Hello I'm a young camper, hopefully future survivalist

[Newguy]

Hello I'm Miguel. I'm 19 and have been camping and hiking before with family but I want to start doing it with a smaller and more intense group of friends. I'm learning how to hunt, make fire and other skills I'll need and though it's still early, I wanted to know where would good spots be with in 3 hours of driving to where I live. I live by Lyndhurst New Jersey. I wasn't planning on going for at least another year, but I would prefer some where beautiful with a good amount of fishing and hunting spots. No man made structures either.

[hunter63]

Hunter63 Saying Hey and Welcome.....From Wisconsin.

Here a start....

http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandf...parkindex.html

Why the need to be with an intense group of friends?

[Manwithnoname]

Hola Miguel,

Welcome and I'm sure you'll do well. Attitude is 90% percent of it. I can't help you with NJ. Only time I was ever there was 8 weeks in 87 at Cape May.

[Rick]

If you want to avoid man made structures then look for National Wilderness Areas. There are some in your area. Here's a link to the national map. You can look at different states to see if there are any that you are interested in. You didn't say if you prefer water or woods.

http://www.wilderness.net/NWPS/stateView?state=NJ

[Phaedrus]

Welcome to WSF!

[crashdive123]

Hello and welcome. It has probably changed since my youth, but I spent a lot of time in the pine barrens of New Jersey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_Barrens_(New_Jersey)

[Newguy]

Well by intense I meant people who are coming to get the feel of nature rather than just fresh air, like people who wouldn't mind fishing and hunting for their food and making their own fire rather than eating trail mix and using a firestarter

[hunter63]

Well by intense I meant people who are coming to get the feel of nature rather than just fresh air, like people who wouldn't mind fishing and hunting for their food and making their own fire rather than eating trail mix and using a firestarter

Gottcha......

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Well by intense I meant people who are coming to get the feel of nature rather than just fresh air, like people who wouldn't mind fishing and hunting for their food and making their own fire rather than eating trail mix and using a firestarter

I always thought I was kinda laid back. Now I find out I've been intense.

Alan

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Miguel, I spent most of my career telling other people (teenagers mostly) what to do. I retired from that and I try not to do it any more.

But, that doesn't keep me from saying what I would do in similar situations.

If I were 19 years old, liked hunting, fishing, camping, etc., and lived in New Jersey…… I would get a full tank of gas, head southwest and I wouldn't slow down until I heard someone say "Y'all".

Alan

[Rollicks]

Welcome! I hope some day that your handle becomes ironic.

[Antonyraison]

Welcome NewGuy, or Miguel.
I do not live in the United states, So I honestly can't help you with suggestions..
Other than to perhaps look for Camping sites that maybe suitable..
Otherwise you may have to look a bit further,even myself and I live in southern Africa, I have to drive hours out to get to decent places to do these things ( i know its not all national geographic hahaha.. South Africa actually has very large built up cities, and I live in the largest of them - Johannesburg)
That being said , You dont really need an intense group of friends, you can go in alone, or you can take one of your closest friends that seems the most enthuased to do "survival" with, its better in my opinion to pick a friend that seems passionate as you do about this to learn with and grow together, rather than a larger group of possible hopefuls.
Start with over nighters perhaps with a few rations.
Then build that up to 3 days, a week,etc adding in the various things you want to do.
Practice a lot at home, in your garden where ever, make sure your kit you choosing works for you and well in a controlled environment, before having to rely on them out on these trips.. Just my advice.
Any other Questions I be happy to help
I go out a lot here in Africa and do exactly what you plan.

[DSJohnson]

Welcome Miguel.
Glad you found us. I hope you do well in your quest. I second Antonyraison's comment about doing some camping alone or with a friend. Don't wait for your dream/perfect conditions. Go, have a good time, take lots of pictures, come back show your buds what you did while they sat around doing the same old thing. I bet you will have friends lining up to go on your next trip. I can not stress this enough..GO don't wait. Life is short. You will love it and they(your friends) will see that passion and want to go..... even if all you do the first couple of times is car camp you will still learn, enjoy and grow in your experience and wisdom.
Just looking at the map you are less that 30 miles from the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Wilderness. I would get online, check it out then do a drive by and see if it might be usable for you. I have done some camping on the beach and that Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge looks full of potential. Irealize it is much farther away that The Great Swamp WRW. But still within a weekend out type of range,

[WalkingTree]

and I wouldn't slow down until I heard someone say "Y'all".

hehe.......

[Wildthang]

Hello I'm Miguel. I'm 19 and have been camping and hiking before with family but I want to start doing it with a smaller and more intense group of friends. I'm learning how to hunt, make fire and other skills I'll need and though it's still early, I wanted to know where would good spots be with in 3 hours of driving to where I live. I live by Lyndhurst New Jersey. I wasn't planning on going for at least another year, but I would prefer some where beautiful with a good amount of fishing and hunting spots. No man made structures either.

Welcome to the forum! Just want to tell you that there aren't many survivalists here, and we don't want to be. What we do have here are just plain ole bush crafters, hunters, and woodsmen. That is what you need to strive for first grasshopper!
Anybody can build a bunker, stash it full of stuff, and be a survivalist. It takes skill to be a bush crafter, and that's what you need to be. A bush crafter can survive where a survivalist will starve to death!

Again welcome, we will help you learn!

[Antonyraison]

Welcome to the forum! Just want to tell you that there aren't many survivalists here, and we don't want to be. What we do have here are just plain ole bush crafters, hunters, and woodsmen. That is what you need to strive for first grasshopper!
Anybody can build a bunker, stash it full of stuff, and be a survivalist. It takes skill to be a bush crafter, and that's what you need to be. A bush crafter can survive where a survivalist will starve to death!

Again welcome, we will help you learn!

I dont really have such distinctions between survival and bushcraft.
I see them both part and parcel of the same thing, you simply can not do one without the other
Perhaps I kinda get that "survivalist" well that may encompass different ideas for different people..
For me I see everything as being useful and all skills required, from being a bushcrafter, a woodsman, a survivalist..
All to me are equally important.

For me My desire is to be Safe, self sustained, and enjoy the wilderness with as little Things as I possibly need and immerse myself in the bush for days, if not weeks.

[Phaedrus]

Antony, in the US "survivalist" does carry some loaded meanings. It generally refers to a [usually right-wing] political ideology that is anti-government and anti-society. In America a survivalist is usually thought of as someone that stocks weapons and supplies as a defense against martial law or societal collapse. While I won't comment on the reasonableness of that ideology "survival" is something else. Obviously, this place is called Wilderness Survival Forums so the primary focus has always been on those kinds of skills. There is some overlap I suppose, but I like this place because we do focus on wilderness skills more than the other stuff.

[Graf]

Welcome, longer than 3 hours but I was in Kentucky for work the last 2 years and camped and hiked a lot there beautiful contry

[hunter63]

Antony, in the US "survivalist" does carry some loaded meanings. It generally refers to a [usually right-wing] political ideology that is anti-government and anti-society. In America a survivalist is usually thought of as someone that stocks weapons and supplies as a defense against martial law or societal collapse. While I won't comment on the reasonableness of that ideology "survival" is something else. Obviously, this place is called Wilderness Survival Forums so the primary focus has always been on those kinds of skills. There is some overlap I suppose, but I like this place because we do focus on wilderness skills more than the other stuff.

Well said.....
Many here practice outdoor and wilderness"living"...with heavy dose of bushcraft on the side.
If you "have to survive"....all these skills become very valuable.

[Antonyraison]

Antony, in the US "survivalist" does carry some loaded meanings. It generally refers to a [usually right-wing] political ideology that is anti-government and anti-society. In America a survivalist is usually thought of as someone that stocks weapons and supplies as a defense against martial law or societal collapse. While I won't comment on the reasonableness of that ideology "survival" is something else. Obviously, this place is called Wilderness Survival Forums so the primary focus has always been on those kinds of skills. There is some overlap I suppose, but I like this place because we do focus on wilderness skills more than the other stuff.

I see. I understand now where you coming from.
No here we dont have classifications for people like that and if we did well we label them pretty crazy... well actually we do have such people... but YEAH no one talks of them no one wants to acknowledge them, they rather embarrassing and their political views are Very vile.
Ummm the best we may compare these people to over here are geezee. like a cheap wana be version of the 3rd Reich