Backpacking Across the United States

Me and my buddy are going to do a cross-country backpacking trip, possibly from New York to somewhere in California. I have been searching for the legality of trapping and fishing for survival but have found nothing. I'm not going to go unprepared of course but I just want to know the legalities since I can't find anything online about it. Everything I've read about cross-country backpacking has to do with buying food from gas stations or fast food and living in hotels, etc.

I plan on walking through the wilderness and across the mountains, but not straight to California, we'll probably go sight-seeing to several different states. It might take a year or so and we are definitely serious about it. Surely there has to be some kind of leniency for people to hunt/fish for survival situations, to live or die? Hell even eating snakes would suffice, I don't really care as long as it's edible and keeps me from dying. Perhaps getting licenses for each state would be the best way but that sounds expensive and I'd rather have as little communication with society as possible.

BTW before you come to conclusions about my age I'm 28 and my buddy is 27 and we're no stranger to hunting. Of course, we can find plants and if need-be insects, to eat, but as far as animals are concerned I would rather follow the law than to break it.

The reason behind this is for the experience, how to survive when the world goes to hell, or just the knowledge of being able to survive without a grocery store down the street. As well as experiencing what this great country has to offer.

I appreciate your advice and feedback :)

Hunter63, saying Hey and Welcome.

As far as I know each state has hunting, fishing, and even foraging seasons, rules, licenses....and Out of State are very expensive.

What you are proposing isn't a survival situation, but a long planned hike, and most likely looked at with a dim view by most State DNR's....as well as LEO's and land owners along the way.

Best bet is to do your research, learn what is allowed, and what's not.......make sure you have enough money as to not be a vagrant.

Good luck and have fun.

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Originally Posted by kiasta

Me and my buddy are going to do a cross-country backpacking trip, possibly from New York to somewhere in California. I have been searching for the legality of trapping and fishing for survival but have found nothing. I'm not going to go unprepared of course but I just want to know the legalities since I can't find anything online about it. Everything I've read about cross-country backpacking has to do with buying food from gas stations or fast food and living in hotels, etc.

I plan on walking through the wilderness and across the mountains, but not straight to California, we'll probably go sight-seeing to several different states. It might take a year or so and we are definitely serious about it. Surely there has to be some kind of leniency for people to hunt/fish for survival situations, to live or die? Hell even eating snakes would suffice, I don't really care as long as it's edible and keeps me from dying. Perhaps getting licenses for each state would be the best way but that sounds expensive and I'd rather have as little communication with society as possible.

BTW before you come to conclusions about my age I'm 28 and my buddy is 27 and we're no stranger to hunting. Of course, we can find plants and if need-be insects, to eat, but as far as animals are concerned I would rather follow the law than to break it.

The reason behind this is for the experience, how to survive when the world goes to hell, or just the knowledge of being able to survive without a grocery store down the street. As well as experiencing what this great country has to offer.

I appreciate your advice and feedback :)

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What you're describing is not survival so you & your friend will be responsible for complying with all hunting and fishing laws everywhere you go. Survival is NOT a planned event, it is a nasty situation that has life or death consequences that you did not want. That is why all of the Backpacking material you've read refers to "buying" your supplies.

You write "Surely there has to be some kind of leniency for people to hunt/fish for survival situations, to live or die?" The answer is "yes," but only for those who have screwed up and find themselves in a real survival situation. So be prepared to shell out the cash for those licenses. If you don't want the personal interaction with people you can probably do it on-line.


So tell me, do you really appreciate the "feedback" I just gave you?....:cool2:

Yeah, I'll second what hunter and Sarge said. They're absolutely correct. What you're contemplating can easily land you in jail.

However, if you decide to do it anyway, see if you can convince Sarge to go with you. :innocent:

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Originally Posted by Ken

However, if you decide to do it anyway, see if you can convince Sarge to go with you. :innocent:

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I don't go anywhere without my "mouthpiece!" That's you, Ken!....:shifty:

In my opinion, you may be better off to plan on working temporary jobs along the way, and eating normal food as much as possible. At your age I am not sure if you have all of the experience needed for what you say you want to do, so this would keep you closer to civilization and safer along the way. To hike across the US living off the land, is a monumental task requiring extensive knowledge of plants and survival skills, so you better practice a lot before you take off!

