The Master Backpacker's Guide to the Ten Most Portable Traps, and a Whole Lot More That Is Damn Good to Know!

By H. L. Dowless

This book is a composite dealing with the subject of backpacking, and centered around the ten most portable traps best suited for it, yet the encompass in its entirety is to include concerns relating to all categories of backpacking. While international backpackers moving from town, to city, to undeveloped areas may not be overly interesting in knowing about traps, he would be greatly interested in knowing how to pack in a workable thirty day food supply for himself while out on the road. He may also desire to know about developing conditions abroad that could give him concern, prices, how to find water on the cheap in places such as Europe, along with other basic how-to skills and advice. Recently encountered situations in dealing with airport security should concern every potential backpacker who travels internationally. Backpacking security might also be a major concern of the millennial globe trotter, who may also tend to camp out when near a beach or in some unique natural setting.
Backpackers enjoying wilderness settings, who hike the many trails in national parks throughout the world, including those in US and Canadian national parks, may find the subject of backpacking preparedness very interesting. There is no way of knowing, but the subject of trapping may well appeal most to these types of backpackers. We have a growing subculture of hikers and backpackers who are highly clandestine in their movements and activities. These intrepid hikers go where they feel, as the urge motivates. We may conclude with an adamant certainty, that all of this valuable information would appeal to these types.
H.L. Dowless has lived stateside, and traveled the world, in numerous settings and circumstances. He has been an outdoors-man for over forty years. Learn backpacking from a person with tried and true skills. While today H.L. Dowless is an old timer, and almost never does wilderness hikes any more, he often backpacks internationally when the opportunity presents itself.
Download an e-book copy to discover exactly what kind of person would be in need of this information. Find out specifically what type of pack would suit every foot born endeavor. Discover how to construct a workable pack from materials found laying around one's home. Learn what types of equipment to pack up, and how. Find out the absolute best places to purchase high quality backpacking equipment for exceedingly low prices. Learn how to make camp, and provide for camp security. If one really enjoys backpacking, and does so in numerous categories and settings, then certainly this text is a must have collection of valuable information.

• Language: English
• Publisher: H. L. Dowless
• Release date: Sep 4, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463629949

H. L. Dowless

The author is an international ESL instructor. He enjoys outdoor activites and living on the edge. What he enjoys most of all is meeting new interesting people who happen to be his loyal reading fans.

Book preview

The Master Backpacker's Guide To The

Ten Most Portable Traps

and a whole lot more that is damn good to know!

By H.L. Dowless

Contents

Introduction

Who needs to know this information?

The right kind of back pack

What food to pack and how much

The right kind of equipment

All about hiking security

Where and how to make camp

Fishhooks

Victors barnyard rat trap

The Conibear 110

Snares

The backpacker's gill net

The portable basket trap

The 1 ½ Onieda Jump

The 1 ½ single long spring

Spike set for coon and possum

The tin can set

Conclusion

Introduction

In our present day there are no guarantees. This fundamental rule of logic might be somewhat tough for younger people to grasp a hold of, since society at large is constantly being bombarded with messages of guaranteed income, guaranteed health benefits, guaranteed college education, guaranteed lodging, guaranteed school lunches, an affirmative guarantee on employment opportunity with job security included for political quota groups, and so forth. The bitter truth is that such guarantees depend on financing, and money simply doesn't grow on trees. So where, specifically, is this financing for these programs going to come from?

Most certainly the financing for these types of entitlement programs, like all others of the same caliber, will come from increased taxes on income, property, personal investments, license fees directed toward authoritarian permission access notices relating to every facet of American life, more repressive building codes insidiously designed to keep home and property owners indebted, increased power bills, surging interest rates and water sewage bills, and many more places far too numerous to list here. These types of programs being financed with taxes levied upon individuals present anticipated logistical problems.

