Here's an interesting piece of information, an old Forest Service instruction manual on how to properly build your own log cabin.

I would wager that it is the fantasy of nearly every red blooded American male to go out one day and do exactly this, and then live off the land for a while.  However, unless you have the fortitude of a guy like Dick Proenneke, we will all dream the dream but never do the deed.  Too bad, that. 

Even so, there is a lot of good info here, and I for one have printed this off and will study it carefully.  You never really know when that cabin in the woods ,might become necessary!