Dear OP:

Perhaps you should consider attempting this sort of adventure out of country, somewhere more wild, with fewer laws? I imagine that restrictions for this kind of journey in the Amazon, Gobi Desert, or maybe central Africa, could be less tricky legally. Of course, if your main goal is just backpacking, you could always try through-hiking the Pacific Crest, Rocky Mountain, or Appalachian Trail. Or all three. That's 10,000 miles of pristine country. Also, read up on the food requirements for such a venture, because I seriously doubt anyone can subsistence hunt and forage (within legal bounds or outside of them, for that matter) in American wilderness for enough calories to support a cross-continent journey. For a guy my size, it's not unreasonable to assume a diet from 6000 to 8000 calories per day of hiking. Can you *really* get that much just from hunting? If you think so, then good for you, but I don't want to imagine hunting for food while trying to hike 20 miles per day.

How much hunting experience do you have, btw?

You can back pack and make time, or you can hunt and forage. It's difficult and dang near impossible for the inexperienced to do both at the same time.

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Originally Posted by Sarge47

I don't go anywhere without my "mouthpiece!" That's you, Ken!....:shifty:

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Fine. I'll need a retainer and we'll have to execute a fee agreement. So, how many hours will you be needing me for?

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Originally Posted by Ken

Fine. I'll need a retainer and we'll have to execute a fee agreement. So, how many hours will you be needing me for?

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I'll only need you if I run out of food!.....:chef:

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Originally Posted by Ken

Fine. I'll need a retainer....

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Yes you will, that's a helluva overbite you got there counselor!....:devil2:

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Originally Posted by 1stimestar

You can back pack and make time, or you can hunt and forage. It's difficult and dang near impossible for the inexperienced to do both at the same time.

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You beat me to it. Backpacking and hunting/foraging are two different activities. You can't do them at the same time. You either walk, or you look for food. A quick look at history will tell you this. Long distance travelers of the past would walk, then stop for supplies, then walk some more. They also used animals to carry their heavy food.

Also, there are no good routes from New York to California. The most popular routes run North and South on either end of the country. I have heard of plans for a TransAmerica trail, but I don't think it has come to fruition yet. There are long distance trails that run east west, so you would have to do a lot of research to connect all the dots.
If I were you, I would get a couple long distance trails under my belt before tackling the whole dang country.

Good luck on your hiking adventure. Violating hunting and fishing laws might land you in the sort of survival situation you hadn't planned on.

Second one this month!

Good luck with that!

Please be advised that there is no "wilderness" that connects the east coast and west coast for you to pillage on your journey.

The last person we had here that accomplished anything near your goal took a year, several stops to work part time jobs, and a good bit of hitch hiking to accomplish his mission.

He crossed Canada, where killing hitch hikers is not yet a national sport.

A friend of mine did it twice and almost went to jail near the mexico border cause they though he jumped the boarder... lol

Though he didn't hunt or anything, he stayed in small places or camped. He also bought his food, he's not into hunting and such. But it was still pretty cool that he walked across the US twice (he did do a bit of hitch hiking though).

I hitch hiked from Oklahoma to Chicago to Maine, then all the way down the Eastern Seaboard, then back to OK. It took me over a month just to hitch hike.

I heard about a guy on the news yesterday that wanted to dribble a soccer ball from Seattle to Brazil. He was run over and died in Oregon. True story, honest.

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Originally Posted by Sarge47

I'll only need you if I run out of food!.....:chef:

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Take out or delivery?

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Originally Posted by Ken

Fine. I'll need a retainer

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Originally Posted by Sarge47

Yes you will, that's a helluva overbite you got there counselor!....:devil2:

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Yeah, well we'll see how much your jaw drops when you get my retainer agreement. :noway: