# Living off the land



## LysergicAbreaction (Oct 27, 2018)

Is this even a realistic notion?

Like, can a person who was well trained really just walk out into nature and survive? ...And not just for like week or two, but actually survive as a lifestyle?

What's the minimum one would need?


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## Eng JR Lupo RV323 (Oct 27, 2018)

With enough education and training, absolutely. I know 99% of all "reality TV" is bullshit but there's a show on history channel called "Alone" and it's pretty fucking clear they're not aiding these people in any way whatsoever. They're going hard for a few months or better in the harshest climates in the most unforgiving territories. So I imagine if you located a place a little less harsh you could absolutely live off the land indefinitely. 

What's the minimum you would need? I think that is entirely subjective to where you're doing this at. You won't need the same set of gear for BC wilderness as you would in say Arkansas.


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## Thewalkindude (Oct 27, 2018)

Look up the documentary "Happy people: A year in the taiga". Only tools they use from modern civilization is a chainsaw and a snowmobile, which is pretty much essential in the environment they're in. Pretty damn impressive


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## Jackthereaper (Oct 27, 2018)

Check out “primitive technology” on youtube. You really only need knowledge and you absolutely can live off the land. Its not easy though.


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## LysergicAbreaction (Oct 27, 2018)

Engineer J Lupo said:


> With enough education and training, absolutely. I know 99% of all "reality TV" is bullshit but there's a show on history channel called "Alone" and it's pretty fucking clear they're not aiding these people in any way whatsoever. They're going hard for a few months or better in the harshest climates in the most unforgiving territories. So I imagine if you located a place a little less harsh you could absolutely live off the land indefinitely.
> 
> What's the minimum you would need? I think that is entirely subjective to where you're doing this at. You won't need the same set of gear for BC wilderness as you would in say Arkansas.




Right now it's not a serious plan, more of a dream.

I would want to be living in the Colorado Rockies, and would likely have a pack, a sleeping bag, maybe a tent, but ultimately the bare minimum...

I've always dreamed about just living in nature.

I know it won't be any type of a cakewalk, but I think if I studied and trained I could do it.

Are there classes for wilderness survival?


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## LysergicAbreaction (Oct 27, 2018)

Thewalkindude said:


> Look up the documentary "Happy people: A year in the taiga". Only tools they use from modern civilization is a chainsaw and a snowmobile, which is pretty much essential in the environment they're in. Pretty damn impressive



Awesome. Will do.

The more I can learn about how this can be done the better.


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## LysergicAbreaction (Oct 27, 2018)

Jackthereaper said:


> Check out “primitive technology” on youtube. You really only need knowledge and you absolutely can live off the land. Its not easy though.



I'm guessing it Will be tough.

Are there training courses or classes?

Or will I have to learn through books and meeting others who live that way?


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## Deleted member 20683 (Oct 27, 2018)

oh it is possible, a lot of ways to approach it and a lot of info out there.
my recommendation, if you're on the road, go to a primitive skills gathering like rabbit stick or winter count, meet some buckskin-clad crazies and get inspired.


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## LysergicAbreaction (Oct 27, 2018)

oak moth said:


> oh it is possible, a lot of ways to approach it and a lot of info out there.
> my recommendation, if you're on the road, go to a primitive skills gathering like rabbit stick or winter count, meet some buckskin-clad crazies and get inspired.



I have actually been spending most of my time indoors. I almost never leave my house.

I have been on the streets before, and have had to tough it out more than once, but recently all I do is sit in my room...

Thanks for the advice.

I'm going to start doing all the research I can.

...oh, and if anybody has actually done this, please offer some pointers. Thanks.


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## Deleted member 20683 (Oct 27, 2018)

the books of tom brown jr. are a huge touchstone for a lot of people who are into this stuff, he founded a wilderness skills school called tracker school. there are other places like it.


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## LysergicAbreaction (Oct 27, 2018)

oak moth said:


> the books of tom brown jr. are a huge touchstone for a lot of people who are into this stuff, he founded a wilderness skills school called tracker school. there are other places like it.




Again, thank you, your input is very much appreciated, since I'm basically uneducated here, all of your pointers and suggestions are highly appreciated


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## Eng JR Lupo RV323 (Oct 27, 2018)

I definitely wouldn't make my first move locating some sort of classes. You're gonna pay for those and it might not be anything you couldn't have found online for free. I would first spend days and days going down rabbit holes online, youtube videos, reading blogs, whatever you can soak up for free. As @Jackthereaper suggested, Primitive Technology is a great place to start. That should inspire you greatly if you're interested in doing this with limited tools or no tools/resources. This guy starts out with sticks and stones. He's eventually building tile roofed structures with heated flooring, it's ridiculous.

You can learn tons from there but you have to factor in the environment is probably drastically different where you're talkin. He's got access to vines and clay that you might not be able to find at all. That's going to be more so reading books of native plant species of the rockies and whatnot. Knowing what is edible, etc. Knowing what plants can be made into rope, etc. It's certainly different all over the world.

