# Survival > Primitive Skills & Technology >  Do you have what it takes

## Runs With Beer

If you hade to live from the land chould you Reely do it .

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## DOGMAN

If I "HAD" to....Yes, I think I could.
Do I want to....No, not full time

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## Sourdough

> If you hade to live from the land chould you Reely do it .


The answer for me......It would depend on the starting point. And where. If I have to start naked, no tools, no clothes, I would die.

If I could start with what I could carry in one load only on my back. I could live.

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## canid

which land? it's a matter that would make quite a lot of difference.

assuming i had nothing but the pants, shirt and undewear i usually wear and nothing else, it would be a huge question. around here i could probably do it for a good long while. probably not so long in Baja, northern alberta  or the Oregon outback.

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## Runs With Beer

I agree Canid,Here in Fla. I thinh Id do fine,But up north I dont know. But you cant know too much, Knowledge is power!

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## Rick

It would depend on the season, too. I'd do just fine in the spring,summer and fall. Winter would be pretty bleak.

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## wareagle69

winter here would be a bit**. have not tested myself in the winter long term yet. this topic always facinates me, before i met mrs eagle i dated many many many woman that all claimed they wanted the log cabin in the bush but when i gets down to brass tacks they can't take being far from town or the isolation or that dominos don't deliver same as all the romantic souls that venture to alaska to live off the land only to abandon after a few months due to the harsh lifestyle, it takes allot of work to live out in the bush, you are not going to run around willy nilly like joe mack you need a base yes you may need to move it every year or season but you will still want a home base, i had a thread like this before entitled could i have made it back then, its funny i always say this about everything i life but the more i learn the more i realize i don't know, so in answer could i do it i don't really know.

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## BraggSurvivor

I'm living off my land now. Have for years. Spent years of hard work and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get it where it is at. All that's left is a wood fired green house to build in the spring. Anything is possible.

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## Sourdough

Well, it depends on what one starts with.....? A fully operating 30,000 acres ranch with 200,000 head of cattle, and 100,000 gal. of diesel. Or start with an one normal clothes and one pack horse, or 20 packhorse's. Where do you draw the line......?

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## DOGMAN

I agree with Hopeak, it really depends what you start with- especially in the winter.  I spent the winter of 1996-97 (one of the coldest and snowiest in MT history) in a small one room (with a loft) straw bale cabin that friends and I built in two weeks.  The cabin, was pathetic it had a wood stove sized for a tent, no electricity or water, we didn't get a chance to finish the outside... it just had chicken wire wrapped around the straw, and on the inside we hung tarps over the straw.  It was primitive.  
But, we had 10 cords of wood, the three of us had all killed Elk, and deer...so, we had more meat then we could eat, and we had plenty of stores of all the other necessities...so we made it through the winer no problem.

If we hadn't had all the wood and meat squared away in advance it could have been a different story.

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## DOGMAN

On a side note....I said, "so we made it through the winer no problem." that might be an exaggeration....we all suffered from a low grade depression all winter, we were cold alot, we were pissed off alot, and we hated one another by the end of the winter.

And, we were not stuck in the cabin together all the time. It was my senior year in college, and I had to cross country ski or snow shoe in and out from the cabin everyday and drag stuff in and out by sled.  We had about 5 or 6 of those blue 5 gallon water containers and every morning we would get up and they'd be frozen solid (in the house) if we didn't get up and stoke the fire several times a night...so, we started setting an alarm and taking turns getting up to set the fire. There were definetly problems...we just didn't go hungry though

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## Sourdough

The "Game" we have played for years is, only what you can carry when you leave, and you must carry it non-stop the first 1/2 mile. You can not relay tons of gear. So the game is to sort-out what you would take. And of course you need to know how much you could carry. The where for us is Alaska wilderness. You must stay in the wilderness for at least one year, with no outside help. We have refined this list over 40 years. Clue: start with must have things.

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## wareagle69

> I'm living off my land now. Have for years. Spent years of hard work and hundreds of thousands of dollars to get it where it is at. All that's left is a wood fired green house to build in the spring. Anything is possible.


i'm gonna go out on a limb and hazard a guess that what the question is reffering to is could you go out in to the wilderness after being ousted from your homes and survive/thrive at least that is how i understood the question, if it is as easy as could we live off the land well heck we are all doing that in one way or another foods we buy came from the land same as the clothes we wear and the vehicles we drive i can guarantee that no one here is living off the land 100% or they would not be here, there are some very close such as wild woman who is my personal hero and jason montana who has shared his story

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## BraggSurvivor

I think that living off your land could mean a number of things. You have to start somewhere. As I have said on here before, I started in an old school bus on my land with no water, sewage or power. 

