Notes: With a wavy 2-1/2 inch brim and a choice of four subdued colors, the 5.11 Tactical Boonie stays true to the classic design for the most part. The foliage loops around the crown vary in size from 2 inches to 4-1/4 inches wide — this makes it easier to stash a variety of small items on the brim. A hidden pocket inside the crown offers more storage space, as well as a location to stow the chin cord. Dual vent eyelets on each side and a moisture-wicking sweatband keep the wearer’s head cool. The Teflon finish does a surprisingly good job repelling water, making this hat a good choice for rainy days. The foam-filled brim also springs back into shape nicely after being rolled up, while the other hats we tested have more of a tendency to retain creases and wrinkles.

Pros:

  • Excellent water-resistance thanks to the Teflon-coated fabric
  • Foam-filled brim doesn’t pick up hard wrinkles or stubborn creases
  • Hidden pocket in the crown provides a good spot for stashing money or valuable documents

Cons:

  • Large plastic chin cord slider is rather clunky and makes stowing the chin cord uncomfortable
  • Our sample had some areas of loose stitching inside the sweatband, though this didn’t affect our ability to use the hat

Propper Summerweight Wide Brim Boonie (Prototype)

Materials: 94% nylon/6% spandex ripstop quick-dry fabric, mesh crown

Colors: Khaki, Olive, LAPD Navy, Black

Sizes: 21-7/8 to 24-3/8 inches

MSRP: $20

URL: Propper.com

Boonie hat buyer's guide 11

Notes: This hat is a pre-production prototype of Propper’s boonie hat redesign, so its features and appearance differ from the previous model that you may have seen elsewhere online. The Wide Brim Boonie is part of Propper’s Summerweight collection, and is designed to keep the wearer cool and comfortable in hot environments. It’s made from the same ripstop fabric as the company’s other Summerweight apparel items, and features Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50 — for more info on how UPF clothing protects your skin from the sun, check out our UPF Shirt Buyer’s Guide from Issue 21. This redesigned model omits the side snaps seen on the old hat, and has a revised crown with a contoured mesh section. This crown is deep and spacious, and true to its name, it breathes well in warm weather. Although the hat can be rolled and packed, its 4-inch brim displayed some distinct wrinkles and creases after coming out of storage.

Boonie hat buyer's guide 12

Pros:

  • Light and breathable, ideal for hot and dry climates
  • 4-inch brim and UPF fabric provide maximum sun protection

Cons:

  • Brim forms hard creases after being rolled up and stored, and its width accentuates this floppy unevenness
  • Foliage loops are stitched only 7/8-inch apart, so they’re too tight for larger items
  • Although it excels in hot and dry environments, it soaks up rain or sweat like a sponge

Rothco Boonie Hat

Materials: 55% cotton/45% polyester, metal mesh vent eyelets

Colors: Black, Coyote, Khaki, Olive Drab, Navy Blue, White, various camouflage patterns

Sizes: 21-1/8 to 25 inches

MSRP: $13

URL: Rothco.com

Boonie hat buyer's guide 17

Notes: The actual name imprinted on this item’s tag is “Hat, Sun Hot Weather Type II” but Rothco lists it online simply as Boonie Hat. This hat bears a product designation of MIL-Type-J-44320 and what appears to be a NATO Stock Number (NSN): 0423-41-082-7360. Rothco offers numerous boonie hat variants, ranging from a tigerstripe camouflage Vintage Vietnam Style to a painfully garish Savage Orange Camo model that looks like it belongs in a ’90s hip hop music video. The standard boonie we tested resembles the traditional design, with a 2-1/2-inch brim, large vent eyelets on each side, and a chin cord with simple leather slider. We noted that the crown on this hat feels rounder and more form-fitting than the otherwise similar 5.11 Tactical hat.

Boonie hat buyer's guide 18

 

Pros:

  • Good value at a sub-$15 price point
  • Rothco offers many color and style variations to choose from (but we’ll point and laugh if you wear one of the neon “urban” camo colors unironically)
  • Simple construction and flexible single-layer brim is true to the original boonie hat style

Cons:

  • Form-fitting crown may feel constricting for those with thicker hair or larger heads
  • Water-resistance is good, but not great

New: Carbon Tactics TiSlice Keychain Knife

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Carbon Tactics is a small machine shop based in southern Arizona that produces a number of niche products that are well-suited for use by every-day carry gear fans and prepared citizens. Most of the company’s products have been crowdfunded through highly-successful Kickstarter campaigns. Their clever designs and generous campaign rewards have left them with an excellent track record for success in this arena.

Carbon Tactics TiSlice pocket knife EDC titanium blade box cutter keychain tool 1

The latest campaign is for a product that we first found out about nearly a year ago, and have been anxiously waiting to share with you ever since. The TiSlice is a small titanium device designed to work as an EDC knife. Using inexpensive and widely-available box cutter blades, the TiSlice is a simple design consisting of a titanium housing, a brass slider, and the blade itself. There is a small loop in one end of the housing for a lanyard cord, chain, or key ring.

