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Could You Survive? (Read 836 times)
Rat Man
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Could You Survive?
Aug 25th, 2019 at 2:26pm
 
    With your current knowledge do you think you could actually survive in the wild if you were forced to?
    For me the answer is it depends.  If I was stranded in the type of forests that are found in the Northern Hemisphere from say April through October I believe that I would stand a pretty good chance.  Growing up we spent all of our time playing in the woods.  There were no video games, cell phones, internet, cable TV, etc. in the olden days. Consequently, without really trying to I acquired a pretty good knowledge of edible plants.  I can also throw up a decent shelter with no tools. I believe that it would pretty much be impossible for me to starve for at least half the year.  I'd lose weight for sure but there is plenty to eat if you know what to look for.  As long as I had enough time to prepare I might even survive the Winter. 
    Drop me off in the same type of forest in the dead of Winter and my chances of survival are very slim.  Unless one has spent the all of the warmer weather preparing for Winter he will almost undoubtedly starve.  Yes, there is still stuff to eat but the pickings are slim and we burn a lot more calories in the cold.
     Drop  me off in any other sort of wilderness and my chances are very slim.  I wouldn't be familiar with the plants or animals. I am not a desert expert.  I took Arctic Training in the army but that was with lots of good gear and rations.
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Morphy
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Re: Could You Survive?
Reply #1 - Aug 25th, 2019 at 9:45pm
 
The things that I like I tend to get really interested in and therefore get a fairly deep layman's knowledge on it. But I have way too many gaps in my knowledge. Man cannot live on trees and mushrooms alone. I would for sure die.

I could last in Spring, Summer or Fall for awhile but eventually my modern man weak digestive system would succumb to the bugs that our hunter gatherer ancestors would've laughed at.

My knowledge of plants is weaker than I care to admit. Mushrooms is good. Fishing, trapping and small game hunting all good. Knots I'm ashamed to say is lacking and my shelter building needs plenty of work. I excel at weapons building and I'm not too shabby at cordage making.  My fire making is a bit rusty.

That's me in a nutshell. I think I would last longer then many but unfortunately die a horrible, horrible death sooner or later.  Grin
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walter
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Re: Could You Survive?
Reply #2 - Aug 26th, 2019 at 12:00am
 
Just one experienced person would be lucky to make it for more than a few months in real wilderness. A dozen skilled people could possibly thrive.
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Perseverence furthers
 
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Mersa
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Re: Could You Survive?
Reply #3 - Aug 26th, 2019 at 4:42am
 
Give me the right climate/wilderness and I might stand a chance. Skills wise I'm at least proficient with some minimal modern luxuries , start me of naked with nothing and I'm sure I'd have a very hard time.

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Kick
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Re: Could You Survive?
Reply #4 - Aug 26th, 2019 at 8:55am
 
What do we mean by survive though? There are too many variables to say for certain. In this scenario, am I injured? What equipment do I have? What clothes am I wearing? What are the weather conditions? How long am I needing to survive? Is someone coming to rescue me? Am I even slightly familiar with the environment?

If I take the question as broadly as possible, could I survive long enough in the Finnish (because I live here) wilderness to be found/find civilization? Probably. If it's winter, probably not (though again this depends on distances/weather/etc.) Living for a longer period in Finland out in the woods is tough. Really tough. You won't survive the winter if you don't have access to stored food. You just won't.
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You are a great guy Kick but also slightly scary at times. - Morphy
"Nothing matters, but it’s perhaps more comfortable to keep calm and not interfere with other people." - H.P. Lovecraft, in a letter to Frank Belknap Long, 7 October, 1923
 
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AncientCraftwork
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Re: Could You Survive?
Reply #5 - Aug 26th, 2019 at 2:36pm
 
I have never seen the wild in real life, or been in the wild, so highly unlikely I would. I was on a mountain once, when I was 4.
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joe_meadmaker
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Re: Could You Survive?
Reply #6 - Aug 26th, 2019 at 2:47pm
 
I don't believe I would.  I just think about watching Survivorman years ago.  On multiple occasions he would have trouble finding food, water, etc.  And he knew what he was doing.  Depending on the environment, season, etc., I wouldn't count myself out entirely, but the chances would be slim.
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Bill Skinner
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Re: Could You Survive?
Reply #7 - Aug 27th, 2019 at 11:06am
 
Most of those guys went to a hotel most nights.

Yes I could survive.  Would I want to live that life?  Not really.  Contrary to Hollyweird, you have to work from first light to after dark every day.  You will be making tools, gathering materials for food, clothing and shelter, checking traps and weirs, processing plants and animals for food, repairing or rebuilding stuff almost every waking moment.

It wasn't until organized agriculture happened on a large scale that people started having lots of scheduled leisure time.

Back in the hunter/gather days, people were taller than they were in ancient times and in generally better health.  Men also died in their late 30's to early 50's and women usually died in their late 20's to mid 30's.  According to their bones, prior to agriculture,  they endured frequent periods of starvation.
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