living of the land

[flyne]

if you had to live out in the bush off the land say if you whea fed up with socity.
Wot bow set up would you take and wot other bare nesestys would you have to take just so you could survive.
me personly i would take my bitterroot take down long bow 73#@29 and some carbon teck rhino's to suit with some out back suprems up the front a good knife and one of them fire lighters and a billy my 2 dog's and and a tarp with that i think i could survive as long as i had adiquit clothing as for the place iwould head it would probly be up into the vic high country some whea.

[Trad Bound]

Hi Flyne
Don't have a response to your question but I came across this english site that I found interesting thought it might be helpful for people considering being more nature based.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/index.php

Enjoy
TonyJ

[Mick Smith]

This is fun. I'd probably take my 56# Crusader L/B with a dozen POC hunting arrows fitted with STOS broadheads, as well as my Puma 'Hunter's Pal' sheath knife. I would also take one of my tomahawks (for cutting a shelter, etc). I would also take a full sharpening kit. For camping, I'd take my lightweight one man Macpac one man tent, self inflating mattress and lightweight superdown sleeping bag. A big tarp would come in very handy too. I'd want my favorite camo hunting clothing (you would want camo so as to be less visible to humans). Of course, I'd need firelighters too. My biggest problem would be deciding which hat to take.

No doubt I would realise that I've forgotten something vital once I got there.

I think my labrador would be more of a nuisance than an asset.

Most importantly, I'd pack a huge bag of rice, because I know I'd probably starve without it.

Mick

[Gringa Bows]

i'de take one of the longbows i made,at least one roll of dynaflite so i would always have a good string a doz.s.spruce and doz.vic.ash shafts tipped with 190 ribbies my swag sleeping bag little tarp,lighter,my knife its big enough to cut small timber,and just in case i cant get anything with my bow i'll take my two dogs their great dane bull arab cross,they might be a bit chewy but they should last me a couple of weeks,after that i will probably starve.

[Brett Finger]

id take rod and all his stuff... hehehe
Kind Regards, Brett

[Buford]

a mobile phone and a credit card!

[losty]

Just dont take a compass, it ruins all the fun.

[kerrille]

when i was an AJ another lifetime ago i had to do it for a fortnight ate bugs ,moths grasshoppers ect this time i would take a woolies out with me.
now, what i do take all the time is my good pack, gerber sheath knife,andpocket knife hawk 52#longbow 2doz arras ,hootchie, 20+mts hootchie cord spool 20lbs fishin line water purifia selfinflating mattras 4 water bottles lightwait s/bag and blancket kfs and cookin gear 2 yabbie/shrimp nets cooking gear littlegas burner smallfish hooks bardie/witchity grub wire wind/waterproof matches 2 sets of clothes tanning gear 2x 2 day dehyds [just in case] tooth brush.As i live near the murray thats where i'd go . and all this weighs about 15kilos/30pounds.
p.s forgot basic firstaid kit.


..nev...

[jape]

I don't think long term survival out of the system is all that easy, scratches going septic, lack of vitamins leading to scurvy, toothache etc. would soon bring your health down. Hunting is probably better done with traps, nets, nooses and the like and a knowledge of bush tucker for aforementioned vitamins would be essential.
I would get by OK in Europe I reckon as I know a few of the antiseptic and nourishing herbs and weeds by eye, and some of the safe fungi - but seasons are long so winter would drain things down quickly. You'd have to be nomadic or very very well organised and lucky. The Australian landscape is much harsher so you would need to know the best places, the resources and the foods. Being adopted by an indigenous tribe would be the best thing, especially when you need a root or leaf for any particular purpose!
in terms of archery and gear I'd take me Longhorn and basic tools to make arrows and even a bow if the Longhorn failed, rather than rely on manufactured gear.
The usual survival kit, axe, good knife, machete, water containers, rope. I'd head for a warmish bit of the climate that isn't tropical - Sydney would be good. In fact, if you want to disappear then a city is far and a way the best as long as the inhabitants don't decide you are prey. Fantasy is all well and good but reality is easier to deal with when all you need is anonymity or a false ID rather than bottom-line survival and some dubious moral choices that would come with that.

[TEX]

Ok now the first thing I would take is my Tanto knife along with a double sided sharpening stone. The next would be a smaller knife. If I was to take a bow it would be a 40 pound recurve. If you needed to make a string, which over time you will, then a lighter bow will not be as brutal on them. As for tanning skins for clothes I would use brains. A bed can be made from leaf matter. Shelter would be the bark cut in long pieces overlaped one up, one down and so on. The bark would then be placed against a parallel branch for a lean to. Or I would look for a cave, although a lot of critters use caves as well and you could end up sleeping with a tiger snake. The snake is also ok to eat so it might be a bonus. You can use sinew to make a lot of your snare nets for yabies, bow string, whatever, the list goes on. As for cleaning your teeth, charcoal or fine sand can be used but keep in mind that your bad breath can be used to keep the Yowies away!
As for location I would probably find somewhere which is not too far from a farming region. The odd chicken or a few oranges are never really missed if you are smart and don't get to greedy. Potatoes are easy taking if you dig a few from each plant (bandicooting). If you can grab yourself some wire mesh you can whip youself up a handy spiral shaped pig trap. You can also trap goats by the horns if you make a snare trap as well. Lambing season is always a bonus, but steer clear of billabongs, we all know what happened there!!
A river is always a must for fishing and yabies. As for water I would have to include my trusty triangie set for boiling water, although this will eventually wear out, but then again I would probably wear out long before it. Another handy thing living on the outskirts of society is the availability of clothes lines. If you are again not too greedy you can help yourself to some useful garments. Now there is nothing wrong either if you want to lash out and grab yourself one farmer Joe's wife's dresses. This can be a great way on entertaing yourself when you get a little stir crazy. Plus it's always good to use a disguise when you're helping yourself to farmer Joe's neighbours' eggs. If you get seen he will be quite surprised to see a hairy legged woman running around his property sporting a shaggy beard. I don't think he will front up to the local Police station to tell them that one, do you.
Any way you get the general idea, Oh and yes I have thought of doing this but I will not tell you where I will go because there is no room for two of us. Unless you bring your own dress.

