AN EXCHANGE OF E-MAILS

I did not write the dog pack article I sent to Michael, but sent it because I thought it was a subject to consider for a less civilized world. I personally have two dogs that I am very fond of. I take good care of them, and keep enough food on hand to keep them well fed for a while if things go bad. I would hope not to be without at least one dog. I also have a friend who was run to his vehicle while hunting with a muzzle loader by a dog pack. He says he will no longer go into the woods with just a single shot weapon. For a burly tough guy like that to say that, gives me pause to think. My daughter also likes to walk the woods, and jog. Though many people do care for their dogs, and do not let them run loose unattended, many more do not. I would hate the thought of my daughter encountering a dog pack when out alone. Sometimes she takes her dog along, but I do not think one dog with a human would keep them from attacking. Perhaps it would even incite them. I live outside of a small town about a mile, and sometimes find stray dogs from town in my yard, so I know if it happens in good times, it would be more likely in hard times. Many people don't seem to care for their dogs like we do.
You may have a point on the cats. It is good to exchange ideas to get other viewpoints. We learn from that. I do not have any cats now, but have had some I was very fond of in the past.
I also happen to be one of your regular readers, and anxiously await the next segment of your story. I would also like to read more about your Mountain Man and Archery interests, especially as pretaining to survival and being prepared. What do you carry when you take to the woods ?
Best Regards, J.A.Haddix

And the reply:

Hi Jim, Its good to hear from you. I meant nothing personal about or
in my response.

Sometimes I'm to saving of words. Just to lazy to type I guess. To
touch on a few points, such as the unprepared will be feeding off the
dogs, cats and such. Also the big fix your animal push, will leave
many animal breeds in short supply very quickly.

Now, I've hunted down feral packs in Washington county Pa many years
back. Folks used to dump their unwanted animals on the strip mines
there. Once the shooting started the packs became disorganized very
quickly. I also received some training in the military on taking down
dogs. When running into a pack I would prefer having a big canister of
that pepper gas they use for bears. Looks like a little fire
extinguisher. I would gas em first then use a gun or bow on them.

Now, The most dangerous animal I've run across is a rat. We used to
shoot them at the garbage dump. We would go out at night, load up our
guns and spotlight them and shoot like crazy. After the first few
died, they would rush the truck climbing over their dead brothers in
the process. I personally put out several thousand rounds in the
course of one night.

To put it mildly, Its fucking gross as Hell. A couple of Nam vets said
it was worse than the Tet invasion, and they would know. They would
storm our position in the bed of the truck until not one was left.
come sunup we would move the truck and then douse the rats liberally
with gas and then move to a safe distance to toss in a flare to
sterilize the area. From what I've seen on those trips, if you were
found out at night by a pack of rats like that, your bones would be
picked clean by morning. That experience has left a mark on me, I'm
sure.

Now as to what I carry in the woods,usually my
hawk and Khyber bowie as well as a bow and a full quiver. Sometimes I
carry a repro Rebel Remington pistol in 44 cal. Oh, and some of that
bear gas. I love my charcoal burners, mainly because I can make the
magic powder ( sulphur, nitrate, and charcoal) that makes them work as
well as make any of the parts I need in my blacksmiths shop.

But back to the subject of ferals. Feral humans will be the absolute
worst if you ask my opinion. That, I think was the most important
lesson from Katrina. Takes Hogs longer to go feral than people.

The best survival strategies I can recommend is to be way out and
inaccessible. Run multiple camps and stock all of them well.
centralize nothing. Practice good noise and light discipline. Have a
healthy respect for the environment and its denizens. I know where the
snakes live and can introduce any intruder to them at will. The coyote
near my one camp is just one of my alert systems.

A bear does the same job at another camp. When I plant, I stealth
garden, and I plant extra for the deer, cause I feed them and they
will feed me.

I'm about to spend another winter down on the flat due to the Jeep not
being legal yet. The mechanical is all done and it's gassed up, but
I've got to insure and inspect the damn thing.

Catch you later, Dragon