Snares and Traps

I will be in the woods without a gun to hunt. Fishing is always and option, but I'd like to have information on trapping, and creating snares. any suggestions? I will be in the Blue Ridge Mountain Range.

Traps and Snares
http://www.solareagle.com/PREP/TRAPS.HTM

http://www.buckshotscamp.com/Article-Snaring.htm

http://www.geocities.com/homemadetraps/traps.html

Without licenses and permits, trapping and snaring may well be illegal. Research the jurisdictions in which you intend to be active.

Don't forget that fish traps, like other snares and traps, may be much more resource efficient than rod and line fishing. Consider also methods of taking crawfish, frogs, and other perhaaps less traditional protein sources.

Fantastic web sites, and the bit about the fish trap is interesting, hasn't occurred to me before.... I'll check it out

mist or cloud nets for trapping birds

http://www.hotfootstore.com/productcart/pc/viewCat_M.asp?idCategory=8

gillnets for trapping fish

http://seagrant.uaf.edu/bookstore/pubs/MAPV-13.html

crab / crawdad traps

http://wut2c.com/Activities/Survival%20Trips/Food/Collection/food_meat.htm#Crawdads

I can't tell from your post how much experience you have or how much you are going to practice your skills before you leave. So apologies if my advice is off base.

I've been making some of the traps in this book . In addition to the traps, it has a lot about dressing and cooking what you have caught. I also believe it has more traps than are listed on those websites. For example, it discusses bird nets. And "best practices" for building the traps, like "use native materials from the area you are in" and "cover certain parts with mud so the critters will be less suspicious", suggested placement of the traps, and other concepts. I would buy this book and carry it with you for a while, reading and re-reading it when you have downtime until your trip arrives.

If you haven't guessed, that's what I'm doing in addition to practicing some of the mechanics in a controlled environment.

The book is no secret. I'm sure many people on this forum probably own it. But based on your reaction to those websites I am guessing you don't own a copy yet. And some simple schematics of traps may not be enough to ensure you are successful.

Most of the same traps that are in the book are on those websites but the book could be more "handy" for reasons you can guess. And of course its filled with a LOT of other information relevant to living out in the bush.

I would enjoy the kind of venture you have planned. Hope you come home with some good experiences.

"...trapping and snaring may well be illegal..."

You bet. Also, in many locations a gill net will get you in deep deep doodoo with the fishcops asap. And fishcops do not have a sense of humor...

It saddens me that you guys are right about that... Trapping, snaring, and netting is illegal in many areas... Open land should be free to move about, it belongs to nature, not people. However, I will be moving throughout many parts of the country over the course of the time I'm gone, not just in the Wilderness. I know I'll catch some flak from Authorities, and they might as well KM*. As deep in the woods as I'll be initially, if someone in a helicopter noticed me and they wanted me, I'd say they earned it if they actually got me:-)

Don't forget trapping isn't a good way to gather food while on the move. You need to set a lot of traps (this takes time) and hope one catches something. Then before moving on you had better dismantle/trigger the traps. To not do so is a gross violation of nature's resources.

Fishing on the other hand will likely be more productive if you know what you are doing. Traps for fish, minnows, and crayfish are easy to make from natural materials or even trash. Minnows are good because you can eat the whole thing, nothing is wasted.

Another easy to catch, energy rich, plentiful, and suprisingly tastey food source are bugs...

I think we'd all really like to know how much wilderness experience/practice you have.

-Blast

I have a bit of practice being in the woods alone- However, all the times I have camped or hiked before, I've carried enough provisions to last the duration of the trip. I've also always been within range of help, should I have needed it. This time I will be entirely on my own. I'm setting out, taking what knowledge and tools that I deem necessary for the trip, and will depend primarily on the thing that has kept humans alive this long- The ability to adapt.

I somehow knew Blast would chime in with bugs... ;-) But, very true, good protein there.

+1 on fishing. That would be my best chance for food by far (assuming there were fish where I was at the time).

If you can't carry a gun, practice up with a sling shot. If you're good it's enough power to get a squirrel, gopher, or bird if you're a good shot.

Sling shot! Holy crumbs, I can't believe I didn't think of that before... Thanks! NO permit required, and I have a bit of an eye for shooting things like that, and can improve quickly. Believe I'm going to have to add it to my equipment list...

Just the normal precautions with using sling shots... If the rubber breaks, it can really be a pain. Bring extra.

