How long could you survive?
- Thread starter Martyn
- Start date
Why not? I said no projectile weapons and no fishing rods, but other than that he can take what he wants - except food. I even said he could take a catapult as the one exception to projectile weapons. The challenge is to find and catch enough food to live on, using what you can carry in or make. I would think three dozen snares would be a must have. Just having the snares doesnt make it easy. The hard part is doing it. I would also allow fish hooks, line, floats and shot, just no rod/reel.
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If you want to go minimalist, that's up to you. From my point of view, I was more interested in how tough this is, even with some nice bits of kit that give you an advantage, like snares and wotnot. I think the hard part, will just be keeping it all going for 7 days.
Ah, that clears that one up, but I think udamiano should make a few 'woodland' snares and post the pics.
Exactly - speaking from a lifetime of angling, the doing of it is definitely the bit which lets people down. There are places I know to fish intimately where I could guarantee myself a semi regular supply of protein by angling for it, move me away from places I know and I would struggle for a good while - the knowledge required isn't easily bought/earned in terms of time and effort, neither of which (I'm guessing) would be available in great abundance if what you really need is FOOD!
I can only imagine the knowledge to guarantee success with a snare is similar, regardless of one's proficiency with the equipment/technique.
xylaria
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
i often do the odd day where i just eat what i forage. Around here it is easy even this time of year to make resonable meals as I live near the coast. I cant fish or hunt of trap for toffee, but the old man shoots and traps,and i have eaten road kill. The odd bit of asphate meat would make a break from eating mussels repeatedly. Fergus drennan lived for nearly year on just foraged food and road kill, I have seriously considered doing the same, I should really get off my butt and do so. I have 2 stone to spare for lean days. For carbs this time of year bulrushes are about the easiest.
The scottish highlands or the beacons i would be pretty stuffed, i would end up eating sheep. The bloke would of probably done a lot better if he started in april not november, adn went somewhere lusher. Winters take planning, dry wood, stored food, and a shelter you know is weather tight. Bunnies dont do rain squirrels dont do snow. It wasnt lack of food that killed him it was cold. Wood freezes if it isnt dry. The spiril down can be pretty rapid from there.
The scottish highlands or the beacons i would be pretty stuffed, i would end up eating sheep. The bloke would of probably done a lot better if he started in april not november, adn went somewhere lusher. Winters take planning, dry wood, stored food, and a shelter you know is weather tight. Bunnies dont do rain squirrels dont do snow. It wasnt lack of food that killed him it was cold. Wood freezes if it isnt dry. The spiril down can be pretty rapid from there.
nowhere near a river or lake, so fishing stuff of no use.
snares can be make from natural resources. So not going to take pre-made types
Can't hit a side of a barn with a catapult, so not much use to me.
Shelter will be made from resourced found on site
water will be sourced on site, treated and so on, only using what I can find on site.
Food will be sourced on site prepared and eaten with gusto
Fire lighting equipment and tinder sourced from site.
Will make a straw person called 'Wiggins' to stop me going bonkers* (also sourced on site)
Will also make another straw person called 'Sid' for when I fall-out with Wiggins (you know what he's like)
Will take a billy can type container to cook in
Will take a knife(s), Axe
cordage to be sourced naturally.
Will take a FAK.
The thing I will miss the most will be a cup of tea!!!! everything seems less terrible after a cup of tea
oh and the clothes I walk in with
*more bonkers!
snares can be make from natural resources. So not going to take pre-made types
Can't hit a side of a barn with a catapult, so not much use to me.
Shelter will be made from resourced found on site
water will be sourced on site, treated and so on, only using what I can find on site.
Food will be sourced on site prepared and eaten with gusto
Fire lighting equipment and tinder sourced from site.
Will make a straw person called 'Wiggins' to stop me going bonkers* (also sourced on site)
Will also make another straw person called 'Sid' for when I fall-out with Wiggins (you know what he's like)
Will take a billy can type container to cook in
Will take a knife(s), Axe
cordage to be sourced naturally.
Will take a FAK.
The thing I will miss the most will be a cup of tea!!!! everything seems less terrible after a cup of tea
oh and the clothes I walk in with
*more bonkers!
I can't imagine why I would want to find this out.
I live by my wits every day.
I use my skills to make money and I use that money to survive.
If ever the monetary system broke down then I might have a few of the skills I would need to get by but only until someone with less scruples came along to take what I made and foraged off me.
Unlike some, I don't dream about "self sufficiency"... I know it would be a nightmare in the world we live in today.
I live by my wits every day.
I use my skills to make money and I use that money to survive.
If ever the monetary system broke down then I might have a few of the skills I would need to get by but only until someone with less scruples came along to take what I made and foraged off me.
Unlike some, I don't dream about "self sufficiency"... I know it would be a nightmare in the world we live in today.
IIRC Neil-1 did something similar for 10 days years ago, he had an exceptionally rough time ... If he struggles (being an encyclopedia on legs), I'd probably die.
If you think about it, everybody spends time practising certain skills, but usually in isolation, what is rare ...very rare is that anyone actually tries to live off the woods for more than a day or two. Yes, you can set snares and if you catch something, great. If not, well there is always the chippy. I think actually being in the situation where you are totally dependant on what you can forage or catch in order to provide yourself with food, for day after day after day, is what hardly anybody ever experiences. I think that could really test a person psychologically. You dont catch it, or forage it and you dont eat. Anything. If the lad who dies up on Rannoch moor had tried to do it, in a safe and controlled way first, maybe he'd have learned something about himself and maybe he'd still be alive. Also, it might actually be possible for a skilled person to feed themselves to an adequate degree. I'd love to try it myself, but I'm afraid I'd just be on a no food diet for a week, or I'd crack and phone for a pizza on day 2.
