Doing a long trek.

[Beo]

Well I'm off from September 26th till October 6th and I'm going on a trek with three other guys from my trekking group. This should be 10 days of great trekking, we'll be in Daniel Boone National Forrest living like the old days (ya'll know me by now) and hunting with our flinters for rabbit, squirrel, pheasant, and turkey. Man I am now so dang excited I can hardly wait. Started checking and rechecking my gear last night, probably be doing this for a while. Shame Trooper will be in school so he can't come but I'll take lots of pics for him and you all.

[nell67]

Have fun Beo

[Riverrat]

Man, now I am envious....have a great time, sounds like a blast!

[trax]

Keep an eye on yer topknot and keep yer powder dry.

[Merriwether]

I'm curious to know how much your gear for this trek weighs. Pictures would be awesome, too.

Thanks,
-Merriwether

[Beo]

I'll weigh it in and get back with you. Pics of gear will come shortly too.
We hunt our food and live off the land as much as possible, its rough sometimes but its a great time and learning experience.

Here's what I wear and carry on a trek both summer and winter.
Hat: French Cap (TUQUE, blue) for winter, and a head scarf or felt blank, or tricorn hat in summer.
Hunting Shirt (2 extra in winter)
Leggings: Wool (Dark blue trimmed in yellow), long Canvas gaiters (Brown)
Garters: Hand Woven & Leather Strap Type
Sash: Hand Woven
Breechclout: Wool, Dark blue trimmed in yellow
Breeches: French Button Fly 2 pair (in winter)
Moccasins: Dark brown canoe Moc by Arrow Moccasin's or center seaam by Track of the Wolf.
Haversack Canvas: with 26-inch tumpline with the following items inside:extra leather thongs (36in. long 10 each), Wooden noogin (cup), Castile Soap, (2) Bees Wax Candle, Sewing & fishing kit, Whetstone, Bag of parched corn & jerky-three potatoes-small carrots-radishes-dried peas-rice, Pouch of tobacco and pipe, wooden fork & Spoon, Tin Boiler, salt and herb horn.
Possibles Bag: Leather, holding the following items inside: Frizzen Stall, 1-Bullet Bag holding #5 shot, 1-Cow’s Knee, 1-Priming Horn (tied to pouch strap), Leather Flint Packet (5 pieces of flint), 1-Tin of bees wax & tallow, 2-Hand Forged Screwdrivers, Bag of tow, Loading block (tied to strap of possibles bag w/6 .62 cal lead balls), Vent Pick tied on bag strap, different ramrod tips, tow strips, and extra lock.
Belt bag: Holding the following items: Flint & striker & char cloth, cattail fluff, dried moss, and bark tinder in tin, Candles (2)
Powder Horn tied to hunting pouch strap
Long Knife (8 to 10 inch blade)
Hatchet/Tomahawk w/cover
Flintlock: French Fusil de Chasse (Tulle) with flashguard
Bedroll: Canvas diamond shelter (waterproofed 9x9)
Wool blanket (4x6) not used in summer months
Canvas ground cloth (waterproofed 5x6)
diamond shelter is laid out flat with ends folded in, ground cloth is folded to fit next, then the wool blanket (if needed) and rolled tightly and tied with two leather straps, the leather shoulder strap is used as a tumpline (shoulder strap as we call it). Sometimes only carry a wool balnket across my back in the summer.

[crashdive123]

Beo - have fun. Do we need to put a reminder on the calendar so that you won't leave a week early?

[Catfish]

Here's what I wear and carry on a trek both summer and winter.

What...no Ipod?

[Beo]

Naw Crash. Can't leave any earlier than that thursday night. Dang!!! But I got marked on my calender here

[Gray Wolf]

Beo, two questions:
First why can't you write a note for Trooper????? (geessss)
Second, how do your feet and ankles hold up on those long treks wearing moccasins?

[Beo]

1. Begingin of school year, he don't miss any school if I can help it. Plenty more time for trekks.

2. Moc's are great, they are formed to my feet and I slide an old gym shoe sole inside if my feet hurt, most times they are so comfortable I don't need the sole. Your feet will toughen up and I like being able to feel the ground, every nook and cranny.
But it all depends on who makes them, my best pair were made by me because they fit the best.

[tacmedic]

beo- what is your trekking persona?

[Beo]

Longhunter (1770-1793) depends on the era. On occasion I have done a Simon Girty type persona when going with Native American's as Girty is a hero of mine. Since I'm 6'4" and 235 lbs and not Native American I do a Girty type. But then again I use my real name James Yorke and my Irish ancestory as my background, or French Acadian Milice/trapper (1750-1770) and go by Gieffroy Jacques LeDoux when teaching about the coureur de bois.

[Gray Wolf]

I guess wearing boots of some kind, all my life, for hunting as a kid, to Army boots '69-'71, back to civilian types of boots till now, I can't imagine hunting or trekking, in the mountains or in the glades in moccasins. I like having firm ankle support.

[Rick]

I'm with you, GW. I don't know how many times I've stepped on a root, rock or hole and rolled an ankle. Firm ankle support is something I look for in a boot and I may have saved a snapped ankle on an occasion or two because of it.

[gourdhead1997]

Hey Beo, Daniel Boone Nat'l Forest. Is that in Eastern Ky? I didn't know if there is more than what we have here in Ky or not. I've been there several times if that's where you are talking about. Great territory. Have fun and be safe!

[Rick]

I'll ask you again about hunting licenses. I know you had some kind of special permit when you did the Pa. thing. Did you do something similar for DB National? Does Kentucky offer some black powder/trekking permit? I've thought about doing something similar but have never figured out the logistics on the hunting piece.

Here's a link to DB hunting info. You've probably already visited this site but thought I'd post it for you just in case.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/recreation/hunting.shtml

[Beo]

Yeah, I got an out of state hunting & trapping permit for Ky. The reason I wear the moc's other than historical trekking is as I said, I like to feel the ground beneath my feet, mine are double soled out of elk hide, I have never slipped in mine but I know others who have.
Actually DB national Forest starts up around Flemingsberg just past 64 and runs all the way down to into tennessee. Its just over 707,000 acres of mostly rugged terrain. The land is made up of steep forested ridges dissected by narrow ravines and over 3,400 miles of sandstone cliffs. Perfect for trekking, but the DB and Ky forest service tell you: this is a habitat for wild animals, including dangerous animals like bears and venomous snakes. Wild animals can be upset by human presence and can unexpectedly become aggressive. Do not give them a reason or an opportunity to attack. Always keep your distance. Your safety is your responsibility.
I like this as the forest is for the animals and you are intruding, Ky knows this and if something happens its not the animals fault, I think that's great.

[pgvoutdoors]

Good luck and safe trekking... I'll be looking forward to hearing all about it.

[tonester]

man im jealous! hopefully one of these days i can go on a long trek, i just wish i had some friends that were into that. hope you have a great time! take lots of pics!