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It's important for our children to know what to do when lost in the woods.
These are 4 simple steps to teach your children
When you find that you are lost, find a tree and hug it. Stay by the tree
you have picked
Zipper up your jacket, tie your hood, tuck in your t-shirt, tuck your pants
into your socks. This will keep you warm.
Find a small place you can sleep if necessary. If there's a tree fallen down
nearby, place branches over it if you can to make a shelter. Or make a bed of
brush on the ground. Place the branches, light side up, to let the moisture run off.
Stay near a clearing if possible so a helicopter can see you if it flies overhead. Or
leave a bright colored cloth in the clearing to be seen. But don't take off any
clothing that can be used to keep you warm.
The Fawn
Tara crept closer to the register to hear the conversation.
Tara's parents were talking about an upcoming camping trip. Tara
hated camping trips. But this didn't sound like the usual camping
trip. They were talking about going back in the woods.Tara crawled
back in bed. She thought about what it would be like in the woods.
Finally she fell asleep.
Next morning Tara's parents announced that they were going camping
this weekend. Oh boy! thought Tara "This will be great." The week went
and soon Tara found herself packing for "the big trip." Tara didn't
like the idea of going away with the family for a whole week. In fact
the more she thought about it, the more she hated the idea.
Ten o'clock Tara rushed out to the car where her family was waiting.
It seemed like forever before they reached the campsite. When they got
there Tara was even more disappointed because she hoped that there would
at least be other kids there her age, which would give her an excuse to
be away from her family and the campsite. Tara didn't even see any
animals that she could watch. Tara's father yelled at her for not
helping with the campsite.
After the camp was set up Tara told her parents that she was going
for a walk. She wondered around and after about half an hour she came
to 2 deer grazing in a meadow. She crouched down and watched them. The
deer began to move across the meadow nibbling here and there. Tara
crept closer. Soon the deer ran into the thicket. Tara got up and
crossed the meadow. She wondered farther and farther into the forest.
Night soon fell upon the forest. Tara realized what time it must be.
Her parents would be worried. Tara tried to retrace her steps but she
seemed to be going in circles. She sat down on a nearby log. "What am
I going to do now" she thought. Exhausted she fell asleep.
She didn't wake until early the next morning. She was dreadfully
hungry and cold. Once again she tried to find her way back to camp, it
was hopeless. Then she had a dreadful thought "What if my parents don't
find me. I'll be here forever or until I die."
The day passed on and by dinner time Tara knew she had to find some
food. But she had no experience in the forest. She didn't have a knife,
matches or compass either. Once she watched a program on T.V. People
lost in the woods would eat bugs and insects to survive. "No way am I
going to eat a single bug." said Tara.
Soon Tara began looking for bugs and insects. But she couldn't find
any. Tara began to wonder again. She wondered even farther into the
forest. She wondered all day and when nightfall came Tara was still
wondering around. Then when she was about to lay down on the ground
she fell in water. At first she thought it was just a puddle, then
she found out it was bigger. she cried for joy, she had found water!
Tara gulped down handfuls of water at a time. But she still had to find
some food. After the refreshing water Tara went to sleep.
In the early morning breeze Tara laid thinking that if she was going
to survive she might have to eat some bugs. Yuck, she thought.
Reluctantly Tara got up and began looking under logs. If she found
any and if she ate them were 2 different things.
After about 40 minutes she came to a hollow tree filled with bugs.
She picked one up and held it in front of herself. She tipped her head
back and held the bug above it. She tried to let the bug go but couldn't.
Finally she dropped the bug on the ground. She sighed and got up. Maybe
I could try and catch a small rodent, thought Tara. But, thought Tara,
they will probably run faster than I can and I don't know if I will be
able to eat it. So she crouched down and waited silently. She waited
and waited and soon she fell asleep.
She awoke to find a fawn licking her face. She slowly sat up and
held out her hand for the fawn to smell. She slowly got up very
carefully as not to make the deer run away. Then when the deer looked
the other way Tara leaped and grabbed the deer. She fought and held it
down until the little deer was exhausted and gave up. Tara had to find
a way to kill the deer so she could eat it. She found a big rock and
unwilling carried it over to where the deer was. She lifted it high
above her head and... she couldn't do it. She laid down beside it
and fell asleep.
Tara woke in the middle of the night. She looked for the fawn. The
fawn was standing up making a whimpering sound that sounded like he
was crying. She stood up and came towards him. He turned and started
walking towards a pile of brush. Tara went to see what the deer was
doing. When Tara reached the brush she saw a big deer laying on the
ground. Tara got down and felt the deer's stomach.It was not breathing.
The little fawn started crying again. "That's probably the fawns mother
thought Tara. She came over by the deer and snuggled it. It made both of
them feel better.
When Tara woke she looked for the fawn. She found him grazing in
a nearby field. Tara went over and sat down beside the fawn. Then she
had a great idea. She could eat the grass just like the fawn. So she
tried it. It was not that bad. She ate all she could.
That night when Tara was dozing off in sleep she woke suddenly. She
could hear some one yelling her name. It was her parents. Tara yelled
back. A few minutes later Tara was reunited with her parents. Tara
told them that she had found a fawn and that it's mother was dead. She
begged her parents to let her keep the fawn. They said yes, so Tara,
her mother, her father and the fawn started back home. Tara was glad.
She was with her family again and she had a best new friend.
From that day on, Tara looked at life a little different. She knew
how much life was to be cherished. She spend a lot more time with her
family. She looked after the fawn and watched it grow.
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