Whether you are bugging-out, lost in the woods, injured while hunting to where you can not walk out, or stuck in a remote area due to whatever circumstances... do you know how to make a snow cave, create a brush shelter, or how to improvise a shelter to get out of the elements. What are you carrying in your pack that will assist with construction (hatchet, saw, 550 cord, tarp material, bungee cords and so on). Here are some ideas for reference... ... Just a few ideas above..... What are your preferred methods? Have you practiced using the tools you have on you to create a hasty shelter.... knowledge is the first step in survival, especially in the winter!!
When I was in survival class/school I was taught the best is similar to the 1st, 3rd and 4th picture shown in Yard Darts post. Use a standing green sapling, clean off branches, bend top to the ground and anchor. Use other small sticks and logs as ribs and use fur bows and leaves for water shed and insulation.
I have noticed that some of the larger pine trees have branches that droop down around the base of the trees. Sometimes it looks like a natural shelter and I have often thought it wouldn't take much to add more branches and fill in the circle around the base. I will try to take a photo of the trees I have seen.
Like a globe effect using the existing branches? Smart thinking, you would also have the added cover of all the branches on the tree to the top !
Like this: The easiest may be the low-hanging tree. Many large pines drape their branches almost to the ground, and under these lowermost branches you are relatively safe from wind and rain. They also tend to have a comfortable layer of needles already there. Read more: How to Build a Winter Shelter - Do It Yourself - MOTHER EARTH NEWS
Be a mite careful about a fire under the tree. It's apt to loosen any snow on the branches and give you a solid shower and put out the fire at the same time. Yes, I know this.
Actually, I have used MotoMoms Fir Tree Shelter, Many times, over the years, when getting caught out in the bush, overnight. The snow sheds off the tree over time and builds up around the periphery of the tree, leaving a nice space in close to the Trunk. I push the snow out and compact it, some, then cut some low hangers, from other trees, in the area, to help build a wall above the Snow. Then I can build a small fire inside my nest, and that heat causes the compacted Snow to glaze over, and then hold in the heat. The fire will also keep the nest well above freezing even when the outside is well below Zero F..... It does work WELL...
I attended the Air Force Arctic Survival school at Eilson AFB in Alaska. I made and used the top two pictured shelters at -20F with no problem. In fact the smaller the better and inside my sleeping bags I slept nicely at night.
Be careful of fire in a pine tree, moto, they burn well for a reason. The needles are full of sap, and work very well as tender for starting fires.
That is why you build a "Small Fire" Indian style, rather than Whiteman Style..... SMALL... is all you need...
I have done tarp shelters in the winter, nothing horrible, single digits-low teens, but always with a long fire. I have never slept in really deep snow. I would like to give it a try. I have a buddy that is up for those kind of things and he has mentioned it so if the opportunity comes up maybe this winter. We are both safe and always have an backup plan because we have had plenty of fails, the heater in my truck works really well.
A small fire in the snow well works well. If you have time to start a small fire and let it go out until the snow glazes over it works even better. Used to do that all the time while skiing. I keep a cheap plastic poncho in all my packs used as a base layer in a brush shelter it keeps things dry. My home turf is wet, even the snow!
Great work, But i think you have to Dakota fire pit in shelter for cooking & heat inside the shelter. What you think?