Taking a long walk.

[pete]

Good topic. I'm impressed with the solo trekking stories.
There are several areas through alot of the west that would work. It depends on what kind of country you want and what time of year. I would go when the small game seasons are open so that Shiloh can help with provisions.

[deerhuntsheatmeup]

This is not an option for a week long walk due to the roads and such. But, it is a shame, the Homochitto Nat'l Forest in it's fall dress is one of the prettiest places on God's planet. He really made it a special place in the spring and fall. In the spring, the dogwoods mixed in the loblollies and longleaf yellow pine are extraordinary. And in the fall, the foliage colors are beyond the wildest imaginations. I used to live 15 minutes from the Homochitto River and hunted their for just the cost of a license for years. I have many stories I could tell about the forest in Franklin Co. MS. I will only speak of one fond memory. I took my 7 yr old son hunting during muzzleloader season and he had his .22 shouldered in case of a squirrel attack. Well, I was teaching/showing him how to walk quietly and still hunt while walking when we flushed a covey of quail. Well, needless to say, that dang .22 went waiving around like a fly swatter, I was glad it did not have one chambered. Anyhow, we still laugh about my son's first experience with quail. Makes me sad the damn fireants took the quail from us.

Anyhow, thanks for the post Scott, it made me think of the great places I have been fortunate enough to visit in my short time on earth.

Best, David B

[Brent]

Might be pretty tame compared to other ideas allready mentioned. South Dakota has a spring turkey season that goes thru the 2nd weekend in May and a Fall season starting 10/1. Nonresident tags aren't all that expensive. The Centennial trail runs from north of Ft Meade by Sturgis to Edgemont south of the Black Hills about a 100 miles thru prime country probably not as secluded as you might want but would be a good walk in rough country and hunts along the way. at nice times of the year. Backpack and small tent and camp outfit would let you eat the turk along the way. I can get you licensing info and Centennial trail map if interested send me a PM. Logistical end and transportation to the start and from the finish back to RCRegional airport NOT hard to arrange. bobw

Bob,
I might be interested in what you are talking about. In fact, it sounds darn interesting. We even own land in that area more or less (Hardin Co.).

Brent

[mannyspd1]

Scott,

Where ever you end up going, I strongly reccomend you take one of those personal GPS locator devices with you. There are different models, but bascially they emit a beacon so if something happens, searchers can easily find you. Some models send a check in signal on a regualr basis, some will notify 911 of your location if you push a button, etc. These are good for areas with no cell service and they are about the same size as a handheld gps unit.

Have fun!

Manny

[mannyspd1]

Scott,

I found the one I was talking about. It is a Spot Satellite Messenger, they are about $150, the website is www.findmespot.com. Right now they have a $50 mail in rebate going. There is a cost for the service, I don't know what that is or if you can buy it month to month or what.

Manny

[kimwcook]

The NoDak badlands weren't named such for nothing. Lived 20 miles north of Sentinel Butte, ND for a year out in the badlands. Nothing but buttes, gumbo and more buttes and gumbo. There is a lot of critters out there though. You might even run across some rogue buffler and elk. Not too long ago people have even come across ole native indian campgrounds that were abandoned. Still pretty remote.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I still want to take that walk.

[Jeff Bryan]

I second Brant Selb on the Oregon choice. Brant is also very familiar with the Roseburg area/I-5 corridor. If you go just north of Roseburg onto Hwy 138 and go eastbound 20 miles, just past town of Glide, you will be in some of the most awesome "country" in this country! Phenominally gorgeous. Hwy 138 parallels the N.Umpqua River, the most famous steelhead river in the U.S. Not a bad choice, but you could pick anything east of I-5 on Hwy 22 (north of 138, going east again) headed towards Bend, and the country from there to within 20 miles of Bend is phenominal! That whole section off of 22 and 138, going south to Crater Lake National Park is God's country, and God don't mind you carrying a rifle.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Scott,

I found the one I was talking about. It is a Spot Satellite Messenger, they are about $150, the website is www.findmespot.com. Right now they have a $50 mail in rebate going. There is a cost for the service, I don't know what that is or if you can buy it month to month or what.

Manny

I don't know that I want to be hooked up to a satellite like that. I spent a month sleeping on the ground in Alaska in 1999 and I had no such device. I did not even have a cell phone (like it would have worked where I was anyway). I called in once a week to let somebody know I was alive, but that was it.

[DR308]

Why don't you try Idaho? Most of the wilderness roads have been closed to motorized traffic, but still open to horses and hiking. Don't need much but a few National forest maps and a compass, a pack fishing rod and the such. Start from the south and head north. Walk as long as you want, for as far as you want. You will need an out of state hunting [just to be legal with the guns] and fishing lic. Maybe a bear tag in case one won't leave you alone. Hundreds of miles of trails from the Nevada border to Canada. Plenty of fresh water and a butt load of fishing all the way up. The most beautiful sights you ever saw anywhere. Hell, you will most likely camp on a few spots that Lewis and Clark did. Just a thought. Good luck, and that is a lovely rifle gun. ---------- Jerry D

[mdeland]

Well shoot Scott, come on back up here to Alaska, look me up and I'll give you a lift up to Gunsight mountain, drop you off with a compass and map and you can walk to your hearts content and never come across a man made structure until you reach the tracks into Talkeetna about 125 miles ahead. It will take you about 21 days and you will have to cross about a dozen streams but you will see lots of game and you will be alone big time.
Actually a college class from University of Alaska does it each fall I believe as my son-in-law that just got out of C-17 school has made the trek personally a couple of years back. He said it was fun but a tough go side hilling the alders much of the way.
You'd probably be better served with one of your heavy belt guns than a rifle though for that hike. MD

[Scott Tschirhart]

I love Alaska. I spent all of August 1999 camping on the ground up there. I was alone except for a Shiloh Hartford in .50-90.

However, I may never have the opportunity to take a month off again. Shame, because a man ought to walk about on the earth while he is here.

[mdeland]

I whole heartedly agree and is why I enjoy my annual rafting trip through the wilds of Alaska. The sounds of the wild and the moving of the water through the wilderness are good for a mans soul. MD

[Scott Tschirhart]

I whole heartedly agree and is why I enjoy my annual rafting trip through the wilds of Alaska. The sounds of the wild and the moving of the water through the wilderness are good for a mans soul. MD

I hear that it is a heck of a good way to kill a big moose too! Don't have to pack too far and the raft carries your meat out.

I want to do that sometime.

[mdeland]

What I really enjoy about rafting is taking along all the things that make being out of doors comfortable like my dutch oven, charcoal and propane stove when it rains. We usually set up a big rain cover in a common area in the middle of the tents so we can cook eat and fellowship even when in a down pour.
Nothing puts me to sleep faster than being warm in my sleeping bag, listening to the river and hearing the sound of rain hit the tent fly.
In the morning if I'm lucky the smell of fresh ground coffee percolating and bacon cooking wakes me up although I don't like to drink coffee the smell is delicious. MD