How to for city boy/newbie

I'm just getting started on learning survival techniques and am looking for advice.

What I'm wanting to learn is how to go out into a wilderness area and survive. I'd like to be able to go hiking or backpacking and get by or thrive with minimal tools.

However, I'm running into some problems. I live in the city so I don't own any land. I don't know where to go so I can practice. I don't own a house, so I don't have a lot of space for storage.

What tools should I buy. Which books should I read and where can I go to practice. Thanks.

Originally posted by media_observer
I'm just getting started on learning survival techniques and am looking for advice.

What I'm wanting to learn is how to go out into a wilderness area and survive. I'd like to be able to go hiking or backpacking and get by or thrive with minimal tools.

Firstly in my opinion The goal should never be to thrive but live. If you can thrive so much the better but the goal should be simple survival. If you do manage to thrive dont look like you are thriving other wise all you haved gained will be take away usually at the point of a gun or knife. Well just my opinion anyway.

However, I'm running into some problems. I live in the city so I don't own any land. I don't know where to go so I can practice. I don't own a house, so I don't have a lot of space for storage.

Land isnt nessary Each and every state in the USA has both state and federal land all you have to do is look on the internet on ware it is. Most of this land is open to camping and hunting. Just call your local DNR office for information on the use permits for publick land. There is also alot of private campgrounds for little money. You will want to look for wilderness or primative campgrounds to get some true camping experiance in. As for survival equiptment you should really minamise storeing you equiptment. Your survival equiptment should consist of stuff you use every day. Anything that does need to be stored Room can be found in unlikely places. A good portion of survival in my opinion is being creative. Get you mind use to that and you have a good portion of the battle won. One of the things I was taught early on is to pick a every day task and figure out what you need to do it without modern convience. Take washing your clothes for example. A washing machine is great but how do you do it with out electricty and hot and cold running water. What about soap. Its simple stuff that will get you if your not prepaired for it. The afore mentioned excersice helps the mind to look at things in a different way. give it a try.

Ona tv show, there was a survivor guy (forgot which one) who went camping for 4 days. On day one he camped with all his gadgets. On each day following he recamped using only what he planned on using. I think by the last day he was down to like a fixed blade and a flint. The details aren't as important as the theory. Take what you will for a comfortable weekend of camping, then the next day dont use your tent or your food, maybe try to fish or gather edibles, maybe on the last day spend the night with no fire or tent. Think of what you can get by on, with the added safety of having everything still there for emergencies.


THE FOXFIRE BOOK SERIES is a good place to start reading. If your library has copies, I would recommend a visit.
Below describes the author's mindset.

Foxfire books have brought the philosophy of simple living to readers, teaching creative self-sufficiency and preserving the stories and customs of Appalachia. Built around three basic values of Southern Appalachian life, Faith, Family, and the Land continues the Foxfire tradition, but in a unique way.

With 12 volumes available, you should be able to find vast quantities of knowledge. I hope this helps you out.