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Living in the wild

Risen

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Colorado would be pretty nice, or Texas I'm thinking. Perhaps even Washington. With the mountainous regions I'd have to cope with the trees and terrain, as well as the winters in northern latitude regions. Learning how to survive a winter where the animal population hides out in the colder months would require a lot of careful effort and preparation, but I'm sure I could do it if I had to. I'm leaning towards Texas because it's farther south, warmer climate, has a great deal of open land, plenty of coastline, and state regulations that are perfect for people like me who despise about government intrusion on private rights and ability to be self sufficient. If I'm going to try this in the U.S., I think texas would definitely be one of the more accommodating places to live in.

Soul, could you describe your experience in Colorado a bit more? I'm very interested to hear how you guys lived up there.
 

kyuuei

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:) I know where to go if I'm being chased by the cops now..
 

ring the bell

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I'd suggest watching or reading "into the wild" and taking as an example of what NOT to do.. We are only human. It would be nice to get more in touch with how our predecessors did it, but weren't they generally part of a society in some way? I'd start looking at it for the long haul.. educate yourself on as much as possible with all you can find. Learn how to live more minimally now so that it's not such a huge shock when you do make the transition. How will you do simple things, like make a net or make soap? Sure, you can take it with you, but things break/ get used up.

What sort of shelter? Build your own? Tools needed and how to replace them if you don't have money supplies.. learn about first aid and what to do if you are living 30 miles away from civilization and need to splint an ankle or leg to get out.

Get used to the fact that every way that you do things will have to change. I would even think of doing some extended backcountry camp trips to get used to idea and to see how every little thing you do, like heating water, has to be looked at in a new way. Sure, gas camp stoves are nice, but if you are off the grid for the long haul, it's not gonna be really economical.

Oh, and I hope you are serious.. you would be living my dream! :)
 

Risen

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I'd suggest watching or reading "into the wild" and taking as an example of what NOT to do.. We are only human. It would be nice to get more in touch with how our predecessors did it, but weren't they generally part of a society in some way? I'd start looking at it for the long haul.. educate yourself on as much as possible with all you can find. Learn how to live more minimally now so that it's not such a huge shock when you do make the transition. How will you do simple things, like make a net or make soap? Sure, you can take it with you, but things break/ get used up.

What sort of shelter? Build your own? Tools needed and how to replace them if you don't have money supplies.. learn about first aid and what to do if you are living 30 miles away from civilization and need to splint an ankle or leg to get out.

Get used to the fact that every way that you do things will have to change. I would even think of doing some extended backcountry camp trips to get used to idea and to see how every little thing you do, like heating water, has to be looked at in a new way. Sure, gas camp stoves are nice, but if you are off the grid for the long haul, it's not gonna be really economical.

Oh, and I hope you are serious.. you would be living my dream! :)

Well of course i wont be using a gas stove ;) . Good old fire making techniques only. However, I might check into using a sort of grill that would allow for the use of wood. I imagine this would cut down on the difficulty of maintaining a fire pit. I plan to include quite a few modern conveniences. This isn't really about going full survival mode as much as it is getting away from all dependence on fellow members of my species for an extended time period. I'm hoping to have enough to invest in solar power equipment and possibly a refrigerator to make it easier to preserve food, lest i learn how to pickle, can, smoke, etc. every food item I obtain. I'll have to learn that anyway, but I'd rather not have to do it for everything if the technology exists not to ;) . I'll be needing a minimum of $2000 for solar equipment.

My biggest question is really on the type of shelter I'll be able to use and, again, the property it'll sit on. That's the most difficult part of figuring this out. I would do juuuust fine living in a worn down shack with decent rain and rodent protection. One problem is that if I live around the gulf, close to the coast, I'd really need something sturdy enough to survive a potential hurricane :( . That would definitely push up my expenditures, though it wouldn't be such a problem in other areas.

Then, I need to figure out the logistics of traveling out to the location, picking a place to settle, getting the form of shelter one way or another, and oh yea, getting all my stuff out there. The only thing I'd need to bring are a few clothes, provisions, and equipment, but that'd still be a bit of a haul, and potentially very difficult depending how far out the location would be. I should also consider whether or not i want a cheap car for emergencies. This will all take quite a bit of planning.
 

Kyrielle

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Well of course i wont be using a gas stove ;) . Good old fire making techniques only. However, I might check into using a sort of grill that would allow for the use of wood. I imagine this would cut down on the difficulty of maintaining a fire pit.

