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Thread: Looking for a group to live in the wilds for a time

  1. #1

    Default Looking for a group to live in the wilds for a time

    Hi All

    My names Luke and i'm 23, just leaving university.

    I've been thinking about doing some wilderness living ideally for a few months as part of a group.
    I would prefer the UK or Europe to save on travel cost although the states or Canada seems more likely.
    As I said i'd only be looking for a few months but i'd be happy to go with a group who were looking to stay longer to help them get started.
    A little bit about me; I've been actively involved in the scouts all my life so I am comfortable with camping and hiking in a European climate and have done backwoods camping and picked up some skills there. I'm also an engineer so i'd like to have a go building some long term structure (trapper shacks etc) as well as some camp comforts ( showers, some sort of running water etc). I suppose I'm looking for off grid living rather than bare survival. My lack of skill is in hunting, I can shoot but have only shot at targets up to approx 10m and have a limited knowledge of trapping, and of edible plants etc. I kind of expect that most food will have to be brought in, whilst I believe you can live for days, even weeks off the land most programs etc I've seen have found gathering enough food to be the problem.
    SO basically i'm looking for some like minded people or if there's a better place in the forum or another forum this would be posted in any help would be much appreciated.

    Thanks


  2. #2
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    There are so many long distance trails in the UK. Why not spend some time backpacking on one? You'll be able to meet up with others along the trail and you'll experience wilderness living for a few months.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-d...United_Kingdom

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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Good luck with that!

    BTW, none of your skill set states what your major was in University. Art History, Underwater Basket Weaving, Diversified Liberal Arts ???

    Most people just getting out of school are looking forward to starting that big job that was the reason they got the education in the first place.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome.....
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    Good luck on your quest.
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    Welcome to WS-forum. Your plan sounds like fun. IMO more young people should take a few months off and do something like that before putting their "nose to the grind stone" for the rest of their life. One of the top engineering students at my undergraduate university did and I was a little be surprised at the time. But it all makes perfectly good sense now. He could still go to whatever graduate school he wanted and get an advance degree or two a few months or 1-2 years later, he had many options. Most smart people do.

    Like Rick said if you do not meet anyone here be sure to get out there hike some trails be friendly. There are many backpacking forums and primitive living or bushcraft forums, so Google those and post on there.

    In my opinion the perfect opportunity would be to work with an experienced anthropologist with aboriginal people in a remote part of the world but you would need to be working on a masters degree in anthropology for that. And be OK with being poor and obscure all your life... LOL

    BTW hunting and trapping seasons are fairly narrow so not a significant source of food in the short term for most people. At least not today if you are following the regulations, unless you are in SE TX or parts of Louisiana and really like nutria, but most folks get tired of eating that after a few weeks. There are dozens of nutria near me and I'm fairly sure no one eats them, they are like the park pets.
    Last edited by TXyakr; 08-16-2015 at 05:29 PM. Reason: hunting season...

  6. #6
    Senior Member Wise Old Owl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lukejane View Post
    Hi All

    My names Luke and i'm 23, just leaving university.

    I've been thinking about doing some wilderness living ideally for a few months as part of a group.
    I would prefer the UK or Europe to save on travel cost although the states or Canada seems more likely.
    As I said i'd only be looking for a few months but i'd be happy to go with a group who were looking to stay longer to help them get started.
    A little bit about me; I've been actively involved in the scouts all my life so I am comfortable with camping and hiking in a European climate and have done backwoods camping and picked up some skills there. I'm also an engineer so i'd like to have a go building some long term structure (trapper shacks etc) as well as some camp comforts ( showers, some sort of running water etc). I suppose I'm looking for off grid living rather than bare survival. My lack of skill is in hunting, I can shoot but have only shot at targets up to approx 10m and have a limited knowledge of trapping, and of edible plants etc. I kind of expect that most food will have to be brought in, whilst I believe you can live for days, even weeks off the land most programs etc I've seen have found gathering enough food to be the problem.
    SO basically i'm looking for some like minded people or if there's a better place in the forum or another forum this would be posted in any help would be much appreciated.

    Thanks
    Where are you now? (to best answer the question)




    Last edited by TXyakr; Today at 05:29 PM. Reason: hunting season...
    Its wabbit Season!
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    Super-duper Moderator Sarge47's Avatar
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    Cool Well, since you brought it up.....

    Good luck with that!...
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    Senior Member Winnie's Avatar
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    As you know all of our sceptered Isle is owned and a lot of landowners don't take too kindly to squatters, or poachers for that matter.

    The best thing you could do is to either find someone with land to do your thing on, or hike accross Scotland and wild camp, their rules and regs are less srict. You would still be poaching, however if you took game or fish en route without the landowners permission. Foraging is allowed, as long as you don't harvest protected species and there is always beachcombing.
    Maybe this forum would be more help as it is UK based. http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/content.php?

    Just so you know, USA and Canada have just as strict laws regarding camping, squatting etc as we do, it's no easier running off to the woods there than here.
    Last edited by Winnie; 08-17-2015 at 02:53 AM.
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  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    There are so many long distance trails in the UK. Why not spend some time backpacking on one? You'll be able to meet up with others along the trail and you'll experience wilderness living for a few months.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-d...United_Kingdom
    Thanks i'll check it out

  10. #10

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    thank you, I did my undergrad in mechanical engineering and i'm just finishing my masters in renewable energy. I think this is going to be my equivalent of a gap year, once you start your career its hard to get any great length of time off without leaving your job.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by kyratshooter View Post
    Good luck with that!

    BTW, none of your skill set states what your major was in University. Art History, Underwater Basket Weaving, Diversified Liberal Arts ???

    Most people just getting out of school are looking forward to starting that big job that was the reason they got the education in the first place.
    thank you, I did my undergrad in mechanical engineering and i'm just finishing my masters in renewable energy. I think this is going to be my equivalent of a gap year, once you start your career its hard to get any great length of time off without leaving your job.

  12. #12
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lukejane
    once you start your career its hard to get any great length of time off without leaving your job.


    Actually, you can do both. I earned all of my degrees and my wife earned hers while working and raising a family. You can do whatever you put your mind to.

  13. #13

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    revising......
    Last edited by sjj; 08-17-2015 at 09:19 AM.

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    Hello and welcome. Good luck with what you are looking for.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Actually, you can do both. I earned all of my degrees and my wife earned hers while working and raising a family. You can do whatever you put your mind to. [/COLOR]
    Earned my last degree at age 59....in a complete different field than I had "retired" from after 33 years.
    You can always find a way...........
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