How to Live Off the Land in the Wilderness

Jesse Millan

While on a planned expedition in the wilderness, you may become lost or disoriented. If this happens, remember that you can live off of the land for quite some time while getting your bearings and waiting to be rescued. By finding sources of water, animal protein and edible vegetation, you can keep your physical and mental energy up and avoid hunger.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step 1

Find water. Before looking for food, find a suitable source of water. Streams, lakes and ponds are obvious sources. Rocky areas may have collected rainwater. You can catch falling rain as well in a bucket or in any type of clothing (wring out to use). Boil the water for 10 minutes or use water purification tablets, if you brought some with you.

Step 2

Consider eating insects. Insects are mostly made of protein, and are plentiful and easy to catch in most areas. Do not eat any insects or spiders that bite or sting, or that have colorful markings. Flies and mosquitos can carry disease. The best sources of insect protein are worms, ants and grubs, which can be eaten raw. Grasshoppers, crickets and beetles should be cooked before eating.

Step 3

Eat fish and other small water life if you are near a source of water. You can catch small shrimp, crawfish, clams and snails and eat them cooked. Frogs are also edible, unless they are brightly colored. Toads can be poisonous.

Step 4

Try to find a bird's nest. While birds can be hard to catch, you can eat their eggs. When taking a bird's eggs, leave a couple in the nest. The bird will come back and lay more eggs, which you can take, still leaving a few behind. If you can catch a bird, you can safely eat it after cooking thoroughly.

Step 5

Catch small mammals. Make a trap of some sort and try to catch small mammals, which can be cooked and eaten. Some mammals may carry diseases, including rabies, and many will try to bite if caught or wounded, so proceed with caution.

Step 6

Consider eating plants. If you are able to identify edible plants, eat them. If you can not identify plants, be aware that many plants are poisonous, even in tiny amounts. Many berries are edible, as are dandelions, roses and some nuts.

Tips & Warnings

Avoid eating reptiles as many are poisonous. Avoid eating plants that look like wild carrots, parsley, that taste bitter, or that smell like almonds, as these can indicate toxicity.

Avoid eating reptiles as many are poisonous.

Avoid eating plants that look like wild carrots, parsley, that taste bitter, or that smell like almonds, as these can indicate toxicity.

Article Written By Michelle Kulas

Michelle Kulas is a freelance writer specializing in SEO, Web content and blogging. She has worked as a certified nurses' assistant, a dental assistant and a dental insurance billing coordinator. Her areas of expertise include health and dental topics, parenting, homeschooling, education, homekeeping, natural family planning and decorating.

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