Thanks, good point:-)... Any suggested types? I've used slingshots before, and have seen a few types... I know there's the straight-handle "Y" design, but it doesn't seem as effective or accurate as the ones that have a wrist support... Any real differences in durability or effectiveness between them, or others I'm not aware of?

Snares would normally be my choice for trying to hunt in a survival situation, along with trot lines for fishing. I think Susan said long ago that using them was the sure way to be found, because as soon as you did a fiish and game officer would show up. However, as mentioned about, it's probably not a great idea when you want to move.

Hacksaw's idea of a slingshot is good.

Two other things you might look at are:

http://www.geocities.com/blowgunhunter/

http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/hunting/slings/sstoneagesling/

http://slinging.org/

I'd try my hand at these things before I ever considered packing a bag and relying on them to eat.

Also, be aware that there is such a thing as rabbit starvation.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation

Hmm... You're right about practicing before I go a bit, just to get comfortable- It's a good idea by default. But I'm not so sure about the blowguns, due to the size of the tool- Trying to keep my packing as light and least bulky as possible. Far as rock slings go, I'd imagine it would take a bit more practice to get proficient with one of those, as opposed to a good slinshot... But those sites have a TON of other information on them, and I'm going through it all now! Thanks!:-)

I think if you followed the instructions on the blowgun pages and built one as described, you might also be able to disguise it as a hiking stick.

Blowguns are illegal in many places too.

Speaking of hiking sticks though if you were to carry a good bamboo or willow pole as a walking stick it could double as a hobo fishing rod and wouldn't take up any extra space.

Personally I prefer the real thing. Telescopic rods can be pretty good these days. When I'm backpacking I carry a 4 piece 6'6" Rhino rod in a map tube. Both cost me less than $35 combined. I use a hand-me-down level wind bait caster I got from my dad and a fly fishing tackle box which also holds my snare stuff. A little bulky but very light. I keep 2 Speedhooks and a couple of Pickerel rigs in the tackle box so that I can improvise a killer night line using the 20lb test I tote for gear repair.

I would suggest a simple Crosman 1322 or 1377 pump up pellet pistol. They don't weight that much more than the sling shot and are much more effective in my opioion. Pellets don't weigh much for the quantity taken.

David Enoch

Check the regs, seasons, etc.. I can tell you that hunting in California is hunting, just as regulated whatever means you use. I can also tell you that more powerful slingshots, like wrist rockets, are banned in some cities. Blowguns, knives with blades over 4 inches, and many other weapons are just illegal in this state. Just be careful.

If your plan is to cover miles, than you are going to have very limited time to hunt, fish, etc. The living-off-the-land thing, other than opportunistic foraging, may not fit your timetable.

Assuming legality, that is why setting traps, snares, nets at the end of the day and checking them early in the day might work. But if you are relying heavily for food on this stuff, well, plan on being pretty hungry.

Learning how to be successful in a given area takes time that you are not going to have. Plus, no hunter, trapper, fisherman is always successful even on their home turf. And, of course, the probabilty of success is usually seasonal - not to mention man-imposed legal seasons - that would be difficult to integrate into a travel plan.

Not impossible, but some long odds.

Might be better to ship at least some stuff, including food, to various post offices and mail store on your route.

I was just reading in the edible plants booklet published by Mors Kochanski that to be able to forage and 'live off the land' you had better be able to perfectly identify at least 200 species of edible and poisonous plants to even stand a chance of making it work in the long term.

Two other methods of food gathering.

Sweeping the shallows.
Take a broom or improvise with a leafy branch.
In the shallows rapidly sweep up onto the dry land.
You would really be surprised at the number of minnows you can collect this way.
In the winter with no leaves a T shirt or bandanna can be be used with a bare branch the same way.
When you enter the water you will scare them away. So you will have to wait a few minutes for them to regather.

Second is from Ron Hood's video.
The Apache throwing star.
Take two sticks about 8 to 10 inches long pencil to thumb sized thickness.
Sharpen all 4 ends.
Tie together to form an X.

RE blowguns, again check the local laws. Blowguns are a felony in CA. Go figure...

"...Might be better to ship at least some stuff, including food, to various post offices and mail store on your route..."

That is what most thru-hikers on the AT (and probably other trails) do. But keep in mind that the Post Office will only hold general delivery mail for 30 days, then it returns to the sender. So navigation would have to be precise enough to get you from post office A to post office B within that time period...

