thats a bit strong bud.
im with you, it is a lot more harder than people realise, if it wasn't we would all be doing it.
but I think if someone really wanted too give it a go, and it worked for them, then great, until he try's he will never no.
permanently moving to the woods and back to nature.
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im with you, it is a lot more harder than people realise, if it wasn't we would all be doing it.
but I think if someone really wanted too give it a go, and it worked for them, then great, until he try's he will never no.
If you think I am a bit strong, try nature.
I am all for people living more simply but reality must take precedence because nature cannot be fooled.
I am all for people living more simply but reality must take precedence because nature cannot be fooled.
I think both of your posts in this thread are right on the money. I agree with you 100%. It always seems to be the people who have never hunted or even spent the weekend in the woods that develop these types of goals.
On another forum I visit we had a thread recently on whether a person could realistically live alone in the wilderness in a self sustaining manner. We weren't able to come up of any examples where anyone has actually done it. There are a few where people went in with a lot of resources and lived there until the resources ran out, and there are some who did it with regular supply drops, but none that were done in a sustainable manner. I'm sure there have been some int he history of man kind, but I bet they can be counted on one hand.
He is not in Alaska bud, he is in the westmidlands, I don't think nature is going to be that hard on him there, I do get what you are saying, and its good for people to realise, that it can come back and bite you in the rear end.
but until he try's he will never no is all.
There is a book called the second meadow, a guy who just had enough, and decide he wanted to be self sufficient for a while, he done this in the West Midlands, it takes you threw the trials and tribulations, he did not have no drop offs, just hunted with a pellet gun, and searched for wild edibles, he just stayed out the way until he wanted to go back to society, a year he spent if my memory serves me right, by the end he done quite well, now in your neck of the woods, is a different storey all together, I think here if you are prepared to live on squirrel rabbit and the like you could get by, could I do, no, I would miss human company too much, but it has been done, but like the other post said, there are not many who have.
I guide people in the wilderness all summer.
I have had them break down after less than 24 hours and refuse to move another step complaining of being dirty. I have had them attempt a mutiny with the rest of the group to get access to more of the groups food or to just pack it in and leave. I have had them curse and swear and say it was all my fault because it was storming out.
I have also had them loose it to the point of tears on day two but then come to the realization that there were 12 days to go with no other options and pull through and become born again hard. This guy is a repeat customer now.
Moral of the story is that adversity introduces us to ourselves and we never know what we will do until we face the hard truth. Nature is not user friendly, it is very indifferent. When it is raining, windy and -2c and you just paddled 13 hours to camp plus your hands are so numb you cannot get a fire going you can take some comfort in knowing that a canoe trip is temporary while you eat cold spam. When it is a permanent situation and there is no cold spam to eat your mind goes to other places. Not all those places are positive or conducive to survival.
I have had them break down after less than 24 hours and refuse to move another step complaining of being dirty. I have had them attempt a mutiny with the rest of the group to get access to more of the groups food or to just pack it in and leave. I have had them curse and swear and say it was all my fault because it was storming out.
I have also had them loose it to the point of tears on day two but then come to the realization that there were 12 days to go with no other options and pull through and become born again hard. This guy is a repeat customer now.
Moral of the story is that adversity introduces us to ourselves and we never know what we will do until we face the hard truth. Nature is not user friendly, it is very indifferent. When it is raining, windy and -2c and you just paddled 13 hours to camp plus your hands are so numb you cannot get a fire going you can take some comfort in knowing that a canoe trip is temporary while you eat cold spam. When it is a permanent situation and there is no cold spam to eat your mind goes to other places. Not all those places are positive or conducive to survival.
Haven't read the book Lee, but a pellet gun is not "returning to the way of hunter gatherers". I also have to say - as a guy who tries to live as self reliantly as possible - I doubt the author. I don't know how many squirels he thinks he shot - must have been many thousands (or he comitted armed trespass which carries years inside), but I cannot see he got enough carbohydrate from a foraged diet in the UK (unless he was skip diving or nicking from gardens and fields). Certainly "returning to the life of a hunter gatherer" is an act of pure fantasy in the UK - I don't even believe its possible to be truly self sufficient on a large plot of land with buildings that you own outright - and I've tried!
