It’s one of the last great westerns, filmed in 1969, which meant it had access to some terrific actors. McKenna’s progress is bedeviled by Omar Sharif — playing an outlaw named “Colorado” — as well as Telly Savalas (who plays a ruthless cavalry officer). Peck’s part was originally offered to Clint Eastwood, and there’s more familiar names in the production. A young George Lucas reportedly observed the shooting as a film student — and the movie benefits from a grand western score by music legend Quincy Jones.

A narrator describes the legend of a lost canyon “rich with gold” that had never found — and the western fun begins. The movie opens with some great aerial photography of mysterious rock formations and canyons. During the sequence Jose Feliciano sings an eerie song about the “Old Turkey Buzzard” who waits for each man’s date with fate. And yes, this includes the men who scheme and “die for gold on the rocks below…”

The watchful buzzard passes over an old Indian on a horse. The Indian hides behind a rock, and trains his rifle on Gregory Peck. Gun shots echo around the canyon as the Indian tries to kill the man (who he mistakenly believes is pursuing him). In the end Peck refuses to kill the old Apache, and he even remains skeptical of his map to the lost gold canyon. But viewing the map has sealed his fate, since the outlaw Colorado wants no rivals in his own pursuit of the treasure.

The film shows a man at the mercy of another’s fears — and it’s a story which screenwriter Carl Foreman knew well. He’d written the classic western “High Noon,” another screenplay about a sheriff at odds with his town. It was nominated for an Oscar — but Foreman was then blacklisted as an uncooperative witness before Joe McCarthy’s infamous Communist-hunting committee. This is one of just ten more screenplays he’d write over the rest of his life — and one of only three from the 1960s. It’s easy to wonder if this movie is capturing a special wisdom from the screenwriter’s own life.

The desperate hunt for lost gold is no legend — the Depression saw a real-life search for this Apache gold in New Mexico which to this day has never been found. To this mix the script adds a mob of townspeople, acting on a rumor that the gold’s location has finally been discovered. There’s a British man, the town’s newspaper editor, a blind man, and even a preacher, with more great Hollywood actors bring the parts to life (including Burgess Meredith, Eli Wallach, and Edward G. Robinson). They’re listed in the credits as “The gentlemen from Hadleyburg” — which is the script’s clever allusion to story by Mark Twain, which imagines an entire town corrupted by a stranger’s promise of gold.

The movie is full of twists along the way. Suddenly there’s a man coming up the trail — the bandit’s old partner! All the bandit’s men point their guns on him. But then the partner’s friends emerge from behind the hills and the cactuses — pointing their guns back. And there’s a final question — will the cavalry protect them or betray them?

Especially when there’s a lost canyon waiting that’s full of secret gold.

If you are the type of person who enjoys getting away from everyday life, and reality in general, then the Big Horn National Forest is the place to be. Here you will be able to experience total isolation, and the peacefulness of being out in nature and experience the beautiful sites that the state of Wyoming actually DOES have to offer. There are many activities you can do during your stay in the national forest. There are dozens of camping sites, fishing holes, ATV trails, horseback rides, nature trails, and much more. The Big Horn National Forest is definitely for the outdoors type person who enjoys interacting with nature and getting away from the distractions we face in our everyday lives. I have had the pleasure of taking a family trip to the heralded mountains in the Big Horn National Forest, and I can say for a fact, it is the most peaceful place in the world. There are endless amounts of activities for all types of people. It doesn’t matter what you do or don’t like. Rest assured that the frontier WY will have something for you.

The scenery in the Big Horn National Forest is astounding. You can overlook hundreds of miles of Wyoming plains and experience all kinds of wildlife such as mule deer, elk, moose, bear, marmots, and coyote. Whether you are in to hunting, fishing, hiking, or just being outside with nature, you are sure to be relaxed and completely awed by the settings in which you will partake. The story is, that even though the summer months bring more colorful flowers and wildlife, there is nothing like experiencing the Big Horn National Forest during the winter months, as it is packed with snow and oh so beautiful. It is a place that is isolated and will give anyone peace of mind throughout his or her stay. The Big Horn National Forest is a must experience, you will not be disappointed.

