# Learning to live a subsistence lifestyle



## dumpster harpy

I wasn't sure where to post this.

I'm looking for somewhere I can go to learn the skills of subsistence living. Somewhere open to teaching an inexperienced but dedicated person how to live off the land.

If anyone has any leads or ideas, let me know.


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## Skav

Could you expand on that? My understanding of substance living is a broad label for any lifestyle that can provide the bare minimum for survival from primitive Hunter gathers to working at McDonald's.


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## Desperado Deluxe

Skav said:


> Could you expand on that? My understanding of substance living is a broad label for any lifestyle that can provide the bare minimum for survival from primitive Hunter gathers to working at McDonald's.


or eating Mc Donalds out of the trash.


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## dumpster harpy

I'm definitely looking for a something more primal, like Alaska or rural Maine. I want to learn how to hunt, trap, fish, and otherwise make it on my own in the bush.

As far as fitting in goes, I think I can get along with most independent-minded folks.

I'll check out that IC page. Thanks


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## Skav

I believe there is a place called Maine primitive skills school. Probably a one stop shop but might be expensive I don't know. 

You can also check Craigslist, your local conservation Dept and outdoor sporting goods store for lessons on the basics.
In the library of this site there's quite a few books on wilderness survival and bushcrafting 
As well as plenty of content on YouTube and other file share sites if you want to try teaching yourself.(Take YouTube content with a grain of salt)

Alternatively you could try wwoofing discuss with homesteads in and around Maine or Alaska what you're wanting to learn and you might luck out there. 

As far as actually living the lifestyle I have no clue how you would find a tribe/group unless you started one.

A note: while the basics of wilderness living skills are somewhat universal beyond that many skills become geographicly based as the plants, wildlife and natural materials change. I mention this because of the few FB groups regarding survival bushcrafting and the like i am in many seem to be unaware of this.


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## Deleted member 2626

I'm not fully sustained yet but on my land I forage wild edibles, do some fishing, trap small game, will be hunting bow and maybe rifle 2018. I own no vehicle, haul water a mile or so. Collect rain water, garden, trap and eat any destructive mice. Off grid no amenities and cook with strictly flame . Etc


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## Deleted member 2626

I'm open to decent people. If your coming from no experience as I'm guessing this is a good start and I don't charge. I'd rather start a fire with your paper money.


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## dumpster harpy

Well shit, man. Sign me up!

Seriously, I would love to come out there within the next couple of months.


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## iamwhatiam

Tatanka said:


> I'm not fully sustained yet but on my land I forage wild edibles, do some fishing, trap small game, will be hunting bow and maybe rifle 2018. I own no vehicle, haul water a mile or so. Collect rain water, garden, trap and eat any destructive mice. Off grid no amenities and cook with strictly flame . Etc



you had me until the eating mice thing. mice? really? i could see using mice flesh for bait to trap other animals or maybe fish with, but eating them....that's pretty hardcore


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## Tude

wasn't sure where to move this so it would get more reads but I think I did good. Many people want to live off the grid. I try to (within city limits) is focus on having a month supply of food, dry food - ability to heat, cat food/litter etc etc. 

But I also admire the people who really go the extra mileSSS to be off the grid. We have some information here but also google the info - there is a lot out there. and check out facebook communities too. I'm a member of a few off the grid groups - do search for that too "off the grid" - ya have to be a lady on this one but they are "off grid and homesteading ladies" - they share everything - from the solar panels they just built, chicken coop they just repaired to the animals butchered and the meats stored for the winter. Amazing stuff out there and here as well. Happy reading!!


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## Dameon

iamwhatiam said:


> you had me until the eating mice thing. mice? really? i could see using mice flesh for bait to trap other animals or maybe fish with, but eating them....that's pretty hardcore


This is actually a good point. Rodents tend to have a lot of parasites. This is a great way to give yourself worms.


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## Deleted member 2626

don't you realize cooking fully kills any foreign body? I keep away from their fresh shit and I only ate one and roasted it whole after skinning and gutting. bones crunch up easiley. greasy and good. its not something I'm on daily but i wil do it agsin and @malaclypse I'll be back to my site from the west coast in hopefully April. I own inlky 1.69 acres but it limits land taxes cheap but I forage and hunt and collect water etc from the land around me as it super lowly populated and I know everyone. but do take small game that passes through at times.


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## Dameon

Tatanka said:


> don't you realize cooking fully kills any foreign body?


Reaching the correct internal temperature for a certain period of time kills certain foreign bodies (different bacteria/parasites at different times in their life cycles die at different temperatures after different periods of times). You should be fine as long as you're cleaning them properly and cooking them fully, but personally, I don't like eating worms, even if they're fully cooked. There's so much other small game, I'd go for just about anything before mice.


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