Building a Shelter

About Shelters

Shelters are used to protect you from the elements. There are many different kinds of shelters, all of which are better suited for various types of environments. Keep in mind that in some cases, finding or building a shelter can take priority over finding food or possibly even water. It is important to also be aware of the dangers of laying directly on the ground. Up to 80% of your body heat can be lost to the ground. To reduce heat loss to the ground, place some sort of insulating material (like pine needles or leaves) inside your shelter.

Selecting a Shelter Site

Whenever you are in a strange environment, you should keep an eye out for a good shelter site within the last 2 - 3 hours of daylight. Also, when choosing a shelter location, there are several other things to consider, such as:

• - Provides protection against wild animals, rock and dead tree falls.
• - Area is free of insects and pests.
• - Avoid areas prone to flash floods
• - Avoid areas near bodies of water that are below the high water mark

Types of Shelter

When you choose a site for you shelter, you should consider what kind of protection you need. Additionally, you need to consider how much time you have to spend on building a shelter, if you have the neccessary tools (and if not can you improvise), and if you have the proper man-made materials out of which you will make the shelter (or if you can find the materials to substitute).