For all of the reasons stated above, more and more people are moving to WY every chance that they get. It has also become a very popular place for starting and doing business. There are great laws that are very friendly to the small business owner. It would take all day to list the reasons people are forming more and more Wyoming LLCs online. 

On recent trip taken with my husband, I discovered a new found appreciation for the outdoors. Both of us grew up in Wyoming though we now live in Fort Collins, CO. My husband grew up hunting and fishing with his father and has often reminisced about the glory of the outdoor experience. I am admittedly not much of a camper, but remember going fishing often with my parents when I was a little girl. I am also a photographer and have a general love for nature. Last summer, my husband decided that we should take a four-day trip up to Saratoga for fishing and camping. I figured I could tough it out for a few days even if I wasn’t that thrilled about sleeping in a tent.

No matter which direction you are traveling from, the Saratoga mountain scenery is spectacular to see. Since we have family in Cheyenne, we decided to make a circle trip up through Cheyenne and take I-80 to Saratoga and return via Rocky Mountain National Park and the Poudre Valley back to Fort Collins, CO. Driving through the mountains on both sides was breathtaking. The trees and wildflowers painted the outside of my car window through most of the drive to and from. Although it was mid-July snow still capped the peaks of the Rocky Mountains along the Continental Divide and left a cooling chill in the air. We stopped often to take pictures and take in the amazing scenery.

Lakes, rivers, and camping areas are plentiful around Saratoga and Encampment, Wyoming. We had decided to stay near the North Platte River and the Miracle Mile to try our hand at some fly fishing. This area is known as one of the best trout destinations in the west and my husband was set on catching a prize worthy fish. The popularity of this area means it is often crowded during prime fishing months. I was pleasantly surprised when we found a nice clean camping area near the river with a flat enough surface to pitch our tent.

I spent two days basking in the summer sun, enjoying the sounds of the river and taking pictures of the surrounding habitat. Beautiful butterflies, wildflowers, random harmless wildlife, and occasionally my husband’s daily catch graced the front of my lens as I snapped off pictures for the preservation of our outdoor vacation together. My husband spent the hours tying flies and trying to land the “big one.” I joined in on the fishing once in awhile, but found that I’m not much of a fisherman. My husband was able to catch a few good-sized brown trout of about 4 lbs each and one rainbow that I would have estimated to be at least 5 or 6 lbs. We ate well and enjoyed the evenings together by the fire. Camping isn’t complete without a few toasted marshmallows or a S’more. Evenings were quiet and the sky so clear that the Milky Way truly looked like a river of twinkling stars.

During our trip through the area we met a variety of campers, fishers, climbers, hikers and bikers. However, I was most impressed by the many couples I observed riding the winding mountain roads on their mountain bikes. Not just for great rides on a motorcycle, of which we saw many, Saratoga is also a popular destination for hardcore bicyclers. Many bicyclists make the long distance ride from Fort Collins, CO, up through Walden and the mountain paths to the camping areas and hot springs in the Platte Valley. I had no idea this was a new wave in vacationing activities, perhaps because I would never have even considered making that long of a trek myself. But talking with multiple people as we stopped in different areas on our trip, I learned that the mountain pass between Colorado and Wyoming is an extremely popular area for avid cyclists, many of whom travel more than 50 miles a day. With the many camping areas and beautiful trails, this region provides many incentives for the cycling and mountain biking vacationer.

Another of Saratoga’s great outdoor activities includes bird watching. My husband and I were able to spot a variety of birds hiking along the mountain trails, rivers and lake areas. Although we missed it on our trip, the second week of June in the Saratoga area marks the Platte Valley Festival of the Birds. Sponsored by Wings Over Carbon County, this event is a fantastic opportunity for those interested in observing and learning about bird species that dwell in riparian, woodland and wetland habitats. The Festival of the Birds features a dinner banquet, informational speakers, and multiple guided bird watching tours along with opportunities to meet other like-minded birders.

On the way home we stopped once again in Saratoga and spent the evening around the Hobo Springs.

The natural hot spring area is a great way to warm up in the evenings and get the kinks out from sleeping on the ground in a tent. The hobo pool is located in the middle of Saratoga and is open all day, every day, all year. The water ranges from 117 to 128 degrees F. The therapeutic mineral waters of the North Platte River are considered beneficial for those suffering from rheumatism, eczema, kidney disease, paralysis and other illnesses. Mainly I just enjoyed relaxing in the pool and letting my muscles soak up the warmth. It was a perfect ending to our outdoor adventure.

