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Never, Never go into the wilderness with out a gun depending what area you are in if it should be a heavy caliber or not. A good knife, a compass, and several different ways to make fire. With fire you can have drinkable water by boiling maybe something to carry water in.
40 years ago I would go into the woods with these things and able to stay for atleast 2 days.
These 4 thing are a must for a limited survival time.
Tank
Thanks for this great post! Lets me know where I stand with my gear and how much EXPERIENCE I need to obtain before trying to do it all at once. Or when my life depends on it.
I strongly agree with that statement, but I'm a hunter so for me, going out in the bush without a gun is not a sensible thing at all, I always go out alone and my rifle is my best friend followed by my knife, I have stayed out on farms many times without a rifle to gain trapping experience when I was in my late teens.Quote:
Originally Posted by tank
You could stay for 2 WHOLE days? That's amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by tank
Truthfully, I don't normally go into the woods without a gun either but, when I lived in Utah they had (have?) a law that forbid the carrying of a firearm during archery season so; I had to leave the guns or not go. I left the guns. I still survived.
Well there is nothing that will replace being able to survive without anything but a knife, but when I go out, I always take my backpack with everything I need to survive for several days up to several weeks. I do practice all of the skills of doing without, but if I can go totally prepared, that's the way to fly.
Skills are invaluable, and having your supplies is even better! I very much like being dry, comfortable and having a full stomach!
Yes there is......Quote:
Originally Posted by WildThang
http://i348.photobucket.com/albums/q...sentials-1.jpg
"And forget the notion that you can live off the land. It is not a sustainable life style. Everyone requires some basic staples to remain safe and healthy and to enjoy the lifestyle they have chosen."
Like your post. It is wise to make people aware that survival in the wilderness is not to be taken lightly as it can be very dangerous prepared or unprepared. But I must say, people living off the land even by themselves, was quite popular from 1810 to the 1880's in the rockies. They we're called mountain men. They we're trappers and explorers who first opened up trails which we're later widened for wagons moving across the mountains to the far east for colonization.
I say if men could live off the land before modern conveniences we're available, men can adapt and revert back to their predecessors way of life just as easy. Or rather than EASY, with alot of preparation and knowledge. A little intelligence along with that will give you the experience as you need it.
Just a thought.
Perhaps you should investigate those mountain men just a bit more. You'll find they did rendezvous a few times a year where they would be able to acquire their staples. Sugar, salt, flour, spices and grains weren't items they could find in the wild unless they were lucky enough to know the location of a salt lick. But the rest came to them from the eastern markets and much of that (spices and sugar) from the Bahamas, India, England and France.
Not sure what your age is, but you may want to hurry. Life expectancy of an 1810 mountain man was probably mid 30's. Some of those modern conveniences like access to medical care and food have certainly helped many live a bit longer.Quote:
Originally Posted by grizzlyadam
[QUOTE=grizzlyadam;331301]"And forget the notion that you can live off the land. It is not a sustainable life style. Everyone requires some basic staples to remain safe and healthy and to enjoy the lifestyle they have chosen."
Like your post. It is wise to make people aware that survival in the wilderness is not to be taken lightly as it can be very dangerous prepared or unprepared. But I must say, people living off the land even by themselves, was quite popular from 1810 to the 1880's in the rockies. They we're called mountain men. They we're trappers and explorers who first opened up trails which we're later widened for wagons moving across the mountains to the far east for colonization.
I say if men could live off the land before modern conveniences we're available, men can adapt and revert back to their predecessors way of life just as easy. Or rather than EASY, with alot of preparation and knowledge. A little intelligence along with that will give you the experience as you need it.
Just a thought.[/QUOTE
Sounds like you really know your stuff concerning mountain men.......
If your reference to mountain men is watching Jeremiah Johnson eating rabbits, in the movie......you really need to do a lot more research.
All carried staples, and many belonged to a 'company" that supplied basics foods and supplies, carried around by pack animals, carts and boats.
And returned to civilization to sell their hides and re-supply.
Mountain men went to the mountains to trap animals that they skinned and sold pelts (hides).
They didn't spend that much time surviving they were working at their trade, trapping and hunting....It was a job.
This is an interesting thread that I have never taken the time to check out. Got to say first that the OP was good. After that some of the gibberish was just that. Not sure if some of it was just bragging or was written by a fool. Going to the true wilderness with just a knife and surviving for long is a dream or alot of dumb luck. As Hunter said, those mountainmen were the kings of being prepared. They didn't want to spend their time fighting for their lives. They were there to make their living. As we all know or should anyway, the motto of one of first survival groups I belonged to is "be prepared." I think that includes mind, body and equipment. If your short on any of those good luck.
