True Survival Experience

Hi Everyone,

I want to know your thoughts on something, me and a friend of mine have said for years we would both like to drive to somewhere in the wilderness i.e. forest, take the car and load it with supplies, food, etc then try and spend two or three nights with nothing but a basic survival kit.

If anything went wrong we could always retreat back to the car, have something warm to eat and drink then try again.

We both have a strong interest in survival and the outdoors and would both like to see if we could hack it for a couple of nights.

To me theres nothing more satisfying than knowing that in the worst case scenario I could at least be able to fend for myself, catch my own food and make my own shelter with minimal supplies.

Has anyone ever tried this? What's the most basic, hardcore survival trip you have ever been on?

Is going into the woods with nothing but a basic combat survival tin madness or is it a great experience if you know how to use it?

Your response's welcome

Originally posted by Death_Kron
Is going into the woods with nothing but a basic combat survival tin madness or is it a great experience if you know how to use it?

I think you already answered your question with this phrase. If you are prepared to experience inconveniences, anything's possible. Thing is, you can pull of two or three days even without food (be sure to drink safe water, though).

Here in the U.S. a great time to do this is during the hunting season. You can take small game and larger game with a tag and live off the land. I am not sure about the laws in your country so you may be poaching. One trip with my father in law in Montana we got a weather change and it dropped to -20F in couple of hours. Was cold in the tent!!! but no frost bite except on my cheek from the metal frames of my glasses. I tried to take a grouse with my sling shot but no joy. Another trip with a friend we killed and antelope and had back straps over an open fire, slept on the ground. Item: in this country always put stick into the ground and put your boots upside down on them to keep out the bad bugs. Catching fish on a hand line is fun, you can use a soda can as a reel and get a good cast. We did that on one trip and cooked the the trout on an open fire. Have fun and be safe.

I dont know your level of "survivalism", but if this is your first go at it, I think you have a very good idea. With another person, and a fall back in case things go wrong. No sense killing yourself for no reason.

Waterdoctor has a very good and valid point. In a true suvival scenerio hunting, fishing, trapping laws wont apply. However, it todays reality they do and you need to abide by them. Again, no use in going to jail if you dont need to.

If sit-x comes down, we wont have any additional time to prepare, we should be doing that everyday. But you should plan this well, so you dont break any laws, and so you dont get discouraged should things go badly.

The fall back car is a good idea, check your local laws, and maybe even scout the area you plan to go. As far as equiptment, I would suggest you take what you are comfortable with. If that means a full blown BOB, so be it. Next trip you can take less. Whatever you use when you are out there, make a note of it. When you get back, try to figure out either how to do without it or how to make it yourself in the wild.

Basic, hardcore survival trip? When I first came to ATS a few of my early posts were on this. Every year I take two one week trips in the summer and one in the winter with minimal supplies. (yes, more in the winter) I typically carry a tarp, mess kit, flint/steel, small axe, gerber multi-tool, a good knife and a shotgun. I could get by with less, but I guess I'm a little lazy.

Good luck with this trip, keep us posted on how the planning is coming, and when the time to go comes, please keep us abreast on what you are taking and of course, when you get back, how it went.

reply to post by Death_Kron


Essentials.

1 Survival bag £3
1 poncho. £7

With your 'survival tin' you'll have everything required to keep you warm and dry should the weather turn or you can't get your shelter finished by nightfall.

You can step feet first into the bag and pull poncho over your head and over open end of bag..
Hey presto..Instant toastie for a tenner.Lightweight,waterproof,re-usable and no need to cut face window in your bag.Surprisingly windproof too.
Ideal for sticking in your BOB.

You WILL sweat though,as air doesn't circulate too well..
So it's recommended not to overdo the crabapple and wild rhubarb leathers.

Another essential for a forest-escape would be a mosquito net...trust me it'll make the difference between being bitten to the edge of insanity or a decent nights sleep

A friend and I escaped to a dark corner of the Dalby Forest in N.Yorkshire for a couple of nights a while ago and the sheer number of vicious flying biting critters that had me covered in 2p-sized welts on any exposed areas and inside clothing drove me crazy...no amount of repellant kept them at bay, and the only solution was to break out the vodka and numb the senses

Originally posted by citizen smith , and the only solution was to break out the vodka and numb the senses

Man,that's just going to make things WORSE!!!

Once word gets around that there's an open buffet and alcohol too,you're going to have to fend off the entire N.Yorkshire Mozzy population.

Hi there.

I have walked a lot and done a lot of survival training. Was even on Echo Challenge in 1998 for team "Ut i Naturen"

I am a x-combat diver and have done a lot of crap as i like to call it. Because sometimes survival really sucks. Have easy it is going to be depends on where you are and what time of the year you do this. And of course what state you are inn when it takes place.

Survival is all about feelings and state of mind and your human condition. If you are fishing for a real survival feeling you have to make it HARD really HARD. Only when you are really hungry , tired and cold will you know what it really feels like to be surviving. Only then will you know if you have the will to fail and start over again and then maybe fail again. Surviving is not always as easy as it sounds like.

