Here's the follow up interview if you want to know what happened: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-v-qQlpZ4DiI.html & if you are interested in checking him out you can find him here: www.youtube.com/@willsurvives
the shit they let ppl get away with now and their gonna charge this kid?! Really! But u can rape someone get out hours later then go rape and kill her and get a small bail. Or u can shoot at someone, miss hit a lil girl and no charges or have a shoot out in public and not get charges. But make a cabin and live in it ur fucked!
12:35 that's what we call an admission... He's too honest. He could have said he caught it and relocated it since that's probably the worst thing he did 🤦♂️
the shit they let ppl get away with now and their gonna charge this kid?! Really! But u can rape someone get out hours later then go rape and kill her and get a small bail. Or u can shoot at someone, miss hit a lil girl and no charges or have a shoot out in public and not get charges. But make a cabin and live in it ur fucked!
Guy I worked with built a shed near the river to live in. One day, he finds a picture of it on the front page of the paper saying "the homeless population is out of control". He was pissed, like "how you gonna take a picture of the house I BUILT and call me homeless?" Lol
Will is one of my son’s best friends. He’s a good kid and it’s been fun following his adventures. Things don’t always go how we expect and there are lessons learned. I’m honestly so proud of how he navigated this whole situation
@@bluedragonfly8139to each their own man. This dudes on his own, building his own with few tools and only things he gathered from the earth. He is exactly his own person and he's doing what 70% of people in the US can't do and that's survive on their own with no help. The fact you see this and you say it's nothing to be proud of just makes me feel like you haven't amounted to anything in life considering you're trying to take from his accomplishments. Any person who can lead a life on their own from their own knowledge, their own tools, their own ability should definitely be proud of themselves. Yet you're here being negative probably in your parents basement having never done anything for yourself
Probably because they don’t think of it or if they do they’ll get permission of some sort. It’s a cool idea but you HAVE to get the credentials for it or you’ll be in this guys exact situation.
Seems like a well mannered kid who didn't think things all the way through, but definitely didn't mean any harm with what he was doing. Hopefully he doesn't get punished too hard, but tree law is a pain.
Yep just kinda dumb because he probably could have done all of that using deadfall and had no issues, unless he lives under one of those insane nanny governments.
This is such a bummer to hear. I used to be homeless in oregon and it's really a shame that they would rather have this guy out on the streets with the junkies rather than let him live a peaceful life.
Can't have people building their own homes in the forest, making their own lives like all their ancestors did. No, can't charge them taxes for that. They'd rather have them wander the streets aimlessly without a home. Most of these places go and break up shantytowns and do nothing to house their local homeless population, so they don't even want the homeless living in makeshift homes in the city. They seem to just want you dead if you can't afford to pay them for a house.
unfortunately unless really out in the wild and not 5 miles from the road, even if public to everyone, well tree laws are a thing since he's cutting down trees, and well as much as people like the idea of living off the grid, to do that, you really have to go into the wild places or be amish lol so that way NO ONE can find you, problem would be sadly, is that it's harder to get any supplies. So sadly point being, the government owns your arsch no matter what lol and yeah they'd rather have you homeless then try to be creative then again if every single homeless person were to chop down the trees to make a little home or shack or even buy supplies like tents to live in, sadly you're polluting nature as well so....mehhhh.....
So this is illegal, but the government also treats homelessness like it's illegal. Nobody's allowed anywhere but inside a house that they can't afford. Society is seriously screwed up. This guy is awesome and his tips and tricks could really help some of the people who need it most.
If they can't make money off it, it's illegal. That's why even water collection is illegal. They claim it's for health reasons, but that's bs because there are filtration and purifying systems that can be utilized.
From what I can tell, he’d be fine if he didn’t poach trees or hurt the immediate ecosystem. You see some dudes in Alaska not pay a dime to the government because they don’t care about people living off the land as long as it’s legal and not a crime.
It's not a secret that you can stay on BLM land for up to 14 days........ In a vehicle that runs....... So you just take said vehicle and move it. Look up some homeless encampment cleanups in Oregon. People will destroy the land. I'm not going to get into it but just don't be like those people simple as that.
@@D44RK_Iced_Yogs how’re you gonna live off the land and not use any wood? You’re like really dumb the only way to do it legally is own the land which is expensive asf but whatever you say I bet you could survive without cutting down any trees 🤷
I was honestly expecting his story to be a complete shitshow of ego and destruction, but he's pretty legit. He knew what he was doing, and he seems like a humble, normal guy behind the music. I wish him the best and musical success and hope he can find a place that'll welcome him to bushcraft.