I don't think this is possible in the United Kingdom without atleast a year of preparation. This would include clearing just under an acre of ground and getting a good variety of crops to grow. You'd need permission to forage in a mixed terrain area such as woodland, meadows and a river. This is just the start. Maintaining such a lifestyle would be almost impossible for someone with no prior knowledge or experience.
As stated before most wild plant species are long gone for Englands soil and therefore alot of effort would need to go into "making" your food and not finding it.
As stated before most wild plant species are long gone for Englands soil and therefore alot of effort would need to go into "making" your food and not finding it.
I have tramped around the midlands and the peak district, the south downs and south Scotland. The wildlife is so stupid that you can hunt it with a hammer for the most part. In Bakewell you could fish with a pitchfork. I caught pigeons bare handed in Nottingham and shooed off lots of geese and swans with my boot toe in York. Meat is everywhere in the UK. Especially sheep.
Legality aside for the moment, as Mr. Red points out it is the rest of the diet that is missing.
Personally I would raid garbage bins behind chip shops and curry take aways so I did not need to cook or waste calories fighting with the fish under the bridge in Bakewell who may just eat me instead. Then I would go hide in my cave when the sun came up.
Actually I would rather chase girls half my age that listen to stupid music but anyway...
Legality aside for the moment, as Mr. Red points out it is the rest of the diet that is missing.
Personally I would raid garbage bins behind chip shops and curry take aways so I did not need to cook or waste calories fighting with the fish under the bridge in Bakewell who may just eat me instead. Then I would go hide in my cave when the sun came up.
Actually I would rather chase girls half my age that listen to stupid music but anyway...
The only chance of 'living off the land' solo, in the UK is maybe to buy a small holding and grow food, raise some animals IMHO and even that would not be an easy life on your own.
Hi Fatbob, sorry mate have not visited this thread since my original flippant remarks about the book, you are welcome to it pal, i will get up to the garage today, and as i said if it is still in reasonable condition, it's yours, i will post on here in a while, and if all good , PM me your address.
Ivan...
Ivan...
Fishermen live entirely by hunting, although they exchange their catch for money and buy things they are hunters. Some crofters still farm and fish and their level of self-sufficiency varies. Living in the woods is something several people do, a friend of mine does although he makes an income from running courses as well.
It is all about choices, for example, if hunting with bow and arrow is banned is a reasonable substitute to create a field archery course and allow one to buy the equivalent meat "killed" by a legitimate stalk and accurate arrow shot? Or is that just stupid and airgun shot game should be the only meat allowed?
One problem would be that of boredom on one's own if a resource rich environment was found or artificially created by means such as the archery field course. The lucky hunter-gatherer works less than anybody else so what are you going to do with your time? Writing is obvious and crafts of various sorts but whatever, the whole life in the woods needs to be thought out not just feeding.
It is all about choices, for example, if hunting with bow and arrow is banned is a reasonable substitute to create a field archery course and allow one to buy the equivalent meat "killed" by a legitimate stalk and accurate arrow shot? Or is that just stupid and airgun shot game should be the only meat allowed?
One problem would be that of boredom on one's own if a resource rich environment was found or artificially created by means such as the archery field course. The lucky hunter-gatherer works less than anybody else so what are you going to do with your time? Writing is obvious and crafts of various sorts but whatever, the whole life in the woods needs to be thought out not just feeding.
I foolishly, thought i would have a go at this some time ago, and failed miserably, not excuses but i was not in a good space and the weather was awful, it is much much more difficult than you think, i will dig out the thread for those interested, it was under Bushcraft Chatter aswell.
Still i had a go.
Ivan...
Still i had a go.
Ivan...
Those that have a supermarket nearby you mean ?................anyone who relies entirely on hunting & gathering to eat will spend most of their waking lives looking for food.
If you're going back to the way we were, you wouldn't be living in the woods. Where did this daft notion of us 'living in the woods' years ago come from anyway?
Exactly. I think the OP has watched a Robin Hood film and given it no thought at all.
Read the book mate, he had permission of a farmer to use his land, and hunt and catch what he could, like he said that there is food every where here, the amount of rabbits we have in my area is rediculous.
when you get chance have a read, he did not have it easy bud but he got there in the end.
