Foraging Equipment

Rich Raspy Shawver Let us define a couple of terms. Foraging to me means going out and acquiring food from the wild by whatever technique is available. Trapping is not only the use of traps and snares to gather game but also fishing. Fishing what in the world are you talking about. Not hook and line sport fishing. Things like the harvesting of a resource using trotlines, set poles and fish weirs or traps. When it comes to hunting versus trapping. The trapper is going to eat better and more regularly than the hunter does. Why you might ask? I have a question to ask right back at you. How many times have you gone out and spent hours or even days on a stand or tramping through the woods and come up empty handed? True because there was no pressure to feed your family you passed up iffy shots or wanted something bigger and better. Oh, oh I know you are the mighty hunter that gets the trophy buck 10 minutes into the season. You know that one you dropped with one shot at 500 yards while it was at a dead run. Yeah, right. Lets get out the hip waders the Barbara Strisand is getting real deep. When hunting the take will generally be a large quantity that has to be dealt with quickly brought in on occasion. While trapping will generally supply smaller amounts at any one time but a much steadier stream. There are far more small game animals than the big ones. This will be even more critical if everyone has taken to the woods with the expectation hunting to supply their needs. The increased pressure of this over hunting will reduce game density and population. It will also change movement patterns in both timing and location. So for the time spent in the activity trapping will provide a greater return in food than hunting. The advantage that traps have is that they work 24/7/365+. You dont have to be there for them to work. You only come along to collect the rewards of their work. In hunting you have to be present in person for it to work. True you will have to devote an amount of time to running your trap line. But it is far less than that for the same volume of food when compared to hunting. Additionally the time spent running the line can be spent in profitable pursuits. Trap lines are generally set up in a rough loop. This way you start at one end and ended up back in the same area you started in. This reduces the time, energy required and distance traveled getting back to home base. Also there is no rule that says you have to set out only one loop. Multiple loops in different directions can cover a larger territory. While the traps are in relatively fixed positions they can be moved to better spots anytime you feel the need. The route traveled when checking the line has the same general travel pattern. You are not locked into a fixed path. By varying the path say a few yards this way or that you can over time cover large areas of the countryside. By running the line backwards from time to time will give you a different view and prospective of the same terrain. Almost like traveling completely new land. This is also a security consideration. Traveling an exact fixed route will leave paths that can be followed. It will also provide more opportunities for those that only have the skills to take from others to plan an ambush. There are no rules saying that you cannot carry a gun or bow along and engage in a little hunting or foraging for edible plants while checking your traps. You dont travel around with your head down oblivious to the world until you reach each trap. Yes, someone that is out on a hunting expedition can be observant of his surroundings also. He can forage edibles or mark their location for future reference. But his primary attention will be looking for game or game sign not other things. This difference in focus may cause him to miss some of the more obscure possibilities. It comes down to a matter of perspective. Sure he will notice that big berry patch or stand of cattails but would probably over look those scattered herbs in the undergrowth because his attention is fixed on another goal. If his attention is upon gathering, the hunt could very well be a failure. Also because of the more general wandering nature of some hunts you may not be able find that treasure trove of plants again or at least not without a great deal of intensive searching. Whereas a trapper is covering a distance from trap to trap not looking for something specific he can and should have a broader field of focus. A trapper would also have to be blessed with almost divine idiocy to pass up targets of opportunity that he stumbles across in his treks. When laying out the trap line there are some considerations to be taken into account. While Im no expert and there are people that would be better to get more in depth information from. Here are a few things I

