What Happened to [Wilderness] Survival?

[canid]

ok, tomorrow i'll post a pictorial on how to build a stock ticker from turtle bones and crow feathers, with rattan lashing...

honestly i hear you, but i consider the fault to be my own. when i have the time, energy and inclination, i'll be posting more of the stuff i think many of us come here for. i encourage you to do the same. problem solved [sort of].

[canid]

we can call it a coalition of the whittling...

[FVR]

I've found that usually between Sept. and Feb., hunting boards slow down to a crawl. Because everyone is out hunting. Possibly the same here. Hard to be on the computer when you're out in the bush all the time.

When ya get back in, a computer screen just does not look to tempting.


Hopeak, sorry but I missed that brown bear thread. So, what does push a brown bear mean? Not that I want to go do it, but it sounds, scary.

[palerider]

WAREAGLE and i have discussed this also and i know he is not coming around because of this, this site is supposed to be wilderness survival not economic collapse, while i agree that some may consider an economic coolapse as a shtf scenario some of us feel that sites other than this are better suited for these topics why should we have to ignore your posts as you say why not post them where they will be appreiciated, in my opinion you are ruining a great site and some will end up at other sites more focused on wilderness survival too bad i know some such as my bro WE has allot to offer maybe you will only figure that out when/if you get to the gathering..

[Ridge Wolf]

There are pressing issues in this country that may be superceding wilderness survival. Who was it that said we are all a product of our environment? Our environment is at home and I don't think that a lot of us go out into the wilderness as much as we would like to because of those pressing issues and concerns in modern society that most of us have to endure. When other things are on a persons mind they talk about those other things. Certainly, the collapsing economy is important to us because most of us depend on that economy for our livlihood (so we can afford to go out into the wilderness and do our thing with wilderness survival, when we can afford the time to go out there and do it.

I will agree though that some of the posts here, should not be, due to not being within subject matter.. it is hard not to post some information that you have just discovered and think that someone within your 'group?' might be interested in it.. and we are a social group whether we realize it or not. This is a social forum.. if not 'chat room' of sorts. We as social people are interested in the daily goings on of the other people we associate and socialize with. All of that is human nature. It is up to us however, to think about the information we are about to post and insure that it is on subject matter pertinent to this media. If not, then it needs to be posted elsewhere in other pertinent forums. Is that agreeable? I know that I am just as guilty of that as much as some others are.

That being said, there is also the fact that a person can only say so much about wilderness or outdoor survival without being redundant. Look at some of the professional bloggers that are on the internet... and not only on the subject of wilderness survival. I think you will find that they must constantly conform, at least somewhat, to what the public wants to read about and constantly be fresh in their thoughts on the subject matter. Sure there are special interests and niche markets for bloggers and you should write about what sincerely interests you if you're blogging. But if what you are blogging doesn't hold interest in the public nobody is going to read you.. That is some of what has happened here I think. We are a wilderness survival site and we are talking about other things.. that don't interest people who come to this site looking for a certain kind of information. Someone said, the subject goes stale and sits as a stagnant archive of information...filled.. (that in so many words). Another said, you need to personally experience wilderness survival.. (or at least the practice of the methods) to appreciate it and passionately pass it on to others.. ( that in so many words also). I agree. first hand experience is a solid learning process and the best way to learn things in a controlled situation. Maybe that is what most of us need to get out and start doing..or doing more of... learning by experience to be more richly informed instead of merely reading about it in books.

I better stop before I really start to ramble into incoherence... But these are some of the things I have observed.

Addendum: I am going to practice what I preach and only post to the subject matter of the forum.

[Sarge47]

Doggone you Mitch! You're running members off again! I agree with you that a lot of posts lately have been geared towards Suvivalists"; &, like you, I'm not into that! However, if people want to post on it do what I do, stay off the thread! I probably don't even read 90% of the stuff posted as of late because it's not Germaine to me. Like FVR I'm basically a Republican but so what? We are what we are and the idea is to get along with one another as best as we can, not quibble over the adverse view points some of us might share. If you go back through all the threads that we have here I don't know that there is anything else we can cover. I suppose that Countryboy 2 brought in something new with his Nalgene Survival kit but shoot, for all of his "experience" in the outdoors he didn't even know how to make a squirrel pole; something most Scouts around these parts know by the time their 2nd class! Here's the thing, some of you might leave and I'm sorry to see you all go, but we're gaining new members all the time so we're going to be good. And as far as when the end comes, who knows how, what, where, when, and even if anybody can Survive it, that's all conjecture. The idea of Survival, like Hopeak pointed out, as well as some others here, is to get BACK to normal living; and that's what I'm doing right now, living normally. The idea of this site is, IMHO, to help one enjoy the outdoors in a recreational type of thing, so that's what I get out of it. Mitch, if you can think of anything we've overlooked, bring it on! I'd enjoy seeing it!




