Survival myths, largely driven by folk lore or from Hollywood are believed by just about every person interested in survival.

Playing dead with a black bear, for instance, is not a guarantee it will not try and have you for dinner.

That is just one survival myth that most people believe that if applied practically, can end up with you being that “rare bear attack” statistic Forest Rangers warn visitors to state forests about.

No one knows for sure how these types of myths get propagated, but they do and in some cases, they merely mean the person who believes them tires themselves out, like trying to start a fire with wet or damp tinder.

In other cases, as in the bear myth, it can be extremely harmful and even deadly.

To learn eight other survival myths, watch the video on the next page.

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