what to take

[pilgrim]

   you are right, snake bites are rare, why just last year, 1/2  mile from my house a little girl was outside playing and got bit by a copperhead. They had to air lift her to the hospital.    In the area I live there are copperheads and rattle snakes.  It may be rare, but if you are alone and get bit, you may not have to ever worry about getting snake bitten again.  Snakes will usually try to stay away from you, unless it is a water snake.  They are the most aggresive snake I have ever encountered.   I see snakes all over here.   On the Blue Mountain range, within  3/4 mile of home  it is rocky and loads of rattlesnakes.   

[Dogshirt]

We have lots of rattlesnakes here in the Northwest Desert, but unless I go looking after dark on the edges of
the road, I've seen just 3 out beating around in the brush in 58 years. Take a look at how many cases there are
nationwide each year. I threw my snakebite kit away over 30 years ago. Snakebite doesn't even enter my mind
unless someone else brings it up.

[graybear]

I was born & raised in the Laurel Highlands (on top of the Allegheny Front) @ the overlap of the cooperhead & the rattlesnake territories. My stepfather killed copperheads in his garage & we saw them when we went trout fishing. Also when we camped in the Alleghenies in the 60's & early 70's we saw a lot of rattlers. Kilt sum 'n' et 'em. Taste sort of like frog. When I lived in York county,southern PA next to the Mason/Dixon line, in the 80's & early 90's ,we had copperheads in several places. Yeah , I know of folks that've been bit. For those not familiar w/them, cooperheads are also referred to as upland moccasins. Cousin to the water moccasin.

[mattdanison]

Carried in haversack:
56 ounces of water in a copper canteen for the day-long hike.  If necessary I can boil water in it.  Westminster Forge made mine.  Unfortunately it weighs almost 8 pounds when full of water.  Canteens are a military thing; normal people traveled by canoe or horse near water.
(If there is no safe water source, before the trip hide some plastic jugs of water near destination)
Aquamira Frontier Emergency Water Filter System is my backup plan; costs 5 dollars and weighs 1 oz.
Don't drink river water or use water treatment tablets; I always get diarrhea.  Boil it or have a cache.

"Map case" or cloth/roll-up of some sort with the following:
Compass (useful for turning map to face North or traveling in a straight line and not much else.  All you have to do is go 5 miles in a straight line and you'll hit a road.)  Sun and stars also available.
Map of the area
Small journal and 2 pencils; useful for noting what you used, what you needed, what you didn't use.  Also, keeping a journal of your experience is part of why you're out there.  Re-read years later....
Camera
Spectacles
Small lithium flashlight for emergencies... such as signaling to air boat guys after I got lost when the sun went down and the marsh looked the same in every direction.  There was no solid land and the flashlight saved me from sleeping in my 12' canoe.  I trek alone and consider this a safety device.
Bandanas x 2
Twine/Jute roll—useful for everything
Leather laces—easier to untie
"Necessary" paper in a ziplock bag hidden inside wax paper.  Paper towels are better than leaves....

Inside bedroll carried tumpline fashion:
3' x 5' oilskin from tentsmiths.com; used for groundcloth, rain tarp, or rain poncho.  1.5 pounds
4 point wool blanket made by Rob Stone.  Weighs 4.0 pounds and is good down to almost 40 degrees
If it might get colder, I'll carry a modern "poncho liner" as backup; very lightweight.  If it gets colder than that, I don't go.  The Indians didn't campaign in the snow and neither do I.
Bed sheet for mosquito netting.  Ear plugs alone are not enough!  Can serve as a rain fly or pillow too.  But not very well.

Inside the bedroll is a pillowcase containing the following:

Smaller, white, pillowcase.  Useful for putting ALL of your small items on top of.  Nothing lost....

"Tinderbox" with convex burning lens, dry tinder/dryer lint, Bic lighter and matches.  Your flintlock can also be used to create sparks.
Small hand soap in a small tin.  Rub some on the exterior of your cooking cup to aid in cleaning it.
Fishing tin with hand lines and corks x 2.  Fishing and hunting license
Candle in a small tin can, punched to let light out on one side
Wool socks from smartwool.com  Put extra pair on hands while sleeping.
Moccasins for walking around camp

Shaving tin with
aspirin
large band-aids (for blisters or cuts)
dental floss
small toothbrush

Rations bag with:
Hot tea
Beef bouillon cubes
Rum flask
Flat bread (pita bread) wrapped in wax paper (simulates parchment paper) and tied with a string
Dried fruits wrapped in wax paper.  I put the dried fruit inside the flat bread (taco style) for breakfast
Beef jerky for lunch while walking
Salt
Small onion
Waxed hard cheese or goat cheese
If you don't catch any fish or squirrel for dinner you can make a stew of beef bouillon, diced jerky, diced onion, and crumbled flat bread
Historically, rations were carried in the haversack, not the bedroll.  For me, anything I don't need during the day's trek goes in the bedroll; carried tumpline style.