I would highly recommend taking a trip through the Platte Valley area and taking in the wonders of nature. For extreme outdoor adventurists and even the leisurely there are a plethora of options to consider. For singles, couples and families there is something for everyone to enjoy. Saratoga is a friendly little town with plenty of resources to assist in making the most of your time outdoors.

The most important things to remember when Elk hunting is to know your quarry.

When do Elk bed down?

Where do Elk feed?

DO NOT push Elk from their bedding areas, or for that matter don’t push them at all.

Migrations routes are a vital thing to know?

When are Elk in the rut?

What are Elk eating the time of year your hunting?

At what elevation may you expect to find Elk?

Almost all hunters want an Elk with a huge rack, are you going to be satisfied with a smaller rack, or possibly a cow? Many hunters fail simply due to antler size and come home empty handed.

How much time do you have to Hunt? I wouldn’t go on an self guided Elk hunt without having 2 weeks of vacation.

Are you in shape and can you walk 5-8 mountain miles a day?

Should you use masking scents while Elk hunting.

How much time have you spent for pre-season scouting.

Have you been spending time at the shooting range?

Do you have topo and or forest service maps of your hunting area?

Are you proficient in calling elk with a bugle and cow call?

Do you need camouflage clothing

Since this is the first article I’ve written here I’m uncertain of the space allotted so I’ll start with “Where do Elk bed down”

Elk generally will bed down on the northern side of a mountain top during hunting seasons. This provides a cool shady place for the elk to bed, as well as a wind break from the south westerly winds, the higher elevation also reduce the pesky flies and insects that may be bothersome to elk. Without doubt this area will be full of blow down (fallen trees) and the trees look like a box of spilled tooth picks. These bedding grounds may be located on a very long gentle sloping finger on th mountain.

If you’ve found where your herd is bedding then you should find where their feeding grounds are located or visa versa.

Generally elk will bed during mid day and may be back up headed for their feeding grounds late in the afternoon. If you can find these location it gives you a chance to locate yourself in a camouflaged position somewhere near their travel path.

So how do I find these ares? Well it will most often take a lot of your time walking, sitting, and some very good optics. You will need to position yourself with a good high vantage point from where to glass from. When you take to the timber don’t forget your lunch, some snacks, and water.

And remember, this is a herd of elk not just one, so there are many eyes, ears, and noses to evade from.

DO NOT push Elk from their bedding areas, or do not push them at all. There cannot be enough importance stressed here on this subject. Elk roam within SEVERAL square miles. And if you push them (the elk see you, smell you, and become AWARE of your presence) they WILL at some point flee to another mountainous location which could be miles away. This means your hunt, or pre-season scouting just started all over from day one. This is a hard lesson to learn and once it happens to you you’ll never forget it, and it could cost you an elk for the year.

Migration routes are a vital thing to know as well as general herd locations. Many times this information is available at the Game and Fish Commission, as biologists gather information on the herds for a given region.

The local biologist can generally give you info on when the migration generally starts, HOWEVER these dates will be the average as snow conditions will be the final determining factor. Elk won’t leave the higher elevations until the snow gets deep enough to push them out.

A sequel will be written if reader interest is great enough

Thanks, and I hope these tips which have worked for me will aid you on your next elk hunt.

We decided to take a little time off last week and drive up to Orlando to visit the mouse. We are fortunate to be in a location that gives us quick access to a place like this. However, between home and there is a very long stretch of the Florida Turnpike that has a whole lot of nothing. We always make certain the get home bag inside the truck is fully stocked and up to date every time we make that drive.

Something was making the hair stand up on the back of my neck a little more this time. As I was loading up the truck last Tuesday evening I decided to give the get home bag and extra look. I added a few items to the bag including two extra ponchos and a new flashlight. I also threw in some more water bottles, another 50 yards of paracord, two more Mylar emergency blankets, and another Datrex 3600 calorie emergency food bar. I even added a box of band-aids to the bag. I then made sure the tire pump was operable and that the tire plug kit was fully stocked. Everything in the Ram was good to go.

