A Canopy for Shelter, A Bed of Pricks - Staying dry and warm in the bush at night.

Crawl under a old growth spruce for shelter in winter and heavy rain conditions when in the bush; the branches will act as roof and the old needles will keep you off the energy vampire of the wet soil and can provide an insulating blanket if required. Gather and pile as needed.

The quality of shelter is dependent on the amount of canopy coverage. The big, old, broad, spruce tree often has a perpetualy dry base to sleep, regardless the climate. 

When traveling it is wise to pack light; this is especially the  case when on foot afield. I began using hair on hides for warmth, but as even on the warmest days, particularly in valley bottoms, whithout snow, the nights may still have been so cold I could not sleep without some sort of additional body cover; but I would look at art, paintings and knowing  most was fiction, I believed there had to be something to the naked hunter look - that a person could somehow make it through the nights with only the weapon and maybe a small bag or roll. How do you make a quick extra cover, if only for exposed feet, from the cold, from items in your immediate environment?

To survive on minimal carry, you can use spruce needles.

I give credit to the author Jean M Auel for the spruce needle idea.

Collect the needles and pile under one well sheltering spuce canopy. You may take from other trees  and use only DRY spruce or pine needles.  Pile over yourself when night comes.

Do depend on this as the needles under these trees are home to many critters: spiders, mice and so on - you must respect thier home.

The spruce needle approach will take time to collect - maybe about 1/2 hour - and energy. 

Know that the dust, sap, and dirt will take a toll on your clothing. The sap will stain your buckskins. 

Waking up in the middle of the night to take a pee is not an issue. The night can be pitch black however and thus, moving the pile to the side to recover your self can be difficult if you are without  light; but the actual covering of ones self is not large of a chore.

There is a interestesting feeling of joy I experience when im covering myself up with "clean" filth.

The spruce needles provide a shockingly fine insulation. 

Do not use damp moss. Moss will be a drain on your energy if its wet or damp.

Dry poplar leaves are not nearly as effective as spruce needles; even dry and plied high, the leaves will still leave you cold. 

A thin blanket my also be helpful for collecting and transporting the needls.

The dead base branches of the spruce will need to be cleared but make fine fire wood for your fire. Pour copious water on the fire when done however as the needles will often continue to smoulder beneath and may turn into a fire. You should look for a lockal flat rock to build this fire on.

If you bring your fur on hides for warmth, I often only lay a rag or old towel down under a spruce tree on the undisturbed needles for my night base in the summer.

Keep in mind however, that in you need quite the old, tall, broad canopied tree to provide good coverage in heavy precipitation.

Use the needle pack trick for insulation in emergencies only. Bring a hide or other natural insulation if you plan to spend the night.