Following the discussion on another thread (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/community/showthread.php?t=8057) a few weeks ago about buying some woodland in which to practice our bushcraft skills, and thinking about how we might make the venture work for us as a finance generating opportunity, I sat down and brainstormed with a bottle of home made mead and some wierd tasting cider. 
This is what I came up with.
We can use the wood in the woods to make stuff to sell, and yes, we can burn charcoal for the local barbie market, but to really get the money coming in so someone else pays for us to enjoy our hobby, the following seems a surefire plan.
Because we live in troubled times, with terrorism becoming more and more common and private security measures employed by industry and wealthy individuals becoming more common by the day, jumping on the security bandwagon might be in order. However, instead of providing former SAS or Paras or Ex Royal Marines to provide security, we can provide our own bushcrafty security.
At this time, the market for small, highly trained and incredibly ferocious animals is grossly underexploited and the doors of opportunity are wide open to the entrepenurial bushcrafter. With the minimum outlay we can establish adequate facilities for supplementing the security industry in just a few weeks. Time and a little effort are all we need to influence the destinies of dozens of people throughout the country by setting up in the Combat Rabbit business.
Breeding pens can be constructed in our woodland, using T section steel framing and military spec electrified wire mesh. The pens should be constructed on top of large adjacent surfaces. A large pair of tongs can be adapted to grip feed bowls and water dishes and a standard welder's helmet will protect us from sprayed venom.
Before obtaining our first breeding pairs of Combat Rabbits, our pens must be finished and ready for occupation. Netting should be constructed from high grade tungsten steel wire and wired up to a good quality battery or even the mains voltage from my generator. A strong floodlight with independant power supply should be used at night and a remote controlled TV camera will prove a worthwhile investment. We are now ready to aquire our basic breeding herd.
The finest strains of combat rabbit originate from Belgium, and are renowned the world over for their close quarter work. Reaction times are extraordinarily swift, so the greatest care should be taken when handling them. They are reputed to be able to strip a man to the bones in less than a week of frenzied nibbling, so be warned! Any lapse in our vigilance, however fleeting, could be fatal, and the outer perimiter of the breeding pens should be checked on a regular basis.
This is particularly important during the early stages of the rabbit's development, before they have begun to respond to training. Until we have succeeded in establishing our mastery they should be kept in individual cages, as they are not only likely to savage each other but are also capable of working together to devise some means of escape. Even when they have reached the stage at which they can be moved to communal compounds for group training and drilling, be on the lookout for any huddled, whispering groups, particularly around their tiny vaulting horse.
Training is facilitated by keeping back one or two of an earlier brood which have attained an unusualy high degree of proficiency. These can be placed in charge of the younger recruits, and in exchange for extra rations, leave etc., will help to maintain control when we are off duty. As soon as a batch is in prime condition we can make the delivery arrangements, but remember to insist that the bulk of due payments are made in advance with the balance payable on reciept. Too often, consignments have been delivered to inexperienced parties who fail to exert the necessary controls. Combat Rabbits have few loyalties.
Although Belgian combat rabbits are ideal for most purposes and are particularly potent in house to house fighting or jungle work, there are other species which are better equipped for certain specialised functions, and it is worth maintaining a small breeding colony of each type for such eventualities. Particularly useful to have at hand for marine, loch or river work are some of the fighting fish species.
There has been a recent upsurge in interest in Nuclear Haddock, but the risk of precipitating a global disaster has limited sales and it is probable that they will soon be made the subject of an international arms limitation treaty. Less dramatically lethal but nevertheless very effective are Self-detonating Salmon and Magnetically Triggered Trout, which have proved to be steady sellers despite the development of effective disarming techniques. Rearing and keeping these species is fairly straightforward provided they are kept in separate bowls or tanks to avoid the chance of an accidental detonation. It is essential to sprinkle no more than a pinch of daphnia or ants' eggs on the surface at a time as too heavy a meal will cause them to sink to the bottom with unfortunate results.