Once the blade dulls, push the slider all the way out of the housing and flip it or replace the blade if you’ve already used both sides. While this will never replace the need for a sturdy carry knife (fixed or folding) it is more than suitable for daily suburban tasks and some basic survival ones – think shaving tinder, cutting paracord or other thin ropes, even piercing some small animal hides for game dressing. If you choose to carry your TiSlice on a lanyard, Carbon Tactics has four different lanyard beads available: brass, titanium, copper, and the Fire Bead.

Carbon Tactics TiSlice pocket knife EDC titanium blade box cutter keychain tool 2

The Fire Bead, our personal favorite of the floor, may be slightly less pleasing to the eye, but doubles as fire steel that, when scraped with the blade of your TiSlice, creates enough sparks to light dry kindling. We tried it and, while it does work, scraping the small Fire Bead with the small TiSlice isn’t the easiest thing we’ve ever done. But it sure beats being cold or going hungry.

Carbon Tactics TiSlice pocket knife EDC titanium blade box cutter keychain tool 6

In addition to its survival uses, the TiSlice is far more easily concealed than your favorite tactical folder. While it certainly wouldn’t be our first choice if we were expecting a fight, it may be better than bare knuckles in places where larger knives are frowned upon. But we’ll leave those decisions up to you.

Carbon Tactics TiSlice pocket knife EDC titanium blade box cutter keychain tool 3

You can currently get your own TiSlice for a Kickstarter contribution of $60. There are a number of texture options available, as well as colored anodizing. While gun companies anodize aluminum all the time, doing it to titanium — particularly in colors — is far more difficult. This a good indicator of the level of craftsmanship that goes into Carbon Tactics products, all of which are made completely in-house in their own shop on their own CNC machines.

Carbon Tactics TiSlice pocket knife EDC titanium blade box cutter keychain tool 5

For more info, check out the TiSlice campaign on Kickstarter or go to CarbonTactics.com.

Bear Edge Model 61104 Folding Knife

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A folding knife is a valuable tool with a myriad of everyday uses. But this tool is only valuable if you put it to work, and that means scratches, scuffs, chipped edges, and all sorts of wear. A good EDC knife should display these scars with pride, and shouldn’t break your bank if it gets lost or worn-out. This is where affordable sub-$50 folders shine.

Bear Edge Model 61104 folding knife EDC pocket knife blade tool 3

Bear & Son Cutlery recently released a new EDC folding knife that’s built in the USA, and priced affordably at $35. The knife is under the company’s Bear Edge line, model 61104. This folder is composed of a black stainless steel handle with a frame lock and slim pocket clip. Orange washers on the pivot add visual flair, and a steel backspacer features a lanyard hole plus jimping for extra grip.

Bear Edge Model 61104 folding knife EDC pocket knife blade tool 2

The Bear Edge Model 61104 has a 2.5-inch drop point blade made from 440 stainless steel. Like the handle, the blade is finished in black, and it includes ambidextrous thumb studs. More jimping is present on the blade’s spine. Overall length is 6 inches and weight is 1.2 ounces.

For more info on the new Bear Edge Model 61104, go to BearandSonCutlery.com.

Infographic: Venomous Snakes & Lookalikes

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Like most predators, snakes aren’t interested in confronting humans unless they absolutely have to. They’re just trying to hunt and survive, much like we may be when we encounter them. However, snakes are also masters of disguise, so hikers and campers often inadvertently surprise these animals. The resulting snakebite can result in serious injury or death.

Venomous snakes lookalikes infographic animal predator snakebite hiking 6

It’s generally wise to avoid snakes altogether in the backcountry, but there are circumstances when that might not be possible. You may come across one in your campsite, or you may be desperate for food — if you’re able to safely kill and cook a snake, it can provide much-needed protein and energy during a survival situation. No matter the circumstance, it’s helpful to know what sort of snake you’re dealing with.

Venomous snakes lookalikes infographic animal predator snakebite hiking 5v2

 

Several venomous snake species have non-venomous lookalikes, and being able to discern the difference can help you know how to approach the encounter. The following infographic from the Roger Williams Park Zoo shows three venomous snakes and their non-venomous counterparts. This info is most relevant to the northeast United States, but covers three of the most dangerous snakes in the country: the Timber Rattlesnake, Copperhead, and Cottonmouth. Click here to download a full-size version of this graphic.

Venomous snakes lookalikes infographic animal predator snakebite hiking 2Venomous snakes lookalikes infographic animal predator snakebite hiking 3Venomous snakes lookalikes infographic animal predator snakebite hiking 4

For more on how to handle a snakebite from a venomous snake, check out out the “Snake Bite First Aid” infographic we previously featured.

Thanks to contributor Tim MacWelch for letting us know about this graphic.