Part 1 – What You Need to Know to Live in the Wild
Even individuals just beginning the process of prepping for survival understand the importance of surviving in the wilderness. Many individuals preparing for a survival scenario own items like tents, gas cookers, non-perishable food items, and so on, in the event of a crisis.
But what if you don’t have access to these items in an emergency? Emergency situations are inherently uncertain, so it’s possible that you won’t be able to retrieve your emergency survival prepper kit, such as during a sudden evacuation from a place where it’s not easily accessible.
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Even if you’re equipped with survival gear, there’s always a chance that something might go wrong, get used up, or be lost or stolen. By knowing how to utilize natural resources available in the wilderness, you can avoid these problems.
In addition to understanding fundamental bushcraft abilities, you must practice these skills to employ them swiftly and effectively in emergency situations. Furthermore, ensure that other members of your family are also familiar with these skills.
Related: Grab-and-Run Emergency Kits for Swift Evacuation and Preparedness
You never know what circumstances may arise that might necessitate other people’s assistance in carrying out essential skills like administering first aid, constructing a fire, and even locating and preparing food and drink.
Here, you’ll find the five (5) most important survival skills you should master if you’re a beginner. Begin with one technique and gradually learn all five techniques to guarantee the safety and well-being of you and your family if you ever find yourself in the wilderness.
Part 1 – An Overview of Bushcraft Shelter Construction
One of the most important skills to learn when living entirely in the wilderness is how to construct a shelter. There are several factors that need to be considered when creating a secure and comfortable dwelling using only natural materials found in the area.
When you’re constructing a shelter, the location is a crucial consideration. It’s important to choose a site that allows you to access necessary resources while also remaining safe.
Watch this: Learn 10 Beginner Bushcraft & Survival Skills
For instance, constructing a shelter next to a water source poses a threat due to the likelihood of floods. Additionally, it may attract wild animals like bears, making it necessary to maintain a safe distance while still having access to it when necessary.
It’s also risky to build a shelter close to an insect-infested location such as an anthill or other creature’s habitat. Look for any sign of danger, including bear caves, to avoid such areas.
The environment in which you construct your shelter can be dangerous as well. It’s best to avoid constructing in a location that is excessively cold, such as on a mountaintop. Similarly, if you’re in a hot region, it’s best to avoid placing your shelter in direct sunshine. Instead, search for a shaded area to maintain a consistent temperature.
To construct a suitable shelter, you’ll need to select an appropriate construction technique. It’s important to choose a structure that can withstand harsh weather conditions and dangerous animals.
Some popular types of emergency shelters include the lean-to, debris hut, teepee, and the A-frame. These structures are commonly used for survival situations where one needs temporary housing outdoors.
Consult with manuals or watch instructional videos on the internet to learn to construct these survival shelters. Start with one shelter at a time, learning how to construct it with as well as without the necessary tools. It’s possible that you’ll have a knife or string available.
Related: The Ultimate SHTF Survival Lessons Guide, Lesson #3-5, Shelter, Fire Building and Communication
It’s crucial that you train yourself in constructing shelters before encountering a real emergency. You can test your skills using online tutorials initially, but eventually, you should be able to construct one without assistance.
If you find yourself in the wilderness and must construct a temporary shelter (Watch this), you’ll be under a lot of stress. You’ll most likely be fatigued from a long hike, making it difficult to remember what to do. It’s best to familiarize yourself with the necessary skills before you need to construct your shelter.
It’s crucial to ensure that your family members understand how to construct these shelters in case anyone becomes separated from the group. You can do this by either teaching them individually or having everyone learn how to construct them together. However, it’s also important that they practice and master the skill themselves.
To construct a suitable bushcraft shelter, you’ll need to know where and how to acquire the necessary components. Ideally, you would have a resilient tarpaulin or a tent on hand for this purpose.
If you don’t have a tarp and must gather materials from the wild, most shelters necessitate the use of wooden components. Wood gathering can be challenging if you don’t have the proper tools, so you may need to learn to break branches.
Logs and branches lying on the ground (Watch) can often be collected, although this is not always feasible. If you have a set of tools, having a saw or ax at your disposal can be beneficial.
If you’re considering purchasing tools for your survival, make sure they can withstand a lot of wear and tear and are well-suited to harsh weather conditions. These tools will be crucial when it comes to constructing your shelter, which will play a vital role in your overall safety and success.
Read this (from a Conservative at collapsesurvivalsite.com): 4 Facts That Convinced Me Climate Change Is Real
On the other hand, it’s possible that something might happen to your tools and they could become lost or broken. Therefore, you should also know how to create your own tools. While it won’t be as simple as receiving a pre-made product delivered to your doorstep, it is preferable to not having any tools at your disposal.
You can construct various objects using wood and rocks. Look for a stone that’s somewhat similar to the object you’re making and use another large rock to break off any unwanted portions.
You can create a space for your stone within the wooden structure by using a pointed rock and carving it out. In order to keep the stone and the wooden frame connected, you require a substance that will function as a cord. You could use sturdy vegetation for this purpose, such as vines, or even a section of stripped-away tree bark that hasn’t dried out excessively.
You don’t need to meticulously carve an ideal space within a wooden log into a helpful tool. Certain natural substances can be used directly, such as a large rock employed as a hammer. Additionally, you can use a stick to dig out holes in the construction of your shelter.
Read next: Bushcraft – Part 2 Gathering & Preparing Foods in the Wilderness
I’m the daughter of 2 original survivalists who moved from the north to sunny Florida. My mother, along with her parents, bought 30 mostly uncleared acres in 1938. The first home was made of pecky-cypress and built by a house-raising. My mother raised 10,000 chickens.
My divorced mother met and married my father in 1948. From pine trees on our property, he hand-built a log cabin. He also built a tarpaper-lined 65’x45′ pool with duck pond overflow. We had an artesian well for our water and powering our hand-built waterwheel for the pool. He built a substantial cantilevered roof workshop with a car pit in the massive cement floor.
Since my early teens, I have read a ton of books about survival, prepping, the bomb, an apocalypse, homestead living, and SHTF situations. As an adult, I continue to read sci-fi, survival prepping, and science. I practice a prepper lifestyle albeit a bit modified, read a lot, buy a lot, pack/store a lot of anything survival related.
Read my About Me post for more details on our self-sufficient living. I lived there until I went to college in 1968.
My SurvivalPrepperSupply.com blog strives to educate individuals on coping with natural and human-caused disasters using article posts about preparing for emergencies.
