Year round country living without a permanent shelter

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I'm not sure if I've picked the right place to put this.

I have wanted to live in the woods by myself for most of my life. I'm 24 and I can't work due to PTSD. I find it so hard to be around people. I won't get too much into it but I am trying to make a sustainable plan for if I decide to leave the person I'm staying with.

My resources are about $1000 a month for disability, and I have a very rusty car.

I know there are people who live year round in winter in Minnesota, without a permanent shelter, they stay in a vehicle or something. I've done it myself but I haven't had to do it in the winter. If the forest service roads were plowed in the winter I could see it being more feasible. It seems like it is pretty difficult to survive the winter without being able to set up a camp for longer than 21 days.

If anyone has any advice I would greatly appreciate it.
 
havasu said:
You need to head south, where the climate is better. Unfortunately, California if plum full from having no Southern Border protection
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That is good advice. For some reason I thought I couldn't travel out of my state for very long to keep getting benefits, but it seems that you can. I guess the only other issue is a reliable vehicle
 
There’s a book from 1993 “Naked into the Wilderness” “Primitive wilderness living and survival skills” by John McPherson. He and his wife Geri actually lived this way, its not borrowed information. It has everything you need to know to go live in the woods. 400 pages with 700 photos as a guide.
 
I'd say you at least need a 4x4/ AWD van or truck with camper shell. And experience I've lived out of vehicles and packs all over the world and it's not as easy as it sounds. Water food shelter and security. And psychology you better like yourself and being alone. Mental toughness will carry one farther than physical.
 
Mountain trapper said:
24 and on taxpayer funded disability just because you dont like people? Something is wrong with
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Until you live in someone's shoes you have no idea what they may have suffered especially at the hands of others.
I agree a free ride isn't right for many, maybe even most in the system but it this case and in most cases like this we have no idea what the truth is so
 
iliveinthewoods said:
I'm not sure if I've picked the right place to put this.

I have wanted to live in the woods by myself for most of my life. I'm 24 and I can't work due to PTSD. I find it so hard to be around people. I won't get too much into it but I am trying to make a sustainable plan for if I decide to leave the person I'm staying with.

My resources are about $1000 a month for disability, and I have a very rusty car.

I know there are people who live year round in winter in Minnesota, without a permanent shelter, they stay in a vehicle or something. I've done it myself but I haven't had to do it in the winter. If the forest service roads were plowed in the winter I could see it being more feasible. It seems like it is pretty difficult to survive the winter without being able to set up a camp for longer than 21 days.

If anyone has any advice I would greatly appreciate it.
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First I'd move somewhere in the middle of the country north to south. Somewhere that has more temperate weather. Secondly look on craigslist for a free camper etc. or try and find someone who has a homestead and is getting older to partner up with. I've got kids your age who went through mentally hard times thanks to their mother so I know issues can arise that make life harder than it needs to be.
 
I myself live deep in the woods and often go weeks without seeing other people. I know how peaceful and rewarding it can be. Often times it would really be nice to have other likeminded folks around though so be careful what you wish for.....
 
Mountain trapper said:
24 and on taxpayer funded disability just because you dont like people? Something is wrong with this picture. I worked for well over 40 years without liking people. Never thought about sucking off the government tit.
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At some point you have to figure , if you can't beat them, join them...just saying
Why should I work in some job I don't like just so I can pay a third of our income in taxes when I don't need to? If he can get away with not working, why not? I don't blame him
System is going to crash anyway , probably soon, might as well get out of it what you can while you can
 
I try not to judge people. You must deal with the cards dealt you. This forum is loaded with a great many knowledgeable people. To get the best information and the best help, they will need to know more about your background (not the traumatic parts) but some of your skills and abilities. Example: What camping experiences do you have? What hunting or trapping experiences have you had? Do you know how to actually fish? Are you a mass of muscle or skin and bones (like Me)? Do you know what plants are safe to eat and what they look like? The more the members know, the better the advice will be. We don't need you name, address or any other operational security information, just a general back ground.
 
Every now and again we get people come to Alaska to pit themselves against the wilderness. Most of the time they are able to extricate themselves from the situation or their remains are eventually discovered. There are a number of members here that have the required skills to survive and even thrive in the situation you describe. Only you can judge your skills. If you can be an honest judge of your skills, and not your desire, then you have a fair chance.

I grew up in a rain forest and would do okay most anywhere in Alaska. I found myself hitchhiking across the dessert. I realized that my skills were not up to my situation.
 
sonya123 said:
At some point you have to figure , if you can't beat them, join them...just saying
Why should I work in some job I don't like just so I can pay a third of our income in taxes when I don't need to? If he can get away with not working, why not? I don't blame him
System is going to crash anyway , probably soon, might as well get out of it what you can while you can
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The reason "why not" is because it's coming out of someone's pocket that could go to their own family. I guess it would take some pride in oneself to see the problem.
You only had 30% come out in taxes? I had over 60% stolen from my paycheck.
To me, it's never OK to take from one person and give to another, for any reason.
 
