Hello,
My name is Daniel.
I'm 15 years old.
I live in Toronto, Ontario
I really want to go off the grid when I'm finished highschool. I love being deep in the forest. I feel so happy when I'm out in the forest. I find that I am just not very happy being in the city. There is a small forested park about 15 km from my house and every sunday I bike there. I built a small lean-to and I shoot my slingshot and cross the river in my underwear, and track deer. I also like to sleep out in my backyard in a tent when I just can't stop thinking about how I'm stuck in the city.
I'm not like all the other teenagers. They are all constantly checking their twitter and Facebook and texting, and acting cool and wearing the new fashionable clothes, and listening to the latest music with loud bass beats (i personally listen to pink floyd). For a school baseball game we were sitting in the dug out and a honey bee fly's by, everyone screams and runs for it. I have no problem with bugs and I enjoy getting muddy and dirty to keep the mosquitos off me. People here won't even walk on nicely manicured grass for fear of getting dirty, meanwhile I've bushwacked for many hours with nothing but my underwear and a shirt, not even shoes, crossing fast flowing waist deep rivers and hiking through ravines.
I know a lot about bushcraft, but still not enough. Knowledge is the best tool.
I need some help with the equipment I should bring.
I would be going with a group of about 5 people (I've already got the people), to northern Ontario in the boreal forest. Mostly pine, balsam fir, spruce, and tamarack. Game animals are moose, caribou, and black bear. There aren't too many deer because the winters are cold and harsh and deer can't handle very harsh winters. I plan on going for at least 5 years before stocking up on supplies.
I here is my general list. Ive left a lot of the little things out:
Wool clothes
Winter gear
Paracord
1/4 inch twine
Air rifle for small game
Rifle for large game (I was thinking a Remington mountain ss in a .308 or .30 06 or a Remington xcr ii, any suggestions?)
Revolver
Ammo for everything
Magnesium striker stick
Bushcraft knife
Fillet knife
Skinning knife
Hatchet
Axe
Diamond sharpening stone
A Compass or two
Good quality topo maps of the area in 1:250 000 and lots of 1:50 000
Sunchoke tubers for planting
Asparagus for planting
Fishing gear
Cookware
Small heating stove for the winter to put in my shelter (the winters are cold up here in Canada. I dont want to freeze to death).
And a lot of knowledge
I made a bigger list but this what I can think of right now. I plan on squatting on crown land. I want a high calorie crop for the winter so I was thinking sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes). For every 100 grams for sunchoke tubers there are 70 calories. For a 5*5 square foot patch you can harvest up to 50 pounds of tubers. The asparagus is just cause I like it and it would be something to put in my stomach.
Northern Ontario is filled with lakes and streams so there is no shortage of fresh water.
Im seeing this is a long post so wrap it up soon.
The biggest obstacle must be faced before I leave anywhere. That obstacle is my parents. My parents love me and want the best for me. But we are on different pages as to what the best for me means. If I stayed in the city, my parents would be happy but I wouldn't. I am very smart. Just not in school subjects. I scored 140 on an IQ test. Just the other day I fixed the back catchers shin guards with some twine and a multitool I had on me. My parents want me to go to university and be a doctor or a scientist or something. I really dont want to so maybe I'll take a break year and go for an extended camping trip and come back and say I've had a change I heart.
Any tips? How much ammo should I bring with me? What about gun parts? Anything is helpful, don't be afraid to post any constructive critism.
Bookmarks