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How to prepare for month-long survival journey?
pure_eval13
Registered User new member
Registered User new member
Hi,
I am planning to do a survior-man/naked into the wilderness type journey for about a month next summer and I am wondering if anyone has done something like this before or can give me some advice on preparing and getting started.
Basically, my goal is to go out to the woods for about a month, bringing as little with me as possible, to get in touch with my natural self. Ideally, the less outside artifacts I bring the better. I would want to start my own fire, make my own tools, and hunt my own food.
I am looking to do this as safely as possible. I'm not trying to go out with a bang like Thelma/Louise or anything like that. I'm just looking for a challenging adventure. What I would like to know is:
Where is an ideal place to do this? I.e. somewhere that I don't have a 50% chance of running into a grizzly with no way to escape.
What are some skills I should learn about over the next year that would help me out with this?
Anything else I should know or do to prepare?
I am planning to do a survior-man/naked into the wilderness type journey for about a month next summer and I am wondering if anyone has done something like this before or can give me some advice on preparing and getting started.
Basically, my goal is to go out to the woods for about a month, bringing as little with me as possible, to get in touch with my natural self. Ideally, the less outside artifacts I bring the better. I would want to start my own fire, make my own tools, and hunt my own food.
I am looking to do this as safely as possible. I'm not trying to go out with a bang like Thelma/Louise or anything like that. I'm just looking for a challenging adventure. What I would like to know is:
Where is an ideal place to do this? I.e. somewhere that I don't have a 50% chance of running into a grizzly with no way to escape.
What are some skills I should learn about over the next year that would help me out with this?
Anything else I should know or do to prepare?
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Hunting, fishing, and starting a fire is not universally legal. So you could wind up getting a park ranger rolling up on you and escorting you out. So you need to get that settled.
Food and fresh water is the next big issue. A canteen, a good knife and something to keep it sharp. And how do you plan to hunt? Bow and arrow? Traps? Both? Depending on what area and when, there may not be all that many good options.
I'd really ease into this to start with. A couple days with an easy escape route, then maybe a week. If that all goes well, maybe a couple times, then you could look at it for a full month.
Not for "survival tips and tricks", but more for "what happens when humans mix up their own image of mother nature with the real mother nature".
I advise you to go camping, with a car etc, and practice building a shelter on your own, making a fire, etc. Also try intentionally planning this for when it is going to rain.
If you can build a shelter that can keep you warm and dry in the rain and can reliably create fire, your chances of success or having a good time multiply immensely. I cant reccommend trying to learn these things your first attempt out.
Also try to choose a spot near a river or lake, makes getting water easy and you can fish for food reliably. No need to try hard mode on your first time out
Anyway, just from the tone of your post, it sounds like outdoorsmanship is something that you have zero practical experience with. How much hunting have you done before?
I mean, just try camping for a weekend first, somewhere you can fish, with a plan on how to identify the local flora you can eat, and see how well you eat for just two days. And bring a tent with you so at least you've got a dry basecamp when you try it out. It's interesting how demoralizing it can be even when the weather's good when you don't have a space for yourself at the end of the day.
Also, mosquitoes.
Into the Wild would be very good viewing before getting too far into a plan like this.
*edit* Also, field prepping wild game more complicated than fish? Erg. Made me really appreciate what a butcher saves me from having to do myself.
As others have said, a month is too long, even preparing a year away. Doing something like making tools sounds like a bad idea. Or at least bring a real axe as well.
Figure out where you're going, learn the sounds and habits of all the local wildlife.
Learn some advanced first aid. I'm talking how to clean, dress, and suture a wound. How to take care of burns. What to do about trench foot. Etc.
Take a few day trips to wherever you're doing this, learn the weather patterns (what looks like rain, what looks like a bad storm, etc.)
If you're really going to go for a month, not only is it important to learn what you can safely eat, but what you need to eat to get your appropriate calories and vitamins.
Learn to make close approximations of clothes and shoes.
Get at least one comprehensive physical by a doctor done before you go. Guess where you don't want to be when that slight back pain turns into a herniated disc.
