The majority of information available online regarding long-term wilderness survival is inadequate. It is predominantly authored by individuals with minimal experience in the wilderness, typically lasting only a few weeks. If you believe that you can sustain and flourish alone for several months or a year solely with the contents of your backpack, reconsider your beliefs. Although it is not an impossible task, our ancestors were capable of overcoming comparable challenges. However, it necessitates possessing the right location, team, strategy, gear, skills, and knowledge.
Unless you have a well-planned strategy, purchasing a Bug Out Bag online alone will not prepare you to sustain yourself in the wilderness. It would be unwise and impractical to enter the woods without a comprehensive long-term bug out plan.
This post will discuss the fundamental elements that should be included in a long-term wilderness strategy.
Proper Planning
Only a very small number of individuals are capable of thriving in a prolonged wilderness situation. Numerous posts about bug out bags for wilderness scenarios can be found online; although I don’t consider myself an authority, my firsthand experience of residing in the wilderness for half a year grants me a pragmatic viewpoint.
The act of retreating into the wilderness has been a long-standing practice for humans. Throughout history, individuals have sought solace in distant locations. Regrettably, nowadays, the availability of secluded and untamed areas is diminishing. The prevalence of diverse species and abundant wildlife is also decreasing. It is essential to have a source of sustenance nearby, or else the risk of starvation becomes imminent.
Gone are the days when numerous Bison freely roamed the Great Plains, as our land has drastically changed due to deforestation, infrastructure, agriculture, and population expansion. It is essential to acknowledge that although 99% of our human ancestors were hunter-gatherers, the wilderness they once knew no longer exists. If one desires to escape into the wild, it is necessary to have a remaining wilderness to retreat to.
Location
The possibility of living off the land and the approach to doing so greatly depend on your location. A location with reliable and plentiful food is of utmost significance. It is advisable to choose an area close to a substantial water source, such as a coastal region near a river delta, as it offers the best combination of advantages.
If you are looking for a trustworthy and excellent source of wild food, fishing is highly recommended. The ideal location for your fishing activities should be a secluded and isolated wilderness area, far away from any roads, in order to minimize potential competition and prevent unwanted attention.
The climate you can expect, including the amount of rain, snow, and cold, will be determined by the location.
In order to determine where to go for hunting both big game and small game, it is advisable to conduct research on the animals inhabiting that particular area. This can be done by utilizing wolf range maps along with maps showing the diversity of ungulate and carnivore mammals.
Friction Fire
Fire by friction, which is one of the oldest techniques for creating fire from the natural environment, involves spinning a drill on a board or using a sawing motion. The key to most friction methods is reciprocation. Regardless of the technique chosen, there are certain factors to keep in mind. The selection of materials is crucial, with softer wood species being preferred for the friction components of the fire sets. This wood should be dead and dry, but not rotten, as indicated by bark falling off or fungi sprouting. It is also important to focus on species with low ignition temperatures and low levels of pitch, which can act as a lubricant and ruin the friction. Finally, proper construction of the kit and acquiring the skill of using it are necessary. There are many potential challenges in this intricate art form, but when executed correctly, fire is achieved.
Tying Knots
Without the necessary string, cord, and rope, all the hours spent practicing knot tying skills will be in vain. Cordage production plays a vital role in providing the materials needed for tying knots. The most basic form of cordage does not require braiding, twisting, or cutting. Instead, it can be immediately used as it is, obtained from various plants. Vines such as wisteria, elastic roots like spruce roots, and ribbon-like pieces of bark can all serve as alternatives for cordage. While they may be too rigid for intricate knots, a simple sheet bend is often sufficient. For those with extensive knowledge of plants, inner bark fibers from specific trees can be twisted into strands of cordage with varying lengths and thicknesses. All that is required is time, raw materials, and some practice.
Stone Blades
Various stone working techniques can be employed worldwide to fashion highly sharp blades from ordinary rocks. For instance, by striking a narrow edge on a piece of flint or quartz with a small stone cobble, you can produce a sharp stone flake suitable for numerous camping tasks. These blades are resilient, capable of performing activities ranging from slicing rope to cutting food, mirroring the durability of the stones they originate from. What truly sets them apart from expensive survival knives is the fact that these stone flakes are disposable. If you had an alternative, you wouldn’t want to use your sole knife for animal butchery. Personally, I have not only skinned but also dissected whole deer using sharp quartz flakes. Once finished, there’s no need to return a soiled knife to its sheath; simply discard the stone into the woods and continue on.
Trap Making
If trapping has never crossed your mind as a survival skill, there are multiple reasons why you should consider it. Trapping serves the purpose of controlling predators and allows you to hunt game animals that are not easily pursued, such as those that are active at night. Moreover, trapping can be a means of obtaining sustenance during harsh weather conditions. It is an intelligent and practical way to increase your chances of acquiring meat, as long as you adhere to the established guidelines. To successfully capture game even in your absence, it is necessary to ensure that your scent is concealed and employ numerous traps. Whether you opt for deadfalls, snares, or other devices, trapping encompasses a wide range of techniques and factors that could go awry. Nonetheless, when survival trapping proves successful, it feels like obtaining food without cost.
Building a Shelter
Do you recall the small stick forts you constructed during childhood? It is now the moment to construct another one, and this time, it will serve as a lifesaver. Numerous survival shelters can be constructed using natural resources. If we manage to maintain a fire throughout the night, lean-tos can block the wind and offer some warmth. On the other hand, debris huts provide better nighttime warmth despite being more time-consuming and cramped to build. Whichever architectural style you opt for, remember these tips.
- Make sure you allow enough time to build it before dark
- Choose a build site with good drainage (don’t build in a ditch or ravine)
- Pick a spot with abundant building materials for quicker construction
- Orient the door away from prevailing winds and storms
- Keep your fire downwind of the shelter, especially if it’s built from dead leaves, dry grasses and other flammable vegetation
