I've been itching for a walk so this morning I took the wife and 'smallie' for a 'Bush Whacking' session...

It's about a 30 minute walk to the bush and then just past the tree line in the distance is a stream... It's great because in case of TEOTWAWKI there's a close supply of fresh water (still purify)...





There's the wife in the distance...





He's the last one left of my pack of seven... The 'old man' is still tough and is always up for a walk...



Of course I had to put my 511 on stage... lol.











[img]http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x473/zulu-X-treme/Bush%20Whacking%201/P1010709Copy.jpg[/img]

Found this beautiful Mozambiquan Tree Fern growing happily, it's a rare find...

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Seems some youngsters tried to build a Tree House here sometime ago...

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This was a great find... Some Bamboo, it's good to know about and will come in very handy if the need arrises...

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Nice pictures! I was concerned at first, Snakes could hide out in that tall grass! (Like they can't hide out in the Jungle)! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

That shot of your 511 is nice too. So sharp it will even cut water!

Hiya S-H, the only snake I worry about is a Black Mamba... The rest are easy to avoid and deal with...

Haha, You're nuts, ALL snakes are dangerous! They may not be poisonous but they will make me hurt myself trying to get out of their way!

I don't actually mind snakes all that much and IF I see them first I figure I can avoid (I hope) them. But the ones that sneak up on you are the ones I don't much care for!

In most cases snakes are more scared of you than you are of them. They can hear you coming long before you see them and they'll move off...

The Black Mamba on the other hand is confrontational and super aggresive, what makes it worse is they get really big and are incredibly fast...

I know that they don't want to "Mess" with us, but I have come up on to many Copperheads and Cotton Mouths in this neck of the woods to depend on them getting out of the way before I get there. Just last summer, Patty came within 6inches of stepping on a juvenile copperhead!

And PLEASE tell me that is NOT you in the picture above.

All I can say about that snake is he should make some good steaks!

If I was as close as the picture taker in that picture, the snake may not be a black mamba, but there WOULD be a BM! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

When you're out walking about like that do you carry a Sjambok?

A few years ago a Mozambiquan Spitting Cobra was giving my neighbour some trouble... We ended up seasoning it with Pepper Corns and Cottage Cheese... Really delicious... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

The peppercorn I can understand, but Cottage cheese would never have came to mind, and I LIKE cottage cheese. Mix it with some sweetened cut up strawberries with the juice and Um Um, goood!

I only carry my locally made Machette (Kalemba)...

That does sound good S-H... I'll definitely remember that... lol.

That reminds me... Snake tastes like snake, not chicken... lol.

I've eaten rattlesnake a few times, but they fried it so hard you could drive nails with it. Shark wasn't bad either, and alligator tail was fixed up nice as well.

I've also had cat, water buffalo (asian) dog and possibly monkey although they might have been messing with me about the monkey.

Oh and I forgot, snails. NOT escargot, but regular garden snails.

Oh yeah and when I was in Japan I ate some of that puffer fish that is so dangerous. Stuff was sliced so thin you could read through it. Kinda makes your lips and tongue tingle.

... "Possibly Monkey"... lmao... You don't sounds to sure... lol.

Well it was in the Philippines and I don't know how they're doing on the Monkey population.

Too funny... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Now there are some things I WILL NOT eat. Like Rice bugs. Grasshoppers and ants roasted but preferred dipped in chocolate are ok. Meal worms only tried one and don't remember much about it except it was crunchy which meant it too was roasted.

Oh and Balut! NO WAY!

I've eaten most bugs... It's the worms that take a little getting use to, well if you can actually get use to them... There's a sourness/bitterness that can't quite be described...

I found out that massive quantities of beer or other alcoholic beverages helped a lot! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Of course that was back in my Military days when I drank.

If I was hungry enough I figure I would sample a lot more than I already have, but with my reserves I could go quite a while! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I can see how that would work... lol.

Patty is grilling some chicken, guess I better go check on her.

Well between living off 'it' and carrying 'it' around in a survival situation it might not last that long... lol.

Until then S-H... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Speak for yourself! I plan to survive in style! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'll take what I want and want what I take!

Until Patty says we've used up all the food in the garage! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

nice pics

I know that in an extreme survival situation there will be all kinds of people "Taking from those that has", just because they are "Meaner". I'm not saying I would not resort to that in order to provide but I like to think that I am a better person than that and that I would ask and if refused just move on.

as a Christian I want to be so well prepared that I can help others. But I do believe in self defense.

