Hi there, I've been reading the forum now again for a little while, but I couldn't find the answers I was after so I thought I'd register so I could ask.
I am considering spending a night out in a forest later on this week. This is nothing big, I know, and nothing perhaps out of the ordinary for most of you guys on the forum, however you're the experts, so broadly, what I'm asking is, for somebody like me, am I being a bit silly by doing this when I've got relatively little experience of roughing it, or making a mountain out of a molehill?.
Basically, me and a mate are thinking of, (and have been for some time now), spending a night in a nearby woods. When I say nearby, I'm talking about 20 - 40 miles from I live.
Going out one morning, doing a bit of orienteering/ map reading,finding a good place to lye up for the night, setting a few snares, building a shelter, sleeping overnight, cooking and eating whatever we manage to catch overnight, the next morning, then perhaps doing a bit of a tab; (to non military types that's like a hike, but faster and with a bit of weight), back to wherever we leave the vehicle. It seems pretty simple and basic to me.
Niether of us are stupid, and we're both fairly outdoor savy I guess. To give you some idea, I used to be in the scouts and army cadet's when I was a kid. I'm currently in the TA, and the unit physical training instructor, so I would say I'm of a good level of physical fitness. I come from a military family, and my father is ex British special forces, so when I was a kid many a time he would take me up 'the hills' (brecon), and he and both my older brother (he's a mountain leader, endurance training leader, canoe instructor, and category systems (parachute) instructor), would teach me about fending for myself etc. I used to do a little bit of rock climbing, and have been taught, and taught others how to catch and skin/ cook rabbits. I get outdoors quite abit, been skiing a few times, done lots of outdoor hiking and can mapread and give first aid to a high standard. I have always wanted to spend more time outdoors 'roughing it' as opposed to camping. My friend is from a similar background, is in the regular army, and can also mapread and give first aid to a high standard. I would say we're more than capable of doing what I have planned; however I know that a fundemental consideration, of working with the outdoors is not to underestimate it, and certainly do not overestimate your own ability, so I'm definitely entering this one on the safer side of caution. I've done similar sort of stuff with the army, however on exercise, you know there's always quite a big safety net, however purposefully entering the sort of situation where you've got to fend for yourself for 48 hours, is potentially alot more dangerous.
We'd take basic kit with us, Mobile phones, good knives, maps & compasses, emergency survival equipment, basic first aid equipment, backup clothing, emergency shelter, emergency rations, etc. in case of emergency, but we'd be trying to use as little as we could. Trying to use nothing but a knife, flint and steel, a bit of string, and god's green earth to sustain us for our time in the wild.
Obviously I've an okay level of knowledge and ability for this kind of thing, however you guys on the forum are the experts on this sort of thing and so I'd be stupid if I didn't come and ask for you're knowledge and experience first. I want to be as prepared as possible safety wise, and I guess here is the place to come for honest knowledge and trustworthy bushcraft advice.
Thanks in anticipation,
Spunyarn
I am considering spending a night out in a forest later on this week. This is nothing big, I know, and nothing perhaps out of the ordinary for most of you guys on the forum, however you're the experts, so broadly, what I'm asking is, for somebody like me, am I being a bit silly by doing this when I've got relatively little experience of roughing it, or making a mountain out of a molehill?.
Basically, me and a mate are thinking of, (and have been for some time now), spending a night in a nearby woods. When I say nearby, I'm talking about 20 - 40 miles from I live.
Going out one morning, doing a bit of orienteering/ map reading,finding a good place to lye up for the night, setting a few snares, building a shelter, sleeping overnight, cooking and eating whatever we manage to catch overnight, the next morning, then perhaps doing a bit of a tab; (to non military types that's like a hike, but faster and with a bit of weight), back to wherever we leave the vehicle. It seems pretty simple and basic to me.
Niether of us are stupid, and we're both fairly outdoor savy I guess. To give you some idea, I used to be in the scouts and army cadet's when I was a kid. I'm currently in the TA, and the unit physical training instructor, so I would say I'm of a good level of physical fitness. I come from a military family, and my father is ex British special forces, so when I was a kid many a time he would take me up 'the hills' (brecon), and he and both my older brother (he's a mountain leader, endurance training leader, canoe instructor, and category systems (parachute) instructor), would teach me about fending for myself etc. I used to do a little bit of rock climbing, and have been taught, and taught others how to catch and skin/ cook rabbits. I get outdoors quite abit, been skiing a few times, done lots of outdoor hiking and can mapread and give first aid to a high standard. I have always wanted to spend more time outdoors 'roughing it' as opposed to camping. My friend is from a similar background, is in the regular army, and can also mapread and give first aid to a high standard. I would say we're more than capable of doing what I have planned; however I know that a fundemental consideration, of working with the outdoors is not to underestimate it, and certainly do not overestimate your own ability, so I'm definitely entering this one on the safer side of caution. I've done similar sort of stuff with the army, however on exercise, you know there's always quite a big safety net, however purposefully entering the sort of situation where you've got to fend for yourself for 48 hours, is potentially alot more dangerous.
We'd take basic kit with us, Mobile phones, good knives, maps & compasses, emergency survival equipment, basic first aid equipment, backup clothing, emergency shelter, emergency rations, etc. in case of emergency, but we'd be trying to use as little as we could. Trying to use nothing but a knife, flint and steel, a bit of string, and god's green earth to sustain us for our time in the wild.
Obviously I've an okay level of knowledge and ability for this kind of thing, however you guys on the forum are the experts on this sort of thing and so I'd be stupid if I didn't come and ask for you're knowledge and experience first. I want to be as prepared as possible safety wise, and I guess here is the place to come for honest knowledge and trustworthy bushcraft advice.
Thanks in anticipation,
Spunyarn
and that you are more than capable, but have you thought of the time of year we're in ? 
)is someone comming to look for you?