Also factor in the land itself, who's is it? Can you build there? Are you talking about buying land? You definitely need to figure that part of your plan out. Another channel I've been binging lately is My Self Reliance. It's not really all that primitive but he more or less keeps it limited to saws and axes and ends up with a really nice cabin in the end.

Hunt Primitive is worth checking out as well. Those other channels are more so about resources and building. You still gotta figure out a way to eat, so go down that rabbit hole too. After you've exhausted all of these just look in the related/suggested videos for more shit.


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## Jackthereaper (Oct 27, 2018)

Eating should be easy once you can make a bow etc. how primitive you want to get is up to you.
@Engineer J Lupo info is very good, and those resources should have you knowing where to look next.

If you havent yet done some true self guided learning it can be daunting. Take it step by step and Write out goals, and work towards those goals. Spending money on classes that contain no more information than a weeks youtube binging isnt a good return on money imo.


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## Deleted member 20683 (Oct 27, 2018)

@Engineer J Lupo nice links! yea classes can be pricey but there are some who do work trade and what not. and i was thinking of as you mentioned, it's very regional dependent knowledge. good to get hands on experience with someone in your actual neck of the woods if possible, meet other people who are interested in the same sort of thing, etc.


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## Desperado Deluxe (Oct 28, 2018)

LysergicAbreaction said:


> Is this even a realistic notion?
> 
> Like, can a person who was well trained really just walk out into nature and survive? ...And not just for like week or two, but actually survive as a lifestyle?
> 
> What's the minimum one would need?


use the search feature::wacky::


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## CouchPunx (Oct 28, 2018)

Another documentary is Alone in the Wilderness, this guy just rolls up into the middle of nowhere in Alaska’s with some basic hand tools and builds a houses and lives the rest of his life there. Really inspiring as well as showing some practical stuff and some beautiful scenery


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## Jackthereaper (Oct 28, 2018)

CouchPunx said:


> Another documentary is Alone in the Wilderness, this guy just rolls up into the middle of nowhere in Alaska’s with some basic hand tools and builds a houses and lives the rest of his life there. Really inspiring as well as showing some practical stuff and some beautiful scenery


Dick Proenneke was a BEAST


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## ResistMuchObeyLittle (Oct 30, 2018)

First things first- Buy or download Mors Kochanski's book Bushcraft, and watch everyone of his youtube videos! He's basically the grandfather of Bushcraft. Richard Graves-Bushcraft is another good book, Ray Mears, Tom Brown Jr, etc. I'd def recommend practicing first or you'll end up lost and dead- no joke. I can attest that ALONE is a pretty legit show as I was picked in the running order for season 2 but unfortunately didn't make the final cut. I think they want people with families so on the show they get emotional and start crying and saying how bad they miss their kids etc. I was single and ready for the long haul. Got sent camera equipment and everything, signed a non-disclosure, etc. Oh well. Life goes on. Watch ALONE. You'll see that getting food isn't as easy as most people sound when you're WAAAY OFF THE BEATEN PATH. Sure, food is easy to get if you're only ten or 20 miles from a town. Different story if you're way off in the Rockies, N Cascades, etc. It always looks easier than it really is- hence how Chris McCandless ended up starving. He lasted like 110 days out there, which is pretty damn good as most people have supplies flown in or they go to town every so often to stock up. 

Another idea is to do like I did and go work in Alaska for a season and learn from other people who've truly lived out in the Bush before just jumping into something that could kill you. 
Hypothermia is a big killer. Read up on how to treat medical issues such as hypothermia, etc. etc. 

Also, If you're afraid of bears or cougars you're in for a treat. Learn how to deal with those threats. Last thing you want is to end up stuffed in a bear den or end up cougar food. A trick with that is get a beanie and sew or pin on what looks like 2 eyes onto the back of your hat. Cougars are stealthy and usually attack from behind at the neck(from research).

DICK PROENNEKE IS A LEGEND. READ HIS BOOKS. He was such a master craftsmen. He actually spent time in the area he moved to before hand and had friends who had their cabin there and also friends who lived not far(by plane) from there in Port Alsworth(I visited there). He talks about how he worked and saved before he moved out to Lake Clarke to see if he could last a year and ended up living there over 30 years. His journals are REALLY informative. He wrote every day he was there- about his food, weather, mountains, animals, etc. 30 years worth of observation of the AK Wilderness.


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## ResistMuchObeyLittle (Oct 30, 2018)

"Are there classes for wilderness survival?"

There's a ton of classes on Wilderness Survival, but there's also a lot of bullshit salesmen too.
Cody Lundin, Tony Nester, http://jackmtn.com/, Tom Brown Jr. Tracker school are legit and knowledgeable...
Tim Smith, founder of Jackmtn is no joke. The real deal. lives it, breathes it.


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