Living in the Wilderness Forever

[Kerouac]

This isn’t a new desire for me. I’ve wanted to do this for a LONG time now. I even have the place picked out. I actively study bushcraft and survival skills and I practice them often. Its not that I hate society or civilization (although I don’t love it either) it’s just that nature is SO much better. I feel a real sense of euphoria everytime I step into the woods. This isn’t just a dream. I want to do it. I’m going to do it.

Here’s the problem…..

I will need money. I am a sensible and intelligent person. I know that there will be times when I need supplies that I won’t be able to obtain myself. For instance, I wear glasses. I will need a new pair every year or two. I will need hunting licenses. I’m not a poacher…but mostly I don’t want to go to jail. And trust me. No matter how far out you go, at some point in time, you WILL run across somebody out there with you. Guaranteed. Could be a cop, a conservation officer or a hard core backpacker.

So how can I earn some money while living in the woods? I’ve done the math and in the worst case scenario I would only need a max of 6 grand a year. I could carve and construct items like fur pillows and primitive fire drills to sell at Framer’s Markets and the like. But that won’t be enough.

Please, what ideas do you have to earn some cash while living in the woods?

[Ken]

This isn’t a new desire for me. I’ve wanted to do this for a LONG time now. I even have the place picked out. I actively study bushcraft and survival skills and I practice them often. Its not that I hate society or civilization (although I don’t love it either) it’s just that nature is SO much better. I feel a real sense of euphoria everytime I step into the woods. This isn’t just a dream. I want to do it. I’m going to do it.

Here’s the problem…..

I will need money. I am a sensible and intelligent person. I know that there will be times when I need supplies that I won’t be able to obtain myself. For instance, I wear glasses. I will need a new pair every year or two. I will need hunting licenses. I’m not a poacher…but mostly I don’t want to go to jail. And trust me. No matter how far out you go, at some point in time, you WILL run across somebody out there with you. Guaranteed. Could be a cop, a conservation officer or a hard core backpacker.

So how can I earn some money while living in the woods? I’ve done the math and in the worst case scenario I would only need a max of 6 grand a year. I could carve and construct items like fur pillows and primitive fire drills to sell at Framer’s Markets and the like. But that won’t be enough.

Please, what ideas do you have to earn some cash while living in the woods?

Are you qualified to be a guide? Is there a demand for it where you'll be living?

[pocomoonskyeyes]

If you live in an area where there are Morel mushrooms this might be an option.Some restaurants offer top dollar for them. There was a recent post about panning for gold, another option.Ever watch the Travel Channel(I think) they had some shows about searching for treasures, semi-precious stones and the like.Just keep looking and thinking.

[Rick]

What makes you think you have the skills to live in the wild? If you just conqued the fire bow in a controlled environment you might need to pick up a few more skills and ideas. Just asking. You know you. I don't.

How about running a trap line? How about working for an outfitter? A couple of months or so could give you 8 months in the wild.

[Sourdough]

It would be helpful to know what state or country you will be in.......????? Will you be a trespasser/squatter........?

[OICU812]

This is why western civilization changed forever with the industrial age, if you start with a "nest-egg" then banking your efforts may allow you to run off intrest you obtain through the fiscal year but as always wilderness survival means meager living anyway.
This is something most all of us dream about but few will ever risk because of the sacrifice you face daily, I say if you think you can ~ then most likely it is possible through true grit, plus if it all becomes to much then you can come back and hang out with the rest of us day-dreamers?

[Rick]

I've grown up about as much as I think I'm gonna, Hope. Well, there's always out I guess.

