If you and your children were dropped in the middle of a remote area with just a knife would you be able to survive?

[LizaRadleywasonthespectrum]

Following on from an early morning conversation with DP. Obviously this is an unlikely scenario but not beyond the realms of possibility. Can you build a shelter, make a fire, find food and water? Can your (say 8yrs and older) children make a fire or set a snare and skin a rabbit.

Hmm I could possibly survive my husband would survive for as long as it took to die from the weather and lack of food lol

Remote in the uk I could get somewhere civilised before needing to use the knife
fortunately

I think we'd do ok. DS1 is in the Reserves, so has a whole load of useful skills, I'm used to 'foraging' (aka blackberry picking and identifying some edible plants). We could also build decent shelter too. DS2 might pose a problem- I recently had to teach him how to strike a match safely and effectively and he's 17!

I think there'd be some dramatic retching over skinning a rabbit though.

Also I'm a bit of a saddo who watches survival reels on FB so totes know how to use a knife to make a fire.

Why do you think that is sad if I may ask?

My Dd2 yes, Dd1 50/50 she’s a resourceful badass but she’s also Audhd and veggie. Me no, I can do the shelter building and fishing with a homemade spear thing but can’t eat anything unless there’s a plentiful supply of berries, veg or herbs I’m genuinely allergic to all meat/fish/poultry/crustacean/molluscs. I’m also disabled so if there’s predators or rough terrain I’m fecked

We’d try and make friends with the rabbit. It might lead us to more food and drink sources.

No not at all.

I know how to do a lot of things and would be prepared to do anything to survive BUT I am not physically very fit.

It isn't, of course. Saddo is the wrong word- oddity is better perhaps? I suppose just because I'm highly unlikely to ever need such extreme survival skills- I lead a very suburban lifestyle and have never even been anywhere completely remote.

With just a knife no!
We would struggle with the elements quickly here and trying to make a big enough shelter for four would be hard.

Making fire would be hard. It's already getting damp here so that would.be tricky.
Also many things that would try and kill.

Nope. Urban softie here.

Reckon DD2 would be fine. Mainly because once she had the knife, I wouldn't be able to outrun her. She'd then most likely clear half the forest and take over any nearby villages as her personal fiefdom before moving forwards with her long held plans for world domination.

DD1 would still be sitting in the wreckage of the plane staring into space and wondering why we weren't going anywhere and DP would be hiding under a bush somewhere until I bellowed at him 'ON YOUR FEET SOLDIER - MOVE IT!' if DD2 hadn't got rid of my dead weight already.

I think everyone should know at least the basics. Maybe you’d like Alone if you haven’t already watched it. The new season started a while ago.

I don’t really feel like a knife is enough. Can I have some guitar strings (rabbit catching) and a lighter?

Ex was in the army and has taught survival skills to DC and they do scouts, cadets and guides so possibly more of a chance than some. Fire shouldn’t be too bad. Especially if I sacrifice some hair ( good for catching alight burns quick)

I think possibly fishing might be better. I could gut a fish and find some wild garlic.

Almost this

Definitely not if just me and children. We'd barely last a few days!

If DH too, maybe. If DF too, yes.

Not a complete fire but we got the wood hot enough to create embers so could probably actually set a fire this way. It is hard work and you need dry wood.

I think we would be OK for a short while, both DD and DS are young leaders and have been all through scouts. DD is currently doing her Gold DfE so as long as I stick with them we'll be OK ish.

With my husband with me it would be a fun experience and he would be in his element. DC would take over creating a temporary shelter. I'd sort the fire, water, foraging for berries, herbs etc. Dh would very definitely sort out the meat

Without dh we'd struggle over the meat, I can skin a rabbit etc but I'd struggle with the catching bit

We’d get through to tea time without eating the dog

Very unlikely. We could build a shelter. Maybe start a fire if the weather was warm and dry. I'd have to guess how to create a trap or snare and no guarantee an animal would land in it. DS is strictly veggie, so wouldn't eat it anyway, but I would know how to skin it. We'd be likely to die eating the wrong mushrooms or berries.

I’ve not RTFT but my child is a very capable 26yo who has done all her DofEs and does lots of outdoorsy stuff and wild camping. She’s quite squeamish but I’m not, so between us we’d probably manage for a few days at least. DH otoh would get poorly quite quickly without his large bag of prescription medicines.

I don't think the OP provided enough information.

What are everyone pronouns for a start ?

I grew up quite rurally and DH was a scout plus he and DS were in cadets. We would all be ok killing stuff to eat and I can identify plants as safe or unsafe to eat, mushrooms can be dodgy though so probably wouldn’t touch them as some are so close to looking ok and are not. DH is good at trekking via the sun and knows all the constellations. I was good with a catapult as a kid so if my knicker elastic was strong enough could make a catapult. The biggest thing I have killed is an eel I caught sea fishing. I can recognise what sort of shit has been dropped by an animal. I’m sure DH could make a trap no problem.

As one is in the army and the other has done a lot of battle reenactment camping then they would probably keep me alive!