When the pay checks guaranteed to everyone regardless of circumstance come rolling in, will this situation not appear extremely attractive to the entire worlds nonproductive populations? When these vast, numberless multitudes arrive upon our golden shores, will they not expect the same funding, at the same rates as legitimized Americans? How many of our own people will demand that these aliens receive it on equal terms regardless of a lacking in contributions into the system upon which they make their demand, only to assume a combative disposition toward those who might attempt to point out any shortcomings in the proposed system?

As the anticipated influx of recipients arrive, the income and property tax rates of American citizens raise dramatically. In direct consequence, the inflexible regulations on personal property, business enterprise efforts, recreational activities at large, and so forth, vastly increase. One day future from the time, an individual's property rights become nonexistent to the point that he feels as if he doesn't even own his personal property, or business; since the local government, the state government, and the Federal government, all have their foul hands inside this cornucopia cookie jar, with an angry antagonizing face directed toward the individual citizen, as if daring for him to contest anything for being so. The individual has no options but to live and perform as he is commanded, even if he owns the property, or else; so says a supreme national authoritarian order issued directly from the great white throne sitting high on the hill.

Working people may suddenly find that they labor only for the so called guaranteed income check, when they would have been so much better off drawing a real company salary. What are individual people to do then? Are we only to simply exist, and stoically endure the unfortunate situation that present day western economics has created? If not, then what might be our options when the pinch commences to close in upon us?

This work that readers now hold before them may offer one alternative in such an imposing situation. The honest truth is that there are numerous reasons why individuals are deciding in ever growing numbers, to hit the open road with a pack on their backs, choosing to live on the sly and cheap. In the past the stereotypical backpacker was a person, usually male, traveling on foot somewhere in the hinterlands far from development and civilization; with a pack connected to a series of additional packs, containing more food and gear than the local camping store. This pack appeared to be larger than the individual carrying it! It looked as if transporting this thing was unbearably labor intensive, so why on earth would anyone in his right mind want to put himself through such grueling torture?, we all would ask ourselves as we chuckled aloud.

While there still exist situations where such a conception is reality on western dude ranches, hunting guide expeditions, various outposts in Alaska and the Northwestern states at large; this stereotypical hiker today is somewhat of a dying breed for a host of reasons. One obvious reason is the growing population coupled with an increasing incidence of land development. There simply are not as many outback places left for one to venture into for the long term these days.

Another reason might be legal restrictions. In some states being caught on any land not personally owned by the individual, without proper permission, is a misdemeanor offense regardless of the reason why he was there. In some cases merely possessing firearms or even archery equipment while out on this land, constitutes a felony offense! I am not sure about fishing equipment, etc, but would not be surprised if such was still the case. Often acquiring this needed written permission for enjoying the outdoors is both arduous and expensive, to the point that it is down right discouraging.

The new type of back packer appearing on the scene is found not only on the back roads, but in the many towns, medium sized cities, and big cities, nationally and internationally. Frequently his backpack appears more as a college book bag than anything we would want to live out of. The fact of the matter is that he, or she, is part of an expanding sub-culture that shuns long term commitment for the sake of a newly discovered freedom. The members of this sub-culture are not all youths avoiding responsibility by any means. Honestly an ever increasing number are middle aged individuals seeking to reclaim some vestige of a diminishing middle class American lifestyle, and some fewer are elders simply trying to make the most out of their less than anticipated retirement checks.

What all of these people hold in common is the desire to experience life and the world in which they live, to the fullest extent possible. One's ability to backpack allows this fact of being to exist. This work is designed to embrace both cultures. Maybe the old styled backpacker might find him or herself in a unique situation where they truly desire a much leaner, more streamlined, yet highly effective pack. This work is designed to offer a basic formula for everyone to follow, anywhere world wide; although certain aspects might be dropped or added, depending on severity of environmental circumstances, stability of the area anticipated to be traveled, unique circumstances encountered in general, and the like.

While the premise of the work is centered around the ten most portable traps for backpackers, virtually no literature on the market explains the exact specifics involved in packing, and certainly would leave the inclusion of any such trap to the reader's imagination. Most packing trips taken into the wilderness by a majority of people these days are meant to last only for a few days out at most, yet these simple traps and techniques could conceivably allow one to comfortably remain out for an extended period of weeks, or even months. If a person could locate a primary food source, and construct a secure camp site, he may well be able to remain out for the duration of his heart's desire, no matter how long the time span.

The person who is essentially an extended stay traveler, who does so on the cheap with his backpack, in most cases has the benefit of being able to resupply his pack at his own liberty, just so long as he is in possession of the funds to do so. In most towns and cities there exists ample access to day labor sites, and temporary work stations. If the traveler is not in possession of a retirement check, many backpackers eventually choose work at these locations, living in hostels, with private hosts who offer rooms for daily rental, camping out on the sly, and the like.

Others oftentimes prefer to camp out on the beach where it is allowed, or in other such areas in the town or city of their residence. In countries such as England, France, or Italy, where food is very expensive, knowing how to pack a thirty day supply of nourishment would definitely prove its value to any person in the above situation, in a short period of time.

What follows is a proven step by step, how-to do it program, whether one is going out in the wilderness for days, weeks, or even months; or traveling the world seeking to absorb the sites. The reader may be rested assured that each and every one of these techniques and suggestions has been used by the author personally, certain members of his family, or any one of his past associates, consisting of civilian and ex-military veterans.

While in recent years the author's wilderness experience has been drastically limited into a near nonexistence due to advancing age with its associated health problems, fading eye sight, bad teeth, a general shortness of breath, and gradually developing arthritis; his most recent backpacking experience involved a three month summer stint spent in Europe, traveling through Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and France, taken about two years ago. In these places knowing to carry something as simple as a plastic military surplus canteen sure proved its value, not to mention how to pack a thirty day food supply, leaving his money free to enjoy the many time-honored sites!

In the end the true plan is to fulfill one's personal objectives, be they what they may, in taking the trip in the first place. The situation at hand might be that having this book brought realization of those goals just one step closer, minus the negative experiences of not knowing any better. Please allow this work to stand as my three cheers for the reader's success, no matter what his goals might be.

Sincerely

H.L. Dowless

7/31/2018

Charleston, SC

Chapter one

Who needs to know this information?

Quite often when new, tough to find how-to information comes out regarding controversial topics, this question appears first among the rank and file, gathering crowd. While the question seems straight forward enough, the answer can be a bit more complicated. The short answer to this might be simply; any person who backpacks away from developed areas for an extended amount of time. Where the answer complicates itself is when we consider that extended stay travelers who wear backpacks, seeking to live on the cheap for the pleasant experiences that a place might afford, can also benefit from certain aspects of knowing what is inside this these pages.

Two years ago I traveled to Europe for a three month stay with my daughter and the wife. I packed a thirty day food supply, since I well knew of the expense involved in eating while staying at certain choice locations. My wife and the daughter were very quick to point out their opinion that my response to the problem was one of excessive oversight.

When our plane landed in Milano, Italy, the food was outrageously expensive in the airport, as any person would have automatically assumed without further consideration. When we made it out into the surrounding streets of the city, my dear wife assured, the deals in one's choice of food would be forth coming. Boy was she in for a real surprise!

My wife and the daughter had already worked up a hefty appetite. I was still comfortable from the food served out on the plane. The last meal served to us while in flight, was my final meal for that day. The wife and daughter would wind up eating on two more occasions, since we landed around 1200 noon, Italian time. A simple hamburger, or meager hoagie sandwich, was in excess of twelve dollars, American. A rather petite container of fried potatoes was at least five more American dollars. Water was five dollars a bottle. By the end of lunch time alone a single person would spend more than twenty dollars, American, for a very simple lunch that fell just short of making the needed fill mark.

Later that evening the wife and the daughter were needing food again. Simple boiled pasta with a very light spoonful of sauce and vegetables, mixed with a very few, small dices of meat, panned out to cost more than thirty dollars American, a plate! The only detail worth bragging about was the fact that a hefty bottle of mid-quality wine or beer, cost only a single American dollar.

I purchased one of those, being careful enough to pour both the