[MarkJones]

I have been working on a BOB to sustain me and my wife for a year without a resupply. While I have a decent start I need all the help and suggestions I can get. The hard part is not resupplying for a year. We will be in the central Alabama area. When you really think about it this is a monumental task. Also try to keep in mind that I want to keep my pack weight to about 100lbs and my wife's to 10 to 15 pounds. Currently I have planned on the following list.

• 550 rounds .22LR with rifle.
• 100 rounds 45-70 with rifle.
• TOPO's of intended area.
• quality compass.
• alcohol stove rig and a 2 gallons of fuel. (for emergency use)
• estwing camp axe.
• 100' para cord.
• a custom sleep system sleeping bag (double) good to -20.
• sharpening equipment.
• 12X24 tarp for shelter. (mabey?)
• Fire-steel fire starter 1/2" diameter.
• rain ponchos. 2
• Custom water filtration system.
• Fishing kit.
  • trot line.
  • misc hooks.
  • 20' x 6' gill net.
  • assorted weights.
  • line.
• insect repellent 100% deet.
• 3 pair of socks and underwear each.
• 3 changes of clothes each.
• First aid kit.
• small cooking pot.
• small cooking pan.
• Two cups.
• primitive oil lamp that will function on animal fat.
• Extensive snare kit.
• Quality double bit axe.
• Sewing Kit.

At this point I know I have forgotten stuff, so anything you can help me remember would be great. I want to keep it light due to the necessity of moving frequently to find fish and game. Also the total weight needs to be under 125 pounds. Also I have not mentioned food because I don't intend to carry much.

 

[scorinth]

Hey Mark - good post. Glad that you included snare equip. I see you listed a couple of axes and sharpening equip. Did you want to also include knives? How about some way to carry water (and short-term store it while encamped). The tarp may be good for a ground cover, firewood shelter, rain fly for the tent, etc. 100 lbs sounds like a lot, but if you don't intend to carry long distances each day, may be possible.

 

[Vanishing Nomad]

I would ditch the alcohol stove and fuel and just carry a foldable camp grill that sits over open fires. They are cheap, light, and would never run out of fuel, especially if you are good at making fire under damp conditions.

http://www.preparedness.com/firpitfirpla.html

I'd carry more paracord and I would also scatter a bunch of those magnesium firestarters through out my gear. I'd place one on my knife, one in each first aid kit, one in each compass pouch, and one or two in each pack as well. I wold also have 3 fire steels and several other methods of fire making.

In my pack, I have a "Fire pouch", which has Magnesium blocks, a "Strike force" fire steel, a bunch of birthday candles, several warming candles, various brands of easy to ignite tinders for the Strike force, Water proof and strike anywhere matches and some other little fire making thing that is sort of like the flint wheel on a bic lighter, only it comes with a chemically coated fuzz ball that ignites when the sparks hit it.

This fire pouch is where I go to for my fire making tools. I have the magnesium blocks on my knife, in the compass pouch and First aid kits for back up.

I carry a 5 quart canteen as well. I also have a portable water container that is like a canvas collapsible bowl I use as as sink, and several light weight packable water carriers to haul water from a stream back to camp.

I also carry a small packable hammock or a Lawson bivy hammock to be used as my tent.

Also, I have an account with a military surplus warehouse.

PM me for pricing if you see anything you need.

www.foxoutdoor.com

 

[tattooed_hatred]

i would ditch the double bit axe because the camp axe would be plenty, also ditch the alcohol stove because it would be too heavy, do away with the small pot and pan and get a gi mess kit, get a couple more firestarting methods cuz its always good to have backup, and a good fixed blade knife along with a good folder and mulitool oh and more cordage like royal dragon said you can never have too much of that stuff... other than that youve got a good setup

I have been working on a BOB to sustain me and my wife for a year without a resupply. While I have a decent start I need all the help and suggestions I can get. The hard part is not resupplying for a year. We will be in the central Alabama area. When you really think about it this is a monumental task. Also try to keep in mind that I want to keep my pack weight to about 100lbs and my wife's to 10 to 15 pounds. Currently I have planned on the following list.

• 550 rounds .22LR with rifle.
• 100 rounds 45-70 with rifle.
• TOPO's of intended area.
• quality compass.
• alcohol stove rig and a 2 gallons of fuel. (for emergency use)
• estwing camp axe.
• 100' para cord.
• a custom sleep system sleeping bag (double) good to -20.
• sharpening equipment.
• 12X24 tarp for shelter. (mabey?)
• Fire-steel fire starter 1/2" diameter.
• rain ponchos. 2
• Custom water filtration system.
• Fishing kit.
  • trot line.
  • misc hooks.
  • 20' x 6' gill net.
  • assorted weights.
  • line.
• insect repellent 100% deet.
• 3 pair of socks and underwear each.
• 3 changes of clothes each.
• First aid kit.
• small cooking pot.
• small cooking pan.
• Two cups.
• primitive oil lamp that will function on animal fat.
• Extensive snare kit.
• Quality double bit axe.
• Sewing Kit.