For some time the Blitzkreig Armadillo was the breeder's mainstay but changing techniques and the dominance of guerilla tactics have reduced its value. It is still worth keeping a few in stock as they continue to fulfill useful general support roles such as routine patrol work or the manning of fixed defensive positions. Their chief advantage is an economic one for, if overrun, their ability to curl into a ball allows them to survive all but the most concentrated attack unharmed, and if they can be recovered makes their replacement rate low.
The increase in the number of paramilitary organisations has increased opportunities for even more specialised creatures such as the renowned and feared Kamakaze Squirrel. These animals can be trained to smell out a Rambling Association member at 100 paces and will launch itself at the throat from a convenient branch. Prices will remain low as a result of their high expendibility factor, but our turnover should be rapid enough to show a reasonable profit, particularly as they are quite easy to breed, train and maintain. The result of a cross between a standard Killer Squirrel and a Lemming, they do, however, present a few minor difficulties for the breeder. Stimulated by the twin motivations of homicidal mania and suicidal obsession, they can get terribly angry with themselves and are prone to eating themselves and swearing a lot. Provided we are reasonably vigilant we can head off such an incident by watching for telltale signs such as muttered curses and petulant stamping of tiny feet. In such cases it is usually sufficient to place a dummy target in the pen upon which the animal will expend its energies without harm to itself.
With many of the creatures, and particularly with the Belgian Combat Rabbits, mating is the trickiest part of the business. In the latter case there is a clearly defined procedure to be followed. First place the male and female in adjacent pens, then lightly stun each animal with a 2lb hammer. Bring the unconscious male to the female and glue them together. Having first muzzled them and placed little leather bags on their feet. In their struggles to separate once they have regained consciousness, they will find that the close contact is not unpleasant, and thus the union will be made. It is then vital to apply the hammer once more, not only to make separating them easier, but also to make them think that the process is not quite as pleasurable as they first thought. Thus their fighting efficiency will be maintained.
So, whacha all think?
Eric.
(anybody seen my meds?)
This is what I came up with.We can use the wood in the woods to make stuff to sell, and yes, we can burn charcoal for the local barbie market, but to really get the money coming in so someone else pays for us to enjoy our hobby, the following seems a surefire plan.
Because we live in troubled times, with terrorism becoming more and more common and private security measures employed by industry and wealthy individuals becoming more common by the day, jumping on the security bandwagon might be in order. However, instead of providing former SAS or Paras or Ex Royal Marines to provide security, we can provide our own bushcrafty security.
At this time, the market for small, highly trained and incredibly ferocious animals is grossly underexploited and the doors of opportunity are wide open to the entrepenurial bushcrafter. With the minimum outlay we can establish adequate facilities for supplementing the security industry in just a few weeks. Time and a little effort are all we need to influence the destinies of dozens of people throughout the country by setting up in the Combat Rabbit business.
Breeding pens can be constructed in our woodland, using T section steel framing and military spec electrified wire mesh. The pens should be constructed on top of large adjacent surfaces. A large pair of tongs can be adapted to grip feed bowls and water dishes and a standard welder's helmet will protect us from sprayed venom.
Before obtaining our first breeding pairs of Combat Rabbits, our pens must be finished and ready for occupation. Netting should be constructed from high grade tungsten steel wire and wired up to a good quality battery or even the mains voltage from my generator. A strong floodlight with independant power supply should be used at night and a remote controlled TV camera will prove a worthwhile investment. We are now ready to aquire our basic breeding herd.
The finest strains of combat rabbit originate from Belgium, and are renowned the world over for their close quarter work. Reaction times are extraordinarily swift, so the greatest care should be taken when handling them. They are reputed to be able to strip a man to the bones in less than a week of frenzied nibbling, so be warned! Any lapse in our vigilance, however fleeting, could be fatal, and the outer perimiter of the breeding pens should be checked on a regular basis.
