Discussion: Survival

[Badbill]

We actually have a tourist season out here in MN.

[D. Tiller]

Same here but...they're a bit stringy! 

[Hardawaypoints]

You mean y'all don't already eat tourists? Fat, tender, and plentiful- perfect food source. 

Depends on their diet...I've seen some big ol' fat greasy ones I'd have to pass on.  They'd feed you for a while, but it would take too long to get to the lean meat.

Back O.T. for a minute,  I used to work in a sports shop and there was no telling how many guys would come in the store the night before the opening day of deer season and want to buy a rifle, have me mount a scope on it, and intend to hunt with a bore sighted rifle the next morning.  After a few of those, I flat out told the customer they were going to have to get someone else to mount the scope. They complained to the manager, but I stood my ground and the manager (also a hunter) sided with me. Deer season didn't come up as a surprise to anyone, a little forethought and a little respect toward the game you pursue is not too much to ask. Those fools are a danger to everything else living in & around the woods.

 Archers can't get away with that kind of B.S....even the compound guys.
Making a lethal shot with an arrow takes skill and a lot of dedication & practice, much more so with traditional tackle.

Snares will fill your belly for sure, but you'd better be ready to defend your catch when you get there.

Jim

[Arthur Herrmann]

If the markets went dry for 2 days, I wouldn't need meat yet...but I work on a dairy farm. If anybody has tried to clean, and then milk just one cow. They will get me. I always tell the cows, I got water I don't need milk. (Yes, I talk to cows)

I'd be down there in a minute to send a broadhead into a cows small brain!  

[mullet]

  Tourist? Too greasy and they all smell like coconut oil down here. I'm with madcrow, I've dropped a bunch of hogs with 22's with head shots. Some of the survivalist swear that the .410 shotgun with brass or steel cases are the ultimate survival gun. Cheap and easy to reload with modern or black powder. Either load with shot or .41 cal. round balls or buckshot.

[kdub]

Mullet, I dont wanna hijack this thread, but what do you load up your 12ga with when hunting hogs, slugs or buckshot?  Ive been wondering how effective buckshot is on hogs, and if buckshot where do you aim, the head or behind the shoulder?

[Kegan]

I read a few years ago on how to lower your dependance on three meals a day, or even a week. At first I was skeptical, but it turned out the woman's borther had just been really poor, working as a construction worker or something.

He slept somehting like 12 hours a day, at primarily meat (and lots of fats when he could). I think during off season he got away with two meals a week. I was suprised too, because he was a pretty fair sized guy. I think the idea was how to slow your metabolism down.

Anyway, thought it would be an interesting idea for TEOTWAWKI.

[mullet]

  kdub, I've never liked buckshot for hogs untill I started using a 3 1/2" Mag. When I'm using my shotgun and meat hunting, my first two loads are usually slugs and then the rest are buckshot. When you get in a bunch of them you stand a chance of dropping a couple real quick before all the running and crazy stuff starts happening.

[mullet]

  Kegan, wild animals basically do the same thing. When food is plentiful they eat and store body fat to line off of during the lean times. Fat people do the same now, unfortunately, food is plentiful and most people keep storing it up.

[possum]

Going back to the first post it's a lot like I am with bow building.  I always said that if a native american had a bandsaw a other power tools (and power to run them) they would use them.  When metal trade points came, they used them.  When rifles became abundant, they used them.  They were out to get meat for families, guns are efficient for that.
I love guns (gunsmith) and I always want more.  But I also think about survival and a gun is more practical in that situation for defense rather than everyday hunting.  Although I will agree on the .22 being great.  Ammo is cheap to stock up on and lighter to carry.  If Dumbacrats take our guns my solice is knowing I can always make more.  They can't take my knowledge.  So I learn to make archery tackle, trapping apparatus and which are edible plants.  If it comes to TEOTWAWKI (I like that) I will take my family as far away as I need to to get away from the people that will likely panic and cause all sorts of problems.  My guns will be used for defense and last resort meat getter.  Need to keep ammo for when absolutely necessary.

possum

[jamie]

kinda late jumpin in here but i have done many months of living off the land while still leading a normal life. work etc. if the crap hits the fan we are all screwed. even those of us with the most knowledge of living primitively. the first time i went a month living on wild plants and flesh  opened my eyes to this. there are just too many people for the wild to support us. especially for those of us on the coasts with the densest populations.

as for your initial quandary marc. id take the gun if it really mattered any day over a primitive weapon, even a compound would do me well. once the projectiles ran out then i would use the knowledge ive attained over the years. survival is about expending the least amount of energy possible to gain the most comfort , be it calories or physical comfort. its already been said but traps outwork a bow everytime once your caloric needs and shelter are established then you can worry about getting a bow kill. peace

[Sparrow]

 In the survival mode,everything edible is utilized,the more knowledge you have of what is edible,the better you eat.Plants of course are essential,gotta know them and where to find them,proccess them.Meat turns out to be anything with flesh,from rats and small birds,fish and reptiles on up.I cannot get used to eating bugs no matter how many times except for bee larvae and ant larvae (those are tasty) the other deal is that you gotta keep moving,some places and some seasons,food is far between bites. The more mouths to feed,the tougher it is. Of course winter is always the toughest,but early spring can be skinny too. It is fun during warm weather though.Gotta watch for those game laws too !  Frank

[possum]

By the way, on the coasts with the densest populations, there won't be as many people after awhile because, sad to say, they will start killing each other to get what is left in those areas.   And then, when those that don't know what they are doing and go into the wilderness and die, then the population will be closer to where the land can support it.  It's Mother Nature's way of shrugging off the unnecessary and starting over.

possum