At this point I know I have forgotten stuff, so anything you can help me remember would be great. I want to keep it light due to the necessity of moving frequently to find fish and game. Also the total weight needs to be under 125 pounds. Also I have not mentioned food because I don't intend to carry much.

 

[Vanishing Nomad]

I would stay away from Aluminim mess kits becasue aluminium absorbed through food prep causes altzeihmer's disease.

Stainless steel Mess kit
http://www.foxoutdoor.com/detail.asp?bid=354&sctn=Camping+&+Hunting&cat=Cooking+Accessories

http://www.foxoutdoor.com/detail.asp?bid=1069&sctn=Camping+&+Hunting&cat=Cooking+Accessories

PM me for a price

 

[mongoose]

a cooking pot will be essential for boiling water. add some cloth ta strain water with,i carry a pillow case which i use (stuffed w leaves ) as pillow, as a gathering bag while moving and as a strainer.

a camp axe of less than 2 lbs will eat ya alive tryin ta split wood - try a single bladed axe as that way ya have a blunt side fer pounding when ya need (you can make splitting wedges outta oak instead of carryin a steel one). pack a 2nd compass.

I carry canteens and my cups are there.
a large tooth saw would also serve ya well fer campfire wood and shelter building with less work than an axe.

i carry an 8x10 taurp for shelter ( me and dog only), in your case 2 of the smaller ones (8x10) might be a better choice than one large one for their versatility, and they an still be joined for a larger shelter. And as light as it is you might want to double yer paracord.


you will find that anything over 35-50 lbs real tough on an extended hike. a method you might want to think about is carryin extra gear on a game sled (ask Jerry D Young on that one).
I use a travois, built from green poles and paracord. i find i can put up to 100lbs on it and haul it in tha woods, for an extended distance, and its base width is about 2 1/2 ft. It will add a lot to yer portage capacity without much strain.

 

[MarkJones]

I kinda thought the stove a waste of space due to the short life span. As far as the double bit axe it's just one of those tools that I am very familiar with but a single bit would do just as well and should pack easier good idea. I failed to mention knives because they are ubiquitous in my family. I and my wife use Buck 119's with a couple of schrade's with gut hooks in the pack for fine work I also carry a 1970 German eye dual blade as a pocket knife. I had considered a couple of fire steel necklaces that will add to the number of fire starters. I have absolutely forgotten about getting canteens because I don't normally use them. The increase in paracord is a plus for sure. I also keep the nylon trot line string in my pack just cause its handy. I have shouldered the 100 pound pack and will be making some weight reduction. I also reviewed my snares I am only packin about 20 sets, not nearly enough! If anyone has actually tried to depend on a snare line for dinner 20 sets have the potiential to leave you hungry. Also something I havent considered is a diet high in meat and fish needs some added vitiman C for sure so it's lookin like a multivitiman would be a good idea. I have no love for the thought of scurvy. Remember we are talkin a year with no resupply. This is something we are strongly considering doing for fun. Yes a full year. We have no debt so what the heck! : I am going to have to do a study on the deet for usage. The bugs around here are way worse than snakes in a swamp at least you can eat snakes. I have no clue how much to carry....

 

[Vanishing Nomad]

If you are going one year, with no resupply, you had better learn as many edible plants as you can, for the area you will be in BEFORE you go. Get seriously skilled at identifying them.

Primitive man grazed on edible plants most of the day. It was roughly half thier daily food intake. They generally gorged on the day's kill for dinner.

I would also consider learning to build, and shoot primitive archery gear. If you can do this, you will have an unlimited supply of ammo.

 

[birdman]

I have been working on a BOB to sustain me and my wife for a year without a resupply. While I have a decent start I need all the help and suggestions I can get. The hard part is not resupplying for a year. We will be in the central Alabama area. When you really think about it this is a monumental task. Also try to keep in mind that I want to keep my pack weight to about 100lbs and my wife's to 10 to 15 pounds. Currently I have planned on the following list.

• 550 rounds .22LR with rifle.
• 100 rounds 45-70 with rifle.
  ...

• 
  
  Why the .45-70? Isn't this a bit overkill for your need? I think you'd be better off with a .30 cal something or other (.308, 30-30, .30-06, .270 etc) You could have twice the round-count in the same weight and size. Anything you'd find in Alabama to kill with a .45-70 would be just as dead with the .30 cal...
  
  Also let me suggest some garden tools (at least a shovel and hoe) and seeds, something you could grow as opposed to relying solely on fish and meat... I'd think you'd need a source for carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, yams or something.) Much of Alabama has a long growing season so the idea of growing your own is a reasonable one (e.g. peas take only a couple months to mature).
  
  JMHO...
  
  Allan

 

[FreedomoftheHills]

I would consider adding a few Conibear 110s and maybe some 220s (heavy but worth it) to compliment your snares, and also make sure to have what you need to repair broken snares, since that will happen if you are relying on them exclusively for a year. A couple of those "Lil' Grizz" **** traps would be a good idea, too, and would provide you with a good bit of additional meat, considering where you live.

As for vitamin C, I expect that you have plenty of pines there in Alabama, and you can easily avoid scurvy by frequently drinking pine needle tea.

 

[Vanishing Nomad]

Do you have a multi tool, like a leatherman?

 

[grog]

Hunter - Gatherer BOB

First, please re think the combined load list. You want to carry 100 pounds of gear, okay, if you are 8 feet tall and come in at 400 pounds this might work.

(I spent over 20 years in the Army Guard and reserve, plus active duty, so body mass to how much to carry is something I have a few thoughts about)

If you are going to move, and hunt and gather, think about caches, medical gear and the like (EG, you are the prime mover of gear, and you twist your ankle, not a sprain, but still painful as can be, now what do you do?)

Knowing what area you are going to work in, Great planning. What to have and when is another story. If you have training like the plains indians of the 1700's, you could get by with a possibles bag like the Mountain Men. Flint, Steel, powder, ball, musket, hatchet, knife and axe, maybe a shovel and a head full of knowledge and skills.

Think not only about gear, but if no resupply ( Great idea btw) for a year, how do you make what you need?

For me the top 3 are Make shelter, get water, make fire. The first two are tops. Being able to stop the elements can save you, Without water, done deal, making fire is more than a 9 volt and steel wool, or a metal match...

If you traveling and have a woman with you, think about both hygiene and quality of sleep. Yes you could stink and be ok with that (Hunting Season for example Any tools should be versatile and be able to be maintained without special tools (Ok a rasp and a flat file in this case are tools, so is the sharpening stone), Medical supplies are a whole unique idea, as to how many of which type, are you or your wife ready to apply sutures as needed, who knows CPR and the like. If you are successful for hunting and or gathering, remember that this may preclude any permanent setting, if you are following any sort of game herd.

Security is another consideration.

Back to gear:

Shelter for the both of you, and a small maintenance package, with items you can replicate locally.

Water and water purification

Food and food gathering ( Oh Yes plenty of Multi Vitamins)

Ability to make fire (4 ways at least)

repair parts overall (Needles, threads, floss, hooks, etal)

Hygiene items (Yes you can make soap from animal fat, wood ash and the like, but you have to be able to stay put for a few days to process this. )

Good Luck.. You may want to check out Larry Dean Olsen's Outdoor Survival skills for better information. His kit as it may be works with minimal technologies and for what you are looking for, may work best.

Otherwise check out what the Alaska Gold Miners were packing for supplies for a year. Not all of them survived, but cost and weather were big factors in the gear list.

I wish you well.

 

[PAGUY]

First allow me to say that I think that it is great that you are interacting with the others on the boards. Many people post something and then just sit back and do not interact.
I have to agree that the 45-70 is overkill for just about anything that you might have to deal with. A .223 or 30 cal will do you just fine. The stove is a nice idea but the weight to benefit ratio does not hold up for what it is meant to be there for. Since you have a good idea of the area that you would evade to I would study the land for natural resources (berries, edible plants and roots, fish and small game). Once you know what you have in the area become an expert in finding it and using it. Practice as soon as possible to increase your skills. I love to hear people say that they have this, that and the other and then when it comes down to using it (to include knowledge) things fall apart. It sounds like you are a trapper which is a good thing. The double bladed axe might be a good hunting camp tool but the single bit (ie flat headed) axe provides so much more.

 

[MarkJones]

Everyone is absolutely correct about the 45-70 WAY overkill. The rifle is intended for a move to Alaska. I know that Alaska and Alabama are polar opposites but making a living (eating and providing shelter) from next to nothing is useful experience anywhere. This trip is intended to decide how we intend to live in Alaska. As far as wild edibles go I have lived in central Alabama all my life and know at least some wild plants but I could use more experience here with an autobahn field guide. I lived with my wife for 2 years here with no power or running water we have no issue bathing in a creek. We warm our water in the winter so a 10 gallon or so collapsible water bag will be needed. I can make these. The finished pack may not approach 100 pounds but this is the absolute max I can go with. Also I don't have to be on a constant hike I had planned on moving every 10 to 14 days in a 10 square mile area. I can store items that are not used often without an issue. I had considered loading a few traps up, I already have them. The main reason I didn't go there was weight. "One trap does not a line make." I'm trying to be as mobile as possible. BTW many thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread. I can use all the advise I can get.