Awesome pics! You are fortunate to experience that part of the world. Thanks for sharing. I'm not a fan of snakes either.

snakes don't bother me. I just don't like the poisonous ones

The sad part about most folks is that they would rather remain in doors instead of putting on a pair of boots and taking a walk... Nature is incredible!

Experiments/Studies have shown that Hospital patients with a view of trees heal/recover 30% faster than patients who don't. There's something special/incredible/unique/serene about just sitting quietly in the middle of nowhere and just listening...

I know this might sound weird but I genuinely believe you draw/attract snakes to you. If every step you take you are thinking/worrying about snakes then you are bound to come across one. I understand that there are most likely snakes all around me when I walk but it does not consume my thinking. The same as when I'm Kayaking, I'm sure there are Sharks all around me but that's not something I worry about or spend all my time thinking about...

Great pics! How is the humidity so far in your part?

Not so bad yet... lol. But January and February are coming... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

GREAT pics mate, SA is on my list of places to visit..!! I am TRAPPED on the outskirts of Sydney and miss the bush with a passion...doe snot help that I drive through a very scenic gorge on my way to work each day...!!

Snakes shmakes .... they are a fact of life here (and I still can't stand Steve Irwin) so you can't let them cramp your style. I have had MANY near misses but those are outweighed by the enjoyment of being in the outdoors... like the big LIZARDS up north, you just give them the respect they deserve and everyone stays well...!!!

Andy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Andy if you ever come this side of the world feel free to give me a shout... I'm a 'stones throw' from the second biggest Game Reserve in South Africa...

Interesting pics, thanks for sharing.
How much big are those bamboo?

PS I would love to try eating rattlesnake. I ate frogs (just legs of course), snails, escargots, crabs, but never ate rattlesnake :-(

I'd estimate them at over 5m's in height and at least 60-100mm's in diameter...

Not bad. You may build so may things whit them.

One of those surprise finds... It's good to know that they are out there.

Thanks for sharing those pictures

Great pictures zuluXtreme <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

We have the odd nasty snake here as well, my medicine for them is out of a left barrel of a Merkel 12 gauge. preferably #9's <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Ian.

Funny Ian, we use the same medicine here, just a different dispenser!

Awesome pics. I'm really digging the lanyard on your 5-11....Can you offer any instructions on how to make one? I've made some lanyards and bracelets out of paracord but just the standard cobra and double cobra style.

What camera do you use for your pics? It takes nice photos. Any post processing or are these right out of your camera?

Thanks for sharing the great pics! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Hiya KnotSlip... My Mom was seriously into making Macrames when I was a youngster and because there's alot of repetition I'd end up finishing many of them off for her and that's where I learn't this knot. Unfortunately I don't have a clue as to what it's called. I have however included some pics of how it's done and how I started it around the knife blade...









It's basically just 2 pieces of paracord but when wrapped around the blade you'll end up with the 4 pieces you'll need to start the knot.







As for ending it, 2 ends of the paracord I forced past each other through the hole in the handle and then just knotted them and then burn't their ends so they wouldn't fray. The other 2 I just ended off with a loop of sort to put my hand through with a reverse Hang Mans Noose to end it. I'm often high up or in a tree and the last thing I want to do is drop my knife.







And then lastly I have included a pic of the camera I use. This camera is literally bullet proof. It's been kayaking, surfing, diving, bush whacking... You name it. The camera is manufactured by Panasonic and as far as I know they have a newer model on the market. It's the DMC-FT2. As for the pics they are just as they were taken by the camera. It's got stacks of excellent features and these pics were taken on the 'WARM' setting...

[img]http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x473/zulu-X-treme/Knife%20Lanyard/1312326201-58.jpg[/img]

Cheers KnotSlip, enjoy...

thanks for sharing

Awesome! Thanks for the great info. Those Lumix cameras are great little cameras. I'm planning to buy a smaller camera and was considering either a Lumix or the Canon Powershot S95.

I will definitely give the lanyard a try and let you know how it goes. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

I will try to put one on my b10Le If I got it last night

Thanks for sharing the pictures. When you got down to the stream my first thought was snake country. When looking at the old tree house and you mentioned some young kids built it, I got to thinking maybe some African constrictor got them. Like Skunk, all snakes are dangerous and that I'll hurt myself trying to get out of there way.

Maybe they got the constrictor... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />