Fall Indymoot 2012

[Greg]

It appears that we have reason to put together yet another Indiana Ranger moot. The seasons will soon be changing, the summer heat will be gone, and high time for trekking (in my book, anyway) will be kicking in.

We've had an increased attendance at every one of our moots, and I'd certainly like to see that trend continue. We have a solid number of active Rangers in the midwest here, and I'd like to see what we can't do about getting more of them out here at once. Any others from further away are, of course, encouraged to attend, but we understand the hindrances of distance.

To that end, we're going to strive towards making this the best event yet to-date. Last moot, we encountered some inclement weather, which was unfortunate, but entirely possible again. All the same, Cinead is looking for greater strives towards authenticity, and I support his thoughts and efforts, so we're going to go at this disregarding weather, and show mother nature how it's done.

Currently, I'm drawn at two possible weekends:

Friday, November 30th through Sunday, December 2nd,
and the following
Friday, December 7th through Sunday. December 9th.


Earlier in November would be possible, say before Thanksgiving, but that's getting nearer and nearer to Lori and I's October 14th due date, and if the young one arrives two weeks late, I'd be leaving her at home a few weeks out of the hospital, and I'm not too keen on that.

If either of those two weekends works for anyone, please speak up promptly so we can get an idea of what date(s) will provide the most solid attendance. We'll do the best we can to sort dates in the most unbiased fashion possible.

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As far as the event itself goes:

Location
Unless something else rears its head as an ideal locale, we can expect to be in Brown County, Indiana (searchable via googlemaps as Nashville, IN and the area surrounding). Overnight parking will be provided, and there will either be no fee, or a $5/night surcharge, depending on which stretch of land we end up occupying. That's all dependent on the bank selling me this freakin' house in a timely manner.

A minimum of 1000 acres of land will be accessible to the group, regardless of which of the two locations we end up at. Parking for each is within a ten minute drive of the other, so don't concern yourself with differing drive-times.

Contests/Activities
We will be having a small-scale archery tournament of sorts, shooting at wands pounded into the ground. Rules on scoring and all that crap will be discussed at the event...it won't be too intensive. Feel free to practice in your own fashion in advance; the range will not be predetermined. The only equipment restrictions will be a simple requirement of modern steel glue-on field points, so that no advantage of cutting or friction is gained or lost based on broadheads or bodkins. No bow poundage requirements, but all bows must be of a traditional sort, being defined as a bow powered by the flexing of limbs alone with a static string attached at either end, using no cams or wheels of any kind, and no sights or obvious marks indicating range or angles adorning the bow in any way.

In short, D-section or flat-styled longbows and simple non Ben-Pearson style recurves only, with no sights. Horsebows would be acceptable, fiberglass discouraged (but permissible if that's all you have...I don't want someone to not attend due to bow requirements.) Simple string-mounted nocking points and arrow rests are acceptable; shooting off the hand will be encouraged. String-walking will not be permitted. All wood arrows, please. That last bit shouldn't be a stretch for anyone here.

What to Bring:
The same deal as every other Indymoot applies as far as what to bring for camp:
Dinner for the first night, two simple breakfasts, and a working lunch that you can consume on the trail. A hand-pump will be available for retrieving water safely from wild sources, and a cleverly concealed receptacle with potable water may (possibly) be located somewhere near the site for the sake of health.

Live blades are welcome for utility as well as realism, but be aware that things can go in the direction of "not what I expected/packed for" very quickly, so be aware that everything you bring with you is subject to the elements and the wrath of mother nature.

In addition, please do not burden yourself with wasters, armor, or other sparring gear. This event will be geared towards backwoods living and skill discussion, not combat games. If an attendee wishes to teach from their experience in WMA, we will cut some wooden staves from the woods around us and use them at an appropriate, safe speed for discussion and analysis. A demonstration and discussion on the Ringen or dagger work would be most appropriate for this event, and an experienced volunteer would be much appreciated.

We would appreciate, for this event, that we see no visible modern fabrics or gear of any kind. Machine-stitching is permissible, but undergarments should be well-concealed or of appropriate material. Naturally, things like Cameras will be present, but for all intensive purposes, one should be able to pass a quick five-foot visual inspection. In short, we shouldn't have to dress up our camp to hide ziploc baggies full of food before we take photos.


If you have any additional questions, would like to offer to teach a craft or skill for a period at the event, or in any other way wish to get involved, please don't hesitate to speak up!

Looking forward to another successful weekend spent in the old forest,

-Greg