Where do you Range?

So moot it be...

Moderator: Greg

Straelbora
Haeropada
Posts: 937
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:00 pm
Location: Indianapolis, IN USA

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by Straelbora »

RikJohnson wrote:HERE IS A QUESTION...

In Arizona, most of the land is either Military, or Indian Reservation or National Forest or Cattle Ranches. There isn't much left save some desert that is privatly or city owned. Note that each city in Arizona incorporates maybe 5-6 miles of desert around the actual city to a) give them room to grow but mostly b) prevent some subdivision from incorporating and keeping property taxes for themselves.


For obvious reasons, we do not want to Range in military gunnery ranges.
Ranchers are afraid that you will hurt their cattle thiniking it is a 12-point elk (it happens).
Indians are so jealous that even the sheriff is afraid to go there... Indian cops love to arrest white cops who think that they have the right to go wherever they want and even the border patrol stays off the Reservations.
So that leaves National Forests.

Now we can legally hike and camp on the Federal lands (obey fire restrictions) but if I am caught carrying a bow by a Forest Ranger, his first words will be "show me your hunting license" (or else). I can get away with a sword so long as i am in garb "found another crazy medievalist today, I let him go."
If I explain that I am simply stump-shooting, he will reply "show me your arrows" and they had better be target points. ANY broadhead or blunt kicks back to the 'hunting license' argument and poaching is the accusation even if I have no animals with me... they will simply say that they caught me before I killed a deer...

So do you all have similar concerns or problems to solve?
with all the IR and spyware the boys-with-badges have, hiding is no longer an option.
I think you've got a bit of a unique situation in Arizona. It's such a funnel for the trafficking of drugs, guns and people that everyone is already very twitchy. Then, as you point out, military and Native American interests are much, much larger than in most states. I'm an immigration lawyer, and when I speak to people who came to the US illegally, and handful have come through California or Texas, almost none through New Mexico (the landscape?) and the vast majority via Arizona.
Vápnum sínum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar því at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
User avatar
ineffableone
Silent Watcher over the Peaceful Lands
Posts: 287
Joined: Mon May 05, 2014 9:29 pm
Location: Back in the Pac Northwet

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by ineffableone »

When I lived out West (WA, OR, AZ) I tended to opt for public lands. As in BLM land. Very limited amounts of other people as there aren't official camp sites or park like settings. Though in WA I also had a decently large wooded back yard I could play around in also. Not to mention a few friends in rural areas with large wooded lands.

In NJ though wild lands are a bit harder to find. While there are lots of little pockets of nature it is hard to find areas larger that 40 acres that are wild other than official State or national parks. I have found a few nice Wilderness Preserves around where I live. One 19 acres, another 15 acres, and another 34 acres. I also regularly visit a State forest less than 5 min from my house that is actually Native American controlled. They occasionally do Powwow's there and it is a hunting allowed area during hunting season. Mostly though it is fairly low traffic. Most people stick to the trails, so exploring off trail gets alone time pretty quickly.

Otherwise it is the Pine Barrens. A weird sandy place with stunted pine trees. Though the Pinelands is not the best of place to dress in ranger gear as running into Pineys (NJ rednecks) is highly likely. I have had pretty good luck not running into people out there, but you know the first time I do go dressed up I would meet them.

I do have plans to venture over to PA, and start exploring the forests and parks over there more. But so far my trips that direction have been limited.
Image
Straelbora
Haeropada
Posts: 937
Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:00 pm
Location: Indianapolis, IN USA

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by Straelbora »

ineffableone wrote:When I lived out West (WA, OR, AZ) I tended to opt for public lands. As in BLM land. Very limited amounts of other people as there aren't official camp sites or park like settings. Though in WA I also had a decently large wooded back yard I could play around in also. Not to mention a few friends in rural areas with large wooded lands.

In NJ though wild lands are a bit harder to find. While there are lots of little pockets of nature it is hard to find areas larger that 40 acres that are wild other than official State or national parks. I have found a few nice Wilderness Preserves around where I live. One 19 acres, another 15 acres, and another 34 acres. I also regularly visit a State forest less than 5 min from my house that is actually Native American controlled. They occasionally do Powwow's there and it is a hunting allowed area during hunting season. Mostly though it is fairly low traffic. Most people stick to the trails, so exploring off trail gets alone time pretty quickly.

