This is the same line of thinking I've been working on since I found out that I might have to start flying to and from my towboat.

I've been playing the "I spy" game with the intention of paying more attention to the resources that are "just laying around".

My thanks to Susan; your comments about old gardens hadn't really struck me before.

I forgot who had commented on finding "old camps", but there is an old camp on the Arkansas River, just below Lock & Dam 10 that had canned goods, cooking gear, sleeping bags, shoes, etc laying around. The "etc included I.V. tubing and other medically related equipment there. We figured it was a "meth lab" site that was rousted out by the Ark State Drug Task Force. It had a shack there made from tree timbers/trunks, sheets of tin, and tarps.

That also reminded me that it is wise to carry a "trip wire detector" (an old habit of mine) when you're cutting across country in strange, unfamiliar woods. You don't know who is doing what, where, or how those folks are protecting their illicit activities. Many of the "druggies" are using Vietnam type booby-traps like what they saw on the John Wayne movie: "The Green Berets".

[quote=SusanWhen you head out with 3 days of food, one hopes that you will be able to supplement that with local resources such as berries, nuts, small game, relatives.... thus extending your carried food.[/quote]

Your absolutely right Susan...and the more I play with this setup, the more taking even 1 day's worth of food is starting to make sense...as 'starter meals'.

That's even more important when you think of the scenario where one is following the river out of a city. Shooting stuff in the city is going to draw attention but in the country that's an every day sound. Plus it gives you a bit of a buffer.

Hopefully this exercise will teach me how much food is enough and how much is too much.

BTW...since we mentioned eating coyotes, I saw signs up when I went on my walk today to dog owners from the park rangers to not let their dogs off leashes as coyotes have been sighted all along the valley.

Take a flashlight and look inside the walls of "sharecropper's shacks" if you find some and it looks like the walls have high access points to the interiors.

Many things, including canned food have been hidden and had to be left behind for a variety of reasons.

Also take a flashlight to the attic rafters, you'd be surprised what has been left stashed up there!!!!

For an idea of that a marijuana growers camp looks like, and the junk they leave behind, take a look here ...

Around here marijuana isn't a problem...meth labs are everywhere however. It's not uncommon to find a folding table in the middle of the bush with chemical bottles all around. They make a batch and ditch the site completely, going to a new location next time so they're not tracked down.

One area I used to work, meth labs often resulted in smoking holes. Roadside justice at its finest...

My US Survival Rifle came in the mail on Friday. I think every air rifle (and some cap guns!) I had when I was young were beefier. It is super light though which I love. I'm reserving judgment until I can get it to the range and get a few hundred rounds through it.

I think I would lug the solar recharging gear. It would allow me to have my small laptop. I have several survival guides stored there as pdf files. The laptop would be lighter than two of the manuals printed out. I don't depend on having these files but they could come in handy.

Hacksaw - Congrats. Love new toys. Look forwrd to a range report. Review edible landscaping stuff; many plants common to flower gardens - like iris, rose, and nasturtium - have edible parts.

Wildman800 - Trip wire detector concept clear; what do you use?

Thanks.

Edible plants is on my 'to learn' list. I have the book sold at Ben's Back Woods on it's way right now (along with other assorted goodies!)