 

[hank2222]

ever tought about a tipi style tent that can broken down into parts to be carried by you and the wife in the stuff bags that come in ..i think adding a small gamo air rifle that carried with a few tins of pellets that can used for small game hunting.. plus maybe for the wife a takedown bow set up with extra arrows and other items need in a takedown case that she can carry on the her pack..can you cache items in advance to like small .30.gallon drum with a open top typle with lid section that can sealed and loaded with a few small buckets 1.pd to 4.pds sized buckets of grains and fuits and vegs pre-prostioned out there in the survival area might help survival for a few years of travel around the area ...with takeing a deer or a wild pig or a turkey once every two weeks with small game add to the pot as need in the daily rounds of snares and traps with a afternoon checking of the fish lines that you put out in the mornings

 

[MarkJones]

I've got the .22 for small game. As for the bow the only thing in danger when I bow hunt is my forearm. I cant hit the side of a barn with one. I have the ability to go and cache anything I want BUT to me it would defeat the reasoning behind the exercise. My goal (as lofty as it is) would be to carry in all my gear in one trip. While I live in a normal house and have a regular career, we have been living more and more strictly on what I kill or catch. We have set the departure date for 8/1/09. This will give us the time to gather any needed items we don't already have.

 

[Brew]

The gill net is pretty useless as it targets a certain size of fish, unless that is what you have in the water around you. A fine 3/4" mesh works great for setting up a weir in narrow tribs. You might be better off with a casting net and thrower, as what you see is what you collect.

Hooks should number in the 100s of each size. I keep 200 egg and egg minus size as well since fresh baitfish fry up crispy or smoke pretty well butterflyed.

You will lose some trot lines from mistakes, too large of fish, or having them stolen. Thats 50 hook losses at one time so 100s or 1000s of hooks to live on is not that many at all. Lose 6 lines in 3 months and thats 300 hooks gone.

I keep large sized vitamin bottles with the trot lines tyed with eyes in and tyed with swivels in. Then a spool small enough to fit in the bottle of leader material and small ziplocks of hooks. The parts are sometimes needed for other things. I keep a couple trot lines ready with packs of snelled hooks so they go together fast.

Along with the hundreds of hooks you need a hook file and a hook sharpening stone. I said somewhere else that these are the Lee loaders of the fishing world.

Do yourself a favor and get a set of the stainless kabob sticks about 24" long and a section of PVC tube to keep them in. A small coil of stainless food grade wire with those and you can cook or smoke over wood fires with ease and they are very easy to clean and store.

 

[Ls1]

Don't forget some female care products for your wife. Also I'd say that first aid is essential. A minor cut can turn into a huge problem quickly, and some atibiotic cream, or idodine can make a big difference as far as an infection goes.

 

[eaglesfn68]

you need a good knife and instead of an axe i would get a small hatchet. waterproof matches in a ziplock bag.
a flashlight or two with extra batteries.
a canteen
water purification tablets
gloves
extra pair of shoes( maybe )
a small fishing kit

 

[Scott in AK]

Everyone is absolutely correct about the 45-70 WAY overkill. The rifle is intended for a move to Alaska. I know that Alaska and Alabama are polar opposites but making a living (eating and providing shelter) from next to nothing is useful experience anywhere. This trip is intended to decide how we intend to live in Alaska.As far as wild edibles go I have lived in central Alabama all my life and know at least some wild plants but I could use more experience here with an autobahn field guide.
It is -30f here today, not many plants available, but Alaska is a big place.
When TSHTF I am heading to the coast, more temprate climate, but greater chance of storms, and Seafood:thumb:

I lived with my wife for 2 years here with no power or running water we have no issue bathing in a creek.
Creeks freeze about mid Oct and turn to water again about may.
We warm our water in the winter so a 10 gallon or so collapsible water bag will be needed. I can make these. The finished pack may not approach 100 pounds but this is the absolute max I can go with. Also I don't have to be on a constant hike I had planned on moving every 10 to 14 days in a 10 square mile area. I can store items that are not used often without an issue. I had considered loading a few traps up, I already have them. The main reason I didn't go there was weight. "One trap does not a line make." I'm trying to be as mobile as possible. BTW many thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread. I can use all the advise I can get.

I am not discouraging the move to Alaska, It's a great place to live, and if you want to live primative, there is lots of room, just be ready for no liquid fresh water for 6 mo's at a time. Expect temps from -30f to -50f for a few mo's, and -65 for a week or two. The SE coast is a little milder. but these are the conditions anywhere north of Anchorage.

If you want any other info on AK, drop me a line

Scott