Basic Desert Survival Tips

The desert can be a pretty cool place but also can be full of dangers. In this video I discuss some simple survival tips and tricks that you you can use to stay safe or at least make things a little easier or better for you while in the desert. From using a comb to remove thorns to paying attention on how you should flip over rocks to avoid scorpions, I cover some very basic skills. If your destination is the desert, go out prepared!
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[@DwightGetting]

There are companies throughout the north Phoenix area. It is about a 30 minute session, they take your dog around a property where they have snakes hidden. The rattle snakes put out a distinct scent that the dog smell, if they get too close they correct the dog.

[@DwightGetting]

It save my Rottweiler more than once. Some dogs it is a natural sense others not so much. It was a natural instinct for My dingo that is half coyote, Half shepherd. But the rottie, not so much.

[@DwightGetting]

I love my shemagh, it was a great addition to my gear. Lived in Arizona for 15 years, a light weight long sleeve shirt is another necessary item for the Desert.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

absolutely! As you can see, Im a tshirt guy but if one didnt have a long sleeve shirt i the summer, they would be a crispy critter.

[@gingertakacs6176]

Helpful advice. Thanks. The comb recommendation is brilliant. My dog and I run into Cacti all over Colorado. I think it'll help both of us.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Its surprising how well it works even with a cheap plastic comb. If you expect to run into some of the nastier thorns out there, it might not be a bad idea to invest in a sturdy metal comb.

[@Jc-lh4mr]

Native Arizonian here. The desert is no joke, during the summer months it's deadly to go hiking without plenty of water. You need to be hydrated the day before and day of the hike, bringing a gallon isn't enough. Which is almost as bad as our winter, when all the snowbirds come and increase our traffic by 200%.

[@LunamrathP]

I don't even mess with the desert during the summer. Winter is desert camping season. Summer is when I make myself a nuisance to everyone up north (as revenge for heading south during the winter) and go there.

[@ShannonWolfinbarger]

It's interesting how things change over time with how to treat snake bites! Thank you for this information!

[@sousalarson6858]

Ive been a big outdoors fan and camper for a long time. Lately ive been doing mostly car camping. Just learned about bushcraft and ended up here because i live in AZ. Thanks for the vid!

[@chandadobra305]

My mom was stung by a bark scorpion out here in AZ and despite what most people say: the pain and burning symptoms are NOT the guaranteed maximum reaction. She suffered from neurological issues for nearly TWO WEEKS after a sting on the bottom of her foot. Her mind was disoriented for days. She is a waitress and couldn't work for a week - this is a woman that goes to work when her kidney is failing and she is trying to ignore it because she feels like he HAS to work for survival. She could not work from this sting and she accepted it without fuss - WEIRD for her, but it says something about the scorpion sting for sure. She was in nonfunctional agony for 8 hours until she finally passed out from the sting. The pain was immense throughout the first 12 hours. Her nervous system was seriously compromised at its worst for a week, then still seriously affected her body and mind for another week after the worst of it. The first week she could barely use her arms, struggled badly on her legs, and her nerves were so shot that she said it felt like she was walking on a golf ball - no swelling, just the nerves misfiring badly. She was unable to focus fully and was debilitatingly confused and foggy mentally. Of course she fully recovered after those two weeks and is perfectly okay now. But really bad pain and burning isn't the only thing. Expect more if you get stung. It's shocking that people report just that and don't believe her reaction story, but I was there and poison control was communicating with me every hour to check on us throughout the night. It wasn't an allergic reaction either, shockingly. I have a theory that the amount of venom injected had a part to play. It's wasn't a warning sting like a lot of people experience - this was her stepping on the scorpion, so for the scorpion it was life or death rather than a 'back off, you're too close' sting. Also, they WILL chase you to sting again. They lift their arms up and charge like they are letting loose a war cry of doom we can't hear!

[@dfsfsdfd]

Thanks for posting this, I am moving to the desert from the forests of the north, scorpions and snakes are what worry me because I know so little about them. Knowing they chase will change the way I approach encounters. Can you stomp them with shoes or sandals? What can they sting through?

[@daveyboymus3621]

The comb is definitely a good idea; would’ve never thought of that. And I HAVE been hit by cacti.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

It works well! Definitely a good "tool" to bring in the desert with you. When I go back I may bring a metal comb as well, just in case I get attacked by a larger cactus.

[@CommonCentsOutdoorsman]

Now that makes good Common Cents! Beautiful dog!

[@saramcchesney5353]

Love the tip about the comb and the cactus!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

much more gooder ;) than grabbing that little bastard with your hands!!! :)

[@ModernExplorer]

Great production and great advice! Thank you for the presentation!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Thanks brother! And you're welcome! We need to get out and do some Colorado high plains desert adventuring together!

