What exactly is "Woods Bumming" and why do I need a loadout for it? This is actually a really good question and I think we have to look at it from a kids perspective. Remember the sense of excitement to go exploring in the local woods as a child? I sure do. The sense of the unknown, the adventure you were on, and the primal intuition of facing wild beasts. I would shoot tin cans and GI Joe's with my BB gun and build forts to protect my new found land! Oh the fun we had back then, right!
Well as adults this primal urge is still there to explore the unknown. To wander into the woods with no specific goal other than to see what we can get into. Maybe it's to find a quiet place to brew a cup of coffee (or tea for my English friends), could be to find a moment or two of solitude to calm our thoughts, or could it be to revisit our youth adventures...
Regardless of the reason, "Woods Bumming" does require certain gear to do it right! I like to tailor my kit based on the 10 essentials but expanded upon for my own desires...
-navigation
-knife
-cordage
-poncho (shelter)
-fire kit
-first aid kit
-hydration
-nutrition
-illumination
-signaling
I almost always take a firearm with me (my customized Rossi RS22 is a favorite) along with a radio and an extra pair of socks, gloves, and a wind layer.
Today I'm blessed with access to land that enables me to reenact my childhood adventures and go "Woods Bumming", build forts to protect, have a tasty beverage, and still plink away at tin cans, well, at least until my wife calls to tell me it's time to come home!
So go build a fort...
Enjoy a beverage...
And plink away with your favorite camp gun...
Comments