All fantastic ideas- I don't think I'm going to mess with the blowgun idea, I'm fairly decent with a slingshot(Already picked one up), and my skill will increase with use. I'm working on that fishing equipment, thanks hacksaw- Good ideals on the hooks and rigs.

No problem.

A little homework can make your life easier too. Learn what fish are where you'll be and get appropriate hooks. It might not always be possible to fish with bait (or legal) so get lures that are effective with the fish that are where you'll be.

Somebody mentioned scooping minnows and that is a great way to catch your own bait so you have something to hook bigger fish with. And if you don't catch the big one, eat the minnows!

My travel tackle box only has about 8 lures in it but it's a good mix of jigs, spinners and spoons...2 or 3 of each. All designs that have stood the test of time (a couple were purchased by my grandfather)...nothing modern and fancy.

All good ideas. Add some plugs.

I've done some fishing using only a line held in my hand. Always got the best action using either bait or a plug. Nothing beats real food on a hook, but a plug floating by has seemed to make the best lure foor a hand line. Now, if I have a rod and reel, then give me a spinner and a spoon.

I don't like floating plugs because they tend to be bulky. My travel tackle box is just a large fly box. Plus I do a lot of river fishing and they're not the best for flowing rivers. They are very effective lures however so a good idea.

I forgot to mention I also keep lots of bare hooks, spinners, wire leaders, split weights, and 2 lead weights for sinking the pickerel rig or night line. Floats can be improvised or carved from wood easily enough. Some spare jig bodies aren't a bad idea either. A good chomp from a pike will shred a rubber jig body no problem. I use both rubber and buck tails.

I don't see hunting, fishing trapping or, for that matter, farming as important survival strategies in most situations or for most people.

Any or all of those resource gathering methods might be relevant if I found myself set adrift without support in the deep wilds of Alaska, on a remote island, in the remotest part of the Amazon basin or one of the few spots in the lower forty-eight not within a fifty miles of a habitation.

Thing is I have traveled quite a bit by car, train and airliner and considering the routes, discounting the over ocean trips where I couldn't hike out, I may have never been in or over any territory that qualifies as remote enough to make truly long term subsistence an issue.

Knowing this the priority if dropped into the woods is to get rescued or hike out to a settlement. Walking into a Burger king is much easier and more effective than stalking furry critters or fishing. If it is a disruption of the normal civilized context then the goal has to be remaining healthy until the system can reset and/or rebuild. Think two weeks for most events. With moderate disruption for thirty to ninety days after.

The exception is during depression or economic calamity. But this is not a matter of pounding nutrition out of the backwoods with what you have in a backpack so much as gaining and maintaining the right job. More about homesteading and less about wilderness survival.

I generally don't include fishing, hunting or trapping supplies in my kit. Sometimes I have some fishing gear on hand but it is usually intended as recreation.

I'm catching up on posts, so this is a little late, but necessary. In your post you inform us the authorities can KY* and you expect to flit through the woods like Peter Pan while they fly overhead impotently. Ahem, Before you drop into some Owyhee range saloon and toast Claude Dallas let me set you straight before real trappers do. F& G officers have the most dangerous duty of all agencies. They exist, because simple numbers of people would overwhelm what fragmented bits of nature remain. Odds are you will stumble into a pot farm, moonshiners or other illegal activities in our natural reserves if F &G haven't discovered them first. Do not expect a wrist to wrist hearty handshake and mutual wolf howling while the wind blows your hair. They will shoot,shovel and shut up except to gripe what little loot you have on you, had on you. ETS has an enviable working relationship with many agencies. For you to toss off such a foolish and cavalier crack is insulting to this website's effort and the whole infrastructure that will in all likelyhood have to save your *. Think about that for a while.I'm going to leave this thread open. Maybe it will get a few Lost Boys to grow up.

Thanks Chris. Needed desperately to be said.

It's a fine line between giving useful advise and indulging fantasies.

John E.

Alright, this is a legitimate accusation, and I have to clarify my statement further- I am very in-tune to the fact that I'm going to be facing resentment from authorities,underground crime, and regular people due to the reasons I'm there in the first place(slightly difficult to explain on the spot)- The woods are only the beginning. But I agree that without conservation officers, things would be a good bit worse than they are, and have good intentions. I apologize for the harsh terminology, that was a bit out-of-bounds.


