Originally Posted By: Fitzoid
By the way, just to be clear, I didn't mean to start a "pot should be legalized" thread, and I'll keep my opinions on that matter to myself. (I prefer a nice glass of pinot noir.)

The point was that organized criminals with automatic weapons are in national parks in numbers never seen before. Sure, there have been moonshiners, meth labs, and God knows what else, but pot farms like this take up massive amounts of land. They are far easier to come across inadvertently than most of the undesirable human activities you'd want to avoid in the woods.


Another problem is that they sometimes do significant damage to environmentally sensitive areas. I've run accross a few pot fields on public lands, as well as a few 'shiners and not a few meth labs. Thankfully, no confrontations.

I know just how dangerous and unpredictable methheads can be, and their "labs" are incredible fire and toxic hazards. I don't imagine today's pot growers are harmless hippies anymore. Good ol' boy 'shiners don't look for trouble, but they aren't to be messed with, either.

So, from a survival point of view, what are the warning signs to look for when out in the woods, to avoid a confrontation?

Use trails where there weren't any before;
Hoses or irrigation piping where it doesn't belong;
Strange, out of place chemical odors;
Accumulations of debris like plastic jugs, coleman fuel containers, waste packaging from batteries, chemicals and cold remedies;
Generator noise and lights where they don't belong;
FWD truck traffic in and out at odd hours;
Tripwires, boobytraps homemade alarms or noisemakers.

Any other ideas for what to watch for?

Jeff