Natural Bushcraft Shelters
I've noticed that the go-to shelter for most outdoorsmen is a tent or tarp. But if you didn't have one, either by accident or on purpose, what type of natural shelter would you use? I've made a lean-to before, but I know of a couple others. Do you have a favorite? HOw do you build it? Pictures are encouraged!
Depends on conditions for me. I've used lean-tos when temps are too bad. I've only used a debris shelter a couple of times. If you don't have anything to water proof the roof you will get wet in either one if the debris is frozen or slushy. Once your fire or body heat starts to warm things up the frozen stuff will melt and drip on you. That would be better than freezing to death I guess but it's still uncomfortable and being wet when it's cold is not good.
I've never used a debris shelter, and the lean-to I built was in the summer. I once saw some pictures of a family building a wigwam in the traditional fashion at a powwow up in New England. The only thing that was "untraditional" about it was the Tyvek sheet that went over the frame before the outer layer of what I presume was buck skin. I suppose a drop cloth or tarp would keep you dry inside, but you have to be really, really careful with the fire, if you were using one.Originally Posted by Rick
I carry a survival blanket to use as a roof if I have to build one. Then cover it with debris. However, I generally carry a one person tent if I'm by myself.
I usually carry one as well. Even if it's not in my regular gear, I keep one in my FAK, just in case somebody is going into shock or hypothermia.
I also have my one man tent with me. It's light wieght at 3 pounds and I can fold it approximately 16" x 5". But I've been making a lean to shelter since I was a kid. They work well for warm weather and keeping the rain off. But debris shelters would be my go to shelter. Offers more cover and warmth. Now a swamp shelter or elevated shelters are cool in pictures but take a lot more redneck engineering. But at Rick has mentioned, depends on the situation.
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That looks like a great shelter you've got in the top picture. Thanks for the pictures.
No problem. That one if my favorite builds. That's actually an unfinished picture. I was out for 4 days that trip and tried to conserve battery life so minimal pictures were taken, I used bamboo for my frame cause it was available and strong yet lightweight. I put my first layer with pine and spuce second layer with the bamboo leave for added water proofing and and thick solid layer of dry leaves. I found the bits of tin which as you can see I used the larger section as a wind shield for my shelter entrance and the long piece for a heat shield which pushes the heat back into my shelter. Works great and after a year she is still standing!
Last edited by xjosh40x; 02-22-2015 at 03:10 PM.
Glad to hear it worked out. We don't have a lot of bamboo, but we do have a lot of pines. Pine boughs would make a decent middle layer like you have, or a mattress of sorts. A bunch of reeds woven into the frame work may be decent too.
Been many years since I used a debris shelter to sleep in......but have made many as a rain shelter for all day hunts.
I do use rain gear, but trying the sit still in a pouring rain....is hard to do....better if you have a shelter.
I look for blow down trees and have used them as the ridge pole to cover with what ever is handy.
A extras large contractor bag, seems split and stretched over the log form a survivable tent......
Also have used the root ball as a blind and shelter on the dirt side....similar to this.....not mine, found the image
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at
http://princetonprimer.blogspot.com/...kes-sense.html
Again a garbage bag or tarp, shelter half always helps.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
Zack, it depends where you are, what kind of forest and what kind of threats.
As where I am, debris shelter is a no no unless you are injured, no cutting tools and climbing a tree is out of the question. Where I am, sleeping of the ground is a must and a shelter is something you must be able to make quickly. I would not opt for being fancy and make those shelters like the tv shows teach you.
Yes, knowing how to make one is essential, but taking too many materials, too long a time and too laborious which will make you dehydrate (as you will need at least 2 to 3 liters of water when making one...! I would opt for a light tarp and hammock or the most simple as I have taught, a 7-11 poncho for a roof and a rope bed...that is the most primitive I can think off. Believe me, just calculate how long you would need to make a bamboo shelter and the amount of labor, time and materials....and its an emergency?
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
Well, like you say, I wouldn't want to rely on a primitive shelter as my only option for an emergency. But for recreational use, I think that a natural shelter is a fun thing to build. If you've got available water, and the time to build one, I think that it is an enjoyable project. If you want to come back to that area anytime later, the shelter is already up and built (hopefully empty as well), so you don't need to set up the poncho shelter.
That's a neat shelter you've got pictured. I have seen the blown over tree shelters before, and I think that they make a good basis for shelter building. But here, where we don't have much wind, the only large trees that tip like that are in swamps, so they generally pool with water and muck. Thanks for the idea though.
There is a reference to a "Wayward pine"....pine tree that grows away for other close by....and gets bigger, wider, and taller as there is less competition.
Read about in in the "Sword of Truth" books.
http://sot.wikia.com/wiki/Wayward_pine
Kinda fictitious, but as I have a few out at "The Place" that are pretty big now....I planted them awhile ago.....I went and checked them out...and yeah...was a pretty big hollow under the limbs, that were pushed down to the ground with snow......
Didn't sleep in it, but did crawl in, clean it out and sat there awhile.....Cozy and toasty.
I would consider that a viable option in needed.
Last edited by hunter63; 02-22-2015 at 10:14 PM.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
You mean a primitive base camp shelter? Not an emergency shelter or a survival shelter then...remind me to show a pic of one I built in the hills...the last time I was there, found viper underneath....hehehehe
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
According to my mother that's called a species tree....apparently because it's a really good example of it's species because there was no competition for light and so forth.
Most likely correct....all the references I could find was about a TV program....and the Book series.
Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
Evoking the 50 year old rule...
First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27
She's been really interested in trees since she retired. Reads a lot of books about them, paints them, tells people about species trees literally ever time she sees one and has company.
Yes, a base camp of sorts. Not for survival, but for bushcraft and outdoorsy use. I hope your viper situation turned out okay...
Good knowledge there...hope I can remember trees and plants as well as she does.
I'm a Gramp who is not computer savvy, give me a slab and the rock ages tablet..I will do fine!
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