That just reminded me. Consider living where there is clay. I say this because with clay, you'll be able to make a clay stove (if your grill breaks) that would allow you to bake food and probably make rudimentary pottery. (Like if your bowls get lost or broken.)
 

Fluffywolf

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Where there is water, there is clay. No? Maybe not, not really into geology that much.

Oh apart from volcanic islands that is, don't think there tends to be clay there. Or maybe there is. No idea. :D
 

Risen

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That just reminded me. Consider living where there is clay. I say this because with clay, you'll be able to make a clay stove (if your grill breaks) that would allow you to bake food and probably make rudimentary pottery. (Like if your bowls get lost or broken.)

Thanks for the tip, that does make sense. the Midwest had plenty of clay soil.

On another note, I'm also (as of the past hour) planning to go camping for about 3 days since my house is being fumigated for f***ing termites. Anything I should be aware of for planning a camping trip? I figured I could just drive out somewhere, sleep in the car, and try my hand at roughing it for a a couple days. I'm planning to bring rice, beans, and water for that, plus pots and toilet paper. I need to look up hunting and fire starting regulations. Again, I'll likely just bring a grill along.
 

iwakar

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I'm thinking of taking the plunge. Contunuing ina full time job, dropping school, and saving all my money to get started on living on my own SOMEWHERE away from people. Just me, nature, and all the animals I can hunt for free and plants I can grow. Logistically, I need three things more than anything else:

1. Land where it'd be legal for me to live off of with limited tax liabilities and other intrusions by government regulation meant to prevent people from being self sufficient and living outside of society. Outside the U.S. if need be.

2. A hardy location with enough water to support 1 human being, enough animals to hunt (no problem if this is a location near the ocean).

3. A good climate fit for growing a few crops and mild winters. A location with a fair amount of wild edible flora would be a plus.


Hunter/gatherer sort of living with a bit agricultural action. Preferably I shouldn't really NEED to raise any livestock, but it'd be an open possibility. It might be more of a necessity if I have to pay a lot of money annually to the government or what have you. The money I save should be enough to supply my tools and starting seeds or possible land costs for a year, though I could make plans to make room to produce a surplus of food items which could be sold.

In any case, does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? The hardest part is obviously finding a good location where you will be ALLOWED to live this way. This is something that should be open to every American in this vast country (of vast swaths of federal land forfeited by the dumb ass states), but alas, that quality has fallen by the wayside as so many things in this country have. Hunting, fishing, growing food, shitting outside; that's easy crap. I'd just need to hone my skills a bit before making the journey and learn quite a few things while saving the money.

Is this a short-term excursion, a long-term experiment, or a life-style decision à la The Bet by Anton Chekhov? This will greatly influence my input.
 

Maya Z

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Hello Risen!
I do not have experience with the level of independant living you are talking about, but I grew up on a ranch. It was mostly a cattle ranch, but we had an extensive garden where we grew much of our own produce. We were by no means self-sustaining, though.

I am glad you recognize Texas as a possibility! That is where I grew up and currently live, that is where my family's ranch is. Some people think it is too arid and hot for agriculture, but that is not true. However, if you decide to live in Texas you will need a water source. A well, or something else. The natural rainfall will not be enough for you. I would also consider New Mexico if I were you.

It seems like it would be a good idea to move gradually. First find the location, then set up a home or shelter, then supply it, if possible while still living somewhere else. You could do the initial set-up while living in a city or town, and make excursions out there to get everything squared away.
 

iwakar

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I said for about a year.

I only read the OP, didn't see anything about length of stay.

Having lived in Texas for many years myself, I know there's a lot of open space down there and large swaths of wild areas. The trouble of course, is that much of it is owned by an agency or an individual.

Have you considered paying a sum to someone who owns a lot of natural property to "rent" it? Or renting a hunter's cabin that's isolated?
 

Nonsensical

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Colorado would be pretty nice, or Texas I'm thinking. Perhaps even Washington. With the mountainous regions I'd have to cope with the trees and terrain, as well as the winters in northern latitude regions. Learning how to survive a winter where the animal population hides out in the colder months would require a lot of careful effort and preparation, but I'm sure I could do it if I had to. I'm leaning towards Texas because it's farther south, warmer climate, has a great deal of open land, plenty of coastline, and state regulations that are perfect for people like me who despise about government intrusion on private rights and ability to be self sufficient. If I'm going to try this in the U.S., I think texas would definitely be one of the more accommodating places to live in.