have picked up along the way. 1 or 2 traps just arent worth the effort. Generally you average 1 in 6 or 1 in 8 catches per trap set. I have heard figures of even 1 in 12 where game is relatively scarce. If there is increased pressure on the game population such as everybody and his brother trying to live off the land after a major disaster this could go much higher. So what you must do is set out as many traps as practical. The more traps you put out the better your odds of having a consistent and adequate harvest. One rabbit is not going to feed a dozen people so figure an average of 8 traps per person as a minimum to make trapping worthwhile. Not all trapping and foraging have to be for immediate use. If you are dealing with a long-term event they can serve as a more domesticated source of food. ??? Think about it. Rabbits could be live trapped. Brought back to the homestead, retreat or where you are living. Placed in cages or pens to be bred and raised as livestock rather than game. These same or similar arrangements could be accomplished with many other animals. Do you have a stream handy? What about live trapping some beaver? Bring them in from a remote location. Release them on your stream and stand back. Remember they do have minds of their own. If conditions are suitable they will be happy to set up shop and create a pond for you. If things dont meet their approval they may pack up for greener pastures. Also their choice of construction site may not be where you think it should be or at a spot that is convenient for your purposes. But you would have pond you could stock with fish procured in like fashion. Domestic pigs were once wild bore before some enterprise individual thought to capture and raise them. Then eventually bred much of the aggressiveness out of them. Looking at one of the current trends, game ranches or hunting farms. They fence off large areas then hand raise trophy quality game animals. Then for a fee usually an exorbitant amount some big wig gets to shoot it and then brag what a great hunter he is. Sure it is not very sporting or remotely like hunting. But the same ideas and procedures can be followed with these large game animals treating them as livestock rather than game. And what about domestic livestock? I speak of cows, goats, sheep, pigs and chicken or possibly something somewhat more exotic. In a major disaster there will be strays. Sure some will die locked in barns because there is no owner to feed them. Others will be slaughtered indiscriminately by the ignorant. Who after killing a dozen cows realizes that he can only use part of one before the meat spoils? Some will fall prey to natural predators and others to the hand of man. Some will have owners both old and some new. But there will be strays. Nothing says you cant round a few up to improve you lot in life becoming one of the new owners. Plant life can be treated the same way as animals. In the event that not enough seeds are stored or they are damaged wild edibles can be substituted. Foraged samples can be brought back and transplanted. Then instead of foraging you are gardening abet with non-conventional plants. These can also work well in less than obvious gardens. [See Gorilla Gardening.] Tools of the trade. The Conibear trap is the generally accepted trap of choice. They come in different sizes to match the category of expected game. Their advantage is they will last for years of use with proper care. Their biggest disadvantage is that their weight adds up very quickly. If you have to travel on foot it would be nearly impossible to carry enough to make a real difference. In a vehicle, cashe or retreat, you can have enough to lay a decent trap line. Snares. These can be pre-made commercial models to a length of wire in a survival kit. They can even be fashioned from natural materials. Their advantage is a comparatively lightweight. This makes them the preferred choice in a short-term backpack situation. Their major disadvantage is that most are only usable on a one-time basis. Normally the struggle of a captured animal damages a snare. While in some cases a good quality snare may be reusable for a second capture most are not. That is why traps are a better choice for a long-term situation.

