Save the Date! North Alabama Tournament Anglers OPEN

One of my favorite events of the year is the NATA Open. They do a fantastic job of hosting this event. The staff at Goose Pond are fantastic as well.

If you would like info on Nata, go here.

For the 3rd year that I have fished it, it will be out of Goose Pond on Lake Guntersville. The date is February 23rd from Safe Light Until 3pm.

The cost is $65 per boat which includes Big Fish

The payout is a  guaranteed $1,000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, $250 for 3rd and $150 for 4th.

I've already sent in my money!

Here are the flyers:

For Sale: 2005 GMC Yukon Denali

Hey all! It's time for a new ride. I will be getting a newed version of my current tow vehicle. But, I need to sell this one first.

zach.taylor@yahoo.com
256-656-7846
2005 GMC Yukon Denali
Fully Loaded (Rear DVD player, Touch screen navigation, sunroof)
335HP/375TQ 6.0L V8
AWD
Front and Rear Disc brakes
$12,000 FIRM.[/b]
This price is dead between the KBB "Very Good" and "Excellent". It certainly meets  "Very Good" standards as they define it at this mileage.
http://www.kbb.com/gmc/yukon/2005-gmc-yukon/denali-sport-utility-4d/?pricetype=private-party&vehicleid=848&intent=trade-in-sell&mileage=150000&options=35220%7ctrue%7c35264%7ctrue%7c35187%7ctrue%7c35168%7ctrue%7c35255%7ctrue%7c35137%7ctrue

Right at 160,000 miles
Bought at 100,000 on December 20th, 2010
Bought a brand new set of top of the line BFGs less than two years ago from Alabama Wholesale. They show no wear. Has a full size BGF spare.
Has no leaks. Burns virtually no oil. I have towed bass boats with it, but nothing bigger. Before I bought it, it didn't even have the towing package hooked up.
It gets 15mpg in the city, slightly better on the highway.
I went hunting for this exact vehicle. I wanted 2nd row captains chairs, DVD player, AWD, disc brakes, and the bigger motor. It took me a long time to find one that I felt good about. It has been easily the best vehicle I have owned. I have had ZERO mechanical issues. I have done regular maintenance on it. It's time for something new. I would rather sell than play the trade in game.

Issues: Typical GM gauge problems. Tach is slightly off, Gas gauge is off (but digital works fine).
5-disc changer needs to be cleaned. I spilled coffee in it and it needs to be cleaned. The single disc still works perfectly.
The interior has its fair share of stains. I have 3 kids and we have driven this car across the country. It stays dirty . It is what it is.
Leather has no rips or tears. Driver seat bolster is worn pretty good.
Some rock chips, 1 ding where an idiot cousin's kid threw a pebble at the car
Small scrape from the boat ramp, could be buffed. It's about 10 inches long.
Don't need to sell. Won't sell it for less. It's an absolutley fantastic SUV. I am simply getting a newer one. I might consider heavy cash plus small trade. I need at least $9,000 cash. While you may be wary of the mileage, keep in mind that these engines aren't exactly expensive. My plan all along was to throw a new motor or trans in it if it needed it.
Feel free to PM, call, or text.

Mystery Tacklebox Review for January 2013

Where has January gone? I admit that it has been tough to get out there and use my January box from Mystery Tacklebox. The weather has been hit and miss. I have been traveling for NASA. I have 3 kids...yadda yadda. But...that doesn't stop me from my obligation to review! I said I would, and I am man of his word. So, in case you have missed the other ones:

My Original Review
Last Months Review

This month featured these baits:

1. River2Sea Dahlberg Clackin' Crayfish
2. Evolve Rx VibraGRUB
3. Stanley Itzabug
4. Gambler Cane Toad
5. Mustad Ultra Lock EWG Hook

River2Sea Dahlberg Clackin' Crayfish 90

What a cool bait! About a realistic bait as they come. You rig by the split ring on the rail.

What I like about this bait: It's extremely realistic. It's counter weighted in the right spot so that the claws and whiskers suspend while the back in maintains contact with cover. It's rigged properly to mimic true motion.

What I am not so sure about: Durability of the front end of the bait. The back in is hard while the torso, head, and claws are plastic. I am concerned about hanging it up. I will be using this on rip-rap primarily and dragging it. The hook is in a perfect place to hook almost everything. Now, they did consider this by adding a guard.

The price: according to Tacklewarehouse is $9.99 for the 90 version and $12.99 for 2 baits. Now, I don't know about you, but that's a good chunk for something that hugs the bottom. However, I am certain this will absolutely crush the fish. Like everything else, that's a tradeoff.

