Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

[ViKtoricus]

It seems that I can't fit in with regular society. I can't keep (or get) a job.

I wanna live by myself in the wilderness and I've taken some steps towards this. I bought myself a camping backpack, a machete, and a pocket knife. I plan on buying a quality bow next, and then a tent. I wanna fish for my food, and maybe hunt some deers, squirrels, and elks with my bow. I have a book that teaches me how to make soap out of vegetable oil or animal fat, pine needles, wood ashes or charcoal, and water. It also teaches me how to make natural toothpaste. It's a how-to guide for survival.

With all this aside, I don't really know where to start. I don't have a car, which I consider essential, because although I want to live in the wilderness, I don't want to lose contact with society. Perhaps after a few years of trading my plasma for money, I would be able to buy my mom's car.

Basically, what I wanna know is, how am I sounding right now? Is the idea of permanently camping in the wilderness, having minimal contact with people, hunting for my food, a bad idea? I don't think I fit in with regular society, so I may as well try fitting in with nature.

Serious responses will be appreciated.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

Yes it's a bad idea. Your words reveal that you are completely out of your element with zero chance of success.

You say you have a Mom. You need to ask your family for guidance and help. Do you attend a church?

Reading the works of Henry Thoreau may help you to better comprehend why one might have an interest in living a solitary existence as well.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

There've been a couple fellers in the news lately who 'dropped out' and stayed in the deep woods as hermits. They became thieves, and their adventures ended in handcuffs. Not to say you'd follow them, but truly living isolated and alone - it can do things to one's mind. Besides, you always end up needing mor supplies than you can get from nature - especially in the winter.
If you really want to try this, make some shorter trips first, with family knowing where you are- say a few weeks in spring & summer then return. Write of your experiences - you may wind up with a good book to make a bit of money. Once you truly learn your way around nature, you may find you can give lectures or classes in wilderness survival. People pay good money to learn from those who've 'been there'.

[terasec]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

very bad idea,
we all enjoy the outdoors here,
sure many of us love to spend as much time in the woods as possible,
but it has its drawbacks,
no matter how introverted one is. it gets lonely out there.
as other poster stated,
best reccomendation would be to spend some time in the woods and work up to longer stays
you cant learn everything needed to survive outdoors on your first trip.
you can work on basic skills from firestarting to food gathering to water filtration on day trips/ overnight camping trips.
and if your going to hunt and never hunted before, need to be a proficient hunter first before setting your sites on a game animal.
if hunting is on your mind, suggest taking hunter ed course first, lots of valueable information in the course.

[ddrinik]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

It's very odd how many different forums the user name ViKtoricus pops up on.

A body builder/weight lifter on one forum, gamer on another, there was a ladies man, a couple of days ago someone with this same user name is thinking about starting a small business. And now a hermit?


Are you the same person?

[Joyous56]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

I can see how attractive this kind of lifestyle might seem, from your perspective. If you had some background in living off the land, or long term camping, I might think you'd have a good chance at making it work. What you can get from a book is not the same as having first hand experience. For example, experienced bow hunters might not believe they could survive off their successful kills, and a novice would not likely be able to successfully hunt for survival.

I agree with others; start out small, do some camping trips on your own, take a hunting or archery course. See if you like it before committing to the lifestyle.

I think many of us come to a place in life where we feel we just can't fit in with modern society and the demands of holding down a job. It sometimes seems insurmountable and the idea of living off the grid and on the land can seem very attractive. Just so you know you're not alone.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

There was some one who decided to move into an area near my camping spot last summer. We kept reporting them to the Forest Service. Took about a month, but they finally ran him off. You can only stay for 14 straight days on National Forest Lands before you have to move to a different spot. So unless you own some land in the woods, I doubt you will find a spot to stay for long.

[familycamper]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

Unless you have an extensive background in wilderness living, I'd find an alternative. A book doesn't get you very far. A lot of practice and experience will get your further. I grew up on a ranch. Very little we did relied on goods from town. There were items. I grew up learning how to hunt, process animals, tan hides, fish, camp in harsh weather for extended periods, etc. As much as I'd love to, I wouldn't take off and live in the woods. I don't have the experience or the will. It's constant work. A tent won't last you long. You'll need a viable shelter. That takes a lot of work. You need to maintain that shelter. Provide wood for heat and cooking. You will need to purify water and hunt for food daily. You will need a heavy background in wild edibles as meat alone will not sustain you for long periods. I could go on and on.

I'm not much for people either. I work and I come home to my family. I sit out on the back porch a lot. When I get lonely, I'll invite a neighbor over for a bbq. There is work everywhere. You may not like it, but there is work. Get a job and hang out with your mom. If you need alone time, sit outside. Go camping on weekends. Running away from society will only lead to worse things.

[Mike]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

A couple of years ago, my friend was on the same path as the OP Victoricus.

Coincidenly, he didn't have a car either.

So one day, on his request I dropped him off in our national forest. He was going to live off the land. We had been wilderness campers together since we were kids. He had read books on survival, studied edible plants... and did his best to prepare with knowledge.