[Blinkybill]

If you were living off the land, realistically, wouldn't you want a gun of some sort just so that it makes hunting a little more easier.

Anyway, I would take my 42# tartar horsebow, 2 dozen Vic Ash arrows with broadheads, 1 dozen POC arrows with target points, a target butt for practice, eveything i need to make arrows and spears, etc, fishing bits 'n' pieces, a good knife, a machette and a first aid kit, and my two dogs. And if I had the space maybe a time warp thing so I could go to the future/past and then I wouldnt have to hide away anymore like an outcast.

Ben

[TEX]

You can't take a gun. It's a trad site. Besides it won't go well with the farmers wife's dress.

[dawallace45]

How about the traditional Brno .22 ?

David

[Blinkybill]

Well. I have no knowledge of guns whatsoever as they have never really fascinated me the way bows have so I have no idea what a Brno .22 is.

Tex

Was the thing about the farmer and dress and joke? I dont get it.

Ben

[TEX]

Ben did you read my living on the land post. If you did you will know what I mean.

[Len]

Fire lighting gear, something water proof to sleep under , a couple of good knives , water container ,spare bow strings and a machette so I could make my own bows as I needed them.

[Blinkybill]

Tex
Good one Tex!
Yes i did but it must have just gone straight out the other end so I read it again.

Ben

[longbowinfected]

Hey Tex,

I am going to have to ask Lance and Jamie a whole new set of questions about how you guys jumped those goats the other day!!!!!
What is your favourite dress colour and style?
You would fit in well at the Winter Magic festival in Katoomba, mate.
Mountain men.......we're different.

Kevin

[TEX]

Well Kev we all know that what happens on the hunting trip stays on the hunting trip.
But seeing though you asked me about what dress I prefer.
It's your basic drab greens, Not to stand out too much in the bush.
And before you ask yes I wear hunting boots as well and no you can't borrow one of mine you will have to get your own.

Oh and no I never wear my hat whilst wearing a dress, I tried it once and it was a bad look.

Reg Tex

[mike g]

Very interesting....
I would take a Howard Hill Bow with Carbon Arrows. with me....

A good Knife and tomahawk....
Fire starting kit....
Agood Camel back for my water....
And above all the knowledge that the Aboriginal people have concerning survival in the outback....

[Chuditch]

.22 LR with about 1 squillion rounds would definitely make life a lot easier. I don't see how this would affect me from pursuing a "trad" approach to surviving as I would be able to build my skills making traditional hunting gear, bows snares traps shelters etc with the security of the old .22 as a dependable means to bring meat to the fire. Fishing and being near the coast would make sense to me as there is so much tucker there as opposed other places.

[otis.drum]

survival is more than possible.

read a book called 'a man called possum' and you'll see you can live off the land. he was a kiwi who got knocked back by sheep farmers and couldn't get a job shearing. through pride and emarresment he went bush on the murray in his 20's or 30's, died around 80yrs old still on the murray. good book and worth a read. he repaired fences, crutched sheep, split wood, pulled weeds for farmers along the way as he traversed almost the full length of the river several times throught his life, all on foot, no guns, axes, tarps, firelighters,etc.

as for me, i'd take the following;

good size bowie knife and pocket/skinning knife,
half a file ground flat for flint/fire lighting,
full size axe,
sharpening stone,
good length of heavy rope,
good length of strong cord,
large billy/pot,
compass,
first aid kit,
water container,
my dog JIGGA


...and if this wasn't an archery site i's take a rifle. .243 & 500 rounds...

...and a satelite phone so the mrs. could come and get me when i got hungry...

[kerrille]

met poss more than once a true bushman but to live like that for 60 yrs nothanks

...nev...

[otis.drum]

wow, you actually met the man... where are you? he didn't like company much from what the book said, is that so? how did you meet him.


....no i wouldn't like to live that way either, but it show it can be done and without any fancy equipment. or even basic equipment for that matter.

[kerrille]

i grew up 13 ks from the murray between mildura and the south aust boarder my dad was on the state rivers and his best mate was a ranger so school holidays was always out with them. poss had humpys on both sides of the river and we'd often see him at one spot or the other all the rangers and station owners used to keep an eye out for him and give him a feed or cake and a cup of tea for a bit of work or gardening around the home steads thats all he ever wanted.

.....nev..