There is always the choice of using primitive traps and snares constructed from native material. Such traps are covered in depth in nearly every wilderness survival book and all over the web. From the figure 4 trigger to various pits, deadfalls, twitch ups and path guards. The advantage is that with this knowledge you need not carry any equipment only the knowledge of how. In a long-term situation this may be your only choice as manufactured gear wears out. Live traps are also an option. The biggest draw for these is the captured animal remains alive until needed so the meat needs no method of preservation. This can lead to acquisition of livestock as mentioned above. These traps can be fancy manufactured models to simple homemade box traps. The game that can be captured by such traps is only limited by the size and strength of the structure you are willing to build. Yes you can catch deer, elk, moose, horses and even bears. Most fishing traps are forms of live trap. When it comes to fishing forget hook and line or fly-fishing, simply forget it. If you are a small group you are going to have so many things to do there wont be enough time for leisurely sitting along a stream. Yes, as a break you might want to go fishing to de-stress from what you are going through but this will be therapeutic rather than food gathering and far and few between. If in a large group you probably will not catch a sufficient amount to supply your needs. What you need is a method that will catch fish on its own while you perform other tasks. Set and then later return and reap the bounty. Two methods are trotlines and float fishing. Trotlines consist of a heavy line with a series of lighter baited lines spaced along its length. These can be set in two different ways. The traditional method is a bottom set. The main line is weighted to lay on the bottom and the stringers with the bait floating upward. Then there is the top set. The main line is anchored to both sides of a stream running at or near the surface or has several floats attached to keep it near the surface. The stringers are then weighted to trail in the water. This is very similar to hook and line fishing except you set it and return later to reel in what has caught itself while you were gone. Commonly these lines are anchored to green limbs rather than solid anchors. That is so there is some give to play the fish so they tire out instead of breaking loose. Float fishing works much the same way but the difference is that they are individual sets and not connected to each other. A float has a weighted and baited line attached. These are allowed to drift freely to be collected at some later time. This form is often called jug fishing because plastic jugs are commonly used as the floats. These are often set to drift with a current or an incoming tide to a selected collection area. This allows for the fishing sets to cover larger areas. Although it can be used in still waters such as on small lakes and ponds. You will need a boat or raft to set and retrieve them in this case. It might not be advisable to use this method in swift current conditions as they might travel well beyond the desired removal spot before you can get there. One field expedient method that I have seen was recommended for shoreline fishing to take advantage of tidal flows. Take a stick to act as the float. Tie a rock against one end and attach the line to the other end. This causes the stick to float upright. The bobbing of the stick is what plays the fish once hooked. Set poles, Yo-yo reels and green limb sets are all fixed single lines. The green limb set works because when a fish strikes the line tied to the limb. The resultant recoil of the limb hopefully sets the hook. Set poles work essentially the same way using the flexibility of the anchored rod. The yo-yo is a spring-loaded reel that trips when the fish strikes. While it is not normally strong enough to pull the fish out of the water it sets the hook more reliably. These reels can be suspended from anything over the water. As these are single sets the idea is to set several to improve your chances. Along the same vein as multiple sets when trapping. Fishing traps or weirs come in two forms. Either fixed location or mobile. Fixed traps are for territory you control and the mobile ones are for areas outside your influence. Both can be constructed in primitive fashion from native materials or from the modern equivalent equipment if you have it available. The fixed location design is like what is seen in most survival manuals as a field expedient fish trap. A series of stakes, taller than the stream depth, are driven into the streambed forming an open-ended box or corral facing downstream. The spacing of the stakes determines the fish size it will retain. A second set of stakes are placed to form an opened bottomed V with the point leading into the box and closing the bottom. This acts as a funnel to channel fish swimming up stream into the blocked off area. There is something