Oldtrap
Sure it would be possible to live off the land... but you'd need a few years to establish a farm, get your crops going, raise chickens, goats, etc. have about a half dozen kids to help out with the labor, spend a few seasons hunting and trapping to build up your food stores, not to mention building all the structures you'd need to live in, store food, house animals from the elements, then thats if youre lucky and don't get a disease, injury, or killed by a wild animal, a hunting accident, or your wife who would go crazy couped up all day grinding flour and churning milk.....
Anywho.... going off the grid is something we have all dreamed about, but the feasibility is just not there.
Hunter63 Thanks for the extra info, admittedly my knowledge on mountain men is rather bleak. I do also realize that I need to do more research, otherwise I'd be gone already in a heartbeat. You and others like rockyraccoon, my folks, sister, and many others I've mentioned my idea to, may think I'm nuts, but, I assure you this saying goes for anything in life; "where there's a will there's a way". I over the past couple years have been doing alot of reading, thinking, planning, researching, and I have found ways of solving the following problems/needs;
1.water
2.meat (fishing, hunting)
3.vegetation (a wide variety of edibles will negate the need for salt licks, essential minerals and vitamins are within' different plants)
4.fruit (vitamin C so you don't get the scurvy)
5.shelter (in different steps towards more permanant lodging)
6.fire
7.metallurgy (smelting ores to obtain metal and obviously blacksmithing) incl. pots, pans, cutlery, plates, bowls
8.ceramics (storage containers for winter)
9.first aid (which I've taken courses on)
10.alchoholic beverages (for a taste of sanity)
11.weapon-making and tools(from stone-age to iron age)
12.flour, yeast, and bread (right to a real risen loaf)
13.laxatives for constipation (also in reverse order lol)
14.tobacco replacement
15.cordage
16.winter indoor heating system
17.winter warm shower system
18.meat and vegetation winter storage
19.cement for masonry
I'm sure I'm leaving some things I already know out, but there are a few things I know there are solutions to that I just haven't properly studied yet like;
plants for medicinal uses, curing pelts, and making paper (or parchment) to document my experience and findings as I have an interest in science. I also realize that before I am ready for this journey other questions may arise and that's why I joined this forum to see what else might come up.
I am also compiling all my research into a book that I will have one copy published for my own use and reference, just in case I forget any of the many useful things I have learned. (it will be waterproof, it will be my bible, it will be all I take with me)
If I have left anything of importance that I may need to know out please feel free to inform me, any knowledge or even ideas of where to take my research would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
I think the most important thing you are leaving out is doing, or as a friend of mine would say "boots in the field". Theory is great. Reading is great. Making lists and volumes of reference material are great. Getting out and doing is where your real learning takes place. Theory to practice is an expression I learned long, long ago. It's where all of the reading is put to use - and put to use before it is needed to survive.
I really do wish you well in your quest, but hope you go about it in such a manner that will give you success.
Oh for sure, I agree 100%. One page in my bible will be a pre-journey checklist of not all, but at least the most vital keypoints. I may leave out some of the wild edibles and only include the ones which have unique uses, similarities to other non-edibles, poison and toxic plants, and key medicinal plants.
grizzlyadam I didn't mean to sound like I doubt you. I have also been considering a life off the grid in depth. Just was pokin fun.
Anywho on a more serious note theres an awesome book you should check out if you haven't already. It has everything.... and I mean EVERYTHING you'll need.
http://whentechfails.com/
No offense taken Rocky. That's why I'm here, for all that great eye opening constructive criticism and advice I may be able to take from the forums from people who may have experience in things I don't ;) And thanks for th reference! I'll definately check that out!
Always have something to navigate by, a compass, and a GPS if possible. And remember, lost is not a place!
For me the most important thing is a shelter for long term use. I plan on a place in the national forest. I've found the hardest thing is to have a concealed shelter. Hunters are famous for destroying anything they find in the woods. I built a small log cabin where I figured it couldn't be found, well it was found, and after ransacking it they burned it to the ground. I was lucky and say it, found em, and burned their vehicle to the ground.
My point is when things go wrong, soon, a person needs a bug out shelter stocked with food and stuff that is concealed so you don't have to fight to keep it.
I'm seriously considering an underground shelter that can't be recognised from above ground. Here in AZ we had a forest fire a year or so ago that destroyed about 90 % of our forest. Hiding a shelter is not really tough. I already have everything else I need, I just need a place near a tiny spring to hide everything.
So, you were squatting and burned someone's vehicle to the ground?