I was waiting for the bad/crazy TikToker shoe to drop but it never came which is refreshing. This dude seems to be really cool and I'd love to hang out with him. I hope his court case goes well and that he can go on his road trip in peace. I also find it messed up that TikTok banned him because there are so much worse people on that app that need to be deplatformed. I wish him all the best on RU-vid and IRL.
This kid is great. He’s clueless on so much but doesn’t hide it and he’s talented af! I’ve been watching and will continue to watch his adventures 🥳✌️❤️🙏
Honestly something else crazy is there was a man in the 70s/80s that did something similar, except he didn't come back into town. There's a man in Maine or New York that left his life to live in the woods. He became a hermit and told no one where he was or where he was going. He stole almost everything he needed to survive: sleeping bags, propane tanks for gas, etc. They finally caught him in early 2000s.
yeah the north pond hermit, massive respect for that guy, went through maines winter nights without even a fire for fear of being seen, it’s amazing how he survived
I grew up in the exact area where he was living all those years. I was a free range kid, used to spend all my free time way out in the woods all by myself. He used to have multiple campsites and I came across a few of his old ones, he moved around a lot but never left the general area. Not many people actually knew he was out there until he got caught, everyone knew there was a serial burglar around but they never stole anything but food, alcohol/tobacco and the occasional saw or axe, felt like it was someone who was mainly stealing things they needed rather than wanted so it never became a public outrage. I remember reading about it in the paper and being absolutely shocked and creeped out because I realized that for my entire childhood, I wasn't as alone in those woods as I thought I was.
Tbh ive got major respect for this dude! He shouldve def gone the more legal route cause i wouldve loved to follow this journey, but its still super sick so kutos to him for that work
"Legal" lol u mean get the legal most powerful and DANGEROUS mafias permission? 😅😅😅 they just want tax money thats why... land of the free is a lie its land of the mafias permissions...
If he hadn't cut down the trees and done this on private property he would've been fine too. This state is built to let you build things like this in the woods, so I'm sad his got shut down.
@@papiiwudafonz3696 had something similar happen to my dog when i was a kid. Parents took in my dog when he was sick and they have him some meds. Started going completely blind for hours at a time which was freaking him out then he died. What they didnt tell us was it was an experimental drug that shouldn't have been used and had i known that at the time and was older id of been going to court.
@@papiiwudafonz3696 Yeah losing Hoop was messed up. Will now has two 60 pound Great Pyrinees(?) pups, growing fast! In any case, Will's better. Something happened today though, idk what latest video.... hell i shouldn't say i dont know shit. It just ended strangely. 😐
It’s time to make that video lol he’s moving onto Nate Petroski’s land as we speak and will start building bigger and better things. He deserves to have some spotlight. He’s a good guy who deserves a solid chance.
He seems really down-to-earth and level-headed, I'm glad he's gaining a following doing what he loves and I hope RU-vid is kinder to him! :D Thanks, Atozy
I hope he doesnt get fined too hard, and the rangers teach him proper wildlife etiquette so he can continue showing off nature and having fun with it! I can tell his heart is in the right place with this stuff, and i applaud him for trying to reconnect with nature (albeit in an unconventional way) I genuinely think that with the right training and teachings, that hed become an excellent homesteader or even park ranger himself ^^ hes already got a great start :D !!
Kids as real as it gets. He could have lied about going into town, could’ve said it was miles into the woods, but he’s just straight up. This is also the first positive story to come out of Oregon in years.
I love this guy! My husband and i have been living off-grid for almost 13 years now. Fortunatly its on our own property...LOL. Hope all goes well with his court hearing. Looking forward to his newest content.!
@@trinitylivingston1286 i consider it off grid. Nowdays phone signals are everywhere so getting svc for a smart phone is easy. I charge my phone using either solar or generator power and can use that phone to access the internet. I am not connected to any cable svc....i hsve no electric (from utility company) on our land no septic, no running water. We have a well for water. And outhouse...and both solar and generator power for a few hrs of electric per night. Its "off grid" if you are not connected to utilities.
Only yesterday I stumbled across his channel which inevitably got me here. What a good kid, a little crazy, brave, likes to find out the hard way, not afraid to fail and get up again and again, takes his dad’s advice, unafraid to meet the authorities, seems pretty honest . Good kid, I hope he gets to keep doing what he does without too much trouble for it.