I try not to cook any meals at all.  If someone has a fire going I'll ask to boil some water at their fire and have a hot drink.  Otherwise, I cold camp, only building enough fire to boil a cup of water for tea or hot bouillon.   A nice campfire is cheerful company and a lot of work.

Copper or tin cup (16 oz.) for boiling water.  I use a 16 oz. "soldier's cup" from Westminster Forge.
Wooden spoon.  Horn spoons melt.
Wooden cup for drinking hot tea while more water is boiling

On my person:
2 large pillow cases wrapped and tied around lower legs to protect pants.  In camp, useful for carrying firewood or fill with dead leaves to make a warm, soft padding between you and the cold, hard ground.

6" belt knife  Wick Ellerbe makes very good ones

Small knife always, always hanging around my neck
Cell phone and whistle never, ever leave my body.  Carried in belt pouch with my extra spectacles.

Rifle
Shooting bag
Powder horn

That's it.  I don't carry rope or a hatchet.  If I need to break wood I'll cut a notch in it and lean it against a rock and stomp on it

Historical trekking isn't as easy as I thought it would be.  It took me one year to study and gather my equipment.  A lot of it I found in thrift stores for 1 or 2 dollars, but it took time to find.  Some things cannot be found and I had to order them.  I have mentioned them above.  After that, I started trekking/camping with some pretty grand plans of going on 8 day scouts.  Well, I froze on my first trip (Jan 2011) and went home in the middle of the night.  The next was a 3 day trip, I carried too much gear, and went home the next morning.    Same for the next trip and the next trip.  My latest was Dec 2011 and I could not canoe across the lake because of high winds.  But I learned.  And I'm still learning.  That's the fun part.  Trying to carry less and less.  What did Joseph Plumb Martin carry as he campaigned against the British?  Not much, I'm sure.

Mark Bakers's "A Pilgrims Jorney" Vol. I and II are great.

Ben thinkin' 'bout cuttin' me buttons off t' sav weight.
Cheers my friends,
The above info is offered a guideline to those trekking in the Southeast

[dusty hill]

STRICTLY FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES !!!

[hrayton]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but Common Sense is a must. Stay calm no matter what, and think, think think! The woods is neither hostile or welcoming, it just is, it has its own rules and timing. I have never done a historical trek, but I have hundreds of miles of present day backpacking experience. I did the Mt Rainier Loop on a solo, and parts of the Pacific Crest all by myself too. Do not take risks, if a little voice in your head says "I can't do that. OR Maybe this isn't such a good idea...." You should listen to it. Better yet, get at least one other person to join you. Or do a 2-3 day close to home like others have recommended. But always take your brain along.....

[old salt]

One thing that has not been stressed is GET IN SHAPE. If you are not used to walking long distances start and do it in the foot wear you are going use on your trek, and do it with about 3 times the amount of weight you plan to carry on your trek.
Plan your trek so that you have plenty of time to get from point A to point B, if for no other reason than it will give you time to see the country. Also if the need arises you will have time vary your rout.
One more thing to remember is that trek is not a land navigation speed course. It is some thing you do for fun and your personnel education, not to how fast it can be done.
OK I will put the Drill Sergeants' Hat back in the closet,
Have fun and be safe

[coonmedicinetrapper]

howdy Like the mountain men of the past i was born a wander of this land. desert to eastern forest with just a pack and a dog. if going pc a good wool blanket or if your just going for a week and want comfort a good mummy bag for the common temperature. i wear moccasins a lot so id carry two pair in the pack if ya can hold the weight and room and wear a pair. dry socks especially if wearing moccasins all day is a must man. socks are your friend haha. i'd go to even say sometiems more than a pair a day. if its warm out just wear your mocs without socks and then they can dry out and then wear socks at night or just when you really need too when its drier.

[beowulf]

one very important thing to remember , if things turn to crap suddenly , do not panic ! panicking can kill you !