Field expedient shelter

If you find yourself in a wooded area and have enough natural materials, you can make a field–expedient lean–to survival shelter without the aid of tools or with only a knife. It takes longer to make this type of shelter than it does to make other types, but it is strong and protects well. If you expect to wait longer for help, you should consider building this type of shelter.

To build this survival shelter, you will need two trees about 2 metres apart, one pole about 2 metres long and at least 2.5 centimetres in diameter, five to eight poles about 3 metres long and at least 2.5 centimetres in diameter to serve as beams, cord or vines to secure the horizontal support to the trees, and other poles, saplings, or vines to criss-cross the beams.

To build this shelter, follow the steps:

• Tie the 2–metre pole to the two trees at waist to chest height, depending on what height the shelter will be – in colder climates a lower shelter will make it easier for you to control the temperature. The horizontal pole will create the horizontal support. If standing trees are not available, construct a biped using Y-shaped sticks or two tripods.
• Place one end of the beams (3–metre poles) on one side of the horizontal support pole. As with all lean–to type shelters, be sure to place shelters backside into the wind.
• Criss–cross saplings or vines on the beams.
• Cover the created framework with brush, leaves, pine needles or grass, starting from the bottom and working your way up like shingling. Once the layer is thick enough, you can secure it by placing long, 3–metre poles on top, just like when building a framework – leaves and grass will not be blown by the wind.
• Again, remember about isolation from the ground.

In cold weather add to your lean-to shelter comfort by building a fire reflector wall, just like the one in the photograph. To do it, drive four 1.5 metre long stakes into the ground to support the wall. Stack logs on top of one another between the support stakes. You have to form two rows of stacked logs to create an inner space within the wall that you can fill with dirt, only then will the wall be wind proof. This action not only strengthens the wall but makes it more heat reflective. Bind the top of support stakes so that the logs and dirt will stay in place.

With just a little more effort you can build a drying rack. You just need to cut a few poles. Lay one end of the poles on the lean–to support and the other end on top of the reflector wall. Tie smaller sticks across these poles or simply hang ropes between them. You now have a place to dry clothes, meat, or fish.

You can lit fire inside this lean–to without the risk of hurting yourself. The best method is to dig a hole by the fire reflector and lit fire in there. This way you will not risk accidental burning of your shelter and will be able to sleep by the burning fire without the risk of getting hurt.