@@pamelam1101 I don't want to downplay any value of getting away, even if it is just having a balcony that is private. I'm just saying that he had not removed himself from society. He was very much a part of it both in his life and his choice of homes. People on farms have a more rural existence removed from society than he did, and they're still very much not removed from society.
He's absolutely smashing it now. Got himself a full on village growing out of the ground. His channel and life is as wholesome as it comes and he has a following that is severely blowing up. Respect to the man, he's living his best life and is one person that will definitely survive the apocalypse!
the shit they let ppl get away with now and their gonna charge this kid?! Really! But u can rape someone get out hours later then go rape and kill her and get a small bail. Or u can shoot at someone, miss hit a lil girl and no charges or have a shoot out in public and not get charges. But make a cabin and live in it ur fucked!
@Susan Roche what are you talking about he literally said he went back and got all his stuff all that's left there is the wooden cabin. After he got caught up with the police I'm pretty sure you can go back there for a while until the police wanted him to go get his stuff what you did
could you throw me $50 to help my phone bill? i’ll genuinely pay you back, we can keep in touch for a few days until i can get you back. i just started a new job so i’m kinda in a pinch but i actually need my phone for my job so that’s the big issue. I honest to God really will pay you back, it would be a funny little story too if we could pull this off haha.
He has a new cabin he built. It's looking pretty good. Has a pup named Hooper that's just too cute. Will seems like a pretty cool guy who's down to earth and doing his own thing. Props to him for living his life.
we're being conned by a bunch of boomers who have society by the balls because they grew up with all the resources and made sure we don't have any. They really don't like sharing.
I follow this young man, he is a fantastic young man. This younger generation should take some notes!! For a young lad he is pretty old school and almost speaks and acts like an older more experienced respectful soul.... all in the best of ways. Polite, greatful, hard working and willing to put in some elbo grease with little to no fear of failure and picking himself back up from mistakes. Even with complete failure he owns his mistakes, takes it on the chin regroups and starts all over again! His journey is inspiring and he adores and takes good care of his best mates(pups) This kids got my respect. I genuinely wish him the very best and plenty of success on his continued journey.
Will is a decent dude, hes doing well for himself now. When he got removed from governemnt land he clean up the entire site and you couldnt tell he was ever there. RIP hoop dog.
I was born and raised in Portland and I dont blame him for trying. Our city and the state has been absolutely devastated by the huge influx of out of state relocation to here. They've gentrified everything and now the minimum livable wage is over 30/hr if you have just one child.
Im stayed in the woods for 2 weeks , and that’s from somebody who stays and only ever stayed in the city. 2 weeks of only basic needs, hiking, no technology and it was hard but definitely a great life experience!! I would hang out with this kid. I recommend everybody to do something that takes them out their comfort zone , we only live once anyway
@@Lil_Valor I spent many of my homeless years on the appy trail, just for the convenience of not being sidewalk blocked by cops every night. Free food in trail magic boxes, tent sites, free shit in hiker boxes that people don't want, for-work hostels, etc. could have also made his way to the slabs but it's hot as satan's asshole there and he wouldn't be very welcomed could have stayed in a jungle but again, wouldn't be very welcomed there, people can sniff out oogles I live in a 300 population town in the middle of nowhere man, the appalachian trail is a viable alternative if you don't want to dodge cops. "muh city person"
@@RealBoiJare I was homeless for 10 years and spent a good amount of that in the northern states on that trail, believe me, it's not that expensive to yoyo or site squat on a long distance trail if someone wants to LARP as a hobo for a few months. Fact is that unless you're in an area with enough cover to hide from drones and you're nowhere near a road you're just not gonna be able to build a house out of logs and shit, our gov is strict.
The sad fact is; If he didn't film any of this he would still be able to live there. If you want to do this then DON'T RECORD OR FILM AND SHOW EVERYONE!!
Sharing the drone footage and allowing them to spot the drone is a big problem as he is literally sharing evedence of him committing a felony, flying a drone in a national forest
@@Canna-MikeThe Willamette National Forest is in fact not a park. You are correct. Doesn't change anything, Same laws apply for drones. Sorry used the wrong word.
what powered his charging and studio though? I didn't hear any generators so I"m gessing solar? but how many solar panels does one need to keep equipment running properly?
