The debris hut has been used for survival since our ancestors were hunter-gatherers. This shelter is constructed very much in the same way a forest animal constructs its home or nest, and allows you to stay warm and safe even without a fire or proper clothing.


Instructions

1
Choose a good location for your shelter. Your location should be on a fringe area, not too open where it will be exposed to wind and sun, and not too dense where animals make their homes and feed. Your location should also be at least 50 yards from water, as bodies of water dampen the air and increase the chill. Be sure your location is close to debris, but away from danger.

2
Picture your shelter before you begin to build it. You'll need a large rock, tree stump or similar object to build your shelter against.


3
Find a straight and sturdy branch to act as your ridgepole. This branch should be a few feet taller than you. It will serve a purpose similar to that of the top horizontal pole in a tent.

4
Brace your ridgepole firmly against your rock or tree stump and use other branches or rocks to stabilize it. This is the spine of your hut, so make sure it's braced firmly. The braced end of the pole should not be much higher than your crotch. The other end of your ridgepole goes on the ground, held in place by a couple of heavy rocks.

5
Use stout sticks leaned against your ridgepole every few inches as ribs. Line them all the way down, leaving only a small opening on the high end to act as a doorway. Go inside beneath your stout sticks to make sure there is enough room for you inside. It should be comfortable, but not too roomy. Smaller stays warmer.

6
Pile all manner of fine brush and twigs over the ribs of your structure.

7
Gather as much debris as you can from the ground and pile it over the twigs on your structure. Use whatever the surrounding area offers: leaves, pine needles, dried ferns, grasses, mosses or anything you can gather. Dry materials insulate better, but use what you have available.

8
Lean more stout sticks over your debris to hold it in place against the wind.

SOURCE: www.ehow.com/how_12578_build-debris-hut.html