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3. Inability to build a suitable shelter 

The word commonly used by the media when describing someone who failed to survive an episode in the wilds is exposure, as in “The man died of exposure.” But what they’re really saying is that the victim died of hypothermia. That’s the big killer in the cool season. In hot weather, it’s some heat-related illness such as heat stroke. No matter which way it goes, whether in hot weather or cold, the reason people die is often because they lack the ability to erect a suitable shelter to protect themselves from the elements. 

The truth of the matter is that if you get wet, there’s no way you’re going to stay warm. The effects of evaporation will make your wet clothing act like an air conditioner. So sheltering yourself from precipitation is a high priority. But even if you’re not wet, the wind can suck the heat right out of your body by means of convection — so sheltering yourself from the wind is almost as important as staying dry. If you sit or lie on something that is colder than your core body temperature (98.6 degrees F.) you will lose heat through conduction. That means sheltering yourself from contact with cold objects is also very important. If you fail to provide shelter against precipitation, wind, and contact with cold objects, you will be on your way toward hypothermia. 

Likewise, in hot weather, if you fail to shelter yourself from the blazing sun, hot wind, and contact with warm objects, your body core temperature will rise, you will become dehydrated, and you will be on your way to a heat-related illness that could easily take your life. Among the most prevalent mistakes made by people stranded in the outdoors is the failure to build adequate shelter. 

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4. Inability to build a fire

One of the most comforting things in the wilds is a cheery campfire. Aside from all the other important functions performed by a fire, keeping you company on a dark and lonely night is among the most important. The companionship of a fire might help keep you from panic, which leads to disaster. So the ability to build and maintain a campfire is a top priority, and failure to be able to do this can be a nail in your coffin. 

But besides being a cheerful companion on a gloomy night, a campfire performs vital survival tasks. Because pure drinking water is so important, the ability of a fire to boil water, thus killing all the organic contaminants, is one of the most critical functions. A minute of full rolling boil is sufficient to kill the worst of the bad bugs. 

Signaling for help can be performed both day and night by a proper fire. Use the bright blaze at night to show searchers where your camp is located. Carefully feed green foliage into a strong fire to create smoke to show searchers the way to your camp during the day. If you have plastic, rubber, or oil available, burning those things will create black smoke that shows up for a long distance. 

Cooking food is another prime function of a campfire, and one not to be taken lightly. By preparing a hot meal at least once per day, your spirits will remain higher and you’ll be putting warmth inside the core of your body to help ward off hypothermia. Hot beverages are also very useful in this regard. 

Drying your clothes, and warming your body are obviously of great importance in a survival situation. Taking all these things in combination, it can easily be said that the inability to start and maintain a fire is one of the most severe mistakes that can be made in a survival incident.