Learn to make proper rope from whatever is going to be handy.
Do physical activity every day for a week, but no showers. Find out just how bad you're going to stink. (Protip: It's bad. Real bad.)
In the safety of your home, deprive yourself of food for several days. Learn to recognize what happens to your body and mind without proper nutrition, so you can be prepared.
Ditto for water, except replace 'several days' with 'like, a day and half, max, so you don't die because of my advice.'
I think that's it for now. But seriously, that's just off the top of my head in 15 minutes. You need to really cram a lot of learning into your skull if you're actually going to try this.
Practice things in a safe environment. When you pick your location, find an experienced guide who knows the area and get as much information from them as you can.
But seriously don't do this until you have taken many wilderness survival courses and have passed with flying colours. You can't just decide to go out into the wilderness. Mother nature is unforgiving and if you fuck up the smallest thing it will come back to bite you in ways you can't predict, especially if you're inexperienced.
Even if you want to try making tools and stuff like that, bring backups because you will fuck up. Making fire without at least a flint and steel is fucking agonizing if you're inexperienced. Like it will take you hours and hours. Get a good firesteel (I own one of these: http://www.industrialrev.com/swedish-firesteel-2.0-scout.html ), a good knife/multitool, and some waterproof matches. Learn to start fires at least 3 different ways.
Seriously though I can't emphasize this enough: TAKE AS MANY WILDERNESS SURVIVAL COURSES AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
And for goodness sake tell someone where you're going and how long you plan to be gone.
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
Making serviceable versions of either in the wild is NOT easy, and is going to be very dependent upon what's available. And even under the best conditions, it's unlikely anything you make will be as reliable as a quality one you can get for cheap.
And I'll re-state and agree with the "go for a couple days" thing. If you go for a month and screw up, you're done for. You go for a couple days and screw up... you could still be done for, but at least there is a better chance of you being found alive when people are looking for you for not being back in time.
Even experienced outdoorsmen die in the desert when they think they're prepared.
Go somewhere with lots of trees and fresh water. Pine boughs are lovely for making bedding and roofs for your shelter, and fresh water should be obvious.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
I would recommend boiling the water before drinking because things like giardia can live in streams and lakes, so bring a couple of pots.
My sister did one of these, a dog sledding trip up in Alaska. They're guided tours, yes, but the way she described it, the instructors are there to show the students how things are done and make sure nobody gets hurt. The students do most of the work themselves, taking on more responsibility as they gain experience over the course of the trip. There's time set aside for personal introspection each day, and every trip has a night you spend entirely by yourself - the instructors make the rounds once or twice to make sure you're not dying, but otherwise you're on your own. If nothing else, you'd get valuable experience with living in wilderness.
I would start with some "regular" unplugged travel. Like a short green tortoise tour. Do some supervised hiking, rafting, climbing, while you learn a little more about what you want out of the experience. Do you want isolation? Do you want self reliance? Do you want exotic settings/foods/etc? You might find as you step up the process, some intermediary form of travel satisfies you.
Then a little car camping, maybe practice your archery and knapping (the actual name for making your own sharp tools out of rock or glass) in that time. There are knapping starter kits that are already blade shaped and you just sharpen them, then harder ones that are just ovals and you do the final shape and sharpening, then so on and so forth until you're starting with a rock.
You're not,realistically, going to jump off and do everything on your list very safely very soon, unless you do it in mild tropics like tahiti.
Generally speaking, there is a LOT of public land you can camp on in the western states. in the east, you're looking at a lower ratio of it and it tends to be a little harder to access.
The Salt Lake area offers a great mix of climates and access to national parks and such without actually being in murderfuck levels of isolation, cold or heat. The Flagstaff plateau (southern side of grand canyon) is another pretty good one. If you can leave the country, Belize is a great option - great weather, friendly people, fairly cheap, without some of the "issues" that northern mexico is infamous for.
Also, it's a little self-helpy but I recommend the books vagabonding and the War of Art to people looking to do long term travel. They aren't really logistics books on how to survive, but mindset books on overcoming self sabotage.
I host a podcast about movies.