On the note of the moonshiners and weed farms- I have heard bits about this before, but didn't think about it until you mentioned it. It is definitely going on my list of things to be careful about- I will have binoculars, and will scan areas ahead at any opportunities. My intention is to do nothing but travel- by foot to my destination.... I will be doing everything in my power to avoid any conflict, be it authorities or people doing illegal acts. If I do happen to run into anyone, all I will do is politely introduce myself, and speak peaceful intentions.

Thank you for the warnings, I will keep them in mind. My apologies again on insulting conservation officers, they are there with a good purpose- In the future I'll watch my phrases and acronyms.

Public spankings are always a bit shocking.

Public apologies take some character.

Respect and acknowledgement to both sides.

Now what?

You know, Dave started a whole thread on dealing with authorities:

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=139330&page=1

Many of us, including Chris and Dave, are participating in that ongoing discussion. As yet apparently, no need for attitude adjustment detected there, and it is clear Chris' message carries over to that thread.

How about, either here, there, or both, we discuss how to detect and avoid the threat from the lawless in the wilderness, including using law enforcement as a resource?

I don't know about your neck of the woods but here in Wisconsin if you get caught trapping, fishing, hunting or even gathering wild edible plants illegally the authorities can and do confiscate everything involved... weapons, equipment, vehicles... pretty much everything but the clothes on your back. As many homeless people and transients have learned, the State doesn't much care if everything you own is in your pack. Get convicted (which may take several months during which you won't have access to your pack anyway) and it's the State's, period.

You may want to rethink your idea of living off the land on your journey.

The days of living off the land while traveling are pretty much over. Sad to say but true.

Well the days of living off the land may very well be much more difficult than they have been in the past, due to laws and development of civilization... But fact is, the free-minded ideal to wander still does exist- Regardless of the difficulty of acting upon it. It remains both a choice, and a possibility of success.

Wow. The pictures on this site were copied from The SAS Survival Guide. That is jacked up.

This is fantastic, amazing schematics. Hope it doesn't come to using them- but I'm going to take the information along with me, plus a pre-rigged setup that could easily be deployed...

"...I'm going to take the information along with me, plus a pre-rigged setup that could easily be deployed..."

You need to keep in mind that those traps/triggers look simple and easy, but getting them actually set to work is sometimes a pain in the fanny. Like many things, practice helps, a lot...

Well Sir, you are right- But as I am not doing this to cover ground quickly, and once I find a comfortable place to set up, I'll have some leeway to play around with trapping a bit. Might as well give it a shot, and as long as I have the concepts, I can always work toward perfecting them later----

1) Trapping laws vary by county. They are typically quite intricate. An SAS survival guide will be of no use here. For that matter, most of the traps on the link above are illegal in the US. (For real survival situations, see (3) below.)

2) You'll need a valid hunting/trapping license.

3) And finally, purposefully putting yourself into a situation where it would be reasonably expected that you'll be forced to violate laws for your own survival is not a defense.

In other words, going into the woods without food or the licenses to obtain it sounds like you're all set to break the law. Claiming you "had to" because you decided not to bring any food with you isn't likely to get you very far.

Much like going camping someplace remote by a pond. If you start fishing, you will need a valid license and you must abide by the fishing laws of that state / county / lord high mugwump.

If, however during the course of camping something unforseen would occur, got lost, stranded, flood, etc... and you are fishing without a license, you are ok as you are now in a survival situation.

Very very fine line.

Ok... So basically, if somebody wants to walk across the country obtaining food along the way, one would have to obtain licenses for EVERY single county they travel through?

Speaking about fishing licenses... you only need it for the state. There may be special rules per county. Some waterways are restricted in some counties, etc...

And you would need to get a non-resident license.

Looking at my guide for PA, just as an example:

A resident license would only be $22.70, but a non-resident is $52.70. You could get a 7 day tourist license for $34.70.

This seems to be a good site to get you information you may need.
Fishing License 101

I know that hunting / trapping regulations are very similiar in needed various liceneses...

Licenses are generally issued by the state. They may be limited to state residents and even then can be in demand. They often cover very specific time periods, locations, etc. When available, non-resident licenses can be very expensive, e.g., a trapping license in Georgia is $300 if you don't live there.

The privileges provided depend on which type of licenses you purchase, e.g., fishing, hunting, weapon type, trapping, etc., etc., and privileges vary from county to county. It's your responsibility to know the law where you are.

Bottom line is most people know the law where they live and the one or two places they frequent most and that's about it.

:-( Fantastical...

Wait, you didn't know this?! Okay, not every county but at least every state requires new hunting and fishing licenses.