[Smok]

How old are you ? If you are in your 50s you will soon need Meds. and that will be big money . If you're in your 3os or 40s you are in luck you are in your prim of life go for it.. If you're in your 20s you are going to wont a girl at some time and they will be more $$$$ then you will ever see .. Man invented society to impress woman and most of them love it . Man on the other hand is just as happy in a cave eating half raw meat and on Sat. night going over at Gor's for a fight... If you are in your teens you need to post that so WE know how to talk to you

[JRR]

I have the same desire, and someday I WILL do it. Right now I have too many responsibilities. What you want to do is buy some land. You can find bush in Alaska or Canada dirt cheap, sometimes less than $500 an acre. Do the research, find something you like, buy the land. It won't have electricity or water, and probably not even a road within miles. You may have to fly your gear in, or float it in and then haul it through the woods. Build yourself a cabin, stock it with a couple years of food. Buy some equipment. Chain saws, hand tools, a wood stove, maybe a 4 wheeler or snowmobile. I presume you have a job, so do this NOW, while you have an income. Then sell everything else you own, put the rest of your money in the bank and let it draw interest. You can hunt and fish all you like (with the proper lisence, of course) and go to town a couple times a year for supplies, a medical checkup, and a visit to the local strip club.

I just condensed a really hard and time intensive project into a paragraph, so it sounds a lot easier than it is, but if you really want it, you can do it. But do it right, don't head off with a backpack and expect to live off the land eating grubs and mushrooms.

[LostOutrider]

Normally, I just blow past the escapist threads when they pop up. I like the question posed here, though. Many of these ideas depend on location and, since you weren't specific, I'll just toss them all in:

1. Begging - Will Work For Food. Make sure you bring your backpack and sleeping bag with you or folks will think you're just a lazy local scamming. Resist the urge to smoke while you're out there because folks think, "If he has money for cigarettes. . . . "
Materials needed: cardboard box, marker, time
Location: busy overpass

2. Crafting. You will be exercising quite a few primitive skills anyway for pure survival. Make extra or, even better, sell off your lightly used first efforts. If you find the right trendy little suburban farmer's market or specialty store, you can turn a tidy sum. Rich folk love the 'distressed' look and anything that is hand made. Look for stores that will let you sell on consignment. Think something portable and light such as baskets or wreaths.
Materials needed: varies
Location: near a population center of some sort, preferably a touristy location

3. Seasonal labor. Learn to pick produce and make yourself available during harvest time. Make contacts with local, small-scale farmers through the farmer's market and possibly set up a work-for-food set-up. Form a decent relationship with one or more families to help supplement your diet. Remember, even Proenneke had people out in The World helping him out now and again.
Materials needed: varies.
Location: close enough to agri communities for this to be effective

4. Busking - If you have some kind of entertaining skill, then become a street performer at your local farmer's market. This isn't begging, like #1, because you are actually selling a service of some sort. In some of the upscale farmer's markets - or those with a nice middle-class suburban clientele - do something you can sell like balloon animals. I know a guy makes a killing doing that to supplement his income. $4.00 for SpiderMan made out of balloons? Yeah.
Materials: know how to do something entertaining, bonus points if you can sell a product.
Location: somewhere with people who have enough discretionary income to let go of it for you.

[ClayPick]

I’d look for work that can keep you on the fringes. Many farms are rural enough to be in the woods. It’s easy to live in the woods if you get into logging. There’s seasonal work like sugar bush camps. Lots of folks around here get a wad of money working on fishing boats and then bail out of the working for cash world for the rest of the year. Mostly you have to do a number of things ……. just don’t be afraid of work. Most folks that don’t work have some form of money pit to draw from.
The only fellow I know that did it for real was my buddy Willard, he basically lived in the woods with nothing and ended up famous …… after he died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftapLFtzGpw

[crashdive123]

Looking at all of the responses, I guess I have a question for the OP. Do you mean living in the wilderness or living in a rural area? I mean, if you're going to markets to sell your stuff on weekends and are thinking about working......is it rural living that your are seeking?

[red lake]

A good retirement fund, start early!

[SARKY]

I just double checked....this is your 3rd post and you want to be Grizzly Adams??***??!!
Give us a clue as to your age (is this a teenage fantasy?)(Midlife crisis?)
Your actual experience (woods wise)
The skills you have acquired
The level of your skills
Then just maybe we can answer you intelligently.
This is just another reason why i've been screaming about a standarized intro!!!!!