― John Quincy Adams
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Wild_(book)
― John Quincy Adams
― John Quincy Adams
Honestly, If this is your first resource for wilderness survival I do not think you should start planning for a month. It's a nice idea but the first step to surviving on your own in the wild is experience. You need to scout local hiking areas and camp grounds. Spend a day out trying to start a fire on your own just in your backyard for a bit of perspective.
I spent a good year reading survival guides and watching wilderness documentaries. You're never quite prepared until you actually find yourself in the thick of it. A good example is that people always mention how dark it is when you're alone in the woods. That's something that is easy to miss because hey i've been in dark places before and that's no big deal.
But the first time you're alone in the dark and in the woods it really doesn't compare to what you've imagined. Be safe and take it slow.
This was my first thought... what's wrong with going hiking for a couple of weeks with a tent and modern amenities that make being in nature less difficult?
Something like...
Oh, let's say
1 folding saw - either a bahco laplander or a silky
1 good quality hatchet - hand-forged is always ideal - something balanced between being shaped for chopping and splitting would be best
1 sturdy bushcraft knife such as a Spyderco G-10
1 flint striker
1 cook pot
1 package of emergency rations
if you can take more than this, I recommend
a small tacklebox with sinkers, hooks, and plenty of line
100 feet or so of good, strong rope
and one of those water filter straws if you really feel like cheating
First off, we should get this out of the way - you aren't going to be able to make your own bow in the wild. I mean, maybe you could, but it'll be an awfully shitty one. That is, unless you want to bring a well-cured (6 months plus of drying), 6 foot length of ash or osage orange with you, along with a couple of rasps and a draw knife and materials to make and lash and wrap a proper string. And I doubt, from the tone of your OP, that you're going to want to bring a gun, though honestly if we're being realistic, something like a hunting rifle or a small caliber pistol is recommended (but even that opens up about 6 and a half more cans of worms for you re: hunting regulations). I bring up the bow and the gun because if you're not using them, you probably aren't going to be hunting successfully.
which means that you're basically relegated to traps or fishing if you want to catch some food. Or, you know, eating bugs.
I really don't think that you should just dive head first into this. Even if you just simplify your needs to warmth, clean water, food, and shelter, there are a lot of things to consider, such as sickness, falls, animal attacks, etc.
And I've tried making my own bows before. I actually managed a pretty decent recurve when working with aluminum in a machine shop. It was fun. My attempts at wood though (ash) working with good instruction and good equipment, always ended in splinters.
Communing with nature is great, but you can get that on a hike or a simpler camping trip. I'd suggest taking somebody with you if you plan on hiking or going somewhere remote - if you think that's dumb feel free to check out something called 127 Hours. People bite off more than they can chew, go off trail, get lost, and die more often than I'm comfortable with. If you're going somewhere very remote where you will only have a few chances to be seen by people, buy one of those signaling mirrors with the star cut in the middle. Look up how to use them and they could save your life. Also bleach drops.
TL;DR: Metaphysical bonding with nature will never transcend your physical need for water, food, and avoiding dysentery. @DaMoonRulz
Edit: If I were doing what you're thinking about I'd do most of the things everyone here has mentioned and also get a decent bag or backpack/rucksack to fit everything that I'd need, including a sleeping bag rated for lower than the temperature band I'm expecting as well as a bivvy sack for it. Depending on terrain and weather you could even get by with a hammock, but that's pushing it. Get a few MREs if you must, you can make one MRE last two or three days easily if you can ration. Always have a method to get more water.
atlatl's are where its at
much easier to make
Even an experienced woodsman packing as many supplies and equipment as they could carry would be hard pressed to spend a month alone in the wild. It takes knowledge built up over a lifetime and much less ambitious plans still kill a lot of people more experienced than you are (or will be). A week in the wild (the point you're low / out of rations) is a whole different beast than a night or two. A month (where you need to find a sustainable source of food) is a whole different beast than a week or so where you may be 'hungry' but not 'starving to death'.
Anyway though, highly recommend going to a hiking / outdoor board where you can get some more knowledgeable advice.
