Do you have what it takes to survival if you were to get lost in the wilderness? Sometimes, depending on how many supplies you have with you, it's a lot more difficult than you anticipated. However, that doesn't mean you can't survive. All it takes is preparation and knowing what to do if you're ever in that situation.

Here are 10 experts, each providing their own opinion on the three most important skills to have in order to survive!

Survival Jane
First tip, don’t panic. Survival is just as much mental preparedness; if not more so, than physical preparedness. Look around, observe, and think basic needs of shelter, water, food, and protection. Start with a shelter first – remember high and dry, to get yourself out of the elements and then move on to the other needs.

Second tip, if you find yourself without a bug-out bag or an emergency kit you still have options. Everything that is on your body, shirt, pants, shoes, etc. can be used in a survival situation. Use a sock to purify water through it, or a hat to gather wild edibles in, or a shoe string to make a snare to trap small game or even the lint in your pocket to use as tinder to get a fire started. There are always options.

Third tip, a knife is the number one survival tool, and yet there are many who do not carry one on them at all times. I’m not talking about having one in a go-bag or kit, but physically with you. Make having a knife; or multi-tool, a priority to have with you. A knife or multi-tool can be used for so many tasks in the wilderness, such as making that shelter, cleaning a snared animal, cutting firewood or wild edibles, and yes, for protection.

Mike Reed – Mike Reed Outdoors
How to find and purify water: We need at least half gal per day when were doing nothing so hiking and trying to get out alive we need 2 times that much to feel good .

How to build a dry shelter: To stay in at night or in bad weather really makes a difference stay dry is my motto.

Know what plants and tubers to eat: While I set some snares and dead falls many people go hungry because they don’t know the plants to eat.

Michael Barton – Bushcraft Bartons
Water: Finding water is absolutely a must if you want to be able to function somewhat to keep going. It is your gas. Hydration is so very important.

Shelter: This will provide cover from the elements and give you a sense of security. We all know how dangerous and deadly Hypothermia is.

Fire: So important to have fire. Fire will make your water safe to drink and its the only way of visually seeing that your water is safe. Fire will keep you warm, dry your clothes, cook your food if you got some, help make tools, it’s a psychological boost, gives you some light when it gets dark, gives you a way for signaling rescuers of your location and becomes a good friend when you’re alone.

Jon Heffron – Wingman 115
Wear light colored clothes and wear a brimmed hat. Dark clothes absorb heat from the sun and raise your core body temp.

Bring plenty of water. Water is rare where I live. If you get lost the chance of finding water is rare at best. Plus most rescues in my area are because folks went on a day hike and didn’t carry enough water.

The Coastal Desert Region gets cold at night. I always carry an emergency blanket it weighs next to nothing but may make the difference between freezing or waking up to see a new day.

Drover Hall – Sarqit
Fire Making! You will always be found if you catch the forest on fire 😉

Plants. It lifts morale and gladdens the heart when you find and eat wild raspberries, but when you run into stinging nettle and poison ivy … you get sad.

Sense of Direction. You are lost you want to get out! It lowers your chances when you start walking in circles.

Chrystle Poss – Survival Spot
Be prepared – If you take a trip into the wilderness the best thing you can do is be prepared before you leave so that you can avoid getting lost in the first place. Always take a survival pack with you and be sure to let someone know where you are going and when they should expect you to return. Never travel into the wilderness alone unless you are an experienced hiker and you are familiar with the terrain.

Assess the situation – If you do become lost, it is important not to panic but take your time to assess the situation you are in. When you’re calm and collected you can make wise decisions about which action to take next. This will enable you to logically plan your escape strategy without wandering further astray or missing a rescue opportunity.

Find your way out – Once you have assessed the situation you should be able to plan your best method for survival. At this point you can determine whether you want to shelter in place and wait for rescue or try to find your way out. Always bring a compass and familiarize yourself with basic navigation techniques so that you can find your way back to safety in a potentially life threatening situation.

Greg Weiss – Lost Creek Adventures
Natural navigation: Knowing how to figure out where you are, so you can get out of being lost. Landscape, geography, animal and plant sign, etc.

Shelter building: a quick quality way to keep your body temp at 98.6

Fire making for the same reason but also to cook, purify water, and keep you in place psychologically and physically.

Randy Breeuwsma – Karamat
Knowing how to light a fire under any circumstances, for staying warm is a huge benefit in the Boreal forest.

Getting adequate sleep, whether that is at 2pm or 2 am is a huge benefit.

To know your approx location and which way north is.

Denis Korn – Learn to Prepare
One’s attitude is foundational – an attitude of calm, hope, patience, adventure, and self-encouragement.

A reliance on God – for security, peace of mind, being found, or divinely directed to safety.

Faith through prayer – while you discover a valuable meaning to your experience.

Mark Suter – Primitve Texas
If I got lost or stranded in the Wilderness, the most valuable skill that I would want to have is how to build a high-quality shelter that would be appropriate for the terrain and weather conditions. Most people who perish in the wild do so as a result of exposure to cold or hot conditions. The second skill that would be essential is how to locate and purify drinking water. A person can usually only last 3 days without drinking water and much shorter in the hot Texas heat. The third skill that I would want to have “under my belt” is how to make fire without matches (a couple of the fire by friction methods: bow drill and hand drill). Fire does so much in a survival situation. It purifies our water, cooks our food, helps us make primitive tools, helps keep bugs away, and keeps us warm just to name a few. If I could only take three items to help me accomplish these skills, they would include a fixed blade knife (full tang; 3-6 in. non-serrated blade), a machete and a metal pot.

Noticing any repeats? Looks like a talent for natural navigation, fire building, and the ability to find shelter are all pretty essential on these lists. If you don't feel like you have these skills down, it's never too late to practice. The more you bug out and camp, the better! For more expert advice on survival, check out Survivor's Fortress!