One of man's most urgent requirements is food. In contemplating virtually
any hypothetical survival situation, the mind immediately turns to thoughts
of food. Unless the situation occurs in an arid environment, even water,
which is more important to maintaining body functions, will usually follow
food in our initial thoughts. The survivor must remember that the three
essentials of survival—water, food, and shelter—are prioritized
according to the estimate of the actual situation. This estimate must not
only be timely but accurate as well. We can live for weeks without food but
it may take days or weeks to determine what is safe to eat and to trap
animals in the area. Therefore, you need to begin food gathering in the
earliest stages of survival as your endurance will decrease daily. Some
situations may well dictate that shelter precede both food and water.
