Here's Your Best Bet For Surviving An Encounter With The Dreaded Wendigo

**Kazimiera** · 01-09-2018, 04:08 PM

Here's Your Best Bet For Surviving An Encounter With The Dreaded Wendigo

Source: https://www.ranker.com/list/how-to-s...lectionId=2139

According to Native American folklore, wendigo attacks are extremely difficult to survive. These fearsome creatures hunt and kill humans, and they can even seize control over the spirit of their chosen victims. There are many variations of this legend, but the commonly held belief is that wendigos are savage, brutal cryptids that are both supernatural and malevolent. Therefore, when a wendigo attacks, it typically results in the death of their prey.

These beasts are usually spotted during the winter and were often blamed by early Native Americans for devastating famines. Interestingly, many legends also connect them to frigid temperatures and the north. When you combine all of this with their singular focus, savagery, and great hunting skills, it makes wendigos seem like a possible inspiration for the White Walkers on Game of Thrones. In this instance, though, these winter monsters dwell in the US and Canadian Great Lakes Region and the Atlantic Coast rather than north of the wall.

Whether you believe in this legend or not, it's always a good idea to at least know how to survive a wendigo attack should you find yourself face to face with one.

Wendigos Are Former Cannibals, And You Could Become One By Eating Human Flesh

Imagine for a moment that you're lost in the woods in the dead of winter. There's no food, no way to successfully hunt, and your only companion is another human. In times of extreme hunger, people will often devolve to their most basic survival instincts and resort to eating another person. However, if this happens because you're trying your best to hide and survive while stuck in a forest with a wendigo, the joke may be on you. After all, the earliest wendigo legends state that the spirits of wendigos actually possess the bodies of people who resorted to cannibalism.

Survival Is Possible, But It'll Probably Drive You Insane

Surviving a wendigo attack isn't likely. That doesn't mean it's impossible, but you honestly may not want to survive after learning about the side effects. It may be little more than just conjecture, since wendigo attack survivors are practically impossible to find, but there are some who believe that just coming into contact with a wendigo will drive you insane. This isn't a treatable type of insanity, either, as your mind will become completely vacant of all thoughts due to exposure to such a powerful supernatural creature.

Wendigos Are Insatiable And Will Tear You Apart

When most creatures hunt, they are typically satisfied after making one solid catch. After all, it makes sense to stop eating after feeling full, right? Don't think you're in the clear if you happen upon a wendigo finishing up its meal, though, because these creatures are never full. Perhaps their insatiable hunger explains why they savagely rip their prey to pieces before even beginning to eat them.

Burn The Wendigo Alive To Survive

According to some legends, fire might just be your best weapon when it comes to battling a wendigo. Unfortunately, you can't simply wave a torch near the wendigo's face and call it good. Instead, it's necessary to somehow set their entire body on fire. Of course, getting that close to a wendigo is so dangerous that most people won't even be able to test this theory before being devoured. It does make sense, though, that a creature with an ice heart would be so vulnerable to fire.

Always Go After The Wendigo's Frozen Heart

The primary weakness of a wendigo is its frozen heart. There are many legends that talk about this, though the most common one states that destroying its ice cold heart will release - but also kill - the human trapped within the beast. To pull this off, you'll need to get close enough to the wendigo to stab it with a silver stake. It's also possible that a silver bullet will do the trick, and some even believe that fire can melt the frozen heart.

Watch Out For Ice Storms And Tornadoes While The Wendigo Is Pursuing You

A wendigo is difficult enough to deal with due to its savage strength and superior hearing abilities. Yet these cryptids can also command ice storms and tornadoes, which may make it seem virtually impossible to safely make an escape. When you combine this with their apparent ability to cause animals to stampede and to rip trees out of the ground, it becomes even harder to imagine surviving a wendigo attack. Therefore, if a wendigo is after you, it's important to remain alert for much more than just their presence. After all, a tornado or an ice storm could kill you well before the wendigo even reaches you.

If You're Able To Destroy The Wendigo's Heart, You Must Complete A Ritual

Against all odds, you've managed to stab a wendigo's heart with a silver stake or blade. The creature appears to be dead, so you're all set, right? If the legends are true, you must go one step further to ensure that the wendigo won't come after you again. First, you have to take the shattered wendigo heart and lock it inside a silver box. Next, bury this box in a graveyard that's attached to a church. Before you head to the graveyard, use an axe with silver plating to chop off all of the wendigo's limbs and head. Finally, salt the body, burn it until it's ash, and let the wind scatter the remains.

Look Out For People Suffering From Wendigo Psychosis

As if actual wendigos weren't bad enough, there's also a psychological condition called wendigo psychosis. People suffering from this mental health disorder actually believe that the spirit of a wendigo has possessed them. The primary symptom of wendigo psychosis is an intense craving for human flesh. This is generally brought on by living in an isolated location without easy access to food.

There are several historical accounts of wendigo psychosis. One of the most notable is the sad case of Swift Runner who slaughtered and ate his family in 1878. The following year, he was executed despite evidence that he was under the influence of wendigo psychosis at the time of the murders.

A Wendigo Can Mimic The Sound Of Human Voices

One of the wendigo's most impressive hunting skills is also arguably its most dangerous. If you were alone in the woods or knew that a terrifying monster was hunting you, it's likely that you'd be looking for assistance anywhere and everywhere. You may also find yourself searching for a loved one without knowing that the wendigo has killed them already. In either case, hearing the voice of someone you know may tempt you to reveal your location. Sadly, the wendigo can mimic human voices, which means it's impossible to know for sure if what you're hearing is a real person or a tricky wendigo.

Going Indoors Won't Stop The Wendigo

Don't let the concept of a locked door lull you into a false sense of security. Wendigos are extremely intelligent cryptids that also have fantastic manual dexterity. As a result, they have the ability to easily open doors. Even worse, they understand how to unlock doors! Although running into a house may buy you a few seconds, it's not likely to end the wendigo attack.

Remember That Wendigos Can Hunt For Several Hours Without Tiring

Some creatures will tire or eventually become bored of chasing after their prey. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for wendigos. If one is tracking you, it's wise to assume that it will continue to do so until it catches you or until you miraculously manage to kill it. These fierce hunters become obsessively focused after selecting their target. Therefore, humans will usually tire out or make a mistake long before the wendigo even considers giving up.

Staying Perfectly Still Is The Best Way To Survive

Wendigos have amazing hearing, but this may be in part due to the weakness of their eyesight. So, if you are able to remain perfectly still, it's possible to evade them. Of course, there are some who believe that the wendigo's eyesight flaw becomes irrelevant if you make the mistake of looking them in the eyes. If you ever find yourself face-to-face with one of these monstrous creatures, there are a few important things to remember. Don't make a noise, don't make a move, and whatever you do don't make eye contact.