Real Man Camping: Survival Weekend

The weekend to remember happened on Sept 2, 2011. As ten guys joined together for a time of fellowship and a challenge that most had yet seen in their lifetimes, they all showed true grit and stamina only bolstering a sense of accomplishment and need for more adventure.

We set out that fateful morning with guns and little more than what we could fit in our pockets. As the temperatures began to soar, the group began to really work up a sweat. When the trail came to an end, there was nothing better than to sink your feet into a muddy lake bottom and dunk your head underneath 65 deg water.

We lost one man on the way, and crowned another (young) man the victor of the Survival Challenge. Jonah Thorpe, the youngest in the group (12 yrs old), kept up his pace in the speed group and got to camp first. After making his shelter, cooling off in the lake , filtering water, and trying his hand at fishing, Jonah had all the wits and energy of a 12 yr old! He completed every challenge and did not disqualify himself from the prize. Jonah, congrats and I hope you join us again soon!

As for the rest of us softies, we had a few get sick. Everyone was wiped out from the heat and the hike, and almost everyone including the two event planners were disqualified either by "the temptress" (John F -aka. "Jezebel") or by illness. The only three contestants left the next morning were Danny, Jason, and Jonah. By unanimous vote, Jonah received the $25 Bass Pro gift card and bragging rights until the next challenge.

Sitting around at Chic-Fil-a the next morning, everyone voted that this challenge was eye opening and a blast. Everyone seems to be looking forward to the next challenge: Deep Winter Survival. Can't wait....

***CLICK HERE TO SEE THE GPX TRACK OF THE TRIP***

"REAL MAN CAMPING" Survival Style

Men,

Do you think about what you would do if you ever had to "head for the hills" or maybe spend a night if you were to get lost in the woods?

You say you don't get lost, huh? Your little survival theories you saw on Zombiesurvival.com seem pretty sound, eh? I bet you think you can jump out of planes and use your Bear Grylls knife to whack your way back to civilization, right? I bet you also think there will be plentiful supply of elephant dung to squeeze water from...jeez. Well wipe the milk from your peach fuzz mustache you untested, Discovery Channel loving, thumb-sucking amateur. Because you're about to get a challenge that will tear the prissiness right out of you. So get your mind right, your gear straight, and get your survival on!

On Sept 2-3, 2011, your man skills will be challenged like never before. We are going to have a full out survival skills challenge that will actually have a prize for the man who demonstrates best the art of survival (yes, we are going to actually spend some $$$ on a prize). If you don't win you will still be rewarded...with experience and a story!

Where will it be? Depending on how many men accept this invitation will determine where we must go. Either way, we will let you know plenty in advance.

What gear will be allowed? Good Question: See rules below.

*The idea of this survival project is to test warm weather survival (not too hot in Sept), given a one night stay. The reference scenario would be something along the lines of a hunter or hiker planning a two or three hour excursion but getting lost in the woods and having to spend a night in the woods. Given that most of us take nothing but a firearm and some shells to the woods when hunting, sets the limitations you are about to see. Since we know we are planning a survival scenario, one of the benefits of this exercise is that it will preemptively prepare us whereas before we would most likely not be ready for this kind of situation. So if it comes in the future, because of this exercise you will be tested and ready.*

Rules:

1. All items must fit inside of a standard cargo pant pocket. (This is not stipulating that items have to be transported in cargo pocket but rather all survival items plus container must be able to fit in cargo pocket.

2. One knife is allowed. No longer than 10". No hatchets, machetes, tomahawks. The knife+case will not be part of the cargo pant size requirement.

3. As can be deduced from above, no backpacks, sleeping pads, sleeping bags, tents, or butt packs allowed. Fanny Packs will be allowed as long as it fits the cargo pocket rule. The idea is to build a "micro-survival kit" that will help you survive a night in the woods. Camera cases make for great pocket survival containers.

4. Water bottles, bladders, holders allowed, but must still fit inside a cargo pant pocket with all other items and cannot be excessively weighty. (Because who really has a liter of water sloshing in a pocket when your hunting or hiking?) The location we are selecting WILL have water on site.

5. All items on ones person must fit within one single container (excluding the knife). This gives a total of two items: knife and micro survival kit.

6. Indiana Small Game Season will be in as of August 15th. If you abide by all laws and purchase a permit you can bring a rifle or shotgun for harvesting small game. Additional survival items are not allowed to be stashed in the gun, unless those items in the gun are your micro survival kit.

*Survival Kits may be as large as the pant pocket rule will allow or as small as a pill bottle. You decide what you think will serve and challenge you best. Because, as you read further this challenge does not reward those who have the best kit, but rather who is the most proficient with the least amount of gear. The real man challenge is about wits, not kits.*

Recommendations for Survival Kits:

1. Remember the top 5 things in any survival situation. Fire, water, shelter, food, signaling. Yes, you should include signaling in your kit.

2. Water purification. There are three known ways of treating water and you need to decide how you want to attack that issue. First, you can boil. This can be difficult unless you have a small pot or cup that would fit within the size limit. Second, you can chemically treat it. This process requires more time and generally takes 4 hrs to fully kill all virus' and bacteria. There usually is a chlorinated after taste. However, chemical treatment is extremely lightweight and packable. Third, you can use UV light to destroy all forms of Bacteria and Virus. Unless you are using a UV light pen ($$$), you can hang water out for 48 hours and sunlight will kill same as chemical treatment. Just takes a really long time and that option will not be available for us.

3. Plastics make great shelters. If it rains you will want to be prepared. You will need something, even if it is just a garbage bag.

4. Food...hunt, gather, or bring food? You decide. It just has to meet size limits.

How will scoring work?

