Curiouser and curiouser....

I am not sure what caused me to get some of the strangest of emails I have recently, but I thought I'd share this with you!
I get a young man somewhere from 25 to 28 years of age ( depends on where you look and what you are told) that is a college student, studying to become a "pastor" as I read into the script. But, it also appears that the same person has a great affinity for the ladies, especially at "Hooters". Interesting...? According to his facebook account anyway!
This individual wants to learn some things as it pertains to "survival". I found that right off, the same person wants to buy an AK and modify it with a "bullpup kit". I found that odd, as the young man wants to learn about hunting and becoming a "sniper" of all things. I see a trend starting with this younger generation! Maybe it's all those hours of X-box training?
( what is this "thing" about being a sniper? Why don't they just join the military and see how much fun it can be!???)
I have no idea personally. Maybe it's too many movies? Anyway....
Despite my repeated advice as to when to go and where, I am continually told that the intent is to go regardless. I am making reference to the land and the current conditions: MUD. The young man has a Honda. I tried to reason that there is NO way, as there are no roads per se, and that ONLY a 4 wheel drive can negotiate the land at this point in time. Unless they happen to have a helo in their pocket!
I am asked all kinds of bizarre and off the wall questions, many of which I chose to ignore. The sniper thing threw me a curve. I thought this was an educated young man, but I have been fooled before. I explained this is NOT the time to go running amok in the area, up in northern Arizona. It's cold, wet, and not a good time to experiment with tents! He insists. He also intends to drive in as far as the car will take him then proceed the additional 7 1/2 miles thru terrain he does not know to a place he has never been before, on foot. Sounds intriguing! ( I have explained that if and when he ever returns, to where his car WAS, more than likely it will be gone or maybe ( if he is lucky) just totally stripped!) He says he only needs someone to guide him along the "shortcuts" and he'll make it by himself. I do not know of any, except over the mountains!
Now, once upon a time, in a galaxy far far away, I was young and bull headed too. I learned the hard way and got educated really fast. I have tried to tell the young man that it is not feasible at this point in time and that I know the land much better than he does, and I even contacted some people up there to check conditions, long before I decide if I'd even try it or not. I won't be going! I agreed to take this person up north and to let him explore and see what he thinks of the land and the general area. In the dry weather ONLY! Not in the dead of WINTER! The first words were "where could he shoot a deer, and elk, or an antelope?"
( oh boy!)
I explained "NOT on my land it's in a "NO hunting area" as prescribed by the State's Fish and Game here. And, you'll need a license and a tag and it's not the right season!" That however did not deter this person. He insisted he will "live off the land"! ( oh joy, here we go again!) He has all the intentions of staying 2 nights and 3 days, and to kill an animal for food! I told him that would NOT be advisable, 1) It's illegal. 2) There are people living out there and "IF" you are NOT careful, you'll get yourself shot in the process! 3) I will NOT allow him to do so on or near my property, as it would cause me a LOT of problems which I do NOT want or need. 4) It is open range and he had better be careful NOT to even shoot close to the local cattle! He also insists he can carry in all the water that he'd need. I asked when the last time was that he carried 5 gallons of water over nasty, rocky, muddy, terrain for 7 1/2 miles! He stated he has no problem "slogging" through the mud!
On top of this he wants to stay in a tent!
But wait, Oh yes! There's more!
Oh yes....He also needs for me to teach him how to set up trip wires to alert him if someone is approaching! I told him: "it's NOT going to be people you are going to have as a visitor up there!" Bears,.... maybe, a mountain lion,..... perhaps....packs of coyotes, absolutely!
I have tried repeatedly to advise him that this is NOT the time to go into the winter wonderland of the high desert to PLAY around. He insists he is going. Perhaps it's my old age that is pulling me down but I am aware of the conditions and have seen the winds hit 45 mph up there! Yeah, I'd be brave and try that in a tent! ( NOT!) Not to mention the temperatures at night are in the teens right now. Throw those 2 together and you'd better have electric powered longjohns!
But he has spent some miniscule time in ROTC, and was in Boy Scouts, a long time ago! He has some very strange ideas of being a survivor, and none I gather about doing any real "prepping".
My best guess is he's a "kid" looking for entertainment, or he'd at least have read something about it by now!?
All at once now, he wants to put in gardens, chicken coops, and a bunch of stuff....then he claims to have little to no income. However he then informs me he has bought several "tins" of Russian ammo (7.62 x 39) and is looking at several military and civilian rifles to buy!
I see a strange conflict here and there....something is NOT right.
Whatever the case, I don't need the problems, and if he is really what and whom he says he is, there is still something I am not comfortable with!
For one small Instance: is anyone of you aware that there was a terrorist attack on a pipeline in Phoenix, Arizona some time back? According to this young man, It caused disruption and people were standing in line for hours to buy a single gallon of gas! (Funny, but I thought it was when The "Kinder-Morgan" pipe line began to leak, and had to be replaced!)
It's those "little" things that set off my red flashing lights and brightly colored flags start popping up!

