I don't know how many of us there are, but here goes. It seems most of the conversation here deals with highly wooded areas (think pine trees). What tools are you survival types that live in a little more arid climates like this one using for your camping and "bushwacking" adventures? (Saws, Hatchets, Big blades, little blades, etc.) What kinds of methods of shelter building and what types a vegetation do you use in climates similar to West Texas? Any survival info for this type of area would be appreciated.
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West Texas Tools?
- Thread starter PC356
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2004
- Messages
- 476
Living in San Diego I have much of the same types of flora and Fauna that you do, and many of the same needs. Alot of the tools/skills are universal, but a little tweaking is required most of my knifes are in the 4-5 inch blade range, and while I own and love my GB Small Forest Axe, I only really use it when I go up in the mountains around Julian. Even there it can be a bit of an over kill, my gerber (p)axe, or a folding saw is usually more than enough. Other thoughts:
Shelter:
More worried about heat than cold, but I carry the heavy duty space blanket to use as a tarp/shelter as needed, coupled with a contractors bag. It is easy to throw toghehter a decent brush shelter around here. Lots of scrub, but harder to find longer sticks for a frame.
Water is my main concern and unsually carry two nalgene bottles and an empty 2 litter platapys in my pack. Doesn't take up too much space. I keep both portable aqua and Katydine (sp) tabs for purification, along with a steel cup for boiling.
Matches, BSA hotspark and a lighter for fire, LOTs of tinder around this kind of area if you know where to look, Pampas Grass, Foxtail, Cattail fluff. Huge fire danger both here and in West Texas, small and controlled is the way to go.
Food I try and know as much as I can about wild plants, becuase I cannot fish worth a damn, no matter how hard I try. I have taken several classes with Christopher Nygeres up in Los Angeles and they are worth thier weight in gold. Cody Lundin's books and training are also geared more towards our types on environments.
Just my .02 Hope it helps.
Mike
Shelter:
More worried about heat than cold, but I carry the heavy duty space blanket to use as a tarp/shelter as needed, coupled with a contractors bag. It is easy to throw toghehter a decent brush shelter around here. Lots of scrub, but harder to find longer sticks for a frame.
Water is my main concern and unsually carry two nalgene bottles and an empty 2 litter platapys in my pack. Doesn't take up too much space. I keep both portable aqua and Katydine (sp) tabs for purification, along with a steel cup for boiling.
Matches, BSA hotspark and a lighter for fire, LOTs of tinder around this kind of area if you know where to look, Pampas Grass, Foxtail, Cattail fluff. Huge fire danger both here and in West Texas, small and controlled is the way to go.
Food I try and know as much as I can about wild plants, becuase I cannot fish worth a damn, no matter how hard I try. I have taken several classes with Christopher Nygeres up in Los Angeles and they are worth thier weight in gold. Cody Lundin's books and training are also geared more towards our types on environments.
Just my .02 Hope it helps.
Mike
I have read 98.6 and loved it. I definitely agree about it being more geared towards our type of climate. Kind of a variation of the Nessmuk trio is what you go for I gather. Very similar to what I carry around here. I have a 13" Wetterlings and 14" Fiskars hatchet, a Corona and a Bahco folding saw, and a Swamp Rat Bog Dog, Fallkniven F1, and a Mora 2000 that all get various rotation. Good stuff Lumpy, thanks a lot.
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PC356, I live in Central Texas and hike the hill country and Chihuahua desert around Big Bend and points north quite often. I don't depend much on finding plants for shelter. I will look for an outcropping that might provide a makeshift cave, being sure that you are not in a arroyo. Other than that I always carry a tarp of some kind. Right now I am carrying a 12X12 piece of TEVK but plan to buy a good Silnylon tarp as soon as I get the funds. I also carry a folding ground pad. With a tarp to keep the sun off and the pad to insulate you from the hot ground you can conserve water by sweating less in the heat of the day. I carry a 100 oz camelback in my pack and 2 32oz nagalene water bottles. I also carry a Katydyn filter, 2 8oz collapsable nagalene water bottles and 36 inches of plastic tubing to aid in water recovery. I usually carry a small collapsable shovel as well. For blades I carry a small Dozer 3 inch fixed blade, a SAK Explorer (mainly for the magnifying glass and tweezers) and either a CS SRK in a BQ survival sheath or a customized EK Warrior in a simular sheath. Other indispensable items include a walking / snake stick,a good upto date topo map and compass. I have several that I have marked up from previous trips indicating possible water sources and especially windmills. I would suggest getting a copy of David Alloway's book Desert survival. David Alloway spent a lot of time in the Big Bend area and his book is slanted to survival in that area. He recomended the CS SRK IIRC. Anyway, go luck and good thread. I hope some others from the SW will add their experience.
OldSalt
OldSalt