A hunting trip can sometimes turn into more than just a day or you go camping and find out your tent is broken, and you need a shelter. It’s good to know how to build a shelter out of surrounding resources. The following are steps to ensure that when you are staying in the woods, you have a well built shelter.
1. Location
Finding the right location is key in building a shelter. Make sure you are protected from the weather by surrounding yourself with trees the best you can. Build on higher ground so puddles aren’t a problem, it should be well drained. Also, be aware of animal shelters.
2. Beams and Supports
You need a ridge pole that can support the weight of the shelter. It should be around 9 feet long and as big around as your arm. Have it at least 3 feet off the ground by propping it up on a rock or 2 forked sticks, at either end, that are strong enough as well. Next ribs are needed to hold up leaves and can be made of sticks or thick pieces of bark. Place them close together, angled on the ridgepole. There should be 9 inches of space on either side of your body when inside.
3. Leaves and Brush
Once all the ribs and supports are in place and you know they’re stable, you can start to pile on leaves and vegetation. The leaves can be wet. There should be 2 to 3 feet of vegetation all the way around, leaving an entrance large enough for you to get in. After the leaves are piled on, make sure there’s enough around the bottom to keep in warmth and keep out any cold. You can then put large pieces of bark and other sticks on top of the shelter to keep the leaves from blowing off.
4. Bedding
The inside of the hut should have leaves and debris piled up twice as much as the outside. Without bedding, you can still freeze to death. Keeping the cold out is extremely important. All corners and sides of the shelter should be packed with extra leaves. A large pile of leaves can be kept outside of the entrance and pulled in as a plug.
It’s that easy. All you need to do is a bit of work and you are ready to sleep safely and soundly in your makeshift home.