What kind of training have i done to harden my self! Because surviving is all about working your head keeping the focus on hand. Because when the tough gets going your head wants to give up and will fill your mind with a lot of good excuses to go home.

So what do i do. I make a plan to walk far about 200 km fom A to B. This has to be done as fast as possible 5 to 6 days. And i bring nothing along. Ill start the walk with a 24 hour no stop stage. This will get me a bit tired and stiff.

Why do i do this ?
Because the first two days will hurt you the most. And i want it to hurt from the start off. The rest of the tripp is done with a 17 hour non stop stages. After a 17 hour hike i rest for 4 hours to find food and get some sleep if anny. After three days you will be starting to feel the stress and pain. But the important thing is to stick to the plan nothing else matters. You only give your self 4 hours to get food and rest. By doing this you will sharpen your hunting skills and other senses that you don't use to often. Because hunting skills are very important to get right the first time. If not it will make the next 17 houer hike a b!tch.

Here is what you do. Go to a store and buy some maps 1:50 000. Plan for a walk that will take at least a week 5 to 6 days. And bring nothing with you not even a knife or a compass. Learn have to read the map before you leave. And learn have to use a watch instead of a compass. This will open your eyes and senses. It will even change your mind about trying this again. Surviving is a b!tch realy










[edit on 27.06.08 by spy66]

[edit on 27.06.08 by spy66]

reply to post by Death_Kron


I think it is great that you are doing this and it is great practice. However, much of survival is physiological and attitude. In your practice situation you had a way out. A quick trip back to your vehicle. The real thing will be a little different but you will be better prepared then most.

Yup... safe water is key. You'll do ok... stay away from the snow, and keep dry!!! Don't forget the beach has a buffet of food just waiting for you... just make sure you cook everything!!!

Three friends and went on a 6 day backpacking trip in the Windriver range in southern Wyoming. Left from Pinedale and hiked to Ganet Peak in the late fall of 1994. We packed everything in Backpacks along with collapsable fishing poles and headed out. Rough terrain, some bouldering, steep and sometimes treacherous. At our final destination (Ganet Peak) we found it snow covered and without crampons we weren't heading up so we camped by a beautiful lake and broke out the fishin rods. We ended up catching a couple of Rainbows and when mixed with some rice-a-roni over a campfire, the san francisco treat was bon apetit, I've since elavated myself to catch and release on the rainbows, and I thank the two we took for a wonderful meal.
At the base of Ganet Peak we weathered the first snow storm of the winter season. Three inches of wet flakey snow mixed with cold windy and sometimes sunny conditions made regulating your tempature while hiking the biggest challenge for me. And as a result the first night on our way back I experienced hypothermia for the first time. Very disorienting, I found myself stumbling around trying to set up our tent knowing that I had to get in my bag and get warm sooner than later. After I got that seemingly impossible task done and jumped in my bag with some dryclothes to do the shiver for a while I gradually warmed up. A cup of hot chocolate later I was feeling much better. That was a good lesson for me. To expierience the effects of hypothermia and instintivly know what to do boosted my confidence level for outdoor survival. Want some good advice? Never, ever, ever wear cotton or get caught wearing cotton in a cold wet survival situation.

Cotton Kills

The Undertaker

Originally posted by The Undertaker
Want some good advice? Never, ever, ever wear cotton or get caught wearing cotton in a cold wet survival situation. Cotton Kills

Sound advice

I've experienced hypothermia from just the very same reason...its amazing how it fools you into thinking your a-ok and when in fact you're only a couple of degrees C from just lying down for quick (and fatal) nap

I think it should be something to be experienced in a controlled environment with others at hand to monitor progress, to get to know just how it affects manual and thinking skills

reply to post by spy66


You took the words right out of my mouth.

This is only my opinion, so don't be offended, but I don't consider going out in the woods with food, water, firestarters, shelter, extra clothes, and weapons "survival." I call that camping, and even when I camp I rarely drag all that stuff out with me. I can't remember the last time I slept in a tent. What fun is sleeping outside if you can't see the stars?

All you need for a survival trip is the clothes on your back, a strong stomach, and some old fashioned intestinal fortitude. Set a physical goal for yourself, ie walk from point a to point b, build a permanent shelter, etc. It will take your mind off of how much it sucks. You can endure a lot more than you think you can as long as you don't start feeling sorry for yourself.

If you're presented with a survival situation, its not always going to be "sit x" where you can grab the BOB and take to the woods. Get used to the BOB being a luxury rather than a necessity.

The emergency car is a good idea as long as you only use it as a last resort. If you want this to be a true study in survival, you can't go back to the car when you get a little cold and hungry. If you bring the car, I would recommend not bringing a BOB for obvious reasons.

And look at the bright side, if it gets too cold you and your buddy will be a lot closer friends by the end of it.