We went inside the house and started packing for the trip. We decided to bring along extra ammo. I threw extra 9mm mags in the bag for my EDC and two extra speed loaders for her Model 37.

I did my normal vacation navigation preps. This included packing the Garmin handheld GPS (a TomTom is already in the truck) and a road map. We have never had a need to use any of these items simply because we know our way around so well, but I refuse to travel without redundancy in navigation.

We packed standard vacation clothes in our luggage, you know the drill…t-shirts, shorts, etc…We also packed one separate bag with some of our hunting clothes and boots, just in case we had to try and get home on foot.

Last week I posted an article about Coolcore Cooling Towels. We liked the product so much that we decided to take them with us to Disneyworld. If you have ever been to Disney during this time of year, you know just how hot it can get! The Coolcores were a great addition to our trip.

We headed out first thing Wednesday morning and started the three hour drive. The drive itself proved to be uneventful. However, as we were driving up the Turnpike we were constantly getting news updates on two very disturbing issues; the violence occurring in the Middle East and the Federal Reserve’s decision to start quantitative easing. Folks, we have been lied to over and over again by our “leaders” about both and I could go on a several-page rant about that, but that is for another day. Listening to this news we were certainly glad we had prepped our trip in advance of leaving home.

We ended up using two prep items during the trip. The Coolcore Cooling Towels, which we had intended on using, and the two extra ponchos I had placed in the get home bag prior to leaving. They came in very handy on the final day of the trip when we woke up to some really wet conditions. Thankfully, we did not have a reason to use any other prep items.

One cool little thing happened to us while we were eating lunch at our favorite resort hotel. We had the opportunity to speak with another couple in line while waiting for our food. We struck up a conversation with them and because of a lack of seating in the restaurant we ended up sharing a table with them. They were complete strangers and completely awesome. After some small talk, we realized these nice Southern people were like-minded. We talked with them about quite a few things including silver buying, retreat locations, and the problems facing our current society. It was a great experience.

We are living in very perilous times. Life as we know it is changing rapidly. In my opinion there is only one thing more important than preparing for the difficult road we are traveling down and that is making time for those who are most important to you. Make sure you take the time, while there is time, to relax and enjoy each others’ company. Take your breaks from life but make sure you always have a plan in place just in case. The S*** can hit the fan at any time!

You are going to read a lot about redundancy in your preps this week.  As you can tell, I can’t stress enough the importance of redundant planning.  Murphy’s Law says that if something can go wrong – it will.  Experience says Murphy new exactly what he was talking about!  That is why it is so important to build redundancy into your preps.

I won’t bore you with another hurricane war story, but I can tell you this…trying to find our way around Miami-Dade County after Andrew hit in August 92 was IMPOSSIBLE. If you have a similar situation where every street sign is gone and familiar landmarks are destroyed, how do you plan to navigate your way around?

Nowadays people rely on the internet, GPS, and smart phones to find where they need to go. I’m guilty of it myself and have to force myself to purchase a map on trips just to ensure practice.  What if you are smack dab in the middle of a SHTF event?  If the power is gone, the cell towers destroyed, and there’s no cable or internet, and you have to leave, how are you going to find your way out?  These are important factors to consider in your preparedness strategies.

Like Monday’s post I am going to offer a list of potential solutions that can ensure you have plenty of redundancy built into your navigational preps:

Road maps:  The good old maps that your dad used to have on family vacations.  Remember these?  I fondly recall sitting in the back seat and following along on the road map as we traveled across country.  Road maps can be extremely valuable to you post-SHTF.  If you are planning on relocating to a BOL or a family member’s home outside the area make sure you have road maps covering the entire travel route.  It’s also a good idea to have road maps for the county you live in and neighboring counties around you.

The original six tilapia that had been housed in a 35 gallon aquarium inside were now relocated to the 650 gallon pool. The fish were netted and placed into plastic bags, much like regular tropical fish, and allowed to float in the pool in order to acclimate them to the water temperature of the pool. After about a half hour, the fish were released into their new home. These fish were about two inches long when they were released into the clear pool water.

That night one of the tilapia was lost after it jumped out of the pool, so now 5 fish remained. They seemed right at home with the school of little minnows that had occupied the pool during the prior week. Things were going along just fine with the older fish in the pool and the new babies that were occupying the 35 gallon tank inside the house. We figured the current stock would be edible some time around the end of the year.

