Hi I'm looking for a camping buddy.I want to learn how to start campfires, use a compass, gut a fish..etc. I pretty much want to learn all outdoors skills.I've been reading a lot about these subjects & joined forums that talk about all this stuff, but it's not the same as going out there and doing it.I have a bunch of gear, but I haven't been able to use it.I'm looking to meet someone that wants to go hiking, backpacking, fishing & camping. You don't have to be Bear Grylls or Survorman.We can even learn together. If thats the case, we'll start slow with a few day hikes & work our way up to camping.If you're interested in having some outdoor adventures with me, drop me a line.

PS: I live in Northern Jersey

You might check out the AMC Chapter for NY& North Jersey. They will have local hiking and camping events, as well as events that they sponsor to the White's in NH. You can find a pointer to their home at the AMC's main site:
www.outdoors.org
Generally really friendly folks, many have decades of experience to share, others just starting out. It might be a good way to be able to have some fun, get outdoors, and learn some new skills with some old hands around. I don't know how active that chapter is, but, I know the ones in Mass and NH are always doing something.

Well, now that I am back from Australia, and in New Jersey, I might have to take you up on that offer. One question, where were you a year ago when I was sitting here all by myself with nothing to do and no one to share with?

Just kidding around. Send me a pm and let's talk. I don't have all my goods here yet, most of what I own, including the wife, is still back in Denver, but we can at least make fire and stick some knives in things and such. I hope you like to eat (ask anyone who knows me on this forum and you'll understand why I say that).

I've been looking at a couple different outdoor groups 'round here.

Looking forward to talking with you.

Greetings fellow Joisy residents!

My wife would probably frown on me disappearing into the woods with a bunch of strange men I met on the internet, so I don't know if we'll ever have the opportunity to meet

However, I'd really like to exchange info on good hiking/camping/surviving areas in norther NJ.

There are tons of smallish parcels of public land for day hiking, but the only place I know of for "wilderness" camping is if you are through hiking on the Appalachian Trail. But even there, no fires allowed and they'd probably frown on natural shelter building. I guess what you really need is private property...

I assure you & your dear wife, there shall be no brokeback camping incident...LOL. It does seem as if we here in Jersey have pretty slim-pickins', when it comes to truly wild wilderness areas.So, yeah I'd like to share info on where to camp & hike.Also, if all goes well i may be hanging with Ben & you sir are welcomed to come with us the more the merrier.

Don't forget about High Point State Park in Northern NJ. I and my wife used to have some great primitive camping trips up there, and no, that was before I started bringing a porta-potty to keep her comfortable.

wildman, as far as I can tell, NJ state parks don't seem to allow any "primitive" camping. For example High Point:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/highpoint.html#camp

Their idea of "wilderness" is that you have haul your gear from the parking lot rather than park your car of RV right at the site.

Thanks for the invite. I may yet take you up on it, so feel free to keep me posted.

Here are some day hiking areas in my neck of the woods that are good for a couple of hours and a couple of miles:

http://www.njskylands.com/odhikewarrennra.htm

http://www.washington-twp-warren.org/Gov...sive_parks.html

http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/guides/PointMountain.htm

http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/guides/Charleston%20Reservation.htm

The last one was where these photos were taken:
http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showthreaded&Number=90855&page=0

These areas are quite small, so if you do get lost you just need to travel in a straight line for a mile at most and you'll hit a road.

Join the Boy Scouts of America; we do all those things. I don't know your age but the adults have leader training and we practice those skills while camping, hiking, backpacking, etc. There is an adult leader class called Outdoor Skills. The boys have to learn all of those skills to advance in rank and earn merit badges.

BSA
Making great men, one boy at a time!

You read my mind! Scouting is great for boys and adults alike.

Yes, I certainly have had a bunch of great adventures by "volunteering" with my son's troop. Somehow I seem to have volunteered too much, and they went and made me Scoutmaster...

We're going camping this weekend, and it's a Boy Scout weekend for sure, rain in the forecast for Friday-Sunday!

Since I'm in the 51st state ( South Jersey ) I can't help too much with camping near where you live.

Down here there is primitive camping available in the Pine Barrens that didn't go up in the fire the past few days. Good hiking and fishing along with camping for very little $$. Look up Atison in the Pines Barrens.

I hope you find a couple of people to both go camping, and to practice your skills with!

Regarding camping, and practicing skills, look for "Backcountry Camping". While most parks will not allow you to have wood fires due to "Leave No Trace" guidelines or due to the threat of wildfires. However, most allow the use of a camp stove. I've run across a few that will allow such things as building debris shelters if you promise to completely dismantle and redistribute the structure before you leave. that or the ranger I talked to was being extremely nice.

Also, check the National Parks Service website and look at the parks in your area. A nearby park, Shenandoah National, has primitive campsites that can be rented that are less populated than the other designated camping areas, and some have fire rings where you are allowed to have fires.