Today I live 100% off the land I have purchased. My total income comes from my land and properties that I develop and sell. The cattle I keep here grazing on all summer is more of a hobby for the family. By the time I purchase the calves, pay vet bills, trucking and feed lot fees, I just break even most times. (although I fill freezers of friends and family). It is more to keep my kids busy and learning this way of life. Sure there are better ways of doing it, but I do it as my time permits. I surely don't want it to become a job.

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## sh4d0wm4573ri7

I could and would actually prefer to but my wife is a city girl and so in effect I pretend to be a city man though I break away every chance i get. I believe most on here could if it was a matter of do or die is just that we spoil ourselves and somehow tend to believe we can't do without this or that.

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## Rick

Or simply choose not to do without this or that when we don't have to.

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## FVR

Well, my wife says I could do it.  Guess that's all that matters.

But in reality, have you ever cut a chord of wood?  Do you know how much wood you would need for a season?  Now, I can cut some wood, but a seasons worth, that's almost a full time job.

Then there is the hunting.  It's not a fun hunt, it's a serious hunt, you don't eat if you don't kill.

In the summer and spring, the wood cutting can get cut back, a little, then you better be out there gardening and harvesting.  Don't forget, keep some seeds.

Where ya getting your water?  If it's a stream, keep that fire a going.  Just burn up that wood.

Even back in the day, you had to trade for some goods.  Indians did it between tribes, the white man did it with the indians and others.

Again, my wife says I could do it.  That's all that counts.

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## Gray Wolf

I think the original question should be a complete  set one. It's this season, it's this area, what supplies you would have etc.

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## DOGMAN

> I think the original question should be a complete  set one. It's this season, it's this area, what supplies you would have etc.


Originally, i took it as....could you live off the land starting right now, were ever you are.

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## Gray Wolf

But then so many questions, ie; FVR talked about hunting, it may not be hunting season, talked about the wood, it maybe be summer... etc

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## DOGMAN

Well right now were I am...it is hunting season, and a heat source will be mandatory soon...so, I was thinking in those terms. Right now fishing and hunting are great in MT...as is firewood gathering

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## DaveAUA

Seems to me there are two aspects to the question: 1) would you be physically, mechanically _able_ to survive, and 2) could you cope psychologically?

Physically, it's a matter of skills and/or equipment. Enough equipment and you don't need much skill; enough skill and you don't need much equipment. Hike in with a big ol backpack full of stuff and pretty much anyone can survive. A primitive skills practitioner, however, might get by without even a knife. Most of us probably are somewhere in the middle, which means that physically, the answer to the question would depend on what equipment we had.

Psychologically, no one really knows until it happens if they "have what it takes." I've spent long periods of time alone in the bush and a kind of wild, soul-wrenching loneliness creeps up on you sometimes. For me, it passes as long as I keep my mind active, learning new plants in the area, crafting, etc. But for some people it doesn't. I've had friends tell me they've completely freaked out for this reason. 

Long term, for a lot of people, it's not even _worth_ surviving without the "tribe" of family, friends, etc.

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## laughing beetle

Hi Dave!  I like your response to the question.  Seems well thought out.  If you would'nt mind...How about heading over to the Introductions thread and tell us a little about yourself.  :Smile:   Thanks - LB

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## Runs With Beer

FVR, That some good thinking. When you realy brake it down its a lot more work than we start out to think. Lots of work!

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## DaveAUA

Oh yeah, I meant to add, but forgot. Re: loneliness of isolation in the wilderness. This is probably the reason why schools like Tom Brown's emphasize that sappy, "Mother Earth" nature mysticism point of view. "You're not in the wilderness; you're at home. Mother Earth loves you, and provides for you if you know how to look. Be at ease. Lay on your belly in the mud, in the tall waving grass, for this is how men were meant to live..." etc. The advantage of thinking this way is psychological; the disadvantage is, if you talk about it, you sound like a complete wanker  :Wink:

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## klkak

I have lived off the land.  I still can and would again if the need arose.