The babies (I will call them the 2nd generation) were growing rapidly in the 35 gallon tank. They seemed to have bottomless pits for stomachs and would eat just about anything offered. Romaine lettuce seemed to be their favorite. We would simply place a few leaves into the tank and the little guys would chow. They would eat just about any type of fruit, vegetables and even meat.

The 2nd generation behaved differently than the tilapia originally purchased from the farm. They always moved in schools, where as the originals were far more independent. They also were far more aggressive in their feeding habits. These little guys attacked food placed in the tank as if they were never going to eat again. The 2nd
generation fish were being fed 3 to 4 times daily, and they were growing like weeds.

As the 2nd generation was growing inside, changes were taking place within the outside pool. Although there were only 5 originals and the minnows in the outside pool, the water was quickly becoming dark green. The original filter that came with the pool could not handle the strain of the algae growing in the pool and subsequently burned up. It was replaced with a spare Magnum salt water tank pump. This pump is currently what is filtering the water today, but the water is still dark green with very limited visibility. A few natural barley solutions have been used in an attempt to clear the water, but they have had minimal results.

After a few weeks of feeding and observing the originals in the outdoor pool, we noticed that the fish were coning to the surface and what appeared to be getting air. We deduced that this was an oxygen issue, potentially caused by the algae within the pool. Knowing the algae were very difficult to control we turned to aerating the pool. A pond fountain was purchased and placed into the pool. That fountain is shown in the picture. This really seemed to do the trick and the fish were no longer surfacing, with the exception of feeding time.

After just a few weeks, and a few adjustments, everything seemed to be functioning properly and then it happened…the pond was full of more baby tilapia! We now had three generations of fish and our total stock was increasing at a rapid place. We were now well over 60 fish in a matter of a few months, at least that is what we could account for, we had no idea how many more were located in the darker depths of the pool.

The 2nd generation remained in the home, while the originals and 3rd generation were growing in the pool.
The indoor tank of 2nd gen’s was becoming very cloudy as the occupants grew larger. The decision was made to relocate half of the 2nd generation to the outdoor pool and keep the other half indoors for breeding purposes.
After moving half of the 2nd gen’s to the pool, we decided to net some of the very small 3rd generation babies and
relocate them to the indoor tank. This turned out to be a bad idea. The 2nd generation tilapia ate all five of the
babies within 10 minutes…lesson learned.

These fish do not stop breeding. By the end of July we lost track of the original 3 generations as all the fish were growing rapidly. Babies were constantly being netted and relocated. In all we probably have at least 100 tilapias…all started with the 5 originals. We are certain that by now the 2nd generation fish are reproducing and we are currently experimenting with different methods of keeping the baby fish away from the older ones.

As I mentioned before, these fish can really produce and they grow very fast. We have not yet eaten any of the stock, but that day is fast approaching. Stay tuned for part 3…

The following article may be somewhat more advanced for the beginning prepper.  Please do not be discouraged in your preparedness journey by assuming you are not far along enough in your preps or that this is a must have.  What you are about to read is a really effective way to produce home-grown protein in the event of SHTF.  It also can provide a supplement to your daily food needs during calmer times.

I would also like to comment that I am in no way an expert in raising fish.  A lot of what we accomplished was through trial and error combined with internet research.  The intent of the article is to outline what we did, and to describe our successes and failures.

It’s Sunday evening and you worked really hard all weekend on your preps.  As you stand back and survey your preps a little smirk of confidence is apparent on your face.  You take a shower, hit the rack, and get ready for the upcoming work week.

The morning alarm sounds at 5:00 AM, you savor your morning coffee and head out for your usual run. Everything is right in the world and you figure it’s a great start to the work week.

After the morning shower you jump in your Ford Taurus and drive the 12 miles to your downtown work office.  Once you get to work, everything’s the same old same old.  Its lunch time and you decide to drive on down to the nearest Dunkin Donuts and grab some lunch and a coffee.  While you’re enjoying your coffee and surfing the internet on your iphone the power suddenly goes out.  It’s a sunny and hot day with no storms, you think it’s strange but decide to
continue your daily internet browsing.  However, when you look down at your cell phone, it’s dead. You think back
wondering if you charged it last night.  Discouraged, you leave and decide to just go back to the office.

