HUNTINGsmart! USA Knowledge Base

Once you’ve constructed a shelter and met all of the first aid needs for yourself or for your group, you should begin signaling for help. The obvious first choice is to call for help with a cell phone! No service? No battery? Try one of the following methods:

• Blast a whistle—you can make a homemade whistle by blowing across the top of an empty cartridge case but a purpose-built whistle will be better.
• Fire off a flare gun (if you have one in your survival kit).
• Flash a signal mirror to reflect sunlight at overhead planes.
• Use a smoke signal to attract the attention of anyone near enough to see it.
• Construct a large arrow out of the materials around you and point the arrow toward your shelter. Or write a giant ‘S.O.S.’ on the ground.
• Shoot your firearm or blast your whistle in groups of three shots (this creates the sound signal for S.O.S.).

Wise Words: Conserve Your Ammo

If you have limited ammunition and don’t expect a swift rescue, don’t use your firearm as a sound signal. Save the ammo to protect yourself with and to hunt with—if your rescue doesn’t arrive for a week, you’ll need food. So, what sounds like less work: Shooting at animals with a firearm or trapping them with a handmade stick-trap? Conserve your ammo.