Finding protein without a weapon

[Greenhalghsi]

I'd just like to share these few ideas.
For a person of limited hunting skills and/or without a weapon, I can't stress enough how important it is to GET TO THE COAST!!! Shellfish alone can sustain us brilliantly with regards to protein. There are infinite ways to catch fish too which is both rewarding food wise and time consuming to keep boredom at bay. Safe, dry caves are a great long term shelter and are not very obvious to spot for potential aggressors and are easily defendable with only one entrance. Birds are also plentiful at the coast as are crustaceans. Please post your thoughts on my coastal survival ideas, for me the best place to stay alive for longer with no weapons.

[Wingfoot]

Did you see Naked & Marooned with Ed Stafford on SKY recently, he survived 60 days on a south pacific island with no food, clothes or tools, but had to resort to his emergency medical kit after only a couple of days as he nearly poisoned himself from eating crustations that were not cooked properly, it almost ended to program before it had begun.

While the coast has some advantages it also has some down sides, most of the population of the UK lives inland & so giving up all your preps & moving to the coast would only be considered in the most extreme of situations surely.

Given time to better prepare it would seem wiser to learn to hunt instead & get yourself access to a weapon of some kind.

[Quercus-robur]

For surviving long term you don't want to be living in a cave but to make the most of the coast there are a lot of benefits to moving somewhere on the coast. If you want long term survival you should be growing your own crops but I agree that there is a huge variety of food to be had on the coast. As well as having an allotment or vegetable garden, a couple of hours down on the beach can help supplement your diet with sea food. The main thing I go for is Razor Clams which are pretty simple to get, you just need to take some salt with you. Kelp is another good thing to go for, good natural source of iodine.

Qr

[nickdutch]

how about rivers and cray fish?

caves seem like a bad idea if the waves come up in a big storm and all sea fishing would be very knackering even if you get the right kit.

However, when you are aware of your stores running low, then it would probably be a good move to sea / river fish

[Arzosah]

As humans headed northwards, we certainly lived in caves at first, adapting them to our own needs - windbreaks, a fire area, all sorts of things. There aren't *enough* caves, obviously, for our present population of preppers, let alone the population at large but its perfectly feasible. Interesting idea about protein without a weapon; I suspect you'd need a sharp stone or something, in lieu of a knife, to lift limpets off rocks, for instance. But other factors would come into play if you didn't have a weapon, I think ...

Great post, tho, thanks!

[Oldarborman]

I do agree the coast is very bountiful, I often forage as I am only 6 miles from it but my comfort zone is the woods I have a few techniques for foraging for protein, in the time of a survival scenario it would be acceptable but considered "illegal" on private land

[prepperG]

acorns would be my first choice as they are high in protien and fat, need to be ground and washed as high in tanin. they are prob best non animal fat avail.
after that cray fish as avail in rivers and easy to weave or use scrap wire to make trap.
you can also dam off a pond and use plants to poison o2 out of water or use large weaved barrier and tickle out trapped fish.

[northern bloke]

In the country what you can find out by walking around and taking notice of what you can see during the day can help you catch by night as well as in the day with a little bit of nylon string,wire, and the element of surprise also as well as if your presence disturbs something observe their reactions/escape routes.

Many creatures have habits just like us, if you know or learn some of these habits you can use them to your advantage.

[unsure]

sea fishing would be very knackering even if you get the right kit...

the simple way to catch sea fish with the minimum of effort , is to use a long line .
this is just a long lenth of strong fishing line staked at both ends with around a dozen hooks attached on shorter lenths of line and baited .
stake out just before high tide and then wait for the tide to go back out and see what you have caught , if your lucky every hook will be full if not then a couple would do .

[jansman]

You don't have to be by the sea though. Freshwater fish are good. If you plan to catch fish, and are not an angler, then learn. When your guts are grumblin' ain't the time. Regarding meat, well...
I read forums where folks are gonna snare rabbits etc.

You ever done it? It is a skill that has to be learnt. My Dad taught me, and it helped us through some tough times, I can tell you. The best was the snared foxes-at that time the pelts were worth a packet!
Anyhow, the really easy way is the old -style mouse and rat traps, breakback style. I used to bait 'em on and around the traps and caught pigeons , starlings and even the odd partridge. Kept my ferrets fed! Anyone can do it, truly. And those traps are cheap. Just hang them outside in the weather for a day or two to get rid of scent.