Living Off the Land

[OVERKILL]

 JUst wondering, if you grabbed your bug out bag right now, left and headed into the wilderness, how long do you think you would have to stay just to prove you could live off the land? A week? A Month? A year? What?

[Admin]

I think for me, a week would do the trick. Clearly there are gonna be some comforts missing in just a week, I wouldn't build a long term shelter etc. But in a weeks time, I will have long gone through my reserved food, and be well into living off the land at that point. If I can survive a week and still be eating, then surviving longer will become easier.

So, for me a week would do the trick I think.

[OVERKILL]

 What about different seasons, would it benefit you to know you could make it in winter as well as summer? Since those are the 2 extremes, would it be worth your while to even bother with spring and fall?
 If one were to actually do this experiment would it also help to diversify your locations ( once in the mountains, once by the lake, once staying on the move never sleeping in the same place twice, whatever)?

[Robin Holmes]

To be quite honest, I'm fairly sure that I'd starve. I'm no good out of an urban environment. If I had a gun, I might be able to hit a deer or something. Maybe. My crossbow just isn't a good enough weapon for that. Great for one man barrage, not so much for actual accuracy. The phrase "MORE DAKKA" puts it well.

[OVERKILL]

 If you're not sure you could put a deer down quickly and cleanly, you shouldn't try. It's not just hitting a deer, it's hitting it in the right place. DON'T BE IRRESPONSIBLE, no animal deserves to be gutshot and die days later of an infection.
 But enough preaching. Everyone always assumes you need a big game gun to survive (because everyone assumes there's only big game to eat), but that's not true. There are many smaller species of birds and mammals that are much easier killed. Sparrows, blue jays, cardinals, chipmunks and even larger animals such as squirrels and rabbits can be harvested with an accurate pellet rifle. With lots of practice a sling or slingshot could also be used, and of course firearms and archery equipment.
 Traps and snares are another way to gain meat in the wilderness. Watch for game trails and set them in heavily used areas. Check them often, you don't want to let an animal trapped in one suffering and starving, that's just cruel. If you have enough line you could set a few snares while you used the remainder to fish. Of course these animals you catch are still pretty much on the large end of things. Grasshoppers, grubs, ants and many other insects are edible, and some even highly nutritious.
 There is also the vegetarian option. There is a multitude of edible leaves, nuts and berries in the wild. This option of course becomes harder in certain times of year, but is possible. There are many plants and mushrooms that are poisonous, ranging in symptoms from bellyache to nausea to death, so make certain you know what you're eating.

[viwerty89]

I sure enjoy the tropics now. Food all year long!

[OVERKILL]

 Can you think of any negatives to living in your specific area or the tropics in general?

[24/7420]

I'm fodder for the great machine.

[Slinger]

 Traps and snares are another way to gain meat in the wilderness.

In a survival situation, traps and snares are really the more logical method anyway, as far as calories spent versus calories gained.  And they're easy to make and not super difficult to apply.  A good snare can be made from regular appliance cord (lamp).  Strip off the plastic insulation, and carefully seperate the copper wire into two roughly equal strands.  A simple loop on one end makes a snare.  And there is four snares per cord.

To be quite honest, I'm fairly sure that I'd starve. I'm no good out of an urban environment.

Don't be so hard on yourself.  Think of all the cats, dogs, rats, birds, even big bullfrogs running around behind the scenes.  Besides, hunger is a good motivator

I have gone out a week before, and it ended up being pretty lean in the end Of course, being used to regular meals takes it toll.  I'm a pretty good "live-off-the-lander", but after the food I brought ran out (three days) I had one rabbit (trapped)and a crawdad to eat for the remainder.  Just proves the old adage that you can't depend on game.

Sometime soon I'm gonna take my wife and kids (7 and 4) on a three day, two nighter, just to test things.  Should prove interesting

[OVERKILL]

Sometime soon I'm gonna take my wife and kids (7 and 4) on a three day, two nighter, just to test things.  Should prove interesting

Could be an interesting test of your nerves as well.

 On a more serious note that is very good advice about all the overlooked urban food sources. I think those that would survive a "zombie" outbreak in an urban environment would be those that are good at "thinking outside the box" so to speak and especially those that aren't squeamish.