How to Build Primitive Survival Shelters
Learn to build a primitive survival shelter to maximize your disaster preparedness in an emergency. You can build primitive survival shelters from basic materials found in the forest. Additional materials such as rope may come in handy, but you never know what you'll have on your person when disaster strikes, so learn to build a primitive survival shelter using only the materials provided by Mother Nature.
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Things You'll Need
- Large sticks
- A sturdy log, at least seven feet long
- Leaves, twigs and other debris
- Rope (optional)
Instructions
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1
Find a sturdy tree with a Y-shaped fork about three feet up the trunk. If none is available, find a comparably sized boulder or tree stump.
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2
Rest one end of a long, sturdy log in the nook of the tree's Y-shaped fork. Secure it with rope if you have it. This will serve as your shelter's ridgepole, or roof support.
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3
Lean smaller sticks against either side of the ridgepole. Start about two feet away from the tree to leave yourself an open entryway. Set the sticks as close together as possible to make a tight shelter.
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4
Crawl inside the structure once you have the frame complete. It should be snug with just enough wiggle room. The smaller the structure, the more heat it will trap.
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5
Add a layer of brush, twigs and thorn vines to the outside of your shelter. This will act as a net-like layer to hold the insulation in place.
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6
Insulate your shelter by adding a thick (at least two feet) layer of dead, dry leaves, pine needles, grass or whatever other dry debris you can find.
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Insulate the shelter's interior by filling it with dry leaves. Place a large pile of leaves outside the entryway, then crawl inside to pack down the insulation and create a nest for yourself.
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8
Seal yourself inside the shelter by pulling in the leaves from the pile you placed outside the entryway. Seal the opening as tightly as possible to prevent drafts and exposure.
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Tips & Warnings
Practice building your survival shelter, so you'll be prepared if you ever need to use one. Actually building the shelter gives you more experience than simply reading a guide.
Choose a damp or cold night to sleep in your practice shelter. In the event of an emergency, you won't be able to choose the weather conditions. Make sure you can build a survival shelter capable of withstanding cold, rainy nights.