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## DOGMAN

I dug up this old pic of the straw bale cabin I built.  This is what it looked like all winter- unfinished, straw bales with some fencing and tarp wrapped around it.  We eventually had ice cycles going all the way to the ground!  The dog is Luna- my very first sled dog. She was trying to break in!
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## trax

Yes 234567

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## HOP

The OP was "could you live off the land". I say why not? Others did it . I assume most of us engage our brains before we venture out on the land . 
Many of the people from days gone by did not start from living in one wilderness and moving to another without tools or knowledge . Actualy  I think we would possiably have an advantage with knowledge at our finger tips and able to obtain the best tools. Back in the day people had a lot of trial and error and some failed we have the advantage of more avaliable knowledge . I would venture that most that went out naked or just with what was on their backs failed or perished.

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## tsitenha

Transition would be interesting but yes, although I choose to live in a village for the now.

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## backtobasics

Physically i could not do it. But it would be much easier if there were more than one person. If I took my family I think we would have a pretty good chance.

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## old soldier

first post, but Physically i could do it and am almost 69. but in modern America as we know it today, it would be rough in any part of the country. Everyone has their land posted, even to go on government or state land would be a hassel permission,permits,fires, weapons ect. When i was a kid there were hardly any boundries when camping, hunting or fishing. you could even camp out in a railroad yd then, just try crossing one now.


Then lawyers got tired of chasing ambulances and started those frivioulas law suits. like hunter John went on jacks land and fell down,lets sue the owner, then no tresspassing signs were invented and John is limited as to where he can go with out a lot of problems.
 most of your time will be spent trying to keep from starving and in winter in the north, keep from freezing.
   Even if there was a SHTf situation and the laws weren't enforced, everybody and their brother would be trying to play Danial B, more game would probably die from bad wounds than eaten. many couldn't even catch a starving catfish in a bath tub with a hook and string.

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## wildWoman

We could where we are if we wanted to and were willing to disregard the hunting regs. Neither of us would be happy in the long term with moose, trout and pike for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day though, and edible greens are exremely slim pickings up here.

I don't know any person living in the bush who completely "lives off the land". It's largely a romantic notion fostered by people who don't live in the bush, it seems.

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## Gray Wolf

> I don't know any person living in the bush who completely "lives off the land". It's largely a romantic notion fostered by people who don't live in the bush, it seems.


Some do, many have. My father-in-law who turned 100 years old in September, grew up on a 80 acre farm in up-state NY, in the middle of no where. They raised dairy cows, chickens, pigs etc. for meat & dairy products, hunted deer, ducks, and also fished (made their bows, arrows, knives, fishing poles, hooks etc). Grew many types of vegetables and did a lot of canning. They were self sufficient. They lived without electric. I love talking to him about what it was like back then. Just amazing the things we take for granted.  So it's not a romantic notion.

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## wildWoman

> Some do, many have. My father-in-law who turned 100 years old in September, grew up on a 80 acre farm in up-state NY, in the middle of no where. They raised dairy cows, chickens, pigs etc. for meat & dairy products, hunted deer, ducks, and also fished (made their bows, arrows, knives, fishing poles, hooks etc). Grew many types of vegetables and did a lot of canning. They were self sufficient. They lived without electric. I love talking to him about what it was like back then. Just amazing the things we take for granted.  So it's not a romantic notion.


I guess it depends on where you live and what the definition of "living off the land" is. I had interpreted it as eating only wild game, fish and greens, which would not be a joy to do up in the far north as far as the green stuf goes. With farming of course, that's a whole different ball game.
Still, being completely self-sufficient in the sense of growing and making all products you consume or use would, I think, mean going back to the Stone Age. Stuff like windows, stoves, pots and pans, lamps, tools etc come from the outside world, so there is always some sort of link through bartering or buying.
It just seems to me from some posts on here and stuff you read in some books that people think they can just wander off into the woods, cut all ties and responsibilities to the rest of the world, and live there happily ever after. To me, that's a romantic notion, at least in the more northern regions of the world. Maybe around the equator it might work.

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## Sourdough

> I guess it depends on where you live and what the definition of "living off the land" is. I had interpreted it as eating only wild game, fish and greens, which would not be a joy to do up in the far north as far as the green stuf goes. With farming of course, that's a whole different ball game.
> Still, being completely self-sufficient in the sense of growing and making all products you consume or use would, I think, mean going back to the Stone Age. Stuff like windows, stoves, pots and pans, lamps, tools etc come from the outside world, so there is always some sort of link through bartering or buying.
> It just seems to me from some posts on here and stuff you read in some books that people think they can just wander off into the woods, cut all ties and responsibilities to the rest of the world, and live there happily ever after. To me, that's a romantic notion, at least in the more northern regions of the world. Maybe around the equator it might work.



wildWomen, I agree with you. And while reading your post, a Rare Thought struck me, I wonder if the reason so many think it would be easy to live off the land. Is because they have spent most of their life living "OFF" their parents, or the system. I wonder if anyone on the planet lives totally off the land. I guess a few, they had those WWII guys hiding in the Philippine Islands.

