quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:


My biggest concern with caches is security. If you can find it, some one or thing else can find it.

Did you even read a small "part" of what I referenced on Survival Magazine Forum......??? I have been caching food, firearms, entire camps and supplies for more then 65 years. Close to 68 years. I have never had "one" cache found by a human.

When people think about caching and the possible problems, they think about the area they reside. They don't think about someone living in eight MILLION acres of wilderness, which is adjacent to other wildernesses of different name.

If there are no humans......then humans finding caches is a zero issue. I did have one cache long ago raided by a bear. But I solved that problem with 55 gallon steel drums with locking lids.

With all due deference, your past is not a prediction of the future in a bad situation.

If someone out there finds one of your caches now, they are already surviving in the wilderness and have what they need to do what they are doing.

If the crap hits the rotary oscillator there will be more folks out in the wilderness trying to escape the bad situations.

Odds are much more likely your caches will be found and used by others

I’m not saying if you have a fire and you have a couple there for beck up is a bad plan, I’m just saying seeding an area where you have no right to expect others not to be is not a plan for helping yourself in an end of the world situation, and if someone gets to your cache first, you are SOL.

quote:

Originally posted by Alaskan Sourdough:

quote:

Originally posted by crbutler:


My biggest concern with caches is security. If you can find it, some one or thing else can find it.

Did you even read a small "part" of what I referenced on Survival Magazine Forum......??? I have been caching food, firearms, entire camps and supplies for more then 65 years. Close to 68 years. I have never had "one" cache found by a human.

When people think about caching and the possible problems, they think about the area they reside. They don't think about someone living in eight MILLION acres of wilderness, which is adjacent to other wildernesses of different name.

If there are no humans......then humans finding caches is a zero issue. I did have one cache long ago raided by a bear. But I solved that problem with 55 gallon steel drums with locking lids.

quote:

If there are no humans......then humans finding caches is a zero issue. I did have one cache long ago raided by a bear. But I solved that problem with 55 gallon steel drums with locking lids.

I had a fairly good size black bear destroy a steel 55gal drum to get at the bear bait in side of it.

He tipped it over the proceeded to bonce it deforming it. Until it bent popping of the bolted on locking ring.

The proceeded to eat the 150lbs of peanut butter that was in it.

A determined bear can get into a lot of things.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

If there are no humans......then humans finding caches is a zero issue. I did have one cache long ago raided by a bear. But I solved that problem with 55 gallon steel drums with locking lids.

I had a fairly good size black bear destroy a steel 55gal drum to get at the bear bait in side of it.

He tipped it over the proceeded to bonce it deforming it. Until it bent popping of the bolted on locking ring.

The proceeded to eat the 150lbs of peanut butter that was in it.

A determined bear can get into a lot of things.

Can we assume that the "Bait Barrel" had some or a lot of smell associated with it.....??? Or did you scrub it clean, and leave it set for 60 day in the open and empty, then move it to the wilderness cache site, and shovel local dirt and vegetation on it, and leave it till mid November when most bears are hibernating, and then start hauling out firearms and tents and stoves, and 20 pound propane tanks, and freeze dried food. So as the barrel is out there for at least four months (Gathering all of the local smells) till the first bears come out. I have mostly used 120 MM mortar ammo cans and 55 gallon drums. I can get three 120 MM mortar cans inside a 55 gallon drum. I have been doing this for 52 years in Alaska, and never had a human or bear get into any steel container.

The only cache that was ever attacked had several cases of MRE's that had expired ten years earlier. they were left just the bare "Box Only" under a rock ledge. They were fine for five years. Only one box was attacked and destroyed, there were three more boxes setting next to it, they were not touched. My best guess (being as there could be not food smell) is that a mouse or "Red Back Vole" took to chewing on the box to use it for nesting material. And in so doing they ruptured one of the envelopes of MRE. It was no loss to me as that food expired years before I put it out there. It did take me three hours it clean up every piece of debris......including the matches.

I am sure it smelled like peanut butter. The point was the bear got into it.

You are correct if they can not find they can not get in it.

As far as useful life of MRE's my bother was involved in a long term experiment with them.

Over his 30 plus years career with the DOD.

The researcher running the experiment said they have a almost unlimited useful life.

They might not look the best or taste like newer ones.

But they will give you nutrition and not harm you even after decades

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:


As far as useful life of MRE's my bother was involved in a long term experiment with them.

Over his 30 plus years career with the DOD.

The researcher running the experiment said they have a almost unlimited useful life.

They might not look the best or taste like newer ones.

But they will give you nutrition and not harm you even after decades

Thanks, I did not know that. Good information.

That certainly can NOT be said about the war 2 C+K rats. I knew a guy who got sick eating some on an elk hunt + was violently ill in a tent in the snow with no way out for 3 weeks. Damned near died + wishing he was. This was in the late 70s but that was still stupid to eat canned food that old.

We ate a lot of C-rats in my college years.

I thought it was appropriate that the protocol for C-ration testing called for evaluation by Veterinary Services...

Ann, I shudder to think back on the things ingested in my college years.

As do all of us, Randy!

Well, times may end up tough, we cannot know what the future will bring but it is smart to be prepared and to also not waste. My garden produce is of course at the top of the priority list right now. I am putting up a lot of good food.

Soon hunting season will be here. My dilemma is I do love to hunt but I do not have the space to store more meat, even if I pressure can it. That means I am looking at hunting for antlers and if found and tagged, donating meat to someone who does not wish to work.

Why do I say that? I have offered game and farm raised stock/produce to 'needy' welfare people. They always turn it down unless you butcher it for them AND deliver it to their door. Mind you the labor and feed costs I have for such stock...

Keep in mind I live very sparingly/modestly and have no excess finances, etc. There were times in my life that I did not turn down (it was fresh) road kill. I am just a very motivated person and always have been. It baffles me how lazy most people are now. Our species is not very inspiring.