TORONTO -- Martin Carpentier, the Quebec father of two girls whose bodies were discovered last Saturday, will have a really difficult time evading police for long in the densely forested area in Saint-Apollinaire, without food, water and shelter, according to a survivalist expert

“It’s very difficult ... when you’re evading and surviving,” Dave MacDonald, founder and lead instructor of the International Canadian School of Survival, told CTV News Channel on Thursday.

“It’s bad enough when you’re just doing the survival on its own without people looking for you, but trying to hide from people and survive is 10 times or 100 times more difficult than sitting static in a position trying to survive.”

MacDonald speculated that Carpentier could be dehydrated by now, noting that finding enough water to drink and staying hydrated in these conditions was difficult if a person was on the move. Under the circumstances, Carpentier could also be suffering from exposure, he added, noting that there could be poisonous plants to deal with, as well as bugs that would come out in full force both in the shade and at night.

Police have been searching for Capentier all week, after the bodies of Romy Carpentier, six, and Norah Carpentier, 11, were found following a three-day Amber Alert. Earlier in the week, police said that the information police had indicated that he was still alive. On Thursday, authorities shared new evidence that suggested Carpentier broke into a trailer the day before, stealing items to aid in his survival. They also said Carpentier could be breaking into cabins and other secluded homes for necessities.

SKILLS NEEDED TO EVADE AND SURVIVE

MacDonald said Carpentier would definitely need shelter, since the temperature drops at night, along with food and water to keep going, and that he would need to be able to start a fire as well as take care of any wounds he may have.

Police said earlier that Carpentier and his daughters were believed to have been in a car crash more than a week earlier before the girls’ bodies were found.

MacDonald was not surprised Carpentier has not been located yet, given the densely forested wilderness the police were searching in.

“It would be a harsh environment,” he said. Still, “It takes quite the skill set to evade for any length of time,” he added. It can be done, but by people with substantial training, luck, and a plan, according to MacDonald.

How much training Carpentier has is unclear. L’Association des Scouts du Canada confirmed that he was a pack scouter with the 128 Charny chapter of the Scouts. The organization told CTV News that they’ve played games in nature and slept outside, but only learned basic survival skills.

Police are using ATVs, drones and K-9 patrols, as well as a helicopter as part of their search for the 44-year-old.

With files from Angela MacKenzie and Daniel J. Rowe in Montreal