1

[MCBushbaby]

(movie announcer voice)

It started as a rant, a simple stated opinion
(random flyby scene)
Then they came...
"Helen RUN!!!!"
The war began faster than anyone expected
(shooting scene)
Families split, siding on differing opinions
(little girl) "Daddy!"
Many left
"I'm not staying on this sinking ship!"
"Dammit Mathers, if you leave.." (sniped in the head)
Many stayed
"We stand, and fight! SPARTA!"
Others closed their doors
(overhead battle scene)
March 23rd... which side will you choose?
"AHHHHHHHH"
(black screen, "Rated R for Rant")

Wow, I didn't think I'd be running off members. And I didn't realize how many people were actually staying away because of the whole economic discussion. Quite the eye-opener

[canid]

ahahahahaha! brilliant.

[BraggSurvivor]

I just don't post on these kinds of threads, basically because I'm a Republican. Figure that that would piss alot of people off. I don't hug trees, don't breath deep, I believe one should take responsibility for their actions.

If you come up short, guess what, you came up short. Your problem.

I tire of the whining and complaining about gas prices, food prices, and such.

Lately, I've been side tracked. Family matters take priority. I check the posts, but not posting much. Come late spring, I will be getting into the woods, maybe as soon as next weekend. Turkey season is in, good reason to take to the woods and try to stick a hog with primitive bow and arrow.

As far as investment talk, this is a public forum. World access, really don't want to give out info.

Funny, ya won't post your real names or pics, but you will post about how much investments you have and in what. Duhhhh..........like your address can't be found out by a good hacker.LOL.

Ahhh, just ramblings from a Jarhead.

You rock FVR, wish we lived closer.....

[BraggSurvivor]

(movie announcer voice)

It started as a rant, a simple stated opinion
(random flyby scene)
Then they came...
"Helen RUN!!!!"
The war began faster than anyone expected
(shooting scene)
Families split, siding on differing opinions
(little girl) "Daddy!"
Many left
"I'm not staying on this sinking ship!"
"Dammit Mathers, if you leave.." (sniped in the head)
Many stayed
"We stand, and fight! SPARTA!"
Others closed their doors
(overhead battle scene)
March 23rd... which side will you choose?
"AHHHHHHHH"
(black screen, "Rated R for Rant")

Wow, I didn't think I'd be running off members. And I didn't realize how many people were actually staying away because of the whole economic discussion. Quite the eye-opener

Excellent mitch, entertaining! LOL

[BraggSurvivor]

Thats it, from now on I'm only posting about worm farming..........just kidding, more economic collapse ahead. Stay tuned!

[Rick]

I don't know why folks believe there is nothing else to talk about on wilderness survival. Look at the survival knife thread. 490 posts. The survival kit thread 486. I know many were off subject but that's true with most threads. That's a lot of posts. A lot of interest in those two arenas.

This week alone, we've talked about spears, spear points, uses of deer parts, SAR costs for wilderness accidents, cup and bowl making, tanning, root cellars, homestead gardening, and those are just off the top of my head.

General Chat is for anything you want to talk about. The rest are specific to given subjects. Just contain your posts within the guidelines and everyone should be (could be) happy.

[Ole WV Coot]

The economy is important to me survival wise. I did do a little work for 35yrs. While you were comfy inside I was hanging on a pole in the rain, snow and whatever because you couldn't call your Aunt Hilda and tell her how terrible it was outside. I would get called at 3am on maybe a Sunday morning, kiss the wife and tell her I would call when I could. I could be gone a day or so up to 3 months or more and when floods or any natural disasters hit. I did my Uncle Sam thing but don't EVER mention it. I have been a lot of places, did a lot of things and to ME my income IS the stock market. You don't think the market is important?? Well your job, what you pay for services, home, food I could go on and on. I can't make everything for survival. Lots I buy. Folks, try to stock up without $$. I grew up at the end of a hollow in Eastern KY, learned to do most everything and am always wanting to learn anything new. I think I have earned my way and you best learn anything you can whether you think it's important to you now or not. (climbs down from soapbox)

[FVR]

Don't you mean (climb down from the pole)?


I think you describe the life of many of those here. Military, travelled the world, hard work outside in all kinds of weather, going through life making or trying to make good financial choices, and is a survivor.

