Survival "gear and head check" vacation location. Suggestions?

[fshalor]

I debated putting this in the Hunting forum, but it's not really a hunting question.

Wife and I chatted a bit last night about "gear and head check" events. Going beyond the normal camping and tests, I want to start adding a 2 or 3 day event to our once or twice a year praticals.

My thoughts are this:
Duration: 2-3 days
Format: Hike. Not extremely stressful, low hills to non-technical mountain trails.
Gear: carry in, carry out.
Addition: rife and side arm. Hunting with it optional. (In her case, not going to happen.)

The man differences from hikes I've done in the past are the addition of a rifle and small load. (Spare mags, or stripper clips; depending on caliber, choice.) And second, I have no idea where to go to do this. Florida/Georgia, I know 10 good spots off the top of my head. Up here? Maine? Vermont? Maybe way up in NH?

Can anyone suggest a place to potentially use as a base for this sort of hike? I think open carrying a Mosin, or SKS may be an easy sell, but I'm also leaving an AR-15 as an option.

We've also played with the thought of renting a cabin for a week, and trading off hike and rest days.

The main piece I know nothing about is the open carry option. I *do* want to figure out a way of adding actual use of the carry weapon to this. I know that limits our potential options quite a bit.

 

[JayMcB]

If you're doing a practical, why not pick your actual planned route? Consult topo maps, evac from your home base to your 'where we're going'

If you're doing a head and gear check to bug out, why wouldn't you pick where you're bugging out to?

If she doesn't want to carry a sidearm (in MA, understood), put a box of nuts and bolts to simulate the weight.

If you're going to carry a rifle, maybe a 10-22 takedown or an Ar-7 that's easy to carry 'concealed'.

If the Cape is where you're planning to get off, check for a boat or the railbed as well as the bridges.

be glad you have a spouse who is that (pun intended) onboard with the idea.

 

[coastie]

Outside of hunting season I think you will raise some eyebrows carrying any long gun while hiking especially if you carrying a full ammo loadout as well. Whether it will be enough to freak someone out and they call LEOs I dont know. I cant remember the last time I saw someone carrying a long gun on a trail. See plenty of pistols though.

If you are planning on doing it during hunting season be mindful of the laws concerning magazines and their capacity. You cant be walking around in the woods with a few full loaded 30 rd mags in your possession with an AR. If you get stopped by a warden then you are screwed as most states limit you to 5 rds in the mag. ME specifies that the magazine not have a capacity of more than rds unless it has been permanently altered to only hold 5 rds. NH may just be having 5 rds in the mag but I am not sure. No idea on VT. Also if your wife is going to be with you and carrying a rifle during hunting season she needs to have a hunting license or she could be nailed for poaching.

 

[JayMcB]

Outside of hunting season I think you will raise some eyebrows carrying any long gun while hiking especially if you carrying a full ammo loadout as well. Whether it will be enough to freak someone out and they call LEOs I dont know. I cant remember the last time I saw someone carrying a long gun on a trail. See plenty of pistols though.

If you are planning on doing it during hunting season be mindful of the laws concerning magazines and their capacity. You cant be walking around in the woods with a few full loaded 30 rd mags in your possession with an AR. If you get stopped by a warden then you are screwed as most states limit you to 5 rds in the mag. ME specifies that the magazine not have a capacity of more than rds unless it has been permanently altered to only hold 5 rds. NH may just be having 5 rds in the mag but I am not sure. No idea on VT. Also if your wife is going to be with you and carrying a rifle during hunting season she needs to have a hunting license or she could be nailed for poaching.

reason enough to keep something like an AR7 or 10-22 takedown and a simulated weight for your ammo carry