about fish that cannot seem to find the opening once they are inside. Maybe the occasional one will hit it by accident but very few. You will want to have some space between the poles. Because you are not building a dam and a constant flow of water through the pen is necessary to keep the fish healthy until harvested. The numbers of poles needed to build the weir can be greatly reduced. The corner poles can be placed then the open areas filled in with some form of fencing. For long term use metal fencing can be used but will eventually rust out. Any form of netting can also be used. One item seems to be ideal though. That is the plastic fencing often seen at construction sites as crowd barriers. Yes that orange plastic stuff. It will last practically forever in the water. There is even archeological evidence that ancient people constructed such weirs. Although the ones that lasted to be seen today were made of stone. Again not a dam you want some water to flow through. Giving another method of construction. Of course you will need some way to collect the captured fish. But it will be much easier because they are in a confined space. Mobile traps are based on the same principles. Generally the traps are constructed as cylinders. As this is a more efficient shape thus requiring less material for the same size trap. They are normally several feet long and a couple feet in diameter. Instead of a V the downstream end is shaped into a cone. Frequently a door is placed in the side for the ease of removing the fish. A field expedient trap can be made from sticks tied together to form the basket. A shop built unit is often made from wire mesh or fencing as it will hold the shape of the trap on its own. Something such as plastic fencing would require some sort of frame to hold its shape. Using flexible material could allow the trap to be collapsible for ease of transportation. These can be carried on scouting expeditions to be place in streams near base camps. To be easily moved as the camp is moved. To use they are anchored in the stream with the opening downstream. The next class of tools are nets. For fishing there are seine, gill, dip and cast nets. In general different nets are used in different ways. The use the net is to be to determines the overall size, strength and mesh size of the individual net. The mesh size determines the size of the fish that will be caught. Smaller fish will be able to escape through larger openings. Seine nets are designed to be dragged through the water scooping up fish they encounter. Then they are either dragged onto shore or into a boat with their catch. The larger the net the greater the area they sweep but the more work and force they require to be operated. These are the general types of nets commercial fishermen use. These tend to be the largest of nets. Gill nets are normally stretched across a stream with weights along the bottom and floats along the top for a period of time. They function by becoming entangled in the gills of the appropriate sized fish. Normally the net is checked by hauling it in once a day sometimes more frequently. These are good for a mid sized kit. They are usually lightweight and compact down to a small convenient size for packing. Dip nets are used to scoop up and support the weight of fish caught by some other means. This is the kind of net most sport fishermen use to retrieve fish that if lifted out of the water by the line alone would likely break the line. These could also be used to scoop fish out of fishing traps. Cast nets are often circular nets 8 to 12 feet in diameter. They are weighted around the edge and have a line that is attached to a fixed object or the operator for closing and retrieving the net. To use the net is tossed or cast so that it flares out to its full circle to land relatively flat on the water. The weights determine how fast the net sinks through the water. Hopefully snagging a few fish along the way. At the right depth the retrieval cord is hauled in. First the line pulls the edges of the net together like a big drawstring purse forming a big bag. Then it brings it in with some fish inside as the desired result. There is another kind of net that is and isnt really a net. That is the sweep net. Actually a broom will perform the same job possibly even better. The idea is to literally and rapidly sweep the shallows of the water onto shore. The idea is that small fish and other small aquatic creatures are tossed up onto the shore where they can be collected. One design that I have seen was a branch frame covered with a Tshirt. It was also suggested that leafy branches could also be used. Because the catch would be rather small it might work as a meal for an individual. These small fry, minnows and others could be used as bait for more conventional fishing methods. It should be considered as a method of acquiring bait. Saving the entrails when fish are cleaned can be another source of bait.

Another net that can be useful more in the short term rather than long term is the bug net. Yes that net everyone was exposed to in high school to catch butterflies for science class. A fine mesh lightweight bag mounted on a frame. In an emergency kit the frame can be omitted to save weight and bulk. The frame can be constructed of native material when needed. A bent green limb can easily be fashioned into a loop with a handle. The way it is used is somewhat different than specimen collection. Instead of individual targets, which would be a wasteful expenditure of energy for the food value gained, the idea is for mass collection. The optimum method is to walk through a field rapidly sweeping the net back and forth just at the surface of the vegetation in the field. When done correctly you should clip the occasional bits of plants into the net. Doing this should stir up any insects in along the path and net numerous insects. While the thought of eating bugs is not the most pleasant prospect they are high in protein. On one of the site there were questions about hunting with nets. While there might be a few specific cases where it can be possible to use a net for live capture but that would be rare. Some books say you can string a gill net between trees near where birds are ground feeding. You then flush the birds toward the net. Hopefully some will fly into it and become entangled. Seems a tad bit iffy to me. A net could be used to block a narrow passage but would be unlikely to entangle animals. Most animals would shy away from people trying to get close enough to toss a net over them and shy from the net flying through the air. I suspect the question was based on one of two things. Either watching the original Planets of the Apes where they used them to capture humans or other Hollyweird hokum where the intrepid hero is snatched up in a counterweighted net spread on the ground. Both are too elaborate to be truly effective. The ground net would be extremely difficult to conceal. Sure the net could be covered with common ground clutter but the lines that pick it up might be easy to hide of camera they would be hard to do so in real life. It would require vast amount of netting to cover enough area to be effective with driven animals. Even then most of the animals would realize that the way is blocked and seek other avenues of escape. It probably would not be cost effective in time and effort for the return. The closest historical reference to this would be something that was practiced in England back in the olden days when knights were bold. Large stretches of netting or more likely cloth were set up in a huge V. The object was not to capture the animals but to funnel them to the apex where the nobility were waiting with weapons to slaughter them. The local peasantry was used to form a line to drive the game into this enclosure and toward those waiting there. Frequently the ladies of the court would be stationed behind this barrier and engage in hawking of any small game that got through or any birds flushed over head. While this was viewed as Sport by those that were participating it actually served several vital functions in the economy of the times. It served to some extent to blood the younger members. The sport getting them use to the sights, sounds and smells that they would be expected to encounter in combat against men in the incessant wars of the time. The most practical aspect of this hunt was a harvest of natural resources. This game was not let to rot and go to waste. While some of the best parts were converted to a hunt day feast most of the animals were processed and stored as food against the winters or the sieges of the castle. And it took huge amounts of food to feed the numbers of people of their entourages. While the Lords garnered the lions share of the proceeds and assuredly the best portions. The remaining amounts would be quickly gathered up and divided amongst the peasants that were used in the work. And the wise lord left sufficient meat as payment for their part in the hunt. As the peasants were not allowed to hunt The Kings Deer it was an equitable method to ensure that the surfs had food for the winter also. So while at first glance this would appear as something cruel and thoughtless was necessary part of life in that society. And large groups could use similar techniques to harvest game. Modern hunters use the drive techniques in hunting today. Just it was not as up close and personal. Then there is the harvesting of plants. When gathering bags and baskets will be needed to hold this edible treasure to get it back home. Frequently these will be stowed in a backpack for convenience of carrying. But then there is also he option of harvesting the entire plat or cuttings from plants to establish them as a garden. First they will need to be loosely packed so that they arrive in prime condition and to lessen the shock of being transplanted. It would be a total waste of effort to make the move only to have them die.

The transportation of the plants should be accomplished as quickly as possible to minimize damage to the plants. Therefore preplanning this endeavor can greatly enhance the success. The location were they will be placed should already be dug and ready to receive the new growth. There will be times when you are out and beyond for other reasons and stumble across something you might want to bring back. And it appears there will not be a chance to return again at least in the foreseeable future. You will need to do the best you can do and take your chances. The most critical factor in the survivability in the plants is letting the roots dry out. The most common way of doing this is to keep a ball of dirt on the plant and the bigger the better. This is the most common method of moving plants today. But this can greatly increase the weight. And since this will usually be done using body power any reduction in weight will be appreciated. One way of reducing the weight but keeping them moist is to wrap the roots in damp cloth. The majority of soil is carefully removed to prevent breaking off as many as possible of the fine hair like roots. The roots are wrapped in the cloths the stored in plastic bags. This is to keep the moisture from damaging the packs contents and keep it from being lost to the plants. Bags and cloths can be carried on expeditions to improve chance gatherings survival. The moisture would be supplied from the drinking water. As a couple of baggies and some cloth would take up little space and weigh very little. Also moss, especially dampened tree moss can be used to cover the roots. It would seem that I have ignored