Carry more in your pack or break laws for survival?

Joined
Sep 2, 2025
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Grand County, CO
Not wanting to completely derail any other topics I am starting this thread. Not sure what to name the thread, but this is named how I see the issue.

I think that it is more important to ensure that you have everything that legally allows you to self rescue yourself from inclement weather during hunting. Obviously we all know that sometimes there is nothing you can do and God is gonna call you home. But where are people willingly to draw the line for survival. I will carry more items with me that allow for self rescue and no items that are not allowed. So in this case the item that caused a dust up is fire starting items when fires are banned. FS and BLM will not cut you any slack if you start a fire during fire restrictions. Obviously, with all the people hitting the SOS on electronics today, there is a pretty loose consensus on “life threatening”. And that seems to make people believe they can do and go wherever they want.

So my simple premise is that if I am responsible for myself out in the wilderness during a time that fire is banned, I am not going to rely upon fire to save myself. And since I will have to carry other items that make me more able to survive, meaning more weight, I am not carrying anything to make a fire.

Is this the only line that people are gonna cross that is fine, but my comment is where you draw the line? If you are willing to simply have a fire, why not be willing to take an atv back into the woods to save yourself? Why not trespass to make it easier to a road? Why not do whatever? And do you do something full willing to turn yourself in after for any law you broke? Or your assumption is you did it and you didn’t get caught so no harm no foul?

I will not be surprised if I am alone in this. I am just wired that way. I am not willing to be lazy or unprepared. I do a whole lot of things others don’t do because I would rather deal up front and not after. But this is not something I care what others do. I will say it again, that I have said before, I have literally seen 100’s if not a thousand violations of hunting laws in my lifetime. I have only called a warden 2 times, first was a rifle poached bull during archery and later for someone being completely belligerent about being in a 4 point draw unit with an OTC license. Never got a call back, so decided I won’t call CPW anymore for any offenses. So in short I don’t care what anyone else does out there.
 
I keep a lighter in my bino harness. If it meant life or death I’m sure my son will understand the morality of a rule being broken.

Also, if I require fire to not die - usually the weather is nasty enough that I will have a very small chance of actual wildfire starting issues.
 
This thread is on a fast road to nowhere but here is my take.

Sometimes situations go south, and more often than not when they do, they go south fast.

Some of the most highly trained individuals on earth have things happen and are unable to self-rescue. Think they are saying to themselves "Well, don't want to break any laws, I guess this is where it ends..."? My bet would be no.
 
This nation is turning into a bunch of bootlickers. I don't need some asshat in washington or denver or wherever deciding "laws" based on who-knows-what that may end up killing me. If that means being an outlaw and starting a fire to save my life, F-em. It's not about being a rebel, its about being a critical thinker for oneself.

Im a law abiding citizen. Not saying all laws are bad or that they should be broken carelessly, but we as a people should retain some element of independent thinking as it relates to life threatening situations.
 
(grasping for the thread topic in a hellish wind...)

It's hard to imagine a scenario where there's a fire ban and I feel the need to start a fire to survive. As many commented in other threads: if you have a functional shelter and some insulation, you're almost certainly better off getting in and under those things than dorking around with a fire in inclement weather.

But if I was in such a scenario... I would start a fire. I would not turn myself in afterwards.

Otherwise, I am pretty strict about following hunting laws. A few years back I had a doe lined up at 80 yards and was just about to pull the trigger... but then my phone alarm went off for end of shooting light. Didn't shoot.

As for trespassing... if it was truly a survival situation, I would trespass. Up to and including breaking into a cabin. In truly remote places (e.g. Alaska) many folks leave their cabins unlocked and stocked with some non-perishables in case a stranger needs it.
 
I agree a lot of the laws are ridiculous. I think auto park in cars and back up cameras and cell phone laws are all overkill. But as a law abiding citizen I am not gone break them. Somehow in CO we have a lot. We have people that voted to have wolves released in my backyard. Not in your backyard. But I can’t do anything about those. But I will take extra gear to not need a fire. Because I have to carry extra gear I don’t carry fire stuff. Obviously if I am camping and carrying everything I have a stove and a way to start it. But when I leave camp for a hunt, weather a spike or base camp, if I can’t have a fire I don’t have fire starting stuff with me.
 
I'm over 50. I've been hardwired to survive. I'm busy thinking about how not to die, so I don't really have time to check the latest code updates.

Don't put yourself in a jam....be it telling Tim Kennedy you banged his old lady, or striking out on a backcountry adventure unprepared....be smart and intentional.....or promptly remove yourself from the pool and make way for those who are.
 
My general possibles pouch has the same stuff in it all the time, I'm not bothering to take out lighters or such during a fire ban but I'm also not planning on a fire. I'll bring other gear for the conditions.

BUT if something is truly life or death yes I would start a fire. If a buddy was gravely injured miles up a road behind a locked gate I would pull a gate open and drive to them if it was a matter of life or death. You'd be an utter moron not to if those were the stakes.

Will there be consequences for that? Quite possibly but my conscience would feel better saving a life when the dust settled.
 
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