Keep it Simple

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I have been preparing for an outing on the river. One thing I am realizing more and more is this; The more gear you have the more difficult it becomes. Here is a good anology on my point. Take fishing I am an avid fisherman. Back in my early 20's I had a couple of rods and a 10' boat with an electric motor and a small tackle box. Now well my fishing equipment looks like your fav. sporting goods aisle. I now have a couple of boats after scaling back...I can remember catching fish just the same if not better with alot less than I take now. Anyone else experience this? There is a profound difference in using what you have on hand vs. having the entire gamma of supplies and having to choose what to use out of a jillion choices.

Now I am pondering how this may apply to preparedness....

[Rick]

I believe in the KISS philosophy. I love to fly fish. I have a $5 tackle box from WallyWorld a good Daiwa graphite rod and an assortment of flies and poppers. Oh, yeah, and a whole bunch of enthusiasm.

[BK-72]

My dad is a avid fisherman and has a ton of stuff. A lot of it believe it or not he's actually found - forgotten by the previous owners. He'll mess around with it, see if he likes it better than what he already has.

He'll keep a small selection of stuff in his Jeep, changing it out depending on where he's going (Lake Erie, a local fishing hole or the Ohio River usually).

On the other hand, he does feel this is a good problem to ponder.

I really need to start going with him again and learning what he knows. That saying about "90% of the fisherman catch 10% of the fish, and 10% of the fisherman catch 90%" definitely applies to him.

[NCO]

I had that in the army when I got to choose if I want to have a night scope on my assault rifle. I chose not to have it, cause it would be one more thing to worry about, keep clean and stuff. Too much work for the good sides.

[jrock24]

Nope, this is why I only take a pole and my vest.

[Ravnari86]

In my experience KISS applies even moreso with survival. To begin with, what you pack in you pack out. If you're on a survival trip when you go in with all your gear you're well fed, well rested, and typically all around more ready to move than when you come out.

Say I was to go in with 3 types of rifles, a game feeder, a blind and tree stand, cooking ware for camping, a propane fueled stove... it builds up. So I take an ATV in, and pack the stuff from the ATV to my camp. Now I get turned around packing it back out at the end of the trip. I'm left with a lot of gear to take care of, and if I decide to move and find a way out I have a lot to try to bring. Not to mention it makes it very difficult in a tired, possibly much less well fed, frustrated, and lost state of mind to figure out what pieces I really need to bring with if I leave things to be picked up later.

Taking too much gear in a survival situation has a tendency to make people forget how to improvise. If I'm lost and afraid, and run out of propane, I haven't been practicing any firestarting methods and I'm left with no way to cook. It's harder to think of primitive methods off the top of your head when you get used to the luxury.

If my cooking gear gets damaged or lost I have to find a new way to cook things now, possibly including boiling water, or risk eating or drinking un cooked and unboiled items. That becomes a deadly situation fast if you can't figure anything out.

When I go in I tend to bring 3 or four cans of arizona tea. The tea keeps me hydrated on my way in, and once there it becomes my cook ware. While there I always keep an eye out for any replacements. I'll usually bring a steel water bottle to boil my water in as well, and I stay familiar with methods of creating a spit with sticks to cook game I don't want boiled.

Luxury creates a lack of improvisation. Improvisation is key to survival. Like I said, KISS is something I always follow.

[panch0]

You are right COWBOYSURVIVAL, I have cut down knife, fishing and hunting gear that was bought just to impress. I didn't need 90% of the stuff I had. Too bad I couldn't get what I paid for the gear, but at least I know better now.

[rebel]

How does that saying go? "Beware of the man with one rifle, chances are he'll know how to shoot it".

That kind of says it for most gear. Familiarity, confidence and knowing the limitations.

[Ravnari86]

Well put rebel. Never heard it that way, but it's certainly true in my eyes.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

With humility I will say this. I pulled a bigger than avg. John Boat up 4 miles of river that had dropped to less than 2ft. It took a total of one trip and 3 boats to get my families supplies up river. So I had help. You missed the part where I tried to load the whole load into the river with my trailer 5ft. off the river....Anyway I'd say we actually used about 50% of what I brought. But noone was hurt and my family is raving about the trip. We wanted for nothing! We saw a total of 3 other boats in 3 days. We barely heard a firework and witnessed alot of what we long for. Some of the trip was priceless others belong on (Hopeak's) post about work... There will be many more trips and lessons learned. I will post some pics on this thread tonight.

[Ravnari86]

Awesome. Glad you had a good time with it. Looking forward to the pictures. Wish I could've been there to see you drag that boat that distance. Must've been a spectacle.

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

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That look on my face is respect for the river and the load she carries!

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We are tailing 2 boats with about 1/2 of my supplies on them. I am having trouble keeping up and have the biggest motor at 40 horses.

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The 8 horse is stuck on my next turn doesn't look good.....

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But we all made it unscathed! I got out about 4 times to push, myself and we all know I am an expert!

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We are all smiles going tubing!

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My little angel is ready to fish! She swings a 6ft. Zebco new fangled 33!

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She thinks it is too small to keep..and frowns. I am thinking supper! LOL!

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Dad catches a few too!

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My attack beagle (Max) making his rounds!

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My Indiana princess and my daughter floating and all smiles~!

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Anyone for some music we haven't heard much more than the river and the wind for awhile now!

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He He! She talked Dad into one more float!

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If anyone you know says Edisto in the summer be packed and ready to go I will never forget it!

[crashdive123]

Looks like a great time. Thanks for the pics.

[rebel]

Thanks for the pics! You have a great life! Keep it up.

[Ken]

Great Pics! Thanks, Cowboy!

[COWBOYSURVIVAL]

I do have a great life! I wouldn't trade it for anything and were only getting started good! Just wait!

[Rick]

Looks like the bosses kept you in line. Having two supervisors like that is okay, though. Glad you all had a great time and everyone was safe!!

[panch0]

Great pics and its nice to put a face with the name.

Guys remind me never to argue with Cowboy! He looks like he can deal out a good whoopin!

[Schleprok]

great pics, thanks so much for sharing them, looks like an awesome time was had by all

[smittysurvival]

I have been preparing for an outing on the river. One thing I am realizing more and more is this; The more gear you have the more difficult it becomes. Here is a good anology on my point. Take fishing I am an avid fisherman. Back in my early 20's I had a couple of rods and a 10' boat with an electric motor and a small tackle box. Now well my fishing equipment looks like your fav. sporting goods aisle. I now have a couple of boats after scaling back...I can remember catching fish just the same if not better with alot less than I take now. Anyone else experience this? There is a profound difference in using what you have on hand vs. having the entire gamma of supplies and having to choose what to use out of a jillion choices.

Now I am pondering how this may apply to preparedness....

i fish with my dad alot for catfish. we fish in some of the tournies up here in ohio and we started to find out that we didnt need more gear of the same quality but insted the same amount of gear at a better quality. in other woeds dont stock up on 10 knifes that you already have. instead expirement with multipule types of knives and find the best one for your purpose. this goes for your bows and fishing poles and cordage and anything else.

if there is any other catfisher men that want to chat then send me a message. some people in the ohio and kentucky and indiana tournies might know my dad.