Hunting/Survival/Shooting/Prepping

[fearsomefour]

I never understood stockpiling precious metal.

If society hasn't collapsed, then the money should still work, although there's a possibility of inflation. Even still, if we get to hyper inflation, that'll apply to all mediums of exchange including precious metals. Also, most people won't have the foggiest idea what to do with it, how to value it, how to "make change", etc.

If society has collapsed, then precious metals will be worth next to nothing. Lead will be worth significantly more as it can be easily smelted into ammo or weights for fishing as an example. For compounds, if those happened to spring up, metals like copper pipes and fixtures would be important.

But gold and/or silver? I dunno.

If I'm in a SHTF situation and I need something, I'll try to have stockpiles of 22lr, 9mm and .308 ammo on hand for barter as well as seeds, sanitary wipes, spices, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, Neosporin, bandages, A&D ointment, Vaseline, cotton balls and other sundries that can be easily stockpiled and don't ever go bad or last a really long time.

I know that all that stuff will easily trade MUCH easier than any precious metal. Not saying that it won't trade but it's heavy and doesn't have an obvious survival use.

As for the shooting aspect, most in my family are pretty good shots, but there will be skills just as if not more valuable than shooting... first aid, gardening, spotting food/medicinal plants and/or poisonous plants, bushcraft (making shelter, fire, food with natural elements), etc.

I'm also putting some deep thought into what I'll have in my Bugout bag. It'll be heavy because I'm an idiot and think I'm the Hulk, but I'm gonna spend a lot of time figuring it out.

Too often when something happens, it's pretty tough at the last minute to put everything together in a rush and not miss something really important.

A matter of degrees I suppose.
Worst case I have a little stash as a savings that easy enough to sell.

 

[fearsomefour]

RV's are the perfect 2nd home (for prepers) when something bad happens to your home or you have to leave your home. Its a super small mini home wherever you are. Its has all the most important needed stuff to live but in dinky form. The option of DC vs AC power, uses small amounts of water, small area to cool or heat, power to run the furnace, water heater, frig & freezer & cook your food comes from propane gas. DC battery powers your water pump, lighting & fans. A small generator like a Honda 3000 can meet all your demands if you know how to be conservative. For any serious prep person will have a RV new or used they are a must.

I have owned three RV's & have rented all sizes of motorhomes since 1990. I currently have a 35 ft TT. That's longer than most TT's & I will eventually downsize to 20 to 24 ft. Towing is not the issue, problem is with usual camping sites & availability. You can not get the bigger rigs back into remote areas as easy. I suggest go with smaller mid size slide outs models. reason I do TT over 5th wheel is my 2 generators & needed truck bed space. Use the great open outdoors as your living room no use towing around a living room. Rv'ers are usually great interesting folks. Conversations with people from all over the US & Canada make it tons of fun. Campers always know a better way of doing things.

me too!



Never could afford to purchased any special gear or clothing in the past . The rule was if it was old or raggedy or on its last legs it was the proper outfitter camping gear. Same with any items used camping.... pots & pans, towel's type stuff. With 3 girls in the woods, dirt, mud & mountains we would just trash all the old gear on the last day of the camping trip. It was not easy to find a big enough dumpster.



My youngest daughter & family were living in Panama City FL.when Michael hit. Since then she flew out to Denver CO & got a great job in Boulder CO. They have sold their home & will complete the move in January. She loves working & living in Boulder CO. I prefer WY or ID myself for tax purposes.

Colorado is great for the most part.
Boulder....gross.
But, to each their own.

 

[Mackeyser]

Colorado is great for the most part.
Boulder....gross.
But, to each their own.

Well, I dunno anything about Boulder now, but we really enjoyed it in Oct of 86 and 87.

Talked with the family again tonight and other than my oldest daughter who wants to move with her boyfriend after college to NC, we all seem to really just love the Minneapolis area and we're revisiting a longer range plan to move there.

Probably try to get some land north of Minneapolis and build what we want. South is really tons of suburban neighborhoods...nice, but we are rapidly realizing that we want more control... enough land to build two smaller houses, outbuilding that could hold an RV and workshop, maybe even a 100 yard range.

I used to aspire to various levels of luxury, but frankly, the biggest luxury I'm realizing for us is control.

 

[BonifayRam]

Colorado is great for the most part.
Boulder....gross.
But, to each their own.