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## BH206L3

Thinking and doing are two different things, right now due to unemployment I am in a semi survival mode, I am keeping warm, it has not been to cold yet, on the other hand I turned down two shots on White Tail Deer due to it being to warm to keep meat with out having a refer. I am some what lucky, I have a car, and internet is free at the local Library.  I have plenty of wood where I am, but like its been said, cutting and splitting wood for a whole winter, is dam near a full  time job from July to Oct. Looking for work is also a full time job.

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## crashdive123

Good luck with the job search BH.  In the meantime, why not head over to the introduction section and let us know a bit about yourself.  I look forward to your insight on living frugal.  Thanks.

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## wareagle69

do i have what it takes? well ifn i don't i'm getting closer every day

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## wareagle69

> Thinking and doing are two different things, right now due to unemployment I am in a semi survival mode, I am keeping warm, it has not been to cold yet, on the other hand I turned down two shots on White Tail Deer due to it being to warm to keep meat with out having a refer. I am some what lucky, I have a car, and internet is free at the local Library.  I have plenty of wood where I am, but like its been said, cutting and splitting wood for a whole winter, is dam near a full  time job from July to Oct. Looking for work is also a full time job.


dude when i was a young buck a few years ago i lived out of my truck in pheonix, i was a pro bull rider not very good but good enough, i dated agirl that was a manager at a denny's resturant that had the all you can eat breakfast buffet well i would load up a freezer sized zipp lock baggie and eat on taht the rest of the day then go to the gym work out shower then go ride practice bulls or head to the rodeos on the weekends man what great times, it may seem bad rigth now but savor the moment cuz you are living in the moment right here and now, you are the lucky one

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## Saul Danielson

If you live in Oregon or Southwest Washington, a good guy to learn from is John Kallas at WildFoodAdventures.com.

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## mcfd45

When you are in the sort of situation when you are do or die you have two choices,  give it my best shot or face the music.  Which is why we are on this site preparing ourselves for something we believe may one day happen.  sorta like my dad said when he was in the army.  "pray for peace, but prepare for anything"  So the more we learn here, the more we share here. the better off we are out there.

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## sniperfx

i could do it!!!!  if i had no choice!

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## Tracker

I can do it, i though that was the point of this forum for people who can live off the land, isnt it?

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## Stairman

> I can do it, i though that was the point of this forum for people who can live off the land, isnt it?


Yes but its also for people who want to learn more.Some clearly cant.

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## doug1980

Well I can't honestly say if I could or not.  I would hope I could but then again I'm still learning.  I doubt I'll ever be able to say that I can for sure.  I might be able to say that I have prepared myself as much as I can, but one never really knows what they're capable of until they're faced with it.

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## ClovisMan

I probably could as long as I could find an unlimited source of caffein and aspartame. Otherwise, I would have some serious life threatening withdrawals. Damn Diet Cokes!!!

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## trax

> Yes but its also for people who want to learn more.Some clearly cant.


Well that right there is a darn good point !

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## swampmouse

After my second divorce I lived in the Alapaha River swamp in a tent for 3 weeks and only came out once.  I ate fish, squirrel and a pig that got caught off guard.  I hated it!  I had plenty of water, a spring bubbled up next to the river (sulfury), then I made fire from a cigarette lighter and lived off whatever greenery and acorns I could find.  I was a messed up human being and this was my safe place.  Ex did not like the disappearance, but.......................................;>}

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## LowKey

If I'm having to survive off the land, hunting season is today. And tomorrow if necessary. 

Could I do it? Not without help. And I realize this. Even though it is sort of a joke to them, all my good friends know where to come if TSHTF.

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## vthompson

I am pretty sure that I could but, I am still in the learning process. Right now I am as ready as I can possibly be but there is still room for improvement. I try to learn something new everyday and I will share with whoever wants to know or learn.
I suppose that the true test comes whenever life smacks you right in the face and you have to make the decision to either fish or cut bait. I hope that I am out there fishing and not on the sideline cutting bait. A person never really knows what they are capable of until they are faced with a situation.

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