Soul, could you describe your experience in Colorado a bit more? I'm very interested to hear how you guys lived up there.

Funny you mentioned Texas, too. I was born there and lived there for 6 years until I moved to Colorado.

Colorado is divided into two areas. On the east side you have the great plains that are like the mid west. Tornadoes, rolling fields, flat lands, etc. Once you hit the Rocky Mountains, it's like running into a brick wall. They arise out of no where and are huge. It's pretty arid, and there isn't as much water as there is in the north west. There's not a whole lot to say other than that it's really really mountainous and rugged. It's not too bad, though, it'd be a nice place to live. You'd probably want to settle on a lake or river, but I'm sure you've thought about that. The wildlife is good and bad. If you're safe and have a gun, you'll be fine. If you're unpretected, then you could be in danger. Bears, wolves, Mountain Lions, and bob cats are not a myth and it's not rare to frequently come across them.

I lived in a newly built house 10,000 ft above sea level up on a huge mountain in the middle of no where outside of Evergreen, CO. Our power would go out easily and we were often snowed in. Storm fronts can linger for days on the mountains. When it thunderstorms, it really pours. Like torrential down pours that can create flash floods. Our lawn on the mountain didn't have grass, just dirt and rocks and was built on an incline on the mountain so whenever it rained, huge streams and tributaries would form in the ground and it'd flow all the way down. it was really cool, actually. As for temperatures, it really doesn't get that cold in the winter, it's usually in the '20s. And it can be hot in the summer. Enjoy the hot springs, too!
 

Willfrey

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For shelter have you considered a camper trailer? I'm sure they can be outfitted with solar panels fairly easy and come in a wide range of sizes. Old ones are particularly cheap.
 

Risen

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Funny you mentioned Texas, too. I was born there and lived there for 6 years until I moved to Colorado.

Colorado is divided into two areas. On the east side you have the great plains that are like the mid west. Tornadoes, rolling fields, flat lands, etc. Once you hit the Rocky Mountains, it's like running into a brick wall. They arise out of no where and are huge. It's pretty arid, and there isn't as much water as there is in the north west. There's not a whole lot to say other than that it's really really mountainous and rugged. It's not too bad, though, it'd be a nice place to live. You'd probably want to settle on a lake or river, but I'm sure you've thought about that. The wildlife is good and bad. If you're safe and have a gun, you'll be fine. If you're unpretected, then you could be in danger. Bears, wolves, Mountain Lions, and bob cats are not a myth and it's not rare to frequently come across them.

I lived in a newly built house 10,000 ft above sea level up on a huge mountain in the middle of no where outside of Evergreen, CO. Our power would go out easily and we were often snowed in. Storm fronts can linger for days on the mountains. When it thunderstorms, it really pours. Like torrential down pours that can create flash floods. Our lawn on the mountain didn't have grass, just dirt and rocks and was built on an incline on the mountain so whenever it rained, huge streams and tributaries would form in the ground and it'd flow all the way down. it was really cool, actually. As for temperatures, it really doesn't get that cold in the winter, it's usually in the '20s. And it can be hot in the summer. Enjoy the hot springs, too!

Yea.... def not down with the blizzard thing as a first time venture in living alone outdoors. I imagine that's the one thing that could kick my ass. Bears, lions wolves... not so bad. Animals that size could be handled with or without a gun (the sword training helps there...), assuming you're not trying to fend against a whole pack of animals. I'll still need firearm training before I go out though, and I'll have to take those expenses into account.
 

Nonsensical

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Yea.... def not down with the blizzard thing as a first time venture in living alone outdoors. I imagine that's the one thing that could kick my ass. Bears, lions wolves... not so bad. Animals that size could be handled with or without a gun (the sword training helps there...), assuming you're not trying to fend against a whole pack of animals. I'll still need firearm training before I go out though, and I'll have to take those expenses into account.

Yeah. The blizzards aren't even as bad as people make them out to be. I lived two winters up on that remote desolate mountain and the most snow we got was just about 2 feet, so not too bad- but there can be more depending on your location.

A weapon is a must. Swords would be just as good as guns. You'd probably want to take both, though. Actually, you'd want to have a lot of ammo and a few guns. On the specific side of things, make sure to have an axe or two, because you'd be cutting fire all summer and stocking it up in a safe location for the winter.

