Encountering indigenous peoples

[underground]

...and I'm not talking about those in the jungle or tundra!

I was just wondering how many of you have encountered people when practising bushcraft near home? There are some superb woods near to my house that I'd love to go and learn skills in, but unfortunately some of the locals in my area are nasty little yobs who I worry would see me as 'strange' - just like they did when I was a Scout, and give me a kicking...

Has anyone had any negative (or positive, or just baffling) experiences whilst out there?

 

[Stew]

No but I am wary about what I do if I'm near civilisation.

I had an ecounter with some young kids the other day when I was packing up my Hennessy after a bit of "relaxation". They asked me a number of times if I was fishing yet there was no rod in sight.

 

[Paganwolf]

where are you from matey? ive not had any uk indigenous pests bother me perhaps its the Axe and the pit bull that does it LOL seriously most people in my local patch are usually asking me questions about what im upto i usually end up walking with people who are interested in plants tracking and nature ect the all seem to be most interested, or maybe they are just waiting for me to eat a worm or something its all about getting out there and doing it bud sod what anyone else thinks, a trangea and a bivvi bag at a sheltered spot in the summer is serious food for the soul and spirit

 

[Viking]

I have only good experiences, often meet hunter and people that are out for a walk or picking berries. But sometimes they scare the **** out of me when thwy pop up and say Hello!

 

[snag68]

The people I generally bump into are dog walkers trespassing on private land.. I generally end up getting angry!
Now I'm all for dog walkers, I have 3 dogs of my own. But when they wander willy nilly through the fields, leaving gates open, climbing on fences and NOT having control of their animals on a sheep farm, what do they expect, a brew by my fire?
There is a nice stream feeding marshland (natural not man-made) this part of the land I generally practice my bushcraft is also frequented by the Enviroment Agency, they always seem pleased that a responsible person is frequenting the area.

So the responses I recieve from the native inhabitants is mixed..

Dazz

 

[HuBBa]

Heh.. i scared the daylights out of a bunch of people the other day. Just one hour walk away from my apartment i set camp at a little peninsula that is a common place for people to go do some BBQ'ing and so. Now i wasn't at the exact site but rather on the other end so people didn't see my camp until they were heading back and did a double-take when they saw me resting in my hammock.

Not one came up and said hi though :|

 

[VIRULENT SALAMANDER]

Watching bunny's on the lawn of the science resource centre for two days was great fun. But I had to
put the tent up in the bushes, at the side of the pathe of a main road,
in the town centre. Yet it was all worth it and legal.
D'not let them put you off.

 

[Emma]

Well, I've had some girls ask me what I was doing (picking plantain), and there's a group of boys who hang around near a good nettle spot and keep complimenting my t-shirt and ****... but then that's because I'm stuck in a city at the moment and can't get further than about a minute's walk from a house. And then I'm in a playing field and within the danger area of a few games of football.

 

[Rob]

Most of the people that we have met have either kept themselves to themselves, or have been interested.

Cant say the same for greenlaning though.

 

[EdS]

Rob - I know what you mean about laning. I've been lucky and had any trouble but some friend have had nasty instances with militant ramblers and the odd farmer.

I carry a bin bag with some rubbish in it then if a get funny looks or comments I get out and explian that I'm not on a "joy ride" but out clearing the mess left by walkers - tha usually shuts them up. Mostly stopping letting them passand passing the time of day seema to work.

 

[R-Bowskill]

I get mixed reactions from the locals, some think I'm mad if I'm picking wild food rather than buying it at the supermarket...apparantly some of them even sell dandylion leaves in their mixed salads. Or that I must be homeless and have no money or some other such thing.

Others are quite interested, have watched Ray on TV and maybe got one of his books or remember some stuff from when they were in the forces or just when they were working on the land.

The worst reaction is when you're somewhere with the owners permission and the next thing the police turn up because soemone has 'seen someone'. then you have to spend time proving you've got permission to be there, have a reason for the knife in your rucksack (try refusing their request to look in your bag and see how quickly it gets nasty) and so on. If you're lucky they don't take you to the nearest station and then release you to find your own way back to your camp and kit

 

[underground]

All sounds encouraging! I'm in a town in NE Derbyshire right on the edge of Sheffield- once upon a time very rural and all the land is still estate owned, so the huge woods and agricultural land is an island surrounded by several massive council estates, retail parks etc.
Unfortunately there's a large and conspicuous population of sports casual youth (I won't use the C**v word) who hang around aimlessly intimidating all and sundry, and the woods are a nice hiding place for substance abuse and other nefarious pastimes.

 

[Fluxus]

The worst reaction is when you're somewhere with the owners permission and the next thing the police turn up because soemone has 'seen someone'. then you have to spend time proving you've got permission to be there, have a reason for the knife in your rucksack (try refusing their request to look in your bag and see how quickly it gets nasty) and so on. If you're lucky they don't take you to the nearest station and then release you to find your own way back to your camp and kit

lots of good information on dealing with the police can be found here
It is good to know your rights and exercise them - In my experience some police officers try and push their powers in expectation that the person they have stopped is ignorant of police powers.

