How to Build a Temp Shelter in the Woods

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You never know when you will need to build a temporary shelter. The need for a temporary shelter could arise on a moment's notice. From a simple bicycle ride or hike to a hunting trip gone slightly wrong getting turned around happens to the best of us. This is a prime example of when you will need a temporary shelter to survive the elements. A temporary shelter can be built using small tree branches for walls and roofs, and bushes work great for walls. One of the most simplest shelter designs is a Tepee design where sticks are stacked standing up supporting one another at a point that is tied at the top. This structure is also secured into the ground at the bottom. You can also utilize vines and small fresh green branches to tie sticks together to secure a frame. By building the typical square frame, a roof can be easily applied with a little ingenuity. If you are lucky enough to be in a tropical area Palmetto leaves or palm branches, make excellent temporary shelter roofs. Sometimes when building your shelter finding a recessed spot in the ground or digging into the ground a bit to build your shelter on is an added advantage.

 

This is brilliant. May I ask what tools and techniques you use to cut the wood? Do you use a survival knife and a batoning technique or a hand saw? It looks like the structure is almost completely self supporting. I have so much to learn. Thank you for sharing!