Evergreen, where I lived, has one of the most populous elk population in the world. Throughout the town, there are valleys and valleys full of wild elk. I'm talking about thousands and thousands. We'd find them in our yard and on our porch, no lie. We even found mountain lion tracks on our deck one winter.

For food, I'd highly recommend elk. Non aggressive like dear, full of meat, huge, and you can use the bones and everything else in it for supplies if you're hard core about this living natural thing.

Here's a picture from the internet about the elk planes in Evergreen:

vfiles10219.jpg


There's also a small wild Buffalo population, actually, which was a golden gem to the Native Americans of the region and the plains. If you are really living off the grid, you wouldn't need a hunters lisence, because killing buffalo and maybe elk might be illegal. But don't worry, if you are in the woods, anything goes man.

Just a neat little fun fact: In the woods up behind out house that we'd explore, we'd actually find crudely made teepee's most likely from the Natives. The hide walls were deteriorated but the shape is still there. There were a lot of Natives in the region, and being out in the woods at night under a campfire is a once in a life time experience. Just you, the fire, and the darkness and stillness of the world. No wonder the Natives were so hard core.
 

JAVO

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The forest is the place to be when you're living off the land.

A good axe is very important for long-term shelter construction and providing heat in the winter. It is best paired with a good buck saw, as sawing is more efficient than chopping.

Learn bushcraft: Read and watch Ray Mears and Mor Kochanski.
 

MonkeyGrass

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If I did it, I'd walk the Appalachian Trail. Maybe someday, I will still. :)
 

Risen

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Yeah. The blizzards aren't even as bad as people make them out to be. I lived two winters up on that remote desolate mountain and the most snow we got was just about 2 feet, so not too bad- but there can be more depending on your location.

A weapon is a must. Swords would be just as good as guns. You'd probably want to take both, though. Actually, you'd want to have a lot of ammo and a few guns. On the specific side of things, make sure to have an axe or two, because you'd be cutting fire all summer and stocking it up in a safe location for the winter.

Evergreen, where I lived, has one of the most populous elk population in the world. Throughout the town, there are valleys and valleys full of wild elk. I'm talking about thousands and thousands. We'd find them in our yard and on our porch, no lie. We even found mountain lion tracks on our deck one winter.

For food, I'd highly recommend elk. Non aggressive like dear, full of meat, huge, and you can use the bones and everything else in it for supplies if you're hard core about this living natural thing.

Here's a picture from the internet about the elk planes in Evergreen:

vfiles10219.jpg


There's also a small wild Buffalo population, actually, which was a golden gem to the Native Americans of the region and the plains. If you are really living off the grid, you wouldn't need a hunters lisence, because killing buffalo and maybe elk might be illegal. But don't worry, if you are in the woods, anything goes man.

Just a neat little fun fact: In the woods up behind out house that we'd explore, we'd actually find crudely made teepee's most likely from the Natives. The hide walls were deteriorated but the shape is still there. There were a lot of Natives in the region, and being out in the woods at night under a campfire is a once in a life time experience. Just you, the fire, and the darkness and stillness of the world. No wonder the Natives were so hard core.

Thank you for the plethora of info you're provided (and everyone else). I already figured I'd need a good axe or two, and some sharpening tools. I consider the sword to be a must, and I just remembered that could cost a good $700~$1000 for a quality blade. Not something I want to go cheap on if I'm gonna be in the woods by myself for a year, a well crafted blade is vital to its longevity. If I move somewhere where there's bison, the guns will most definitely come in handy. And f*** hunting regulations. Most game/eating animals are overpopulated anyway. I swear if I get any environmentalist idiots who show up to my shack and complain about me hunting...

BTW, it looks as if I'll really be taking my first camping trip this weekend. Due to my current supplies, money, timing, and situation, I'll be doing it the easy way. Just taking the SUV into a developed camp site in a state park (with a shower and flush toilet... jeez). At least I'll be able to learn how to use a campfire and cook with it. I probably wont be able to fish because there are few camp areas to do that around San Diego, and I cant really afford a friggin fishing liscence right now. So retarded.

At least I have plenty of meat in the freezer I can throw into a cooler for 2 days. I also plan to bring some beans, rice, nuts, and fruit for the 2 day trip. Does anyone have any further tips for a first time camper?
 

Fluffywolf

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I don't claim to be a sword expert, but I would venture a guess that a machete is much more useful than a conventional sword. :p
 
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