Its fits my daughter well, but I think I would be out of place for that city. I lean heavy far too right for them to allow me to stay.

I am a much better fit about 2 hours west of I-25 on highway 14 on the Cache la Poudre River!

 

[LesBaker]

I was in Boulder for a wedding early this year, it was a great trip.

 

[Mackeyser]

RV's are the perfect 2nd home (for prepers) when something bad happens to your home or you have to leave your home. Its a super small mini home wherever you are. Its has all the most important needed stuff to live but in dinky form. The option of DC vs AC power, uses small amounts of water, small area to cool or heat, power to run the furnace, water heater, frig & freezer & cook your food comes from propane gas. DC battery powers your water pump, lighting & fans. A small generator like a Honda 3000 can meet all your demands if you know how to be conservative. For any serious prep person will have a RV new or used they are a must.

I have owned three RV's & have rented all sizes of motorhomes since 1990. I currently have a 35 ft TT. That's longer than most TT's & I will eventually downsize to 20 to 24 ft. Towing is not the issue, problem is with usual camping sites & availability. You can not get the bigger rigs back into remote areas as easy. I suggest go with smaller mid size slide outs models. reason I do TT over 5th wheel is my 2 generators & needed truck bed space. Use the great open outdoors as your living room no use towing around a living room. Rv'ers are usually great interesting folks. Conversations with people from all over the US & Canada make it tons of fun. Campers always know a better way of doing things.

Well, I'm getting this if I win the lottery or come into a ton of money...



But actually, what I'm seriously thinking is that if I really get into this, I may buy the chassis from gov't surplus and contact Global Expedition Vehicles and have them build a custom chassis and upgrade the cabin.

You can get a 1990s Steward and Stevenson 6x6 that's super clean and generally has less than 10k miles for under $20k which is insane. The things are made to do heavy duty work for 500k-1M miles, so 10k miles is barely breaking it in.

I saw a video of someone who did it and had the skills to put the sweat equity in and built up the box himself and he got his vehicle custom and ready to go for about $50-60k total. I don't remotely have that skill, but I have a solid idea not only what I want, but what would sell if I had to.

Heck, if one were inclined, one could make a business of it. I know Earthroamer sells a pretty slick survival RV for $560k and another upgraded one for $1.5M.

I'm certain even using a company like Global Expedition that I could do WAY better for much less than the Earthroamer.

 

[Corbin]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx8IlC1Aqr4


I'm sure some of you can appreciate making your own rounds. You can also make other ordinance but your own ammo is the easiest.

 

[BonifayRam]

Well, I'm getting this if I win the lottery or come into a ton of money...



But actually, what I'm seriously thinking is that if I really get into this, I may buy the chassis from gov't surplus and contact Global Expedition Vehicles and have them build a custom chassis and upgrade the cabin.

You can get a 1990s Steward and Stevenson 6x6 that's super clean and generally has less than 10k miles for under $20k which is insane. The things are made to do heavy duty work for 500k-1M miles, so 10k miles is barely breaking it in.

I saw a video of someone who did it and had the skills to put the sweat equity in and built up the box himself and he got his vehicle custom and ready to go for about $50-60k total. I don't remotely have that skill, but I have a solid idea not only what I want, but what would sell if I had to.

Heck, if one were inclined, one could make a business of it. I know Earthroamer sells a pretty slick survival RV for $560k and another upgraded one for $1.5M.

I'm certain even using a company like Global Expedition that I could do WAY better for much less than the Earthroamer.

Your never going to get that into a camping spot

 

[Mackeyser]

Pretty sure I could fit... lol

 

[LesBaker]

Pretty sure I could fit... lol

Good grief that shot is gorgeous. Where and what?

 

[BonifayRam]

Good grief that shot is gorgeous. Where and what?

My guess is northwest WY or Glazier Park, Montana.

 

[Mackeyser]

Good grief that shot is gorgeous. Where and what?

I have no idea. I just googled "mountain meadow". And... after reading about the "Mountain Meadow Massacre"... I went to images and found that.

Apparently, in the early days, the Mormons were cheesed off about being chased out of Arkansas and slaughtered a whole caravan from there and tried to blame it on the Piute Indians.

Not what I was expecting when I was searching for something tranquil in nature, but Google never lets me down... /sigh

 

[Mackeyser]

I have a tendency... well, tendency is too light of a word...proclivity? outright desire? I dunno. Anyway, I overdo it. Sometimes by a lot. Like Tim "The Toolman" Taylor...alot.

