I have always felt that the reenactors that are the closest to our wood-craft and wilderness survival activities were the colonial woodsmen of the 18th Century.
And you can reenact their activities without causing a riot. In fact, I have known several black reenactors of the settlement and fur trade eras, and one oriental guy.
It is also the cheapest era to reproduce. No uniforms needed, no gun needed unless you want to use one. That alone eliminates a great expense. You don't even have to wear real shoes, or any shoes at all.
Over on the Mississippi River you can do all the way back to 1675 when the French went down river. Not much latter a Currier named Cartiear crossed TN from west to east and came out of the woods in North Carolina. It was claimed that he had neither pot nor kettle and ran out of powder and had to kill game with a bow.
A young guy could do a French Currier persona for that whole area.
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