Hawks don't seem to cut it, no pun here, with camp chores. I some times carry a small french/HBC type axe. It has a flat head on top with a short handle. But if we are not doing a trapping camp then there is no need for everyone to carry small axes or any other types of large camp items that can be shared in camp by the party.

buffle. you guys need to get pics. of your camps i would love to see it. i want to do camps like that. but dont have anyone thta would go primitive with me.

CMT where do ya live? The Lancaster event is coming up the end of April n we are going to have a short overnight sort of trek to introduce guys to the idea. several have mentioned it in the past so several of us are getting together to take them out n help them sort things out a bit. check out lancastercountylongrifles.org. Maybe you got enough stuff to tag along, I'll bet with the extras most of us have in camp we can help ya out if ya need something specific like a blanket or such. check out their web site n see just where Muddy Run is n maybe you can come along

Well CMT, I hope you take Birdman up on his invite, sounds like it would a good start.

Here are a couple of sketches from one camp in Oct 07.

Day one my partner Brad & my dog Andy ....

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Day one Myself & Andy....

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Day three waiting for coffee..........

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bufflerrub that just looks like a big ole patch of fun! Thank you for the pictures you've been posting.

Thank you Warmutt, I'd be happy to post some of our other camps if folks are interested & not bored?

Hey lets see some of you other fellers camps I am sure there are others who get out and do it?

This is a great way to share ideas and to see whats going on in other parts of the hills....

Rub I wish I could post some pictures but believe it or not I haven't ever taken any. But you other fellers go ahead n post to yer hearts content causen I fer sure enjoy looking n getting the occasioal good idea from the pics.

well fellow`s it all sounds like alot of fun this treking thing might even like to try it myself, but unfortuneitly here where i live i`d just have to go it alone all the time, i do beleave that i am about the only person in these parts who shoots bp or hunts with it, been doing it for many a year now since i was fifteen yrs old am now 54yre`s old, prefer my 62.cal/20ga. mushet flinter, dont any of you people down in the state`s think we have it so easy up here for huntting wild game, oh theirs plenty of it if your willing to pay two or three thousand bucks to hunt its a long disgusting sad story of how the hunting up here has go all to h:">? so bad now i no longer even try hunting for moose or cariboue about the only thing worth huntting for is blk bearand thats all. well enough crying on every one`s shoulder`s take care shoot stright

Sawbbones: I don't know what part of California you live in but you could get a copy of the Southwest Journals of Jeddediah Smith and see if there are any portions you could re-trace. Cover the same route and distances he did.
If you are geared to a mountain man persona- just don't go camping with "funny clothes", the idea is to re-live history as much as possible. Try having the group dig and conceal a cache, swim a river with the gear bundled up in floating balls- Indian Style. Try stopping towards sundown and cooking dinner and after dark pull up everything and move camp, and run a cold camp in the new location (this was done because hostile Indians could not track you in the dark to your new camp). Head over a dry flat that will take five hours without any water. In other wrods, relive as much as possible, history.
Those photos of Bufflerub 1880 are good. Dogs are very PC- warn of any Indians. Camping without a tent was probably very common. I think tents were set up only if the weather looked bad.

Rub,
You have a camp that makes me want to get back to the woods. Traditional is the way I like it. I'm pretty new here, but I doesn't take long to know a bunch of good fellas with the right ideas. It's great to read from so many with similar interests but varied opinions and ideas.
Chasing Crow

Thanks for the advice Red Owl, those are some good ideas.

Yep, we do cold camps here when the fire bans are in force. No need to stop treks cause you can't have fire. Red Owl has some good thoughts there on ideas for treks. If you only have a weekend no need to trek for miles make a short hike of a couple of miles and do some scouts from there. Make a point to do some sort of an objective. Nothing like a hunt from a PC camp to fill yer camp kettle.

Our turkey camp images...We didn't hike in real far so we had some extra treats like buffalo boudins & deer ribs & a jug of shrub...
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Well, Bufflerub 1880,it's great to see more of your camp pictures. I have got to get a camera!I've gotten a lot of ideas from your pics and now some from Red Owl, too. The exchange of info on this site is just great! Keep them coming! Vaya Con Dios! Stumpy

Stumpy, thanks for the kind words. I think photos help, I would enjoy seeing others camps and gear. So come on get out that fancy skecth book & share with us there are always some great ideas & different places to visit!

So I'll just add a couple more ideas.......

Camp chores like just mending my shirt..
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Roasting coffee for the next morning..[IMG:left] [/IMG]

Or finding that tucked away spot from history...
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But the most important thing is to just set a little time a side & get out and do it test ourself and your gear. Hope that you fine a couple of good partners that feel the same to share some great camps with!

We cold camp quite often. I guess I am just lazy enough that I don't bother with a fire. Most of our camps are late fall to late winter hunts. If the temps don't go below 30 we don't care much one way or the other. 20's or below though, thats another thing. We consider a good fire a must. This time of year period fishing and ground hog hunting can fit into a trek. Great pictures! Maybe I'll find some of mine and figure out how to post them.
Chasing Crow

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sawbones: another idea may be to try to relive the night watch (that is if you're interested in the mountain man era). I think this night watch was more for the caravan than a small party of trappers but in any event the watch was usually for a two hour spell. Sitting there in the dark for two hours while your buddies sleep, maybe being a little tired the next day because of the watch you pulled.
A lot of times there was a two hour break at noon to let the horses feed and to cook up some grub- just another idea.