How to make a compass in the wild

When things go wrong out in the wild, they can quickly spiral out of control. And like it or not, there is a good chance you could find yourself without your gear. That’s why practicing your skills and knowing how to improvise are both vital to your ability to survive in the wild.

So, what happens if you find yourself out in the wild, without cell service, without a compass, and without a way to navigate? Don’t worry, even if you don’t have a compass, there is a way to still get your bearings.

Did you know that you can use a needle, or a bit of metal wire to make a wilderness compass?

It’s something that most elementary school kids have probably done as part of a school science experiment, and it’s something you can do during an emergency.

Making a Simple Wilderness Bush Compass

Here’s How to make a DIY Compass out in the Wilderness:

Option 1: While most of us probably aren’t going to have a magnet with us while out in the field, if you did for some reason have one ,you use it to make your compass. Simply take the magnet and touch the south pole of the magnet to the point of your needle. Then touch the north pole of the magnet to the eye of the needle. You can also do this with a bit of wire.

Grab a leaf, or something light that will float, and place the needle on the leaf. Float it in a puddle of water, and you have yourself a makeshift compass.

Option 2: OK, so chances are you’re not going to have a magnet out in the wilderness; so instead, use a little bit of silk or wool from your clothing to magnetize the needle. Rub the needle back and forth from eye to point about 100 times; the needle will now be magnetized.

Now float the needle on the leaf, or piece of paper and you have yourself a crude wilderness compass.

Seeing a Homemade Compass In Action

The scientific principles are actually pretty simple, and chances are if you have younger kids they may have done something like this in science class…