When you walk outside you notice a few disabled vehicles in the middle of the road with their occupants standing around looking surprised.  You figure maybe there was a small accident or some road debris.  Oh well, you shrug it off and jump in your car. When you put the key in the ignition and try to start it, nothing happens.  You start to realize
something is very wrong.

You begin to survey your surroundings and start speaking with people about what is going on. Nobody’s electronics work, all cars are dead, and you realize from your preparedness efforts that either an EMP attack or large solar flare has destroyed the grid.  What are you going to do now?

You are 12 miles from your preps and your family.  Its summer time and you know your wife is home with the kids but you have absolutely no way to contact them.  You need to get home to protect and care for them during this crisis.

This will not be an easy task.  You have to cover 12 miles in as little time as possible.  And, to make matters worse, you have to pass through some really rough parts of town to make it safely home.  In between you and safety are thousands of people, predators and victims, which you will have to successfully navigate through.

You are a smart prepper and have tried to cover all the angles in your preparedness efforts. Part of your strategy is the Get Home Bag you put together and carry with you whenever you’re away from home. It’s in you back seat, so you grab it and head out knowing this is going to be one hell of a 12 mile hump.

How successful do you think you would be in getting home without the assistance of your gear?  Twelve miles is a very long way in a stress-filled environment.  Would you make it at all?  One thing for sure, you’re chances increase greatly if you have a well-equipped Get Home Bag.

So, with a scenario of this nature in mind, what should go inside your Get Home Bag?  Here’s what I have in mine: (no order)

• Backpack (non-military or police looking)
  Belt holster with spare magazines
  Plain white T-shirt
  Ear plugs
  Ball cap
  Work gloves
  (2) Energy bars
  (2) Bottles water
  Water purification tabs
  Local map
  Compass
  Flashlight
  Water proof matches
  Magnesium fire starter
  Insect lotion
  Sun block
  Whistle
  Mirror
  550 Para cord
  folding saw
  Poncho
  Towel
  Leatherman
  Alcohol wipes
  Pain reliever
  Small first-aid kit
  Particulate respirator
• I do have a CCW license and always carry my S&W M&P 9c.

These contents are what are presently included in my GHB.  I always carry it with me unless we are in our other vehicle which has its own GHB in it.  Hopefully, I will never have a need for it but it does give me a certain
peace of mind knowing this gear is available to me in an emergency.

Obviously, the scenario above is extreme.  However, you never know when you will find yourself in the middle of a man-made or natural disaster.  I will bet there are many folks in New York who wished they had a bag of this
nature on September 11th, 2001 when everyone was trying to flee the city.

You have worked hard with your preps.  They are there for your survival.  Make sure you have a way to get home to them and your loved ones in the event of a crisis. Put together a Get Home Bag and have it or something similar with you whenever possible.  It might just save your life.

Tell us what is in your GHB. What have I missed?  Let us know in the blog comments.

Spe Labor Levis
GA

We like to do our preparedness shopping early on Saturday mornings before the crowds wake up and start cluttering the stores. Our local Walmart and Home Depot are right next to each other and we visit both on a regular basis.  Earlier this year Home Depot began selling their private line of tools called HDX. These tools are less expensive than the regular name brands and they seem to be of pretty good quality.

I am always looking to add to my inventory of hand tools. In my opinion, hand tools are an important part of a sound preparedness strategy. Every time I wander in to the Home Depot I stop and browse the HDX tools to see if there are any tools that I can add to the tool box. I have purchased a number of different HDX tools from scissors to screw drivers just for the purpose of having a few of everything in case the power goes out and I find myself repairing things the old fashioned way.

Home Depot makes it easy to check out the HDX products. Usually these tools are displayed along the main store aisle near the cashiers. They are always in a very conspicuous location with the intent of having shoppers walk right by them when entering the store.

A few Saturdays ago we walked into the Home Depot and I began checking out the HDX tools when I came upon the HDX Folding Saw. As I inspected the package I thought this might make a really good addition to the bug out bag and the hand tool supply. Here’s the really cool part…this thing was going for five bucks! I figured it had to be a total piece of junk for that price, but since it was so cheap I decided to buy it and take it home for a try.