'The police do not have general powers, apart from those specified in a statute, to stop and search you, unless you consent. You should ask the police officer to explain on what basis they are searching you. If no search power exists you should be told that you do not have to consent and if you do not, you should not be searched......The power of stop and search under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 can only be exercised if the constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that stolen or prohibited articles or knives will be found. The Code of Practice elaborates on this requirement. There must be some concrete basis for the officer's belief, related to you personally, which can be considered and evaluated by an objective third person. Mere suspicion based on hunch or instinct might justify observation but cannot justify a search.

 

[HuBBa]

...the constable has reasonable grounds for suspecting that stolen or prohibited articles or knives will be found.

Assuming this works as it does in Sweden

Someone with cammo gear, military boots, full backpack and possibly an axe or two might definately be resonable grounds for suspecting a knife somewhere on that person

As usual with all of this, the officer can stripsearch you and even do cavity searches if he thinks he has grounds enough to justify that. You can however always make a formal complaint or press charges if you feel that the officer has acted without proper cause. If it is evident that he did NOT have resonable grounds (such as you out walking with a baby carriage and in normal plain clothes) he will probably have disciplinary actions.

But remember that the police officer CAN act and force the issue regardless if you cite the entire lawbook at him. And IF you do resist with force, you are actually commiting a crime yourself and can be prosecuted for it, even if the officer is later found to have been wrong pressing the search.

Just to clarify so none of you decks an officer in the woods for him being a ******

 

[Fluxus]

Someone with cammo gear, military boots, full backpack and possibly an axe or two

Do you people really get dressed up like that for a walk in the woods?

Just to clarify so none of you decks an officer in the woods for him being a ******

Wouldn't dream of it.

 

[pumbaa]

For those of you who have been discovered doing the bushcraft thing by a group of kids .
Has anyone tried to share some of the knowledge you have with them ?
Just thought a snifter on the subject might unleash that primal urge to get out there and do it properly . I realise that there could easily be a legal downside but i learnt a lot from a local fisherman as a kid , he could see i was making a complete hash of it !! These bratz are the next generation of bushcrafters .
Pumbaa

 

[HuBBa]

Do you people really get dressed up like that for a walk in the woods?

Well my pink tutu was in the laundry

Jokes aside. A lot of us use ex-military clothing simply because it's durable (and often cheap). I do try to avoid looking like a total SAS wannabe however, but if someone sees Olive green, BDU's and a Bergen it might look like it.

I always pack down my axes/saw's and don't use any military issue backpacks. I'm not in the military, and i can do just fine with a normal civilian bag =) I do however use military issue pants simply because i've found they are better value for the money.

 

[snag68]

The worst reaction is when you're somewhere with the owners permission and the next thing the police turn up because soemone has 'seen someone'. then you have to spend time proving you've got permission to be there, have a reason for the knife in your rucksack (try refusing their request to look in your bag and see how quickly it gets nasty) and so on. If you're lucky they don't take you to the nearest station and then release you to find your own way back to your camp and kit

Just a suggestion regarding this if I may. Forgive me if you already do this, not wanting to tell people to suck eggs and all that.

I shoot on private land, this often involves setting up a little base camp, bivvy, fire etc if I'm staying for a few days. Now obviously permission must be granted by the landowner else I get prosecuted for 'armed trespass'. To help the police and prevent my farmer being woken at 3 in the morning (not good for the relationship), I have a letter of permission, including a map, signed by the landowner. This may be advantageous to those practising bushcraft too.

The problem in the UK, with few exceptions, is you will always be close to someone.

Cheers Dazz

 

[Keith_Beef]

All sounds encouraging! I'm in a town in NE Derbyshire right on the edge of Sheffield- once upon a time very rural and all the land is still estate owned, so the huge woods and agricultural land is an island surrounded by several massive council estates, retail parks etc.
Unfortunately there's a large and conspicuous population of sports casual youth (I won't use the C**v word) who hang around aimlessly intimidating all and sundry, and the woods are a nice hiding place for substance abuse and other nefarious pastimes.

Sounds familiar. Fanshaw land, maybe?

Unfortunately, those retail parks, trading estates, and the like seem to attract what I wouldn't call "indigenous" people. Many of them don't qualify for being called "people"...

On the other hand, I wouldn't call myself "indigenous". Being part Saxon, part Viking, I'm from immigrant stock too .


Keith.

 

[underground]

Close but we're not rich enough! Sitwell estate unfortunately, what we didn't know was the youth roundabouts have alway 'had a reputation'. Nice.

So, when there's people getting beaten to a pulp by a rounders bat just for brushing against someone in the park, I don't fancy going into the woods and appearing 'different', axe or no axe

Maybe indigenous was a poor choice of word. Mind you, I get the impression that no-one ever leaves