This is particularly important during the early stages of the rabbit's development, before they have begun to respond to training. Until we have succeeded in establishing our mastery they should be kept in individual cages, as they are not only likely to savage each other but are also capable of working together to devise some means of escape. Even when they have reached the stage at which they can be moved to communal compounds for group training and drilling, be on the lookout for any huddled, whispering groups, particularly around their tiny vaulting horse.
Training is facilitated by keeping back one or two of an earlier brood which have attained an unusualy high degree of proficiency. These can be placed in charge of the younger recruits, and in exchange for extra rations, leave etc., will help to maintain control when we are off duty. As soon as a batch is in prime condition we can make the delivery arrangements, but remember to insist that the bulk of due payments are made in advance with the balance payable on reciept. Too often, consignments have been delivered to inexperienced parties who fail to exert the necessary controls. Combat Rabbits have few loyalties.
Although Belgian combat rabbits are ideal for most purposes and are particularly potent in house to house fighting or jungle work, there are other species which are better equipped for certain specialised functions, and it is worth maintaining a small breeding colony of each type for such eventualities. Particularly useful to have at hand for marine, loch or river work are some of the fighting fish species.
There has been a recent upsurge in interest in Nuclear Haddock, but the risk of precipitating a global disaster has limited sales and it is probable that they will soon be made the subject of an international arms limitation treaty. Less dramatically lethal but nevertheless very effective are Self-detonating Salmon and Magnetically Triggered Trout, which have proved to be steady sellers despite the development of effective disarming techniques. Rearing and keeping these species is fairly straightforward provided they are kept in separate bowls or tanks to avoid the chance of an accidental detonation. It is essential to sprinkle no more than a pinch of daphnia or ants' eggs on the surface at a time as too heavy a meal will cause them to sink to the bottom with unfortunate results.
For some time the Blitzkreig Armadillo was the breeder's mainstay but changing techniques and the dominance of guerilla tactics have reduced its value. It is still worth keeping a few in stock as they continue to fulfill useful general support roles such as routine patrol work or the manning of fixed defensive positions. Their chief advantage is an economic one for, if overrun, their ability to curl into a ball allows them to survive all but the most concentrated attack unharmed, and if they can be recovered makes their replacement rate low.
The increase in the number of paramilitary organisations has increased opportunities for even more specialised creatures such as the renowned and feared Kamakaze Squirrel. These animals can be trained to smell out a Rambling Association member at 100 paces and will launch itself at the throat from a convenient branch. Prices will remain low as a result of their high expendibility factor, but our turnover should be rapid enough to show a reasonable profit, particularly as they are quite easy to breed, train and maintain. The result of a cross between a standard Killer Squirrel and a Lemming, they do, however, present a few minor difficulties for the breeder. Stimulated by the twin motivations of homicidal mania and suicidal obsession, they can get terribly angry with themselves and are prone to eating themselves and swearing a lot. Provided we are reasonably vigilant we can head off such an incident by watching for telltale signs such as muttered curses and petulant stamping of tiny feet. In such cases it is usually sufficient to place a dummy target in the pen upon which the animal will expend its energies without harm to itself.
With many of the creatures, and particularly with the Belgian Combat Rabbits, mating is the trickiest part of the business. In the latter case there is a clearly defined procedure to be followed. First place the male and female in adjacent pens, then lightly stun each animal with a 2lb hammer. Bring the unconscious male to the female and glue them together. Having first muzzled them and placed little leather bags on their feet. In their struggles to separate once they have regained consciousness, they will find that the close contact is not unpleasant, and thus the union will be made. It is then vital to apply the hammer once more, not only to make separating them easier, but also to make them think that the process is not quite as pleasurable as they first thought. Thus their fighting efficiency will be maintained.
So, whacha all think?
Eric.
(anybody seen my meds?)