I said it before and I say it again, "Dibs on his knives!"

-Blast, ignoring the Prime Directive

I am aware of this Sir, but I'm just wondering exactly how much hassle I'm going to have a potential of catching---

And Sir, don't get your hopes up about my knives- I said it before, and I say it again- It'll sting when you receive the "I told you so", when I hop back on this forum and let you guys know how it went afterwards- The positive thoughts are appreciated:-)

I have no intention of breaking any laws intentionally- Someone tells me to stop or revise what I'm doing, I have no problem in doing so- Not looking to infringe on anyone, or any law.

I would be most pleased to eat that crow upon your success.

My fear is ETS might somehow be held accountable if you fail in a crippling or fatal manner.

-Blast

This is a legitimate enough concern Sir- However, I've stated a few times that I am not on this forum to be influenced one way or the other-

I will be going on this trip, regardless of opinions that I should not. My presence on this forum is only to obtain whatever information I can to make it more survivable for me- I know my chances quite well, and am at complete terms with them... and I take full responsibility if anything should go wrong, no reason to blame anyone here-

I am not trying to influence you, I am trying to influence others to stop yelling "Jump!". Actually, I do not think you'll die, I think you'll quit before the end of the fourth day in the woods. Truly, your possible death means nothing to me. My fear is Doug Ritter will end up losing his shirt defending himself against a lawsuit brought against him by your family.

You have said you relish telling me "I told you so." I wonder if you will be man enough to return here if you fail at "living in the woods for a month or more"? It's one thing to walk down country roads for weeks, it's a whole other thing to survive in the wilds without the experience to do so.

-Blast

p.s. Oh yeah, it's not "Sir" it's "Doctor".

"...have to obtain licenses for EVERY single county..."


Not county, but state. And then there are the seasons. Not all fish/game is in season all of the time. And in some states non-resident licenses are only good for a few days. And can be expensive...

"...Someone tells me to stop or revise what I'm doing..."

Be advised, you will probably NOT just be told to stop, you will be told to sign here, and press hard, there are four copies. That is if you are not hooked up and put in the back seat. And in some states, if a fish cop catches you doing something illegal, they also keep your gear...

"...I take full responsibility if anything should go wrong, no reason to blame anyone here..."

I suspect that is the only reason many here keep contributing info to you...

Fitzoid, Mike_H and OBG,

Your replies in this thread speak the truth; our friend needs to do some research on the Fish and Wildlife websites of the jusisdictions he intends to visit.

If he intends to "live off the land" without regard to local Natural Resources legislation he is near assured to have difficulties with the law.

Mike

Ironically, having proper licenses for the areas he will be going through proves more to LE that he is on the up-and-up and isn't just a vagrant.

Hello everyone.

Being new I scanned the posts to get up to speed with the topic and found them most interesting. I do want to wish Chaotiklown good luck on his adventure. I think the four day excursion was one of good sense in that it is long enough to test his skills, but brief enough to not put himself into any real danger with common sense applied. I think he has the option to trap where he can (legally) and supplement is diet with some lightweight packables.

My advice would be to enjoy the trip because it's not a race but an adventure. Take the time to look for opportunities as you travel and I believe the one thing you will gain the most from will be your education on time management of your days. Learning when to make camp, fine tuning your senses, and really seeing the beauty of nature.

Good luck and happy trails,
Backwoodsman

Sound thoughts Backwoodsman and Welcome to the Forum Newguy!

Mike

Welcome Newguy!!!

Welcome backwoodsman!

chaotiklown,

If you plan to catch fish or animals to eat along your way, you will need a hunting, fishing, or trapping license for each state you pass through - either a resident or non-resident license. Non-resident licenses get pretty expensive. You could easily spend $500 per state for a non-resident license to do all three - hunt, fish, and trap. Plus, you could only take fish or game during the legal seasons. These license and seasonal requirements apply to nearly all land and aquatic species including turtle, mussels, frogs, squirrels, nearly every species of bird. In Indiana where I live, it is expressly illegal to kill any wild animal unless specific permission is granted by state permission, and then only with a license.

As costly as the licenses are, and as restricted as the seasons are, I really think you would be better off to buy food in stores along the way and carry it with you. If you expect to be in one state for a long time, it may be worthwhile to get a non-resident fishing license. And, if you happen to be in a state during a season where there are several game species open for taking, it may be worthwhile getting a non-resident hunting license. Honestly, I can't see snaring providing enough food to justify the cost of a non-resident trapping license.