Otherwise it is the Pine Barrens. A weird sandy place with stunted pine trees. Though the Pinelands is not the best of place to dress in ranger gear as running into Pineys (NJ rednecks) is highly likely. I have had pretty good luck not running into people out there, but you know the first time I do go dressed up I would meet them.

I do have plans to venture over to PA, and start exploring the forests and parks over there more. But so far my trips that direction have been limited.
New Jersey doesn't have a whole lot of wilderness, but at least it has lots of Orcs.
Vápnum sínum skala maðr velli á
feti ganga framar því at óvist er at vita
nær verðr á vegum úti geirs um þörf guma
Hávamál
User avatar
ineffableone
Silent Watcher over the Peaceful Lands
Posts: 287
Joined: Mon May 05, 2014 9:29 pm
Location: Back in the Pac Northwet

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by ineffableone »

Straelbora wrote:New Jersey doesn't have a whole lot of wilderness, but at least it has lots of Orcs.
Very true. LOL
Image
User avatar
Kortoso
Haeropada
Posts: 822
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:37 pm
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Contact:

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by Kortoso »

I mostly range in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. It's beautiful country, but the wilds are mostly held as "Preserves" and there is no BLM land, and it's pretty crowded.

I go out in as much of my Ranger/medieval gear as I feel comfortable, but I have yet to pull a "full monty".

The Sierra Nevada mountains are not too far away, and are carpeted with National Forests, where I think I can get away with some primitive camping.

I was on some BLM land in a Nevada desert some years ago. A BLM ranger there informed me that swords are not allowed, but axes are. Have the dwarves claimed the desert?

Good lead on Lake Berryessa. I'll be up there doing an obstacle race this weekend, maybe I can check it out.
There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.
User avatar
Greg
Urush bithî 'nKi ya-nam bawâb
Posts: 4496
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:50 pm
Location: Eriador; Central Indiana

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by Greg »

Kortoso...are you, by chance, connected with Druin's Ranger's Apprentice-based group, out of Chico? Loop up "Ranger Corps" on facebook.

Anywho, no matter where you are, go to Wilderness.net Can't sing the praises of this site enough. Topo maps of every BLM and other agency-owned and managed Wilderness area in the US. Searchable by region/area/zip code. Has regs and everything. Can't beat that.
Now the sword shall come from under the cloak.
User avatar
Kortoso
Haeropada
Posts: 822
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:37 pm
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Contact:

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by Kortoso »

Thanks for the lead. Chico and Cache Creek are a bit of a "fur piece" for me, but I am sure I can join them once in a while.
There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.
User avatar
grimwulf
Dúnadan
Posts: 64
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2014 11:09 am
Location: the forest covered hills of NY

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by grimwulf »

i am in the central new york area there all lots of woods and trails and falls to go visit and explore off normal trail. i have a good size forest behind my house that i spend allot of time in. a friend of mine lives on a river and has kayaks and we explore up and down that and have "found" a few cool islands.
User avatar
Kortoso
Haeropada
Posts: 822
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2014 9:37 pm
Location: Chiang Mai, Thailand
Contact:

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by Kortoso »

Greg wrote:Kortoso...are you, by chance, connected with Druin's Ranger's Apprentice-based group, out of Chico? Loop up "Ranger Corps" on facebook.

Anywho, no matter where you are, go to Wilderness.net Can't sing the praises of this site enough. Topo maps of every BLM and other agency-owned and managed Wilderness area in the US. Searchable by region/area/zip code. Has regs and everything. Can't beat that.
Yes, thank you, I am in touch with Druin now.
I'm a little too far from Chico for other than occasional meetings. There are plenty of folk in the SF Bay Area and we have a meeting scheduled soon.
There are no safe paths in this part of the world. Remember you are over the Edge of the Wild now, and in for all sorts of fun wherever you go.
User avatar
Druin
Wanderer
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 6:10 am
Location: Rivenoak

Re: Where do you Range?

Post by Druin »

I know this is an old post, but thanks for the mention, Greg! I've got to throw out there that I was calling our group Ranger Corps and using a silver knotwork oak leaf as our symbol before I knew about Ranger's Apprentice. We pull some of our inspirado from the RA series, yes, but we're also heavily Tolkien, some Robin Hood, and a lot of our own creation. Anything medievalish and Rangery, really.
We're a fun mix of historic, romantic, fantasy, and above all, practical application.
Happy Hunting
Post Reply