Would you be able to survive?

[Elmo Dukat]

If you were dropped in the middle of a gigantic forest with a knife, a rope, and whatever happened to be on you at the moment (cellphone, shoelaces, belt and belt buckle, etc), how confident are you that you would be able to survive?

What do you think you'd excel at, in the wild? Are you a good hunter? Would you be able to build the best shelters, or find the best berries and roots?

Personally, I think I'd make one hell of a shelter. I think I'd have a moderate amount of difficulty getting a fire together, but I know in general two fire-making tips that could work with enough effort. And, of course, the more you practice, the easier it would get. I'm not sure I'd have the knowledge to hunt or gather effectively, however.

What about you?

 

[Scout101]

yep, definitely. Maybe not FOREVER, based upon what I've got on me, but I could give it a go more than long enough to get rescued. I'm an Eagle Scout, after all

My keychain also has a small leatherman (knife, pliers, tweezers, screwdrivers, etc) and a flashlight on it (be prepared, of course), so that would probably give me a small leg up on the 'shoelaces' crowd.

Plenty of experience in the woods (grew up in Maine, as well), know about shelter building, safe drinking water, first aid, a few ways to start a fire, and generally what to eat and what not to.

Watching Survivorman a lot also helps

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Depends on the time of year. I think if it was in the Spring/Summer/Fall I'd be able to make do long enough to be rescued, but in Winter I'd be in trouble. I still remember many of the skills I learned in Scouts and from camping a lot when I was younger, but I haven't done any of that for years so I'm out of practice. I was always pretty good at building shelters as well, but I don't know how good I would be at hunting.

I have a lot of book/TV learning on the subject, but not a lot of real world experience - at least not for a long time.

 

[JonathonWally]

If I could bring a pot, I'd be good.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

^^^ You accidentally inserted an "a" into your post there, buddy. Common mistake.

 

[RoJoHen]

I dunno...are there bears? I feel like I would not be able to handle myself against bears.

Assuming there is a lack of predators, I would be fine.

 

[An Officer]

I just got done watching "I'm a celebrity, get me out of here" set in the Australian jungle. And it looks horrendously difficult. To sleep constantly at risk from poisonous snakes, spiders, scorpions, and all manor of creepy crawlies... *Shivers*

I do not know how to make a fire, or build a shelter... or how to make homemade weapons, or hunt. Left to my own devices, I probably wouldn't last very long.

If however, I was within a group, some of whom had those skills, I probably would make a good group member in that I am able to adapt easily, am physically strong, don't get dissuaded easily, and do have some mental resilience.

If I were on my own, the situation would be very bleak!

 

[jamestyler]

I'm far too used to living in a nice comfortable (if slightly violent) city. I can handle junkies demanding money and/or pulling a knife - not too keen on fending myself off against other kinds of wild animals.

I'd just complain. A lot. Unless I bumped into John Locke.

 

[Scout101]

Like I mentioned in my post, Survivorman (on the Science Channel, and replayed on Discovery) is an excellent show for this sort of thing. Unlike the assclown in Man vs. Wild, this guy (Les Stroud) simulates fairly common occurances, more or less (lots of lost hiking or hunting/fishing, or on snowmobile trips, small plane crash-lands, car runs out of gas or breaks down, etc). No camera crew, only the things you'd normally have with you in that situation (no bringing lots of food or water, or planning to be stuck there).

He films the whole thing himself, and generally goes a little nutty by the end of the 7 days, but it's entertaining. He doesn't take stupid risks, plays the high-odd choices, and makes it fairly realistic (although at this point, he's far too knowledgeable about the plants to eat and not eat, etc). Next week is the series finale, he's been doing the show for a few years now.

As opposed to the Man vs. Wild show, which tries to do the same thing, but is crap. This guy isn't actually alone (camera crew is with him), and he makes the stupid choices because he knows he has a safety net. Emulating anything he does when you're in that situation will kill you very quickly. He was also British Special Forces, so he's got training and physical skills that most people wouldn't. He thinks nothing of jumping off of a cliff into freezing water because it's the fast way around and he THINKS he sees a hot spring, or shimmying across a ravine on an old rope he found, or sledding down ice tunnels in a glacier at about 40 MPH, for example...

 

[iguana_tonante]

I'll be dead withing fifteen minutes. I'm a scientist, I don't have time to care about food, water and shelter. Hell, I can not even survive in the civilized world without help.

 

[Chaos Descending]

I'd have very little problem making it by myself armed only with with a knife and the clothes on my back in the forest.

 

[Jono]

I'd be screwed. I know nothing about bush survival.

 

[Hermiod]

I'd just kill any other stranded TrekBBSers I find and eat them.

 

[Kestra]

I wouldn't survive long in a forest. My allergies would kill me off if nothing else did.

 

[An Officer]

The clean air and all natural environment might help with any allergies, depending on what sort they are...

 

[Kestra]

The clean air and all natural environment might help with any allergies, depending on what sort they are...

I'm allergic to all sorts of tree, grass, and other plant pollen. The last time I sat in some grass for half an hour I nearly ended up in the hospital. I also have adverse reactions to many fruits.

 

[An Officer]

Oh dear. It would appear you're more allergic to natural things rather than manufactured... Sorry!

 

[blablover5]

Knowing my luck the squirrels would probably take me out the first chance they get.

 

[An Officer]

Omnius, has moved to a gigantic forest, and he has a taste for American meat?

 

[Ethros]

I dunno, probably not. The Blair Witch wouldn't be after me would it?