As mentioned previously, if you can find a landowner that will allow you to camp on his or her property, perhaps for a small fee, then you might be able to have a fire. As always, check local laws regarding fires.

As was also mentioned, try the Boy Scouts. A lot of chapters lease land from the state, and are allowed to have fires, or so I was told by a father who was nice enough to let me grill him for about a half an hour while his kids sold Popcorn at the entrance to Wal-Mart. Yes, I bought some...

I'd volunteer for the scouts if I wasn't the farthest thing from a role-model any kid should ever have.

On our trip in July, in order to practice all of our skills including fire-making, we had to rent a private cabin and promise to use a fire bowl that would keep the fire off of the ground. We're also allowed to collect fallen wood on the property and can build a debris shelter as long as we take it apart and take the wood to the cabin before we leave. They're also lowing us to pitch tents and tarps on the land.

You really have to work these days to get "Back to Nature", but it's worth it when you can figure it out.

Best of luck!

Doh!
Being so long-winded, I forgot the reason I was posting...

If all goes well with this trip, we might plan a larger camping/survival/Primitive Skills trip for more people in the fall, which will be on a friends land somewhere in the wilds of PA (if the aforementioned friend finally pulls the trigger on buying the land that is).

If we get that one rolling I'll post about it here and if a couple of people from the forums would like to join us, we'd be happy to have the company.

I'm sure lots of guys here will take you up on your offer, me being one of them.

Cool beans.
That's why I mentioned it. LOL

Now, all I have to do is get my friend to buy the land. HAHA

Seriously though, if we can't use the friend's land because it hasn't been purchased yet, (I totally understand that buying 300 some odd acres is not something one does on the fly) we'll be able to figure something out.

Yep, I've been looking at the Pine Barrens, up till last week. Danged flyboys!!!

I agree that it is slim pickens, compared to playing in the Rockies in Colorado or the Cascades in Washington and Oregon that I grew up with. Maybe we can just pick a place to meet and start sharing on techniques and such, and look for a suitable place to put our new learnt skills to use.

My only problem with going public with teaching skills is trying to get remote enough that looky-loo passersby don't get alarmed when I pull out the big knife or some such and call the police on us. So far I've got a few good gawkers when I am running through the park near home with my desert pack on. LALOL!!!

There is still lots of the Pine Barrens that were not impacted by the fire. Mostly south of rt72 and east of 206 by Batsto.

91gdub - I spent a couple of weeks slogging around Ft. Dix when I was a wee lad in CAP. I'd love to get back there sometime, especially if they allow some real camping.

"Atison"... I'm not having much luck with google, can you give us any pointers to some info?

P.S. Don't eat too many unripe blueberries.

Are you anywheres near Manahawkin? I have friends that have a nice pool down there, thus I speand lots of weekends down there in the summer .

I assume you meant to reply to 91gdub - I'm up in Warren County.

Well I met up with fellow forum member Dan (Gallihand)yesterday (Sunday)& went on a hike. We went to the South Mountain Reservation & did a 5 mile hike. It took us about 4 hours.I was ready to quit after the first half mile.I was so beat, but after a break up at an overlook, I felt better and we continued.We did take a few more breaks along the way to eat and to just plain rest.The hike itself was great,those woods are really beautiful.It was a great workout for me.I'm feeling it all over my body today, not just my legs like I thought would be the case.Dan was like a machine, the guys in good shape.He was very good about not going to fast.We got along pretty well, we spoke the whole 4 hours.I was afraid that we'd have nothing to talk about, but I was wrong.I think this is was the first of many hikes together.Anyone here that lives in our area is welcomed to come join us anytime, the more the merrier.

Well done! As ETS grows in size we are more likely to find people nearby to meet face to face.

As for the tiredness, try snacking a lot while walking. That helps me. Your body is probably burning a lot more calories than you think when you are hiking. A handful of gorp every 20 minutes or so works wonders.

-Blast

Ditto on the snacks. I have found that very brief, but, relatively frequent breaks seem to help keep both the old and young guys moving at a better overall pace. A quick energy bar and a swig of water or gatorade goes a long way. Chomping on some gorp, yeah, that's always good, especially if it has an appropriate dose of M&M's and/or Toll House bits (semi-sweet) sprinkled in among the nuts and dried fruit; after all, without chocolate, life itself would be impossible.

Thats the best bit, stopping for a tea break with a couple of chocolate digestive biscuits, admiring the view at the top.

That looks like a familiar pic of some Scottish Highlands, with a little dusting on top...

The woods are definately beautiful there and while it is a bit small I liked it. I was worried that you wouldn't be able to make it at first but you pulled through really well, and each time you'll find you can go further between breaks. Looking forward to hiking with you again.

Check out this link for more information Atsion Recreation Area
:

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/wharton.html