Less than two weeks later he called me to pick him up. He had eaten some berries that turned out to be poisonous and nearly died.

So much for that experiment.

I think it is difficult to live off the land in today's world. So much wildlife has been depleted and scavenging for wild edible plants is a lost art.

But it might work for you. Give it a try and keep us posted.

[Hikenhunter]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

It's very odd how many different forums the user name ViKtoricus pops up on.

A body builder/weight lifter on one forum, gamer on another, there was a ladies man, a couple of days ago someone with this same user name is thinking about starting a small business. And now a hermit?


Are you the same person?

Troll?????

[ddrinik]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

If it is indeed the same person. This user name has been banned from other forums for trolling.

[Coastie]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

Hello this my first post and this guy sounds like me and some what of my plans but I have been camping before, Hunted but not going to depend on hunting at all. But I will not be going out to be a hermit either.

There is many ways to survive but not sure all of the OPs problems.

[Malamute]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

Most people have no idea how much hard work living out in the hills is, as in physical hard work. Another aspect, few that have lived out in the wilds get by without any money or outside supplies. You generally need some supplies, meaning some money or something you do or make for trade. The mountain men/trappers of the early 1800's are often held up as amazingly self sufficient, and they were in many ways, however, they didnt live completely off the land. They trapped to make money, to buy supplies for the next year. They, at the very least, needed supplies for their guns, more traps, clothes, tools, fresh horses at times, etc. They would ride all the way back to St Louis to get next years supplies and sell their furs, until the traders started bringing supplies out to the mountains. They also were able to hunt all year long. That isnt possible today except in some very limited areas/situations, like in the bush of Alaska where Natives live. Even they buy supplies, ammo, guns, snow machines, store bought foods, clothes, boats and other supplies. They sometimes make things to sell for cash money, or work out of their home area for a time each year to get money.

"Living off the land" isnt as carefree and easy living as most envision. It's generally a lot of brutally hard work, and if you don't do it, it doesn't get done. The results of that can be pretty harsh, like starving or not having enough fire wood for the winter, etc.

If you truly love the wild palces, seek work that puts you there a lot, if you want to go because you feel like you dont fit in, I think thats the wrong reason, and you are not likely to stay or make it. We all have issues at times feeling content or feeling like you're where you "fit in". Often its a matter of finding a group of friends that think like you about many things, or a job that you can enjoy enough to stay with, rather than leaving all that you've known for something thats totally foreign, like living out in the hills somewhere. There are few places that you could pull it of without detection also. There's more people out, and aware of who else may be out there than you imagine. I live on the edge of one of the larger wild areas in the lower 48, and think it would be difficult to actually live full time in the mountains and not be found or anyone know you were there.

Best of luck figuring it out.

[Bigdog57]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

I read the Wiki article, and it was interesting, if short.
"During the expedition, he saw several moose, a caribou, and ducks, but Canadian law did not permit him to kill any of them."
In a true survival situation, this would be of no consequence. Survive first, deal with any law later, IF the law still exists.
This is the difference between 'Survivalism' and 'Prepping'. A prepper is set up for sustainability.
On the various prepper forums, it's widely considered a truism that 'backpack survival' is ultimately a failure.

[Malamute]

Re: Camping permanently in the wilderness, like a hermit.

..."During the expedition, he saw several moose, a caribou, and ducks, but Canadian law did not permit him to kill any of them."
In a true survival situation, this would be of no consequence. Survive first, deal with any law later, IF the law still exists...

I didn't read the links yet, but going out as a non-resident on an expedition or trip isnt the same thing as a resident as regards hunting. A non-resident can get hunting tags though. Also, a "true survival situation" doesn't include choosing to go out and see how well you can get by in some wild area. A plane crash, or trip somehow gone wrong and trying to stay alive while trying to get out, that's another story.

"...IF the law still exists"...Well, it does now, so we deal with it. The presumption that it wont or doesn't is more in the realm of end of the world dreaming and fantasy, as is common on "survival" threads that cater to "suvivalists" or "end of the world" ers (and seems to infest even relatively down to earth threads somehow). Survival in real life in wild areas deals with real things. The law exists, and those that live in those places have to deal with it. If the person that wanted to go try "survival" or subsistance living, they should have planned it better and had hunting tags.

There's a show on called Life Below Zero. It's showing up on youtubes for those that dont have a TV (like me) or the right cable connection to see it. The part with Chip Hailstone deals with real life survival. He wouldnt participate if it was going to include unreal drama. He lives the subsistance life in NW Alaska, with a Native Inupiat wife and their kids, they hunt all year long to live, which are different hunting regs than nonresidents. That's real "survival", not end of the world fantasy nonsense.

It is possible to go live in the wild places, though I don't believe it's going to happen in a practical or legal sense in the lower 48, there just isn't the room, game legally available all year, and places to live legally unless one owns some land (of which land in or right by truly wild places is rather expensive in the lower 48 in my experience).

Edit: just read the wiki, it sounds like he didn't have a good plan, or much practical experience to ensure success of his trip. I've read of his trip on other forums, the conclusion is about the same.