I do have an idea for you, though. Woodchucks. Or "ground chuck" as I like to call them. They are considered pests in every state that I know of and are allowed to be killed at will with no license or seasonal restrictions (although they hibernate during the winter). I've never eaten one but I hear they are pretty good. They are just grass eating rodents like a rabbit so I bet they taste fairly similar. Farmers along the way will appreciate you killing some of the buggers before they eat any more beans and corn. I don't think you're going to have much luck snaring them or killing them with a slingshot, though. Also, you won't encounter enough to keep yourself fed. But, it may be a legal way for you to supplement your store bought food every now and then.

Welcome to the fire Backwodsman and Kart29!

Good idea about the woodchucks.

-Blast

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone........glad to be aboard.

It may make more sense to reserve the trapping to your home state and just look into a two or three day temporary fishing license.

I prefer the deadfall because it can be made on the fly and with practice can provide up to twenty or thirty sets in two or three hours. This proves useful when you want to make a few sets that evening and run them the next morning before pushing on. This combined with bank poles or throw lines usually provides a sufficent food supply for several days.

Hi Kart29 and Welcome Newguy,

Good idea about the woodchucks (we call them groundhogs) but in my jurisdiction (Ontario) a small game licence is required to hunt these also. The reason is that to acquire a hunting licence you must first take the Hunter Safety course (and Federal Firearms Course if you want to use a gun) and pass the required exams. Non-resident hunting licences must be purchased with proof of previous hunter safety training, usually a licence from your home jusisdiction. This is to ensure that at least a minimum amount of safety/legislation training has been attained prior to a person going hunting.

Trapping/snaring is very regulated here; hares can be snared on a small game licence in the north part of the province but only licenced trappers/farmers can set body-gripping traps and then only on specifically designated land Private Land with permission or a registered trapline on Crown Land.

Mike

No foolin? Sheesh. I must be slow. I can't make that many sets in 2-3 hours with commercial steel traps and pre-made bait. If I had to hunt around to find deadfalls and make triggers and collect bait, there's no way I could make that many sets in a day, much less 2-3 hours. Heck, I couldn't even find 20-30 good set locations in 2-3 hours much less actually take the time to set them.

It took me a long time before I could make several sets in a few hours. My biggest obstacle was to stop looking for a perfect set. I make the triggers in advance and get to setting. I am fortunate in that I spend most of my time in a river bottom where wildlife is plentyful and natural materials are abundant.

Heck, it took me the better part of a year before I got the hang of it, but then again, it took about that long before I mastered the bow and drill.

For me, it was all about having fun and educating myself in the process.

Happy hunting,

Backwoodsman

A friend and I did some woodchuck varminting in college years ago. Got a couple, dressed and skinned 'em, and fed them to the fraternity brothers as chicken stew. It went well until one of the brothers went looking for a drumstick. The truth was revealed, and several of the consumers returned a gift to nature, as it were, singing lunch off the front porch. Rodent bigotry is an ugly thing.

As far as I know, collection and consumption of roadkill is unregulated in most states. In fact, in NY, if you hit a deer and choose not to take the cadaver home with you, the troopers tend to look at you askance. The part where the bumper impacted the deer makes real good soup. Note: this is presuming accidental wildlife collision. If the authorities determine that the critter was intentionally run down, the fines are truly breath-taking. Roadkill harvesting is also a neat way to acquire hides, sinew, and other products useful for primitive crafts. It is best not to share this part of your behavior with significant other.

Without checking, I would bet in California it is a crime to harvest roadkill whether you hit the critter by accident or someone else did. Unless of course that critter was in season and your vehicle met the permitted hunting weapon criteria.

My opinions about this guys particular trip have changed after having read many posts on the topic. The good news is I think that the thread holds an important place in the archives of ETS... Its got a lot of good information (facts and opinions) in one place. I think many people are drawn to this particular flame. For this reason its a useful topic regardless of the details of this individual's trip.

And in my opinion, I do not believe he should have been kicked off. I think that the kid's going to do this regardless of anyone else's opinions, and now he has that much less information to work with... He said he'd be leaving fairly soon, yet he was banned from getting any more information.

I did happen to catch what angered him, and had I been in his position, I'd have been ticked off as well. A few people just went ahead and assumed he would fail. What good in life comes with no risk? It's his choice.

This man gives me hope! I'm still learning how to do the bow and drill.