[@christineelisabethschmidtg8063]

Well prepaired thanks

[@canyonclimber9763]

Another great video!

[@garrettbunker3739]

Wow.. Thank you!

[@carsonflora3300]

Another great video by CMMS. Thanks for the information.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

thanks for watching!

[@josephmartin1540]

Great job

[@lauraf7215]

Thanks for the tip about which environments to wear water wicking vs absorbing materials!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

youre welcome!

[@canyonclimber9763]

Solid advice!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

thank you!

[@AVENTURAS_CHAQUITO]

9:01 Thats a good point. Thanks for sharing. 😊

[@braunwm]

For folks coming from out-of-state, please note you need A LOT more water than what you are used to drinking in hot weather back home. Every year, there are many folks who get heat stroke or die because they are unprepared for how dry and hot the weather is. Even if you're coming out in the winter, you can easily become dehydrated. You're not going to easily find water. I have run into many folks on urban trails such as Camelback mountain, and had to provide water to folks from out-of-town who have run out of water, and are starting to feel the effects.

[@danielgouge4639]

I'm from East Tennessee so this information was in fact useful and new to me.

[@ashcraftoutdoorswithchrisd1451]

Love it. Looks like what I roam around in most of the time minus the tall cacti.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

the tall cacti are freaken awesome! The scenery where we were was simply amazing but I wouldnt want to live there.

[@ashcraftoutdoorswithchrisd1451]

Colorado Mountain Man Survival I wish we had them this way. I know what your saying about not wanting to live there. Most people hate where I live and we get a bit more rainfall than where you were at. It’s an acquired taste lol. The difference here is we have way more wind. We are missing the trees just like where you were but our terrain is much flatter as a whole. It’s nice in the summer as it blows the bugs away and cools you off, but winter not so much. It’s nothing to get into the -20’s and -30’s with wind chill here.

[@joshbratcher4987]

Take care of your pets. Great advice.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

especially if you plan on eating them in a survival situation! Just kidding!!! Could you imagine getting stuck in the chest or foot with a big thorn and couldnt pull it out. I could only imagine the pain. I checked Stryker often but fortunately he learned quickly to watch where he was going and just lets me do what I gotta do if he needs "medical" attention.

[@iteachyoungminds]

Great information for pets!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

got to take care of them too!

[@botasebas]

Great video buddy!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Thanks!

[@adamsumner643]

Looked like a great trip! I wish I had as many vacation days as Stryker I would have gone with you!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

we all wish that we had as many vacation days as Stryker. Hes a lucky little bastard!

[@michaelsirois8105]

Raised in the desert, still alot to learn MR

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

never stop learning! I was raised in the mountains but strive to learn more about them, every day! And learning about other environments is a treat for me!!!

[@mirsumm8431]

People visiting AZ always get in trouble hiking when it comes to water - they NEVER bring enough. Every year there is a news story about so and so getting dehydrated and having to be rescued. One water bottle is NOT enough.

[@IngeniousOutdoors]

Here in wyoming we have the same issues since most of the state is a different type of desert. We have a few pokey things like russian olive and yucca, prickly pear cactus and locust trees. But mostly.its just sage brush as far as the eye can see unless you drive into the mountains lol

[@jordanblakely5537]

Lots of great tips in this video! I've never been dessert camping. I burn so easily. It sounds challenging and potentially more hazardous than mountain camping.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

I think mountain camping and desert camping are equally as hazardous, in their own ways. Just have to go out properly prepared for the environment.

[@jordanblakely5537]

@@thesurvivaluniversity, I agree. I just think I would naturally be more suited for and prefer the mountain survival challenges. Yes, thorough preparation is always key!

[@adventureswithwolfdogs2110]

hubby wasnt used to how dry it is on a visit to arizona. cool wrap like it.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

its pretty dry here in Colorado too. Didnt feel like much of a change compared to our climate... at least not that time of year.

[@adventureswithwolfdogs2110]

rite. there isnt much change from AZ CO and NM. for the most part. hubby from central TX.

[@mittenstatebushcraft6381]

I fully regret not taking the trip to AZ in February, I beat myself up over it now. There are 2 places that I feel I know absolutely nothing about and those are deserts and jungles. One day I'll experience both.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Going to try and run it again this year in September and if everything goes as planned will also be heading to the jungle around the same time. Maybe you will be able to join me for both?

[@mittenstatebushcraft6381]

It's definitely something to consider.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

@@mittenstatebushcraft6381 just wanted to give you heads up... I dont see you subscribed to the website. Its on the to do list for staying eligible to win. I do have a different email address that might be yours but its not the same as the one you registered for the giveaway with.

