primitiveskills.com At the Scout Basic course build a survival shelter emphasizing low profile.
Newsletter
Our Sponsors:
Wilderness Survival Shelter: Basic Scout Pit
July 17th, 2010
Tags: Basic, Scout, Shelter, Survival, Wilderness
Posted in Survivial Tips and Techniques | Comments (22)
July 17th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
The s_ _ _ _ pit you may not know what that is but I guarantee it cover with dirt for a reason. In your case it is cover with large birch bark dirt and grass.
July 17th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Though I can say mine was bigger.
July 17th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Shit your scout pit is better then the one I built.
July 17th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
That one dude needs some real shoes on instead of the sandles. IJS haha
July 17th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
@brizzx32 No, with this shelter, the point is to remain undetected, this design, used by the Apache scout, is still used as a Listening/Observation platform in modern areas of operation.
July 17th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
I don’t understand I thought the whole point was to stay off the ground when you are camping. Dew to bugs and snakes an other creatures.
July 17th, 2010 at 3:54 pm
hi how long wide & deep in all
July 17th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
Just to much work. Having no shovel would be a real issue. It seems a simple debri hut would work better. I just don’t know but thanks for sharing.
cheers
July 17th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
@primitiveskills Thanks for the response. I’m a subscriber now and look forward to learning from you guys.
July 17th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
@enjoythewildUSA Excellent point, thak you. In this weekend course we built one shelter as a class in order to leave time for other skill sets. The hours invested, if multiplied by the folks involved would be a little over five and a half hours for one person. This terrain is one of the worst possible for digging as it is rich in thick clay and laden with large rocks. As a stand alone shelter, it is one for sandier of loamier conditions. We modify the key concepts in ME to make it work.
July 17th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
That looks like a lot of labor for a lot of guys. If it is to be a practical shelter, one man should build it.
July 17th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
@hoosierarcher Excellent queries! It would seem so at first glance. Location is key. Choosing a well drained, slightly elevated area on the landscape and doming the top gaurantees water sheds off and away. The grass mat or thick debris floor couples with keeping the radiant body heat from escaping too quickly helps to maintain temperature and offset any cold sink effect at such a shallow depth (usually 28-34 inches).
July 17th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Only problems I can foresee are first cold air sinks so having your shelter floor lower than the ground level you’ll make a cold well. Second water will run off into this shelter.
July 17th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
it would have been really funny if he would have said ” i think i took a wrong turn at albquirki”
July 17th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
@ArtisanTony Haven’t had one fill with water yet (21 years and still buildin’ ‘em). Secret is location and a slightly domed top, coupled with a cork shaped door plug (tapered). They’re pretty cozy. We have had folks w/ claustrophobia freak out a little bit though!
July 17th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Not sure about this. I am sure this would fill with water in a good rain storm. I think I’ll keep my shelters above grade
July 17th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
@T3hJones I wish! Unfotunately, we haven’t had much luck with legless lunches. Occasional frogs and toads and insects and spiders, but they are easily removed or “smudged” out.
July 17th, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Nice one. I guess snake etc. love that pit to
July 17th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
Excellent question! “below frost line”. The term “below frost line” refers to earths mass retaining a temp around 52 degrees f. yr round depending on dpth and severity/duration of the cold. A grass mat/ leaf litter & the trapping of radiant body heat makes this shelter “comfortably cool” year round. It can be used as a LP/OP as well as a migratory hide/rest area. In mobile survival, involved shelters such as this are a liability, & site selection for hasty shelters becomes vital.
July 17th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
@kingboru121 the earth is the most amazing insulator!!!
July 17th, 2010 at 11:05 pm
nice huaraches!
July 17th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
fun video. is this for security or as a sleep in shelter. Seems it would get cold in there being underground