 

Flags!!!!

That sounds like someone I would break all contact with. Never know where or who his loyalties are with.

 

Yep, very strange. This 'kid' is all about 'extreme adventure', and immediate gratification. That's what a childhood spent on videogames will do for them.
He really needed a father or grandfather to take him into the woods early and show him the right way - but too late for that now.
His mind is beset by all those game images, and flitting from one point of interest to another. He NEEDS to slow down, prioritise his interests, and do some real indepth STUDY!!
Or, he'll be found a frozen carcasse in the spring. Shame to see that happen - but John Wayne said it best, "Life is hard. It's harder if you're stupid."

 

Ain't that the truth!

 

Well you are right on one thing...something is surely suspicious.Now granted i have never been to AZ and i know little of the mountains there but living close to the Canada/U.S.A border has taught me a few things

1 A few people from the south think it is always cold and snowing in the north.
2 A few people from the northern climate assume it is always quite hot in the south.

this person is obviously not remotely aware of what conditions he would be facing and would mos likely be injured or killed.

As for his wanting to set up trip wires he may be wanting to set up some sort of hidden hide away to produce narcotics or something else highly questionable or even dangerous.I hate tp assume the worst about people but he seems highly suspicious.Now i have never been hunting ...unless you count orange clay discs on a friend's farm lol.But it seems anyone with a goal of hunting legitimately and successfully would at least know when the various hunting seasons are and where they can legally hunt or at the very least know how to contact the local game warden.If i was in your situation i'd be contacting someone with a badge.

 

Sounds to me like a young snot nosed kid, with a nice allowance from daddy, sitting in his nice cozy bedroom, playing games on his computer. He has no clue what it's like to get out there and survive in the wild. I'd stand clear, of this kid.

 

I wish I knew ghrit!
Maybe it's my aftershave?
I'd rather go hunting with Dick Chaney! At least I know what he'll do!
This is the type of person Sigmund Freud would call "SPOOKY"!
I need to have that OLD ad taken off the internet! I placed it long long ago and it's like bad meat, still drawing flies!

 

Let Darwin sort it out.

 

you don't love me any more?

Gee I just wanna lurn. I need the guidace of an experianced survivalist wacko dude. I saw it on the tele and read about it in Boy's Life and Outdoor Life and on I Survived and and....

Just wanna do it one time {yeppers ONE time}


Bagged alot of those types in my SAR days.

Run, don't walk

 

I think he is related to a guy living near me. Last month we got a little snow, he was driving too fast and locked up his brakes, slid into a power pole, knocked out our electricity for a couple of hours, and messed up the front of his beautiful 1976 4X4 stepside pickup. I have the parts to repair his truck, another neighbor has the skills and offered to fix it for free, and the kid says he wants to wait until spring to do the repairs! He does not hear us when we tell him that the time is rapidly approaching when his little FWD cars will not be able to handle the deep snow on the roads and he will be on foot until it melts. No more daily beer runs for that family!

 

When we had TV, a couple years ago they were having news stuff about bad road conditions due to winter storms in...was it Minnesota or Wisconsin? Anyways, they interviewed a guy who seriously was shocked that he went off the road, cause he was only going 50mph.

 

Now, just imagine that kid with a BOB and an M4, headed for your location.

Sometimes we part with information and advice too freely.