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I going to do this for a couple of reasons really, firstly because I really would like to.
secondly I'm going to keep a record of this to post, all the highs and lows of the week, warts and all, im hoping that when someone decides they are going off to spend a x amount of time living 'the self-sufficient way' they may find the post and see that it not really all 'the good-life' it really is dam hard. I am doing this for a week only, and with no illusions to how that week will pan out. I see a lot of cold, wet and hungry days and nights ahead. joking aside I'm getting really brassed off reading post in which another poor sod had got into trouble, because the underestimated what was involved, and if by doing this just one person thinks a little more before attempting similar about what is involved, then the cold, the wet, and the empty belly, is not really that bad after all. besides I get to go home after the week and relax in a nice hot bath, with a good meal, others didn't. there's not enough good people left in this world, let not loose any more if we can help it eh
well that's my opinions anyway
Time for that nice hot bath and bed
if anyone has any ideas or questions please feel free to PM me
night all
secondly I'm going to keep a record of this to post, all the highs and lows of the week, warts and all, im hoping that when someone decides they are going off to spend a x amount of time living 'the self-sufficient way' they may find the post and see that it not really all 'the good-life' it really is dam hard. I am doing this for a week only, and with no illusions to how that week will pan out. I see a lot of cold, wet and hungry days and nights ahead. joking aside I'm getting really brassed off reading post in which another poor sod had got into trouble, because the underestimated what was involved, and if by doing this just one person thinks a little more before attempting similar about what is involved, then the cold, the wet, and the empty belly, is not really that bad after all. besides I get to go home after the week and relax in a nice hot bath, with a good meal, others didn't. there's not enough good people left in this world, let not loose any more if we can help it eh
well that's my opinions anyway
Time for that nice hot bath and bed
if anyone has any ideas or questions please feel free to PM me night all
nowhere near a river or lake, so fishing stuff of no use.
snares can be make from natural resources. So not going to take pre-made types
Can't hit a side of a barn with a catapult, so not much use to me.
Shelter will be made from resourced found on site
water will be sourced on site, treated and so on, only using what I can find on site.
Food will be sourced on site prepared and eaten with gusto
Fire lighting equipment and tinder sourced from site.
Will make a straw person called 'Wiggins' to stop me going bonkers* (also sourced on site)
Will also make another straw person called 'Sid' for when I fall-out with Wiggins (you know what he's like)
Will take a billy can type container to cook in
Will take a knife(s), Axe
cordage to be sourced naturally.
Will take a FAK.
The thing I will miss the most will be a cup of tea!!!! everything seems less terrible after a cup of tea
oh and the clothes I walk in with
*more bonkers!
Wow, my hat is off to you, that is super-minimalist mate. Your shout though, I think it'd be hard enough if you took the snares with you. I tell you what, if you manage a week living off the woods with just that kit, that is properly, properly hardcore.
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I am under no illusions that i would not cope very well past the first couple of days
the caffeine sugar nicotine and carbohydrate withdrawal added to my lack of wild food knowledge would make it not only unpleasant but probably damn stupid.
Hats off to you undamino for being willing and kudos for your reasoning behind wanting to do it.
don't get me wrong i would love to try but i am also aware of my limitiations which i think some folk would benefit from themselves(not aimed at anyone)
the caffeine sugar nicotine and carbohydrate withdrawal added to my lack of wild food knowledge would make it not only unpleasant but probably damn stupid.
Hats off to you undamino for being willing and kudos for your reasoning behind wanting to do it.
don't get me wrong i would love to try but i am also aware of my limitiations which i think some folk would benefit from themselves(not aimed at anyone)
I dont think so. But you cant take a full kit, knife, axe, snares, catapult, tarp, saw, cordage - even a stove if you want - anything except food and weapons. The focus is on whether or not you can feed yourself, with no more kit than you can fit in your rucksack.
Fish...OK, good IF you can catch it everyday, but the rest has very poor food energy content. As I posted earlier you need 400 limpets a day to feed yourself.
'Surviving' is perhaps the wrong word to use in a way, perhaps 'slowing down starvation' is a better way of understanding the situation. You can't really be a hunter gatherer on your own, to survive you need to be in a group where labour is divided and you may have a chance of getting a winter stock of food in place.
Depends on the fish and how it's cooked, but you'd need roughly between 1kg to 2kg of fish a day to supply the recommended 2550 calories a day.
Up the activity rate and that recommended calorie intake quickly rises though.
With limpets you'd need around 3kg per day.
You also need to be mega careful with shell fish as eating a bad one or even eating the right ones at the wrong time of year and you will be very very ill.
Up the activity rate and that recommended calorie intake quickly rises though.
With limpets you'd need around 3kg per day.
You also need to be mega careful with shell fish as eating a bad one or even eating the right ones at the wrong time of year and you will be very very ill.
But as toddy said there's also birds - seagulls are easy to fool and it wouldn't take much at all to catch one on a baited hook and line (I speak from accidental experience). Seaweed can be obtained in large quantities year round. The key would be preserving things to last the winter.