hunting. It even appears that I have even disparaged it. While this is true it is also untrue. I have nothing against hunting perse. In fact I enjoy it myself. Hunting is a fine and very enjoyable sport, pastime and means of acquiring food. There is no better way to sharpen shooting skills. And I can think of no better method to hone woodcraft skills than to pit oneself against an opponent with far superior physical abilities. In a TEOTWAWKI situation it is an inappropriate use of resources both in time spent and especially in ammunition. Commercial ammunition will no longer be available. You cant run down to the corner store and pick up an extra box. In this kind of situation it is a precious commodity and needs to be treated as such. No matter how much you store or how many reload components you have it will run out. Unfortunately there will be people that would rather prey upon others rather than work on their own. And dealing with such may result in violence. In that case you may have to respond in kind. That would require the best and maximum firepower available. If and when that happens you may regret every round expended in any other endeavor. Even the lowly 22 can be lethal. Even if you dont kill such a raider put a couple or 3 22s in a guy and he will be more apt to be interested in plugging the holes and stopping the pain than giving you grief. When dealing with a large group there may be enough bodies to spare for a few to go on hunting expeditions. It may even be necessary to occasionally be necessary to harvest a few large game animals. With a small group or single family unit the food situation may get to the point where you will be forced to drop everything else and go on a dedicated hunt. And in desperate times it may be necessary to use the best you have available. Although, if other weapons are accessible. They might be a better option. The ego boost of showing off by being Me Mighty Hunter, followed by your best Tim The Tool Man Taylors manly man grunt, needs to be reined in and bow to the reality and necessity of the situation. Hunting tools and the order of their preferred use should be based upon their ability to be repaired or replaced with the minimum of skills and technology feasible. But this needs to be balanced against their effectiveness in gathering game. Because animals have the advantages of sharper senses, speed and strength ranged weapons and those that work at greater distances the better. The bow is probable the best choice of a hunting weapon. They have been repaired even constructed by primitive man with little or no technology available. As such they are the most expendable because they can be easily replaced. The arrows can be recovered for reuse but also new ones can be easily manufactured. They also have decent range capacity and reasonable rate of fire. Crossbows fall into the same category. They are somewhat bulkier than a long bow so more difficult to carry around. They require much less skill and are easier and quicker to learn to use effectively than a long bow. Their rate of fire is slower.

Muzzleloading Rifle or to be more specific a flintlock with ranges up about 400 yards. Its a pretty impressive feat for such an old piece of technology. Any group that has some skills in iron working should with some trial and error be able to make new ones. While it is not the safest thing in the world black powder can be had has been made at a kitchen chemistry level. The flintlock is specified because while flint is the preferred ignition source there are many other rocks that can serve this function. Also while some will say how dangerous it is to make BP it is an entirely new class of danger thinking about making percussion caps. Regardless of how many are stored against the future they will eventually run out. Finally any lead that is scavenged can be molded into bullets. The modern rifle is the top of the line weapon that is until someone comes up with a Buck Rogers space gun. While some weapons based on old time design are made to use black powder most need the more modern smokeless powder. This is much more complicated to make and is generally beyond low-tech methods. And the primers are even worse that those for muzzleloaders percussion caps. And it is my belief that they should be reserved for defensive purposes. Shotguns are to some extent much the same as rifles. Except at more limited ranges. Pistols can be used as a hunting weapon in the direst of emergencies. But they are not really practical as they lack power and effective range. Then there are assorted primitive handheld and throwing weapons. Most because of their simple nature can be easily crafted on the spot with native material. About the only one that would be pre-made and carried on a regular basis would be the spear. That is because it can serve several multiple functions. Beyond its use as a weapon is as a hiking staff. Or in many cases converting a staff into a spear at need. The simplest is a sharpened and fire hardened point then on up to a dedicated steelhead. While a spear can be thrown there is a possible the chance of it being lost. The best use of a spear is as a set weapon to be place to accept a charge from an animal such as a wild boar or as a long reach knife to administer a coup de grace. Personally if I would have to deal with a wounded and thrashing animal Id rather reach in with a blade on the end of a 6-foot stick instead of diving in knife in hand. Hopefully these techniques should enable you to put a few extra groceries on the table.