But this is changing. I'm learning moderation.

With that, as I look for backpacks, I'm very drawn to the Eberlestock big bags and frames like the F1 frame and the F100 "big boy" as when I'm sitting in my home, I'm mentally packing myself like a rented mule. Part of it is I want a pack that will allow for either a shotgun/rifle or Rifle/Xbow combo to be possible for a longer hike/shtf combo which would include equipment for dealing with all aspects of a hunt up to and including dealing with the meat.

I've already figured out that strapping a portable kitchen to my back isn't in the cards..not that I didn't look into it!!! Hahahaha!

But this? I think I can avoid buying this...

 

[1maGoh]

I have a tendency... well, tendency is too light of a word...proclivity? outright desire? I dunno. Anyway, I overdo it. Sometimes by a lot. Like Tim "The Toolman" Taylor...alot.

But this is changing. I'm learning moderation.

With that, as I look for backpacks, I'm very drawn to the Eberlestock big bags and frames like the F1 frame and the F100 "big boy" as when I'm sitting in my home, I'm mentally packing myself like a rented mule. Part of it is I want a pack that will allow for either a shotgun/rifle or Rifle/Xbow combo to be possible for a longer hike/shtf combo which would include equipment for dealing with all aspects of a hunt up to and including dealing with the meat.

I've already figured out that strapping a portable kitchen to my back isn't in the cards..not that I didn't look into it!!! Hahahaha!

But this? I think I can avoid buying this...

That thing is a joke, right?

 

[Mackeyser]

That thing is a joke, right?

Absolutely... it was made to make fun of some of the trends in backpacking that keep making bigger and bigger packs.

One of the funniest videos I've seen on the interwebz

 

[LesBaker]

LaCrevasse Edition was over the top hilarious!!!!!

 

[RamFan503]

View: https://youtu.be/Hm3JodBR-vs

 

[coconut]

most of the family would carry "grocery" guns like the Ruger 10/22 Takedown, which breaks down so that it can be kept out of the elements pretty easily.

Long barrel shotgun puts more food on the table especially in the east. .22lr is great for economy though and small stuff. There's combo .22lr and .410 ga out there too-
BAIKAL MP-94MP COMBO RIFLE 22LR/SHOTGUN 410 GA - NEW IN BOX

Seller in 2014 had 4 chokes for it and it breaks down for a backpack for $490. There are less expensive combos to be had too.

 

[Riverumbbq]

But this? I think I can avoid buying this...

Shouldn't it be required to have a flashing red beacon on top of that thing, if not for planes, at least for birds ?

 

[oldnotdead]

I used to backpack a lot but not as a typical backpacker. I put everything I was going to carry and wear onto a scale and made sure it didn't go over 20 lbs. Normally it was closer to 15 lbs. I can survive in the wilderness with just a few basics. One of my favorite places to go was the Tehachapi Mountains. 6-7 miles off the road I knew of a glen with a tiny spring-fed brook. As I hiked I would grab things like Mormon tea, wild onions, yucca blossoms, yucca stalk and pods, prickly pears ripe or even un-ripe also several yucca leaves. If I came across aloe vera plants a few leaves into a ziplock. At the glen, I'd harvest cattail roots, shoots and immature flowers that look like baby corn.

The brook is year round and does have crawfish but I was always careful not to overfish it. At night by firelight, I would process the leaves into cordage. I used the fire to create a fire bed to keep me warm all night. If I was up there in September or October I would forage for pine nuts which generally were plentiful.

My girlfriend at the time was a botanist so she knew how and what to harvest. We generally would spend several days up there. Usually, the only real food we brought with us was bisquick, and seasonings like salt and pepper.

In the early morning, deer would come down to the brook to drink. I'm not a hunter, never have been. After the war even more so. My hunting was limited to fishing. It wasn't just deer, there were coyotes, foxes, bobcats, raccoons and all kinds of assorted wildlife and birds especially quail. A whole lot of quail. A couple of times we saw and heard a wild turkey. The first time we heard them my girlfriend didn't believe me when I told her they were turkeys. That is until some walked out of the brush.

When I grew up we had yucca and prickly pear cactus in our back yard. I could make flatbread from yucca root flower but it's time-consuming and not worth the effort for a few days of wilderness camping.

I miss those days, it was a special, most perfect time of my life.