Whenever you leave the safety and comfort of the office, gym, or living room to embark on your amazing adventures there are just a few things you need – and don’t need. I thought it would be helpful to share some of my field wisdom before you really mess up.
THINGS YOU DO NEED
- Water. Sounds obvious right? Not just for drinking, you can wash hands, rinse eyes, wash off muddy cameras, and a million other things. Don’t leave home without it.
- Other shoes. You will need them. Yours will get muddy, torn, broken, or otherwise not feel good to your feet after months of water logging and mud bogging. They will stink and so will you. Slipping into something dry will prevent heel cracking and make the ride home that much more betterer!
- Duct tape. Not just for car hoses anymore. You can make anything out of it. Hell, my son carries a wallet made out of it! Mix duct tape with your yard stick and you have a great tool that will last years. Mix ripped pants with duct tape and you save yourself embarrassment. Mix duct tape with open wounds – voila’ first aid.
- Camera. A picture is worth a thousand words. When the truck gets stuck, when YOU get stuck, when you see that one of a kind sunset or insect, you won’t want to miss the moment. Something to keep in mind is that they sell waterproof and shockproof cameras pretty reasonably. They take awesome underwater shots, too. This is especially important when a HUGE bowfin attacks your shoes in ankle-deep water. The photos you can take are amazing. TRUST ME. Olympus and Pentax make great cameras for under $300 and they last everything I have done to them so far. Don’t forget to add a flotation cuff – they are waterproof, not floatable!
- Backpack – good one! We have a backpack that we have used for years!! This thing has been abused at hundreds of sites. It has been rained on, drug around, dropped, dragged, and stuffed. It’s filthy and who knows what’s in the bottom of it because I have never cleaned it out all the way as it is always in use. Go for a good one – it will be your best friend. When your cheap backpack fails you in the middle of nowhere – use the duct tape!
THINGS YOU DON’T NEED
- Expensive sunglasses. That’s right – you will break or lose them. Get some cheap polarized glasses and go for it. In a thousand years, they will find about 80 pairs of sunglasses in the woods and will think some crazy ritual occurred. Nope – just bent over and off they went. Or, the cord broke, or layed them down, or fell and they went flying never to be found again! Also, get a cord that is bright pink or orange!!! This is experience.
- Expensive clothing. This mud stuff we keep talking about – yeah – it doesn’t come out. Some – NEVER NEVER NEVER will. Also, blood that has been sitting in there all day from scratches doesn’t either. Some stuff you don’t want in your washing machine. Just go to the thrift store – get your gear there!!
- Snake bite kit – yeah – those are not to be used! Do NOT ever attempt to use a snake bite kit on me! More serious injuries and infections have been caused and they are no longer recommended! PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION. Calm victim, isolate bite site, ice or elevate – identify or photo snake if possible. GET HELP – do not waste the precious little time you have furthering the venom into your buddy’s system and your mouth! GET HELP!
- Perfume. You are saying, “But Jacque, I want to look and smell my best in the field.” Listen up! Bugs love perfume, bees love perfume, some mammals love the musky smell of perfumes….that’s right – just stink for one minute…no big deal because we will all stink together!! One big happy smelly family! Get over it…..if you can GO ANYWHERE – you can stink there!
- Jeans. If you think jeans are the ideal pant to wear in the field – stay home. Even in cold weather, they are not a choice! They will get wet, pull down, rub you raw, make you sweat in places that already stink because you don’t have on perfume, and generally be a drag. Go for something lightweight that dries quickly – you won’t regret it! You will regret wearing jeans. I won’t remind you twice – I will just smile when I see you picking your butt or pulling them up after wading in a little creek!
This is a short list. Of course there are many things you should and could take – keep it simple and light. Don’t over complicate it – the joy is in the adventure and experience. Some of the best experiences will be when you don’t follow these rules! Please share them! We all learn from mistakes – even yours! Remember – you can comment and share your insight or ignorance….it all teaches us something!
Here, in the Tennessee mountains for vacation, we are having the most wonderful time. Waterfalls, creeks, caves, mountains and amazing scenery. Add family and crazy cool weather – can’t complain. Can’t wait to post photos of 3 generations of Chicks with Ticks!!
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Awesome post! I will keep an on eye on your blog.
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You mean jeans are not the choice ESPECIALLY in cold weather……..but how would a Florida girl know that factoid? LOL
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THIS really-really is a great list! I’ll have you know, missy, that I lost my first and LAST pair of expensive sunglasses in the field last year! Good grief, it bothered me more that the sheep that got away!
I didn’t know that little tid-bit about the snake bite kits! Hmm. I will certainly pass that on to the pals I have in snake territories. We are lucky, no snakes in Alaska!
This was a really great post. I love it… still kinda creeps me out that I am subscribed to ANY thing that has a bug in it’s name… but hey, I expect I’ll get used to it! LOL
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Hey – you will get used to it and you do belong here! Snakes are NOT a requirement!! Glad to have you here!!
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Can we add to the list of things you need:
– first aid supplies (size of kit determined by length of trip and potential proximity to help. Should NOT include snake bite kit. No snakes where I live anyway…)
– map & compass (not just a GPS)
– ID
– common sense
And to the things you don’t:
– beer (It’s heavy, has a low alcohol content and you’ll have to pack out the cans. If you must take alcohol, take something more concentrated that isn’t individually packaged)
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Amen on the first aid – of course our list doesn’t include EVERYTHING…..thanks for making it more complete!
Ditto on the concentrated alcohol – canteens are great, as are flasks (which I used to think were for those from another era).
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The “what you shouldn’t take list” is actually more interesting to think about….
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“Jeans” can be an asset in thick Rhubus on foot. Sheet steel doors on a Polaris Ranger with extra bumper guards are even better but not every site is large enough or open enough for even that small a vehicle. Carhart coveralls are heavy and walking sweat boxes but if you must be on foot, can’t go around, and must go through then they’re great. Never tried snake chaps but they might be another answer.
Machettes only work on dead vines but you can do as well or better swinging a sharpshooter or hand auger from overhead. Less carry weight; one less thing to get hung up on veggies.
On live vines a pair of ordinary garden/pruning shears is better than anything else we’ve tried.
Still, there are thorny things all over La (Smilax-greenbriers/vines of many kinds) so some thicker knee/thigh protection is good.
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I have yet to take a trip where I had everything; I vex myself everytime. Agree with the concentrated alcohol; makes me forget what I forgot.
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