@@rogerelzenga4465 That, but also, if he did have a hunting license, the forest rangers wouldnt've been able to have probable cause to really call the cops or go searching for him/no one could have actually reported him because it would've been legal for him to kill that skunk whenever he wanted. Lol
I work in the Geography/GIS sector and I am in this type of field for a living. This guy was living in a state park essentially. This is protected land. He wasn't just 'living in the woods' and the government cracked down on him for that. This land is protected for several reasons. It could have a protected wildlife habitat or one that is used for study to prevent further damage to the environment, it could be to ensure that natural resources are protected as well. It also helps to produce clean air and water as much as possible as those resources are shrinking at an alarming rate. So many ecosystems have been removed and destroyed and protecting these lands are vital. I'm absolutely all for his idea. It's a sustainable way of living if I'm being realistic and honest. More land should open up so people can do that. So it might seem counterintuitive that I'm saying this. Why its bad that it's happening on any national parks/state parks land is because those ecosystems are managed and protected in a way that they can thrive, survive, and hopefully replenish what was once lost.
@@The_Grim_Rabbit I mean he IS living in nature, the problem is that he would still get in trouble even if he wasn't on a protected land. Literally no one in the comments is saying that it's a good thing to work against conservation efforts, but laws against homelessness in the first place.
@@krazyxki Many are ignorantly minimizing the act of chopping up protected tress as "Harmlessly living off the land". Then they mention homelessness being illegal as though his actions and homelessness correlate. In turn insinuating that homelessness is the only alternative to what he did.
To be fair he THOUGHT he was on railway land not protected land. He was mistaken. He had a really good attitude towards moving out and leaving. Protected land is protected for a reason and he knows it.
i geniunley think that besides the clout chasing he didn’t do anything wrong. you can’t convince me that going out into the woods to live in a cabin you built is in any way immoral.
@@Casper_Belrose even arguing for public land, people can’t build homes at the park. Idk where the middle ground is but it shouldn’t be this hard to live off the land.
Lol it's not about what me and you think. It's about what the forest service thinks. You can stay up to 14 days on BLM land, and then when that time is up you need to move....... Right down the street....
It depends on the land and who owns it, like federal land - the government body, or state land - owned by state. Those divisions decide how to use the land, what should be protected, and what should be sold to build giant concrete slabs for launching rockets into space so they can explode. That's an issue texas folks are dealing with, since texas is sort of run by an oil empire and abbott wants to win that space race with daddy elon. But some of this natural fed and state owned land is protected, for conservation of course, native species and especially the vegetation - which can be in danger due to invasive weeds competing for space to grow, or plants which have roots and fibers which produces a toxin that prevents the native species from growing. It would also be problematic for native predators who need to roam that territory searching for food or taking care of their young, because humans eat everything, and our presence impedes on their capacity to hunt and forage successfully. And of cucking fourse we would have incidents of animals killing these yoyos, because... humans are kind of annoying.
@@StoicVeR if people continue to go out and live in the woods and some of them get eaten by animals it means we’re doing it right, humanity can begin to heal when we resume our place in the animal kingdom
I got way more respect for that young man than I do 90% of these kids nowadays with the way they act on TikTok. At least he’s trying and not complaining about money left and right. Way more respect for that young man.
Dude I'm 32, I did this at 18. Think I was in the bush for 8 months' on public land. When I was found, I was just a homeless person. Threatened to be charged with " illegal camping. I didn't cut down one tree, I didn't hunt. It's only " camping " if you're going back to work on Monday
I really hope his case goes well and I’m certain he could crowd source some money for the fine. He’s really charming and likable and I hope he continues to live a fun life. Love people like this
He got like a 300 dollar fine, had to put the land back to normal, and banned for all army engineer land for two years. He now lives in the woods on a mountain. The owner invited him down and gave him permission to build.
He’s a likable guy so he’ll be successful at whatever he does next. He couldn’t have said it better when he said he wanted to get comfortable with uncomfortable. It’s good to do that and i have respect for him for doing it. The wood is I responsible and the skunk is problematic but i mean shit that doesn’t make him a bad guy. There plenty of worse things he could be doing with his time. I wish the dude luck.
He should have put the tent up in the city and got food by strong-arm shoplifting from stores and crapped in the streets. Then they'd leave him alone. How dare he be out in the woods not bothering anyone.
I mean, there is also the fact he is using land that doesn't belong to him and cutting down trees that are not his... you know, damaging property that isn't his.
@@Diviance yes so you can't become independent. Now he could've purchased the land paid property tax and all tat paying tens of thousands of dollars. And have to pay yearly property tax insuring he will be forced to be apart of the labor force. Meaning he can never independent. If just 1000 people did what he did they couldn't do much about it without looking like jerks.
@@Diviance Missing the point. Hes on uninhabited land using renewable resources in the middle of nowhere all by himself hurting no one. By common law if you dont renovate or wall off the land its not yours. The government doesnt want people independent and untaxed
What?? Folks know you can stay on BLM land for up to 14 days, and if you take a vehicle out there that actually RUNS and not just park it there forever he could have done this exact thing in a vehicle, and just move every 14 days??? He didn't really seem eager to look up the laws or who the land actually belonged to I feel like this all could have been avoided?? Plenty of good legal outdoor RU-vid channels.
He rebuilt, and now he has to move again. His is a great channel. I'd like to see him get his own land so he can get settled in without anyone telling him to move.
Should definitely do a follow up interview with the new crap shoot he’s going through. Dude can’t catch a break but somehow looking on the upside of everything
Big props to this guy. Becoming a fellony by doing your own thing somewhere in the middle of nowhere in the woods bothering no one is insane to me, damn prison society.
He seems like a good kid I hope he doesn't get that much trouble but it was so impressive that he survived and thrived out in the woods like that! I'm so glad you got him to this interview I had been wondering if he was okay for a while now lol
I kinda did this at 8-11 years old in rural MI. My brother and I would build tree forts, just hang out, and convene with nature... It can be incredibly healing, and humbling, too! Our dad taught us a lot at such a young age we felt more at home beneath or in pines, walnut, cottonwood, and Oak trees. Recently, I was kinda forced to move to this violent, and soul-crushing city where I feel like I'm a prisoner in my own home. I'm thankful I have a roof over my head but I feel detached from this place, and those around me. My soul craves the stillness of the forest and rural areas. But I can keep whining about it or get to work to save up $$ to finally buy a house far away from here.
He's literally gen z's 'barefoot bandit', im wishing the best for this guy! I wish I wasnt so scared of leaving societal norms (career, school, etc.) and the outcomes of it to leave 'the grid' or join a flourishing commune myself
I mean I'm for that too but there are steps to take. Talk with someone about using their land or something. Imagine doing this in a public park or state forest preserve. People just have this callous disregard for taking steps to doing things right anymore.
Honestly I could easily disagree with this. The trees are there for many reasons, both government and landowners have reasons for taking action against things like this. Not to mention how it could affect the immediate ecosystem. It can easily be counted as poaching too, the government has every right to preserve trees even if it’s not part of a preservation. I’m not saying what he did was wrong enough to hurt anything drastically, I’m saying that stuff like this can easily turn bad if enough people start doing it and ignoring the laws. Due to that, the government has all rights to do what it has done. Another edit: god damn, these guys are coming out aren’t they lmao. Quit assuming shit and actually read my comments bros. Have a good day though, liked seeing people actually understand where I’m coming from.
With all the homeless craziness going on in Organ The fact that they are actually getting this kid in trouble for living off the land is BS! Hope whatever charges they try giving him, get dropped.
I would be a little worried that his comment about being more discreet “next time” could reflect poorly to whatever judge is on his case. If it’s possible to edit that out, I would just to be safe! They may just want a fine now, but if they feel he’s gonna do it again - that could possibly be different
I hope he really gets off with just a fine.. It's not everyday someone decides to live off the grid and actually sticks to it.. Plus he seems to be a down to earth type guy not meaning no harm to anyone.. My hats off to him and wish him the very best on his future adventures.
This will vary dependent upon which land class he tampered with and what the chiefs or directors of said land class determines for severity of which rules were broken besides the 14 day rule. There is a sovereign law that goes back to the 1700's that should be reworked but nobody cares. He was there for mother earth and himself. He should walk free from guilt and fines. He should clean and protect the land; this is what he already does. Man\Women have consumed wild animals for eons. It was only until population turned into billions and recently in the past 110 years that we are forced with selective products from stores while wild game is considered a crime, taxed, licensed and of course highly protected in some land classes. Depending on land class and directors of said; they might just let him go freely with land cleaning, but if there is big news; they might want him to take down all content pertaining to this. So, the hype may ruin the deal.