[@mittenstatebushcraft6381]

@@thesurvivaluniversity done....

[@SuperPangloss]

Good vid, I lived out there for a few years. Near the Mexican border. Good advice you gave.

[@timmccormick5339]

11:22 don't forget get about harvester, they are active in the warmer months and they will get all over your body and start singing aggressively

[@timmccormick5339]

Harvester Ants

[@gtw4546]

I live out in the Mojave desert and I think you overlooked the #1 danger and that is how quickly the temperature drops from daytime to nighttime. A change of thirty degrees is common and 40 degrees isn't unusual. That pleasant 60-70 degrees during the daytime will quickly get down to 30 degrees at night and is just as much of a threat as the sun in the daytime or dehydration! Hypothermia will get you before a lack of water if you're caught unprepared so that short-sleeve cotton shirt, shorts, and sandals won't be doing you any favors, especially if you let your garments remain damp when the sun begins to set. If you're out for multiple days, be ready for a lot of variability from day to day. For example, tomorrow the high will be 84 degrees dropping to 50 at night, but just 3 days later, the daytime temp will be 68 dropping to 43. You really need to be prepared for ANY temp when out in the Mojave.

[@lightningcrush7795]

Good tip if your in a riverbed, if you dig down you will normally find damp dirt or sand quickly, you can then put the damp stuff in your shirt and squeeze it over your mouth for a decent amount of water; It's normally quite clean.

[@the_desert_dweller]

I live in western Arizona, and Ive seen one Mohave green, and one King Snake. Big spiders but no Scorpions

[@stevanoutdoor]

Nice video

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Thank you my friend! Working on some more.

[@rockyhollow815]

Arizona in Feb ... were you down there for Winter Count?

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Unfortunately no. I was teaching a winter survival class for Army special forces that week. Left that class and drove straight to AZ.

[@tonyporenshenko425]

Is there a way to keep snakes at bay if you're sleeping outside in desert?

[@jungleebushcraft]

Tip: flipflops & sandals

[@ShihabdeentheCyclist]

How to make a personal survival kit for desert

[@jerryfarmer5989]

In Colorado you don't need to go to the dessert for hot, dry, cactus and snakes. We got it all right here. Plus red racers, black widows and brown recluse fuzzies as well as scorpions. And no you will not find water even in the mountains. Colorado in reality is a high mountain dessert. Lots of ways to die here even if your not trying.

[@shannonevans3029]

What about the bees!! What if I'm out with my family and killer bees start in after us. What do you do?

[@Becca19750]

I was going to ask, do you EVER wear boots? 😂 I cringed when you were talking about rattlesnakes and scorpions and i saw your sandals. I’d be freaked the hell out. I’m barefoot all over the place but I’d want boots in there.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

I hate wearing boots!!! I do wear them when I am hiking or doing serious work but this video I was just in camp with students and broke away to shoot the video while they were with another instructor. Whenever possible, I go in my sandals. Also, it was not prime time for snakes and scorpions so I wasnt overly concerned. I was more worried about the cactus.

[@Becca19750]

So do I, my feet get pretty rough because I’m always barefoot. Flip flops if I have to leave the house in summer. But my toes curled under watching you walk around the desert in sandals 😂. I keep an extra pair of well broken in Merrell waterproof tactical boots in the car because I always figure if something goes down, I’m bound to be in flip flops.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

@@Becca19750 oh yes, if I am in flippy floppies or sandals, you can guarantee that my boots are nearby. In this video, they were at camp about 200 yards away. ;)

[@DwightGetting]

If you are spending time int he desert with your dog, and your dog is not used to rattle snakes, get them snake trained, it makes a huge difference for the dogs safety.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

how does one go about getting your dog snake trained?

[@josephmartin1540]

Moral of the story: don’t go down unless you’re at the car… then don’t’

[@suzz1776]

make sure to carry a good pair of tweezers. also for animals be careful if they get a thorn and tey to bite it out. my cat was in the backyard the other day and got a thorn in her foot. well she got it out be4 I was able to get to her to help. well she ended up spitting the thorn out of her mouth. well I brought her inside and noticed she was not happy and was trying to get something out of her mouth. well I looked in her mouth and noticed she had a thorn stuck right inside behind her top teeth and I had to have my mom hold her down and I had to get a tweezer and pull the thorn out. It was an easy fix but still it scared me alot. my kitty is my baby and dont want her in pain. so that taught me a big lesson is regards to animals and thorns. I live in the coastal desert. so if u go to a place with thorns, it is a really good idea to carry a good pair roof tweezers and also a mirror and small magnifying glass, to get thorns out and dont let ur pet (if possible) to bite out thorns etc... cuz it is easier to get a thorn out of ur animals foot/body then it is in their mouth. :)

