[Johngoboom]

I was talking to a friend about some of the things that we would want to have with us in the event that food gets scarce. The conversation started because we were talking about the rising price of fuel, and what effects it could have on trucking. We like everyone else came to the conclusion that if the truck drivers in this country ever decide that enough is enough, and stop driving until prices go down, the grocery stores could get pretty bare, pretty fast. So with that being said we came up with a couple of things you might not have thought of.

Traps…I have a good set of conibear and foothold traps. These are great for catching food. They are easy to set, catch critters that are right sized for a meal, and require almost no maintenance, and last almost as long as you will. Plus they're dirt cheap for a few.

Books…Find a couple of books on preserving meat. You should have the basic understanding on how to cure and smoke meats. If things get hard, anybody can shoot a deer, but do you think you could save it so it would be good for 2 weeks or even the winter.

Salt…this is very important to curing meat. If you have enough salt, you can preserve just about anything. Put some up in your provisions, it doesn’t go bad, and it’s fairly inexpensive.

Cast Iron cook ware…Your copper bottom pots won’t do real well over an open fire for very long, but cast iron cook ware is made to do just that. You can’t always be sure the electric is going to make that stove work, but you know wood will still burn. You can do 90% of your cooking with a large skillet and a Dutch oven.

.22 ammo…I keep at least 2 bricks at the house at all times. Shooting Ely match for ½” groups at 40 yards is fine for the range, but it doesn’t bring home the meat. Buy a couple boxes of bulk ammo, and now you know you have a way to feed yourself for a very long time. Just like when you were a young-en.

Just a couple of ideas…

 

[Wizard]

Very good points indeed. When I was in my late 20's, I worked at Copeland Sausage Co., in the packing house. Taught me a lot about preserving meat. My outside cooker will cook or smoke 50 lbs at the time.....

 

[sheepdog]

Excellent ideas....you sure think good when you're contemplatin' bein' hungry!!!

 

[Johngoboom]

That's cause if I don't get my groceries I get ornery. :twisted:

 

[sheepdog]

What is a conibear trap for? Down here, I've seen the foothold kind...even hand-tested ONE when I was a lad...BEFORE I got smart....er

 

[Johngoboom]

They are also called body gripping traps. They should NOT be set in areas where there is a lot of pet traffic, as they have alot more power than a foothold, and most of the time, they will kill what they catch right away.

We use them on beavers and muskrats under water to catch and drown the critters, but with the right set up, they can catch darn near anything. They work great on run ways for rabits and squirels when they are staked upright. They also can be used to in front of dens for chucks, skunks, and *****.

Just don't stick your finger in one of them or you might break it.

 

[sheepdog]

First one I've seen....

 

[Bountyhunter]

Good points John. I didn't know that salt didn't go bad. I do know that it will clump if moisture gets to it. :?

 

[Snuffy]

A few grains of rice stop it from clump up. Traps are good and snares are even better. I was in the Army with a full blood Indain we became friends and he showed me more than the Army ever thought of about living off the land.
To get water every morning a cotton shoe lace with a knock in the middle of it hanging up over a canteen cup will give you at least a half cup of dew it doesn't taste great but if your tristy its pretty darn good.

 

[sheepdog]

good tip...I've drunk worse...it's a dog's life.....

 

[Terry_P]

good tip...I've drunk worse...it's a dog's life.....

You have to get up stream of where the cattle crosses.

 

[Natalie]

Did I hear rabbits? Conibear traps will catch rabbits??? Where can I find a conibear trap?

 

[sheepdog]

"Stand by Me"

 

[Johngoboom]

Did I hear rabbits? Conibear traps will catch rabbits??? Where can I find a conibear trap?

Natalie I'll try and show you how you catch bunnies with a conibear trap...it's not hard it just takes a little practice to get the staking of the trap right.

BE CAREFUL WITH CONIBEAR TRAPS, IF YOU GET YOUR FINGER OR HAND CAUGHT IN ONE, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE YOU WILL BREAK A BONE!!!!

Ok, Here goes....Set the trap up like in the picture, you dont have to use a cross brace if your side braces are good and sturdy. You don't have to use sticks either, you can you anything that will hold the trap upright. Set the trap in an area you know the rabits come through often. Put some bait on the triggers BEFORE YOU SET THE TRAP, (like a slice of apple) make sure that it is nothing that a local cat might want, as you would more than likely kill it. Unless you don't like your neighbors cat! :evil:

You can find foothold and conibear traps at most "out door" stores. Gander mountain always has some...they come in a few different sizes, you would need the smallest for rabbits.

 

[sheepdog]

Rabbits are called coneys....is that what the name came from?

 

[Johngoboom]

Got me Sheepdog, I ve heard rabits called that, but I have no idea if there is a connection...the most common use for these style traps up here are Beaver and Muskrat. They work very well when set in muskrat runs (also baited with an apple), or using the larger style to stake outside of a beaver lodge. Believe it or not, when we set them for beaver, we use small chuncks of poplar wood with the bark wittled off for bait. We set them under water through the ice, you have to cut a whole to in the ice with an axe. That water is COLD when your getting it set up, but it works well.

The nice thing about conibear traps are their ability to catch an animal from either side.

This is a drawing of how we set winter beaver traps.

 

[sheepdog]

Since I've never heard of beaverburgers, I assume you sell the pelt and make slapjacks out of the tails....

 

[Johngoboom]

Bingo! :lol: