A lot of backwoods lore has no basis in science, and can actually get you injured. Separate myth from fact here!

Today I learned that not all running water is potable, that bears can attack any time of day, and not to trust a berry just because it is black or blue. 

Myth: All black and blue berries are safe to eat. 

Reality: A common rule of thumb for foragers is that nearly all white and yellow berries are toxic, about 50 percent of red berries are poisonous, and most blue and black berries are safe to eat. 

As a guideline, this isn’t bad—but it’s not good enough to keep you safe. The key word here is “most”, not all, and consuming a black or blue berry without knowing what specific kind of berry could prove fatal. For example, pokeberries and the blue berries of Virginia Creepers are lethal. 

There is a wild berry edibility test you can use to test if a berry is edible, but this isn’t foolproof either. The only way to stay safe: Don’t eat any berry that you can’t positively identify.

I laughed myself sick at the idea you would ever be in a position to lap up creek water, eat berries, or avoid bears!

It could happen. :)