[@Von_Bernkastel]

When walking in the desert carry a stick or something hit the ground walk loudly make as noise as you walk anything like Rattle snakes will feel and hear you coming and will move or give you a warning long before you walk up on them.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Good information and some thing I think I do naturally when I’m snake country and don’t think about it. I also pay attention when I am stepping over logs or rocks or where I put my hands when I’m climbing up a hill or rock face. I also try to avoid tall grasses. In my experience, rattlesnakes are not aggressive and just want to get away from you. They warn you and if they can they flee. I have a feeling that most people that got bit by rattlesnakes were either messing with the snake or were flipping things over that the snake was underneath. But that’s just speculation.

[@americafirst9144]

Or stop and stomp occasionally.

[@IngeniousOutdoors]

Weve got all those creepy.crawlies here in wyoming too lol. The difference is we dont have anywhere near the vegetation that arizona does so yucca and prickly pear is all we have as far as pokey stuff. In the desert biome. The forested half of wyoming is a different story lol

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

I'd love to get up to Wyoming one of these days, both in the plains and in the forest, to see what kind of trouble I can get into.

[@IngeniousOutdoors]

@@thesurvivaluniversity oh man. The plains would give you a run for your money. Its no wonder the plains natives brought everything with them and tended to settle along rivers/ forested areas lol. Theres almost nothing to survive on/with out there

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

@@IngeniousOutdoors I have no doubt that it would be tough but would still be interesting to see what resources I could find/use.

[@IngeniousOutdoors]

@@thesurvivaluniversity agreed. Shelter building would probably come down to sod bricks or clay bricks lol

[@alphabeardoutdoors]

Rattlesnakes.... my arch nemesis. I seem to stumble across them constantly.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

dude! I wish! Ever since I wanted to find one to make a video about cooking one up, they have simply vanished. Maybe I need to just go out with you!

[@alphabeardoutdoors]

@@thesurvivaluniversity hahaha I could definitely get to the right spot for them and I have a good recipe!!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

@@alphabeardoutdoors oh? Where abouts do you call home?

[@alphabeardoutdoors]

@@thesurvivaluniversity Pueblo!!! Not far from you!!

[@jcsevo]

If I have bad reactions to bees and wasp's I can't even begin to picture how'd I'd do with a scorpion!

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

I almost want to get sting so I can see how I would handle it... almost...

[@jcsevo]

@@thesurvivaluniversity you let me know when you're gonna give it a go.. make sure to film it lol

[@josephmartin1540]

True. Kind of like a five pound wasp.

[@rebeccaheidi]

Yep, not my cup of coffee. Give me the ocean or mountains.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

agreed! I prefer the mountains or ocean but it was nice to do something different. The scenery really is beautiful at least for a while.

[@mateirodacaatinga]

MUITO LEGAL SEU BIOMA, MUITO PARECIDO COM A MINHA REGIÃO. ABRAÇOS DO SERTAO NORDESTINO. BRAZIL.

[@rashadali1646]

Are there Wi-Fi?????????

[@MikeJohnson-ld9rn]

Please, do not take your dog out into the desert with you! What is the point ? Needs extra water you must carry, cactus thorns, snakes, bees, ,scorpions, other animals, sharp rocks, over heating, plus many other dangers that you need to watch for along with taking care of yourself. Just because it wants to be with you always, sometimes it really shouldn’t. Ask every park ranger what they say about doing this !😊

[@LoveGrowsLife]

🐍🦂🐕🌵🌞⛈

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

haha! Your pic comments crack me up!

[@LoveGrowsLife]

My son copper watched this video with me so afterwards we reviewed what you talked about and found the images haha.

[@desertranger]

Grew up in the desert, worked as a professional trail and adventure guide. No credibility while you wear sandals and short sleeves. Yes! Everything in the desert sticks, stinks bite and stings. Where is your water. My suggestion is that YOU stay out of the desert.

[@thesurvivaluniversity]

Ah, your concern for my desert fashion choices is truly heartwarming! You cant really call my out and attempt to insult me when I call myself out for it in the video. My water and shirt, fear not, they're safely tucked away in my backpack, just off screen, far from the scrutinizing eyes of the desert fashion police. As for your desert survival expertise, I eagerly scoured your channel for your elusive tips but alas, it seems my search led me through a barren landscape. Cheers to keeping the desert safe with your valuable tips!

[@leroy7513]

I've seen enough bushcraft video on what to do in the woods and forest. Show me some men that know desert know how.