How Many Here Could Survive On Wild Edibles Tomorrow If TSHTF?

**Ken** · 03-11-2009, 08:40 AM

Like several of you, I'd do just fine if game, fin fish, and shellfish (and other unmentionables like slugs) were added to the list. Wild plants would supplement/compliment my diet, but there's no way I would be able to survive on just those alone. Does anyone know where to find wild hops, wheat, and barley?

**erunkiswldrnssurvival** · 03-11-2009, 08:56 AM

in familiar territory, its easy. put a canadian in the sanora (without prior training) his chances are reduced. and then there is the problem with exposure to the elements. when the wood wont burn and your clothes are wet,as you plod through a winter freezing rain, miles and miles from help,survilal turns into suffering. I can tell you because i have been there.sometimes survival means "how much suffering can you endure,when your knowledge cant stop the cold ,the wet, the injuries,the exaustion......ect.

**skunkkiller** · 03-11-2009, 09:28 AM

w.e. means any thing you can get your hands on and that would be fish, critters,plants ect. I would say yes I could survie and will because if you don't have the will you will not.

**Rick** · 03-11-2009, 09:33 AM

I could probably be pretty happy in the summer and fall but winter and spring would be my undoing. Without protein from fish and animals I'd probably be in trouble, too.

Farmer: "Hey, you! Get out of my garden."
Me: "Sorry, I thought these tomatoes were wild plants."

**Sourdough** · 03-11-2009, 10:26 AM

Well, If wild edibles includes fish and game, then the poll results are most likely not valid.

**adalel** · 03-11-2009, 02:23 PM

I can ID more than thirty edible plants in my area but am not confident that I could find enough of them to eat all year round. I voted yes I could survive but am not totally cetain of my answer. Edible animals would definatly increase mine or anyone elses survivability.

**chiye tanka** · 03-11-2009, 03:36 PM

I hate to admit it, but wild edibles are one of my weaknesses. I know a handfull and most of them are native to New England.

**crashdive123** · 03-11-2009, 04:05 PM

My knowledge of wild edibles is very limited. There are an abundance of fruit and nut trees in the area. I could probably make a go of it for a while, but not long term. I would not however (nor do I think many would) exclude fish and game. I don't survive now as a vegetarian, so I see no reason to do so in a wilderness setting either.

**RichJ** · 03-11-2009, 04:18 PM

I'd slap starve to death if I tried to live off of edibles.

That's why I have guaranteed protein getter. Go to the hardware store and get one of those large traditional wooden rat traps. Drill a hole big enough to tie on some paracord, tie to tree limb, set on top of limb with a little bit of peanut butter as bait and wait. You'll get a squirrel guarenteed.

**DOGMAN** · 03-11-2009, 04:31 PM

I'd have to hunt and fish as well...it may be possible here without meat...but I couldn't do it

**Canadian-guerilla** · 03-11-2009, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by vthompson

I know several wild edibles, but I would have to add fish or game to it in order to get by n a daily basis. I would have to cover a large area on a daily basis to rely solely on wild edibles.

ditto for me

**Runs With Beer** · 03-11-2009, 09:04 PM

Same here, I know the area where I live very well. If W.E. Includes meat and fish, For sure, With out, For a while yes, Long term No.

**Ole WV Coot** · 03-11-2009, 09:18 PM

I do know the greenery in my area but I consider it a salad before the meat or fish. Do I know them, yes. Could I live on them, no I ain't a rabbit. I need meat or fish.

**LowKey** · 03-11-2009, 11:10 PM

I'm like gryffynklm. I don't know how to hunt. Yet. But I've learned to make snares. And I can fish most seasons except deep winter. Ice is an issue without a drill or a decent axe.

Plants on the other hand, I know. At least for the Northeast. I was a botany major in college with a couple of professors that let us eat our lab material when it was edible. But I still won't do wild mushies. They scare me.

A winter would be tough dumped out in the middle of it but if you had the fall to prepare, it might not be so horrible. Unpleasant maybe. The first time.

Hops do grow wild in many places that used to be old farms. It's convincing the new farmer with the gun that you really aren't stealing his wheat and barley... LOL.

**wareagle69** · 03-12-2009, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by shankfisher

Depends. I know cattail and poke salad by sight, and can of course eat all the nuts, berries, and wild fruits (persimmon, possum grape), etc. Ate those as a kid. But what you need to know is how to select food by watching animals, touching to the tongue, waiting for reaction, scratching skin for a wipe test, waiting for reaction, eating a tiny bit, waiting for reaction, eating more, waiting for reaction, etc. You'll find something to eat if you can do that testing. You can then eat a bit and keep your strength up to wait on a rabbit, squirrel, or fish trap. To live forever? No.

shankfisher you are new to me, so i do not mean to offend with what i am going to say but, if you follow what you post you will be dead very fast, nevr and i mean nevr watch what animals eat, i have seen deer and rabbits eat the deadly amanita mushroom "smooth parasol and destroying angel" with zero ill effects. and i personally think the edibility test is crap.some toxins can be removed by cooking others cannot.

as to the poll, personally stated that i know my wild edibles but could not sustain on them, what they do for me is prolong my supplies and keep me alive in an emergency situation. i know a few that could live of of what the woods provide,but i am also saying that they live off of wilderness foods. what you say semantics, wild edibles, wilderness foods, wild is wild be it a bear or berry

as to sarges question , some area would be over run with folks trampling over food to try to find food, other areas such as where i live would be able to with stand the few folks who do know what they are doing in the bush. as i have stated before i moved here after years of consideration from arizona after going over a map of the states and canda and decided my best opportunity was here.

**shankfisher** · 03-12-2009, 02:05 PM