That said:
Tools:
Don't plan on making your own spears / bows / axes. It seems like it should be pretty easy - after all, a caveman can do it - but it's deceptively difficult. Go buy one of the knapping kits or make your own bow and you'll be surprised how hard it is in perfect conditions. Now think of doing it in less than ideal conditions, with whatever materials you can find, and doing it hungry.
Food:
- Snares and fishing aren't particularly hard if you've got rope or line and barbed hooks assuming there are fish / game. Outside a few specific situations (salmon run, etc) they are pretty hard if you don't have the right materials. Without a gun or modern bow, you probably aren't going to kill anything big enough to give you more than a meal and even then it'll be a lot of work.
- Your body is used to eating fresh food. You probably don't eat much if any meat that's spoiled, you probably don't eat much if any meat that's undercooked. There aren't a lot of ways to preserve meat alone in the woods so whatever food you do get needs to be eaten within about a day. That means even if you do catch something, it might be a few hungry days until you eat something else.
- Foraging is good, and with good planning on location / season you might be able to forage enough to survive on even without meat. You'll still need to know what is safe to eat and what isn't. And have a plan for not being able to find enough food.
- Water depends on where you are at if it's a challenge or not. Make sure you have a ready source, and some way to purify it (unless you bring a pot, don't plan on boiling anything).
- Don't worry about being prepared to eat bugs. A few days without food and you'll be completely prepared.
Shelter / Clothing:
- Will depend on where you are at. A month on a Hawaiian Island is different than a month in Death Valley (don't even think about it - you will die) is different than a month in Alaska. Good shelter isn't easy to build with whatever random things you can find in the woods, and it takes time and energy to make.
- Fire isn't easy to build without matches or a striker. Try doing it sometime in perfect conditions - it's exhausting and hard. Now imagine doing it freezing, hungry, and in the rain.
- Clothing is going to depend on what you bring. Depending on the time of year and location, you could be talking a 50 degree or more temperature swing over the course of a month. Are you prepared for 90*? Are you prepared for 35* and raining? Again, outside of Hawaii you probably will need to consider at least one extreme, if not both.
Health:
- Bugs. Of course they can carry disease. But even if they don't make you sick, are you able to put up with constant harassment from them? Can you live with dozens or hundreds of bug bites over your body, or will it drive you insane?
- Bad food or water will make you sick. Your body isn't used to it. Shitting your guts out is not only unpleasant, but it can dehydrate and kill you.
- Scrapes / cuts happen. Twisted ankles and broken arms / wrists happen. Snakebites happen. Infections happen. If you aren't prepared to deal with them, don't even think about it. Even if you're truly roughing it, a first aid kid appropriate to your area (i.e. antivenom if there are snakes, etc) is an absolute necessity.
- Exposure and hypothermia can kill you. Hypothermia is particularly insidious because of how it affects your cognitive abilities.
- Wild animals generally will leave people alone, but not always. Bears, mountain lions, of course they are dangerous. But if you aren't careful, even a snared rabbit or bird can scratch you and cause an infection. Your dinner might get eaten by something else if you aren't careful. Are you ready to deal with a territorial elk or moose?
Other things:
- You should always have an 'escape hatch'. Satellite phone, periodic check-ins, etc.
- The location is important. If you're in a managed natural park, your experience will be quite different than a hundred miles from civilization in Canada / Alaska. You might be surprised at how different a 'real' forest is than your expectations. Most of the above is also location (and seasonally) dependent. What foods are safe to eat, temperature swings, water availability, etc. Even ease of rescue are important factors.
- Don't work without a net. Again, always have an escape hatch.
- Start small, car camping, a night, a weekend, maybe a day or two hiking, etc. You need to build up to it.
- Local laws. Every state is different, every forest / park is different. Don't eat a bald eagle (don't try - it will mess you up).
Remember, even expert woodsmen die trying to do far less ambitious things than you're talking about. Listen to advice - if not from the video game forum, than from the expert outdoorsman forum. Don't even think about doing it without good supplies until you've done it with supplies.
Also, bring toilet paper.