BushcraftShow '23 - leaving your camp??

[MartinP]

Hi all!

I'm going to attend the 2023 Bushcraft Show. I've got the weekend pass and I'm planning on camping in the nearby woods. As I'm going by myself, I'm wondering what's the best and safest way to set up camp.
I'm worried that it might be really problematic to set camp for the night and then knock it all down next morning as I go attend the lectures and other stuff. Best thing would be to set camp and let it be but what can happen while I'm not there and my stuff is.. if you know what I mean. What are your opinions, do you have any ideas?

Just for context, I'm bringing a tarp and wool blanket and a rucksack(axe, saw etc included).

 

[Mesquite]

From what I understand most folks leave their camps up.

Just don't leave any high value items on show whilst you're not there. Keep your sharps either on you or locked up in your car.

 

[Disabled Preppers]

Hmmm ok silly questionb are you allowed to carry sharps so to speak , i am not sure do they have a police presence , i wonder because i know as a kid we use to carry huge bowie knives round and our air guns and no one said a word as we used the knives to chop trees and make camps but i just wonder in this day and age if you have anything over a legal carry what is the ruling .
I would say your welcome to leave your gear in our car but due to health issues we have to play our trips day by day if you get me , hope to see some of you there i will think of wearing something so people can say are thats the mad pair lol ok well i am the mad one the wife would tell you she is the brains and the sane one , in truth i can't argue on that , the story of the man and his money are easy parted lol .

 

[FerlasDave]

As far as I have seen from previous shows, knives and tools are “allowed” however most folk don’t seem to parade round with this kind of equipment on their person (at least in view). Which I think is a good thing not just for public safety but also it’s pointless as you’re at a show, not on an expedition.

We normally just leave our kit zipped up in the tent or in the car, however not sure how far you’ll be from your car as we go along as exhibitors anyway.

It is worth noting though, that last year Tom from Long dog smithy had a knife stolen pretty much in front of their eyes from his stall.

 

[MartinP]

That's a shame that people do that..
I will probably just have to pack up each morning and put it all back in the car.. Is it far from the woods to where the cars are parked??
I think that my best bet is to prepare a camp spot, gather some firewood and basically leave everything ready so I can just put a tarp up when night comes.
As to cutting tools, I don't intend to have on me anything more than my Leatherman which I always carry.

 

[Mesquite]

That's a shame that people do that..
I will probably just have to pack up each morning and put it all back in the car.. Is it far from the woods to where the cars are parked??
I think that my best bet is to prepare a camp spot, gather some firewood and basically leave everything ready so I can just put a tarp up when night comes.
As to cutting tools, I don't intend to have on me anything more than my Leatherman which I always carry.

The only problem doing that is you might loose your pitch to someone who comes along just after you packed it away.

 

[Disabled Preppers]

That's a shame that people do that..
I will probably just have to pack up each morning and put it all back in the car.. Is it far from the woods to where the cars are parked??
I think that my best bet is to prepare a camp spot, gather some firewood and basically leave everything ready so I can just put a tarp up when night comes.
As to cutting tools, I don't intend to have on me anything more than my Leatherman which I always carry.

Hi Martin i thought you were going there on foot lol sorry brain fart here , ok to save your pitch could you not take some cheap garden poles i call them the plastic 8ft green cane type get them at b and m put them where you camp put a tarp on it and just string out the area you are using then take expensive stuff back to the car in the morning before you have a wander round ,

 

[MartinP]

That sounds like a great idea, I'm going there day before the show so I can find and pitch camp and then I'll just do like you said.

 

[benbee]

How'd it go? Any problems?

 

[MartinP]

Each morning I had to take all back to the car. It was a hassle and I don't recommend doing that, but lots of people were telling stories about their or their friends stuff being stolen so there's that...

 

[wookii]

Really? That's so sad. I had no idea that people had things stolen.
I was only there for two days and one night, but we left everything out.
Happy to say that nothing was taken. I didn't expect it to be the sort of place for things to go missing.

 

[benbee]

What kind of stuff was stolen? I would have thought tents, hammocks, sleeping bags, pots and pans relatively safe?

 

[Woody girl]

I had a few things nicked at wilderness last year, for the first time ever in all the years I've been going. It was my belt kit of Swiss army knife , turbo lighter and fire steel, plus my baco saw. I'd left them as I always have in a bag under the hammock, hidden from view in what looked like an empty bag.
Nothing else was not touched, gas stove , pans etc. Makes you wander if it's kids, wanting and unable to afford kit, or a particularly horrible hooman who knows what they are after.

 

[Disabled Preppers]

It isa shame i never heard of stuff being taken but in this world we live it you just do not know now days , it appears if it is not nailed down some little magpie with lift it , just a shame but i guess people infiltrat groups to profit from what they can get out of it and not be what can i put in .

We are still hoping to drop in the bush moot and have been tempted but the little cabins there as the wife said at least we can leave all our meds in there locked up

Have fun all

 

[demented dale]

Just use common sense. Theft can and does happen but most people will do you a good turn before a bad one. Camp close to others, take valuables with you and if you do get robbed you will then have the opportunity of learning to survive with nothing. Win win