Mountain trapper said:
The reason "why not" is because it's coming out of someone's pocket that could go to their own family. I guess it would take some pride in oneself to see the problem.
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Pride is an absolutely useless emotion that gets you nothing

Plus, how else do you protest against the system? If you willingly contribute you are also part of the problem
 
TMT Tactical said:
I try not to judge people. You must deal with the cards dealt you. This forum is loaded with a great many knowledgeable people. To get the best information and the best help, they will need to know more about your background (not the traumatic parts) but some of your skills and abilities. Example: What camping experiences do you have? What hunting or trapping experiences have you had? Do you know how to actually fish? Are you a mass of muscle or skin and bones (like Me)? Do you know what plants are safe to eat and what they look like? The more the members know, the better the advice will be. We don't need you name, address or any other operational security information, just a general back ground.
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I've had experience backpacking, longest trip was a month. I haven't done any hunting or fishing, or have much knowledge on edible plants. Once I got a grouse with a sling shot but that is it. I'm sure I could learn more.

I am fairly skinny, and I often have trouble eating enough. I'm not sure if it's relevant but I'm also a woman. Most people tell me it's a terrible idea to be by yourself if you're a woman.

I know I don't have an ideal set of skills to survive. I don't feel like I have much of a choice. I don't feel safe where I am now, so I feel like I need to leave at some point.

I like Minnesota so I want to spend as much time as possible here, but I think if I do end up with nowhere to go in winter, I'll have to travel out of Minnesota while it's too cold.
 
Mountain trapper.
How much do you pay. Do you offer a 401? How about insurance does it cover dental?
Is this a serious job offer or are you just kidding around?
 
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SLADE said:
Mountain trapper.
How much do you pay. Do you offer a 401? How about insurance does it cover dental?
Is this a serious job offer or are you just kidding around?
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I got lost someplace, not all that unusual (Me getting lost) :p
 
iliveinthewoods said:
I've had experience backpacking, longest trip was a month. I haven't done any hunting or fishing, or have much knowledge on edible plants. Once I got a grouse with a sling shot but that is it. I'm sure I could learn more.

I am fairly skinny, and I often have trouble eating enough. I'm not sure if it's relevant but I'm also a woman. Most people tell me it's a terrible idea to be by yourself if you're a woman.

I know I don't have an ideal set of skills to survive. I don't feel like I have much of a choice. I don't feel safe where I am now, so I feel like I need to leave at some point.

I like Minnesota so I want to spend as much time as possible here, but I think if I do end up with nowhere to go in winter, I'll have to travel out of Minnesota while it's too cold.
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You being female makes almost no difference. I say almost because there are some differences like the amount you can lift / move and the way you do it. Females are better at certain things just as males are but nearly everyone can learn to do nearly anything if they truly want to! You said you're skinny so that just means you might not have the weight and need leverage instead. Where there's a will there's a way, BELIEVE IT! Back in 05-07 I had to learn how to walk, talk and write again. As for the flip side being skinny and or small has advantages all their own. You just need to find where and what fits you best.

Minnesota may well be a great and beautiful place but it's NO place to be living outside in winter. If I were you I'd get out NOW and down somewhere warmer before winter really sets in and leaves you stranded with no way to get out. Then if you chose to go back and live there in warm weather so be it at least you will be alive! An amazing amount of people die each year due to extreme cold and or bad fumes from heaters not venting properly in small spaces. Life has been tough on you from the sounds of it but that's no reason to invite more trouble to pile on.
 
iliveinthewoods said:
I've had experience backpacking, longest trip was a month. I haven't done any hunting or fishing, or have much knowledge on edible plants. Once I got a grouse with a sling shot but that is it. I'm sure I could learn more.

I am fairly skinny, and I often have trouble eating enough. I'm not sure if it's relevant but I'm also a woman. Most people tell me it's a terrible idea to be by yourself if you're a woman.

I know I don't have an ideal set of skills to survive. I don't feel like I have much of a choice. I don't feel safe where I am now, so I feel like I need to leave at some point.

I like Minnesota so I want to spend as much time as possible here, but I think if I do end up with nowhere to go in winter, I'll have to travel out of Minnesota while it's too cold.
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Okay first, you need to get your finances in order. Get your disability check deposited into an account you can draw from any location. If you feel unsafe where you are, then you probably are unsafe there. Listen to you gut feelings. You will need to get a vehicle you can live out of, at least until you find a safe spot to roost. I am very curious about the month long hiking experience. How and where did you accomplish this adventure? You also need to find / relocate to a very low cost state, with moderate temps. While the west coast has moderate climate zones, the cost of living is too expensive. Since you are not looking to be around a lot of people, then states with low entertainment rating are a good place to start looking. Once you have selected a state / area to move to, then get many books on eatable plant life. Go to the local libraries and watch as many Youtube videos on foraging as possible. In states with a lot of Snowbirds (people that move from state to state, depending on the seasons) you might be able to get a job as a house sitter. The residents would be gone and you would not have to associate with many people. Just one possibility. You have many options but none of them are going to be a walk in the park. Only you can decide what is best for you and what you are willing to do to accomplish your goals.
 
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