doing a dick proenneke

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
28,216
3,196
63
~Hemel Hempstead~
Yes... if you're truly commited to the idea

There's plenty of land to be purchased in Canada or the US where you could do it quite easily. But doing it on a shoe string would be harder than if you've some money to help you along.
 

ateallthepies

Native
Aug 11, 2011
1,558
0
hertfordshire
It all depends if you like your own company? I believe Dick had regular supplies flown in so yes it's certainly possible. Are you asking if it could be done in the UK?

Personally I think I would go a bit stir crazy living on my own in a cabin full time, part time it would be great though. As long as you stay healthy and had sufficient supplies it could be done.

Steve
 

Shewie

Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
26
49
Yorkshire
If you had the carpentry skills to build the hut, fishing and trapping skills for food, land to build on, resupply options and the ability to be be able to spend a lot of time on your own, then I reckon it's doable.

Have you ever read Guy Grieves' Call of the Wild Drew? It's a great read if you haven't. He was working for a newspaper up in Edinburgh, usual 9-5 rubbish, he decided to jack it all in and move out into the Canadian wilderness for a year, without his family. It's an interesting insight into solitary life, the psychological elements etc.

I'd probably miss people too much I think, if SWMBO was there I could probably cope

Found a short vid ...
[video=youtube;hvyeGVED8gI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvyeGVED8gI[/video]
 
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Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
13,008
1,636
51
Wiltshire
But the question is, why?

I understand the need to be a hermit; I spent many years in doing just that. (you may do it where you please)

But to live you really need other human stimulation; not to be on your own.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the wild and be with people; why not go live with some fellow wilderness dwellers?
 

gliderrider

Forager
Oct 26, 2011
185
0
Derbyshire, UK
I think the sticking point for most of us is the money. Land, Re Supply flights, and initial set up cost in kit, are about the only outlays, but I think the cost of the first two is too much to be done on your average budget.
 
Jan 28, 2010
284
1
ontario
I'm sure a lot of people do it...........................we only get to hear about the guys who feel the need to inform us of their exploits.. ;)

Very true. What's probably more common is people who do it part time. Here in Ontario there are thousands of traplines on crown land...most of the trappers work 6 or 8
months of the year at seasonal jobs like construction, then head into the bush for the winter. Many of the trapline areas are several hundred square km, so there's a lot
of alone time living in 2 or 3 cabins within the territory. I spend a lot of time at our hunt camp which is surrounded by a large section of bush. After seeing how much
firewood I use up just being there a week or less at a time I can tell you living alone with no electricity is nothing but chores...fetching water, cutting wood, keeping the
woodstove stoked...
 

Vulpes

Nomad
Nov 30, 2011
350
0
Cahulawassee River, Kent
But the question is, why?

I understand the need to be a hermit; I spent many years in doing just that. (you may do it where you please)

But to live you really need other human stimulation; not to be on your own.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the wild and be with people; why not go live with some fellow wilderness dwellers?

Totally bang on. Without other humans for stimulation, things become pretty drab and you have too much time for your own thoughts. Not a good thing. You don't need humans around all the time, you just need a certain amount of regular contact with a few people. A lack of a woman can do seriously bad things to a man too ;)

I'd say that there are moments that I'd like to cast off the ties in my life and become a full blown hermit, but to be honest, I've just found a healthy inbetween taking what I need from both worlds.
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
27
70
south wales
You could do it in the States, certainly in Canada but your biggest hurdle apart from money is getting to live there in the first place. You can't just uproot and move, you need to emigrate there and to do that means having a skill thats needed and a job offer. Even retiring to Canada means you need several hundred thousand pounds in the bank just so you can live there without costing the Canadians money.

Also look at land and cabin prices, it ain't as cheap as it used to be.
 

Soloman

Settler
Aug 12, 2007
514
19
55
Scotland
You should read "a land gone lonesome" by Dan Oneill,a very good book about the cabins and peolpe who built them along the Yukon river.I gather that the park services inthe last 30 years have been busy trying to remove the trappers/fishermen from their areas.
Soloman
 

rik_uk3

Banned
Jun 10, 2006
13,320
27
70
south wales
Then go forth and train as a teacher or nurse. Can you imagine the legal difficulties you would face trying to just go off and do a 'Dick P'? Doubt it would really ever happen.

Canada is short of nurses and you can get premium pay if your prepared to work in more remote towns and areas. You need your nursing degree and a couple of years under your belt in the UK really before moving out there so five years of your life. Move out there, get some hard experience in acute areas and move on. Don't think nursing is easy even in the comparatively safe cocoon of the NHS because its not; move out there and you will need a lot more clinical skills to operate safely not only for your patients but for yourself.

If your young and energetic enough, and if your motives for nursing are solid then I would say go for it. My wife and I are really pushing our daughter (mental health nurse) and future husband (teacher as it turns out) to pack up and move to Canada...Not the wilderness but just move to a country that still is growing and will soak you up in its growth.
 

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