Introduction: How to Make a Survival Camp Site in the Woods

This instructable will teach you how to make a survival campsite in the woods without having any personal equipment. Depending on the amount of debris around your selected campsite location, this process could take anywhere from 1-3 hours. You don't need to be a wilderness survival enthusiast to construct this campsite and you won't need any tools but your hands! Everyone that is going camping or hiking should know how to make a survival shelter incase of an emergency. The completion of these steps can save your life, which is why it's important to carry out these steps to the best of your abilities!

Step 1: Choose a Location

  1. Choose a semi-level location with fallen debris nearby
    • This location should have a sturdy tree to be the structural element of your shelter
    • Make sure you are not in a low position where rain run off will accumulate
  2. Identify a water source and game trail near your site
  3. Decide what direction you want the door to face
    • The door will be by the tree
    • Face away from the wind and towards downhill if you can

Step 2: Preparation and Material Gathering

  1. Clear the location of all leaves and debris
  2. Gather fallen debris of all sizes
    • The bigger stuff will be the structural elements
    • The smaller stuff will be the insulation
    • You'll need at least one big log with a forked end for the frame
  3. Make sure the collected logs/sticks are not rotten and are structurally sound
  4. Pile up all the sticks into piles of small, medium, and large length and diameter
  5. Collect grasses, pine needles, or leaves for ground insulation

Step 3: Making the Shelter

  1. Lean the large log with a forked end so that the forked end is against the tree
    • A fallen tree works great as an alternate option (See step 5)
    • Make sure this is set structurally sound as this is the starting foundation of your shelter
    • Your door will be by the tree
  2. Start leaning the rest of the big logs/sticks against the angled log
  3. Cover both sides completely for best results and to shelter you from the elements
  4. After you have used all the large sticks, use the medium sticks and do the same process as above
  5. After you have used all the medium sticks, weave in the little sticks to fill in all the gaps
  6. Place your pine needles, long grasses, or leaves inside the shelter on the ground for insulation
    • Something between you and the ground is essential especially if the ground is wet or cold

Step 4: Weather Proofing

  1. Collect live branches with leaves on them
    • NOTE: These pictures were taken early spring before any trees bloomed
    • Big pieces of bark are also a great alternative
  2. Lay/weave these branches over the outside as if they were shingles
    • The bigger the leaves, the better the results
    • These leaves will keep you dry from the rain and will also block wind
  3. Weave these live branches and leaves until you can't see the sunshine/light from inside your shelter
    • Make sure you have an excess pile of leaves and live materials incase you need to patch a hole in the middle of a storm

Step 5: Alternative Shelter

  1. Complete steps 1 and 2 but find a fallen tree instead of a live one
    • Avoid a rotten tree, try to find a solid structurally sound one
  2. Start leaning logs/sticks against the fallen tree
    • The entrance will be on the other side
  3. Insulated the ground with pine needles, grasses, or leaves
  4. After you have stacked all the sticks, weather proof by following step 4
  5. This alternate shelter is more desirable in warm/dry weather where you don't need as much protection form the elements

Step 6: Fire Pit

  1. Clear out any debs nearby so the fire pit is on dirt
  2. Collect rocks no smaller than the size of a softball
  3. Place the rocks in a circle to restrain the fire from spreading
  4. Gather sticks of all sizes for firewood
    • The fire pit will keep you warm, allow you to sanitize your drinking water, allow you to cook food, keep predators and bugs away, and give you light when it's dark
    • Wet leaves and grasses make lots of smoke, which is a great insect repellant
    • You can put smaller rocks (baseball to softball size) in or around the fire and bring it to bed with you to provide heat throughout the night
      • DANGER: Rocks will be very hot! Use a stick to roll it out of the pit and let it sit a little while before touching it

Step 7: Congratulations!

  1. You have now successfully created a survival campsite!
  2. Now plan on how you are going to get food and water until you are rescued
  3. Make sure to have a smoke signal or some other signal prepared
    • A smokey fire on a sandbar by the river would be ideal but water levels could rise so have another back up just incase
    • Wet leaves and grasses work great for smoke signals
  4. Remember to always stay calm and safe
  5. Stay near the location of where you may have gotten lost or had a injury
    • You are more likely to be found faster if you are near the scene of the initial accident