Eating in the Wilderness

If you need to bug-out to the wilderness, be sure to take your provisions and special bag. But, while you're out there, do your best to eat off the land before you have to dip into your supplies. You may not know how long you have to be out there.

For your bug-out-bag, be sure to include...
Water purification system/drops, cooking equipment, fire-starting equipment, hunting/fishing equipment, books identifying plants and insects, etc. We'll talk more about these later in this blog.

Gather from nature...
So much to choose from if you know what to look for.... from insects and fish to berries to plants and roots. Be sure to vary your choices as you still need fat, protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals. If you don't have a lot of water, try not to eat too much (will make you thirstier).

Water:
Find a source of water. Remember, you've packed your filtration system or purification drops, so make that your first priority. Food you can do without for a while. Water, you can't.

Bugs:
They have lots of nutrition and fat. Don't let the grossness get to you. If you're hungry, you'll eat them. Maybe you'll even get to like them! Maybe heat in an aluminum foil pocket with a little liquid, dried veggies and powdered cheese. Yum!

Plants:
Depending of time of the year you will almost always find edible plants and berries in the wilderness. The problem is knowing which ones are edible. That's where your identification book will come in handy.

Fish:
Learn NOW how to fish - using a hook and line, or a seine (where acceptable). They are easy to prepare and cook, and full of protein, fat and amino acids.

Animals:
If you don't already have experience hunting, you probably shouldn't waste your energy, supplies and calories trying to get animals/meat in a survival situation. It can be hard, and you'll end up using more calories than you'll get. However, trapping is easier than hunting. You can set the traps, and go look for other food sources, coming back from time to time to check the traps.

Eggs:
Most eggs from local birds are great for survival meals. They are high in nutrition, protein, and are yummy boiled, fried, or baked.

Next time you drive by a thrift store, stop in to check for "identification books". After looking at them, cover to cover, pack them in your bug-out-bag.