[Rick]

Actually, there is one and he joined back in December.

[SARKY]

Yes Rick ......I read it, not much info in there is there?!!! It certainly doesn't answer any of my question above, at least not to any extent.

[Kerouac]

Lots of responses here. Let's see if I can answer some questions here.

I was going to answer Sarky's post first because it looks like he's very excitable and about to blow a gasket. But judging by his instantly aggressive and angry posts I doubt he would have anything useful to offer.

I live in Canada, Alberta...right now southern Canada but I will be relocating to the northern half when/if I think I can pull this off...and I think I can if I'm smart about it. I'm in my 30's and my survival skill level is high. But this isn't about PURE survival or PURE primitive living. If it was, I wouldn't be looking for ways to earn cash. Btw, I currently work as an apprentice electrician. I will be bringing some tools with me, as well, such as saws, knives, shovel, that type of thing.

There are some good suggestions here. But I should point out that I'll be living quite a ways from any town, at least 2 days into the bush by foot. I won't be living in a rural community...not secluded enough for me. Ideally, I'm hoping that I won't have to go into town more than once a month. And that would be mostly to sell wares as someone had suggested. There are a lot of things I can craft while bush living and I'm hoping to sell those at the local Farmer's Markets. But I'll be lucky if I bring in $50 bucks a month doing that. So I'll need to do find something else as well.

I've thought about selling mushrooms, etc but here in Canada you need a license to do that and the health inpectors would most likely have a problem with it. No facilities or even running water...so I don't think that would fly.

I'm looking into buying a small piece of land smack dab in the middle of nowhere so I won't be squatting. However, I've never seen land as cheap as $500 an acre. But I will keep looking. The more isolated the location the cheaper the land...usually.

But owning the land I live on won't solve my money problem. Although, it'll solve a lot of legal issues...which is great. Thanks for the suggestion. If I manage to acquire a small piece of this earth I may have a business idea to bring in some cash involving tourism...but we'll see.

I've also looked into trapping. This may be the best option. But I've looked into this and it's impossoble to make 6 grand a year trapping. So say the trappers I've spoken with. In addition, most trap lines here are huge. In order for me to manage it I would need a quad, snowmobile and most likely a canoe, too. Thats a big investment...too big. However, if I am SUPER lucky and can acquire a small trapline...then that would solve my land problem and it would bring in SOME money and even some food. Combine this with the selling crafts and wares and I MIGHT be able to pull in $100 - $200 a month. But I think my estimates might be a bit high. Either way, $100 bucks or so a month is better than nothing...and its a start.


I'm not qualified to be a guide. Although, I could probably get seasonal work with an outfitter...maybe. This might be a good idea. Depending on what kind of money an outfitter offers....plus I need to learn to ride a horse

Again, thanks for all the ideas. Keep 'em coming. I'm drafting a list of them all. That way I can research them and see if the idea is feasible or not. I WILL get there...its just a matter of time.

[crashdive123]

There is another member that lives remotely. You should check out her blogs (Wild Woman). I don't remember the dollar amount that she and her partner live on, but I believe it is considerably less than 6K a year. Another possibility - and I don't know the logistics of how you would, or even if you would want to......work in (town, village, whatever) for brief periods to earn enough to buy what you need.

[Sourdough]

There is another member that lives remotely. You should check out her blogs (Wild Woman). I don't remember the dollar amount that she and her partner live on, but I believe it is considerably less than 6K a year. Another possibility - and I don't know the logistics of how you would, or even if you would want to......work in (town, village, whatever) for brief periods to earn enough to buy what you need.

Crash, I could be wrong, but I remember her saying $25,000.-- per year. What people learn is it is not cheap, or easy, to live in the bush. Most can't even make it 3 months, and quit.

[Rick]

Sarky - I just meant he posted his Intro before the "outline" intro was set up. Lot's of them are sparse on information.