Hi Mates

[Gideon]

rich said this is the best place to start. im gideon and I now seem to be living in various woods full time. the last year or so were pretty rough for me and I had issues fitting in with ordinary life so I started using my training to get my head together by being in the woods for a few days at a time. soon I find out that I really liked it and rather than an escape it now feels the right place for me at the minute. ive not slept in a house now for a few months. i have one in Luton but its cruddy so I dont want to go back. theres so much good about woods which youll all now about. loads of free food. peace and quiet. nobody shouting orders at you. love it. currently near reading but heading towards yorkshire soon. some good woods there and a few mates. lost my license when I had a few addiction issues so I have all my kit on my back and walk everywhere. i get all my food from out there for free and its better than the crud they sell in tesco. best for now, I fancy fish for my lunch and the thames is full of them and ducks.

[Dexter's Shed]

welcome giddy, (I'm on my best behaviour)

sounds like your living the life us plot holders dream of doing in our woods, funnily enough someone posted over on facebook on the little land owners page, about some guy that lives in a little hobbit house enough for one, two at a squeeze, seems that they have more relaxed laws over there as it cost's him $500 per year to rent the land.
are the woods you stay in via friends/owners or are you simply finding areas to camp unnoticed without permission??
and as for living off the land, theirs nothing better, squirrel & rabbit & wood pigeon are our favorites, so are you trapping or shooting? I presume trapping, as shooting without permission would be deemed armed trespass, and although not illegal to carry a covered rifle in public, I'm sure that would attract unwanted attention from plod
I've just had some squirrel tunnel traps made by a local carpenter, once painted we shall be putting them into use along with mk6 fenn traps

[Gideon]

hi dexter mate. i didnt chose to live that this its just the way it worked out. hope my battery charge lasts. some sun today so my little solar charger will be on my shoulder all day. sitting by the river, lovely. had a coupel of tiddlers but threw them back. seems posh here but if anyone asks what im doing i pretend to be foreign, they get the blame for everything. some of the woods i stay in are mod and fc, dunno about the rest. i nevr go where it looks private or near houses like. can shoot but i have bad dreams about that with flashbacks so given up for the while. tend to use a catapult for small stuff and a bow for bigger ones. if its wild its not nicking then is it. dunno why more people dont eat pigeon its lush so tasty.

[Dexter's Shed]

and a bow for bigger ones. if its wild its not nicking then is it. dunno why more people dont eat pigeon its lush so tasty.

I know loads of people that use a catapult and are excellent shots, you probably already know that using a bow on live quarry is totally Illegal, so apart from getting done on the wildlife & countryside act 1981 for that, if your trespassing, that's also armed trespass which carries a jail sentence with it, no idea about MOD land, but am sure that'll have laws too, I'm sure others will be along later to chat with you on your lifestyle, as I'm a night worker I get lots of free time in the days to visit here, should really ration myself on the usage,

[Gideon]

i now that sending me and my mates over to take pot shots at ali baba was probably illegal but tony blair never got done for it did he. all his banker mates too got of for free even though they was nicking off all the grannys pensions and all that. im just surviving like foxs and wolves do, doing what i have to to get by. nobody helps me and i dont cause no trouble unless they start it first. its only after yuve travelled you realise how uptight blighty is with so many rules and right now isnt the time for me to be boxed in by it i need to breath again. ive had a couple of words with the bill and been pulled in a couple of times but they are pretty good you know they usually give me a feed and ask if i need any support. we uniforms tend to close rank its them at the top need doing over not us we just do the dirty work. its all about money power and the illuminati isnt it. you just watch itll be the ruskies next and this time im out of it ill just do my robin hood bit and keep out of it. been a good day got 3 roach and my socks are dry. result. saw some cabbage up the road so im well sorted tonight.

[Gideon]

brilliant bit of luck today, met a sound guy who said he might have some work for us. i can stop on his land for a few days if i do some stuff like hedging for him and help him with his bunny problem. they are knee deep. too right i can help ill find room for a few in my pot. think he might be talking a bit of beer money if i do a good job on the hedge, some good folks out there as well as the twats.

[smojo]

i get all my food from out there for free and its better than the crud they sell in tesco.

Welcome Gideon. You can get a lot of free food by skip diving where supermarkets have thrown stuff away that's out of date. Even Tescos is alright if its free.

How good are catapults for hunting then? I see a lot of the folks on the bushcraft forums like to have them. Seems a bit hit and miss to me but maybe more eco friendly than using lead pellets and cheaper too.

Birch sap will be rising soon too. You could try tapping some for a sweet drink. Haven't tried it myself yet though.

[Gideon]

hi smojo mate. dont worry i wont be competing for the tesco skips you and the rats can have it all mate lol. a catapult is a brill hunting weapon and carrying is legal. lots more power and accurate than youd think. mines a alloy eagle of sniper g7 which is the mutts nuts, will hit a squirrel or bunny at 30 yards every time, clean kill, never miss. shoots arrows too but i use a takedown bow for that with 60lb draw and broadheads. the special ops used them on ali baba just like rambo. we make ray mears look like hes womens institute on a picnic, infact he was only ever a reserve, dropped out and never saw action so hes all posing. bet he never goes in the outback without his hairspray. birch is good but i have a taste for sycamore, luvely. its just starting now so ta for the reminder i have a neat hand drill for it. matey liked me hedging so gave us a good feed and smart bottle of posh plonk, chateux summit or other. sitting in the moonlight by me fire swigging it. not a bad life eh, lol.

[Andy M]

30 yards is impressive. What ammo do you use?

Birch sap is getting towards the end here in Norfolk - had a couple of dry taps last week. It is refreshing but doesn't actually taste particularly sweet when neat. To make a syrup you need to concentrate it (by boiling), reducing by 40 to 1. Worth doing if you use cheap free wood as energy source rather than expensive gas or electricity.

[Gideon]

hi andy. if your gonna be good with a sling you use the same ammo not muck about with the size so i stick to the same 9.5 steel bbs . there easy to get and cheap enough. for close range if im low on ammo i can use stones and marbles but i like me steel. bit heavy so i have a few stashes of them left here and there for me to pick up when i needs them and carry about a hundred. manage to find most of them after a shot cos i hit most times, dont tend to shoot at stuff in trees much cos you lose the ammo a lot.