[chiggersngrits]

i stumbled on to this site about 6 months ago to see how one made pine tea. i'am a greenhorn, tenderfoot numpty or what ever you want to call it. i've lurked on the sideline absorbing all the wonderful info that the experienced members have to provide. i have never started a thread and very seldom even post,(other than feeble attempt at humor). Hopeak, you say people don't care about some of the post you write. brother i couldn't disagree more. you are one of my favorite posters. i was disappointed when you removed your blogs, they were great little short stories and i always let my buddies read them ,they are sorely missed. i am sure there are many more out there just like me who although we are silent really appreciate your experienced insight. yes the end of the world stuff can get a little overdone sometimes, but i have no problem with it, lets just keep it in the proper catagory. just my opinion but when we moved a lot of the discussions to stickys it seemed to stifle the discussion. i know alot of the more experienced members get tired of rehashing the same old thing over and over for us numptys it can be very enlighten. beerrunner says he is tiered of the infighting, bullying and whinning that sometimes goes on here; yes it can get tiring but like anything you have to take the bad with the good. i believe beer runner said he had much experierce in the swamps. i would love to here the stories. i guess what iam tring to say is i dont want to see any of this experienced and valuable information leave the site. so please, please for nobodys sake but my own stick around and continue to educate those like myself who indeed truly appreciate all your wonderful wisdom.

[Sarge47]

i stumbled on to this site about 6 months ago to see how one made pine tea. i'am a greenhorn, tenderfoot numpty or what ever you want to call it. i've lurked on the sideline absorbing all the wonderful info that the experienced members have to provide. i have never started a thread and very seldom even post,(other than feeble attempt at humor). Hopeak, you say people don't care about some of the post you write. brother i couldn't disagree more. you are one of my favorite posters. i was disappointed when you removed your blogs, they were great little short stories and i always let my buddies read them ,they are sorely missed. i am sure there are many more out there just like me who although we are silent really appreciate your experienced insight. yes the end of the world stuff can get a little overdone sometimes, but i have no problem with it, lets just keep it in the proper catagory. just my opinion but when we moved a lot of the discussions to stickys it seemed to stifle the discussion. i know alot of the more experienced members get tired of rehashing the same old thing over and over for us numptys it can be very enlighten. beerrunner says he is tiered of the infighting, bullying and whinning that sometimes goes on here; yes it can get tiring but like anything you have to take the bad with the good. i believe beer runner said he had much experierce in the swamps. i would love to here the stories. i guess what iam tring to say is i dont want to see any of this experienced and valuable information leave the site. so please, please for nobodys sake but my own stick around and continue to educate those like myself who indeed truly appreciate all your wonderful wisdom.

For the record, Chig, you're not a "Numpty". Numpty is UK for "idiot". Not knowing anything about what goes on in the woods is no crime, and I find your candor refreshing. That makes you a "Nimrod", albeit an honest one. There are those on here who make claim to much experience, yet their posts reveal their ignorance in many areas, thus exposing their false claims. I, to, enjoyed Hopeak's post & Blogs; though I must confess I really don't understand someone going through all the trouble of deleting all their posts if they thought what they said was important and would benefit the group. I suppose there are some things I'll never understand, but please post more often, maybe you have questions that will challenge the group.

[BraggSurvivor]

Great post chigger.

[Rick]

Oh, man, Sam. That was too funny. And yes, I've faced down guns on the job, too. One of our guys went toe to toe with a machete. People do some crazy stuff when you're out there to disconnect them for non-payment. You'd be surprised just how big a 12 gauge looks when you're looking down at the wrong end of it. Fortunately, no one ever pulled the trigger. The Corps can't make that claim.

[wildWoman]

I agree with you Mitch, Nell and palerider. However, as Bragg pointed out, the forum lives by people posting threads on there. So I guess us more wilderness survival minded folks should be doing that to keep it in balance.
What puzzles me a bit though is if politics and religion are no-nos on the forum, how the economy crash and states crumbling apart stuff still gets on here???? If that's not related to politics, I don't know what is.
Again, I think it would be to the benefit of the forum to have an extra board for the WTSHTF stuff, trying to integrate it under the emergency preparedness doesn't really seem to work. I don't see how that would alienate the doomsday people, it would just give them a place to discuss that stuff, and the people not into it can just ignore that board. Similarily, I'm not much interested in the board dedicated to feedback on this site, so I hardly ever go there. When I get on here and see 10 - 15 threads on WTSHTF sprinkled throughout all of the boards, I often just log off again. My interest is wilderness, not the mobs in the city, that's why I originally found this forum.

[Rick]

You asked a good question. I suppose the the answer is where you draw the line. There is a stark difference, at least to me, in posting about Republicans, Democrats or Independents and posting about what you and your family should do if some crisis were to occur. I don't know whether that crisis is a tornado or some slump in the economy. Either can have an immediate and negative impact on your family. Whereas cussing the Democrats or trouncing George Bush just relieves some ill conceived stress.

The fact the threads are sprinkled throughout the boards is probably Sarge's and my fault as much as the poster. Frankly, I don't generally look at what board a post is in but I guess I should. I'll have to start doing that and moving them into the appropriate thread. Mea Culpa for not having done that to date.