There are 3 main challenges. First, each individual will have to build, and maintain their own fire that should be serviceable for cooking and keeping warm. Pilling up leaves and lighting it will not work. Make it sustainable and show what your strategy is in building the fire. Second challenge is water collection and purification. Third is the shelter. Many configurations may be had, but ingenuity will be required.

***Each challenge must be completed by ones self. No help can be offered or received.***

Scoring will be done on a ten point scale for each challenge. No decimals...this isn't ice skating. Judging will be done by the rest of the group. The three challenges are worth 30 Points total.

Bonus: Food harvesting is worth 20 points. Again graded by the rest of the group. (So if someone bags 5 squirrels, they can bet they get the prize, if you collect 50 earthworms you'll get maybe 5 from me).

Remember this is a challenge of skill and proficiency. The more challenging you make your survival situation the more points you get, but you better perform! (eg starting a fire with a BIC lighter vs starting with bow and drill. Bow and drill will get a much higher evaluation) The more skill a challenge takes, the more points will be given. If you fail a challenge you will receive zero points, even if you tried really hard. You must make fire, shelter, and collect water and purify.

Worried about not having what you need or have special needs? Feel free to bring a backpack with "comforts of home" if you end up absolutely needing them. We are not here to die, but to practice. Just know that if you break down and use anyone of those items, you will be disqualified.

If you have medical needs (insulin, medication, etc) make sure to have that as part of your micro-survival kit. It is just like if you did get lost; you need to be prepared. Remember, "what you don't have doesn't help."

Clothing.

You will need to dress as if you were doing a hiking or hunting activity, knowing that the potential could be you get lost in the woods (which is what we are creating). You will not have a sleeping bag or pad so take the elements into consideration when clothing yourself.

That's it guys! This exercise is for fun, fellowship, and maybe to learn something from each other. So shoot your comments below for questions.

Josh Lagrange and I are heading it up, so ask us any questions if you have any.

Thanks,

Brennan

PS, Wives if your getting this message it is to loop you in or I do not have your husbands FB info.

This event is open to fwd to friends.

"Real Man Camp" Survival Update-

1. Josh LaGrange is correct that squirrel season will be the only type of hunting allowed during those dates.http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2711.htm

2. We will be meeting at Parkwood Southern Baptist Church at 9:45am Friday, 2nd of Sept for a time of gear inspection and devotion. Church Location: http://goo.gl/L2oIT

- This will require that some take a leave from work. Put your request in now.

3. For those who will not be able to take time off, you can come late, just know that you will not have as much time to setup.

4. Those that do the full day Friday will be given five extra bonus points over the latecomers. (Don't worry, the early comers will have earned it...promise!)

5. Agenda for Friday, Sept 2nd is as follows:

9:45 SHARP - Meet at Parkwood SBC, Clarksville, IN. 10:00 - 11:00 - Gear Checks and Scoresheets handed out / 15 min Devotion 11:00 - 11:30 - Pack-up & Travel to camp area 11:30 - 14:00 - 5 Point Bonus Challenge 14:00 - 18:00 - Survival Skills Prep and Test (Fire, Water, Shelter) 18:00 - 08:00 - Dinner, Hangout, survival fun, 20 point bonus (Fishing, hunting, Grubbing for worms, frogs, whittling, etc), breakfast. 08:00 - 08:30 - Finalize Scores and turn in score-sheets. 09:00 - Leave whenever you want...Real Food at Chic-fila for those wanting some calories!

6. If you require medications, plan for it just as if you were making a survival kit for a potentially real situation. Josh and I will have medical kits and extra water+filtration available in case the 5 point challenge is too much for what someone prepared for.

7. Those that want to come and just camp, please do! You can even participate in some of the challenges, just know that you will not be on the roster to win the prize. So if you want to do everything but still have all the comforts of home, that's fine. We want your company.

8.** READ Carefully**

Scoring Methodology and Considerations

1-10 point scale for proficiency, skillfulness, practicality. 10 being best.Groups will be assigned for scoring.

Fire - 10 points total (construction, energy expended building, fire sustainability, practical use, timing of build in the survival process, wood selection, etc)

Water Collection and Purification - 10 points total (container used to collect, type of purification?, sanitation while collecting and purifying, storage, practicality, etc)

Shelter - 10 Points Total (weather resistance, location to fire, durability, ground hardness/wetness, comfort, animal protection, escape path, etc)

MULTIPLIER - Group will decide how long one could potentially survive given each persons setup and skill level. This will be multiplied by the average scores of each challenge.

EX. Josh L. is in a group of 5 people, therefore giving him 4 judges and 4 scores to average for each challenge. Josh L. builds a fire that received an average score of 6 out of 10 from the 4 people in his group. He also receives a score of 2 on water collection and purification, and gets an average of 3 on his shelter. At the final scoring on Saturday morning, the team will decide how long josh could realistically survive with the given setup. They decide 3 days. Then they will add up 6+2+3=11 X 3Days = 33. Josh scores a total of 33 points for the competition.

The maximum multiplier that will be allowed for our pocket kit survival challenge is 7 days. We wont have "indefinitely" as an answer.

For those who hunt/fish and collect food, the potential for 20 additional points is added AFTER the multiplier.

So in Josh's case if he bagged 8 squirrels during that time, and he received the full 20 points he would have a total score of 53 points.

However, if Kevin did not hunt at all and just kicked Josh's booty in the three main challenges, Kevin could very much win...

Remember it is about wits, not kits and should be graded as such.

Thats it, let me know if you have any other considerations or questions.

Campout Vids

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Mens Campout

We had an excellent time of fellowship at the Ferdinand State Forrest.  The boys enjoyed the fire and water and the men took advantage of good grillin and some tomohawk throwing.  Pastor Todd led the devotion Saturday morning and boy were we challenged!  We pray we can make this happen again in the fall.