Evolve Rx VibraGRUB

Flutter baits are a new thing to me. But, I can immediately think of some uses for it. The appendages make it perfect for moving a lot of water, and that makes me think of stained and muddy water. According to Evolve, it's the first of it's kind. That may be right, as I have never seen one like it. It has no scent added.

What I like about it: It has a large surface area and will move a lot of water. It's versatile enough to use as a T-rig, C-rig, drop shot, etc. I think it's best use is weightless. Throw it out, let it flutter down, pop it, repeat. The body isn't very soft, which I like. It will last longer. The appendages are just right.

What I am not so sure about: Use in finesse situations. It makes a lot of movement in current or during your own motion. Though, this is a very dependant thing. I question what it will do in very still water if you dead stick it.

The Price: according to TackleWarehouse, qty 6 of the 4'' costs you $5.19. Not bad.

Stanley Itzabug

Stanley brings you their adaptation of the creature bait. It's back end is very unique and it's appendages are close...but just slightly different..than it's competitors.

What I like about it: It's just a LITTLE different. Just enough. It's a little bulkier than most of it's competitors, which I like. I sometimes feel that the body of some creature baits isn't wide enough to hold a hook for very long. The ridges on the back end will give a realistic feeling to fish, causing them to hold on to it longer.

What I am not so sure about: Well, it's easy to find on Tacklewarehouse, but I have never seen it anywhere else, at least in our chain stores. Other than that, it's a pretty standard creature bait. It has a very loud plastic scent. I don't really care for that.

The Price: According to BassPro, a pack will run you $4.29.

Gambler Cane Toad

Gambler has the cane toad as their entry to the plastic frog genre. I used these for a whole day during the Gambler Tournament on Guntersville. While the day was tough, I did like using these baits. Gambler plastics, in general, are becoming a favorite of mine.

What I like about it: They stink. HAHA! Gambler plastics have a very loud scent, which I have come to like in specific days. For example, my last trip out, I bagged my fish on their Why Not. It has a pretty standard movement. However, it ages much better than most other companies. That's a big deal.

What I am not sure sure about: The smallish size makes it a little hard to throw, but that's pretty standard for these size baits. Most companies make bigger ones. Gambler does not.

The price: According to BassPro  $4.49 for 4 is what you will pay. Pretty standard price.

Mustad Ultra Lock EWG Hook

Folks, what can I say? I won't even bother. Mustad is one of the 3 big hook companies. They are fantastic hooks. You all know that already.

The Price: According to Tacklewarehouse , $3.19 for 5. That's a fantastic price for great hooks.

Best5Zach's Jerky Marinade

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I don't do too many things right, but apparently sauces are one of my bright spots. Are you looking for a good marinade for your jerky? Well, read on!

My dad used to make deer jerky, way back when...and I LOVED it. There was nothing better than reading a book and eating deer jerky as I sat on the treestand...that is, of course, a deer walked by.

Anyway, I don't know how or when, but I THINK Alyse's grandmother sent a dehydrator home with us sometime last year. I played around with it a little, but really didn't do too much.

Well, last fall, I bought a cow from my grandad. A whole 790 pounds of processed beef. While there are plenty of steaks and hamburger, there are also plenty of other cuts that I didn't have much to do with. For example, cube steak.

So, a few weeks ago, I decided to make jerky. Alyse had found a recipe and I gave it a whirl. First batch came out and it was ok...but not great. So, I did what all engineers do. I looked at the instructions, shrugged my shoulders, and did it my way.

I even enlisted the help of my eldest, who loves to cook with me.

I have made several 2 pound batches, which makes about 6 baggies.



A small baggie is perfect for me to eat over the course of a day of fishing. It's the perfect amount of protein. 

So, this recipe is a "sweet heat." It isn't too sweet and it isn't too hot. It has just enough of both. Additionally, I have cut down significantly on the sodium, so you ladies can enjoy. You processing method may very, so I won't go into it. I do, however, marinate for 48 hours. Additionally, if you are making a cured meat, such as jerky, don't forget your curing agent, like Prague Powder #1. Use between one half and one tablespoon per 2.5 pound batch. (Thanks Alan Minga)

Here is the list of ingredients, which you should simmer as long as you can stand and add to 2 to 2.5 pounds of meat:

• 1 cup of Worcestershire
• 1 cup teriyaki
• 1 cup Dales/Moores/Generic (personally, I use the Kroger or Publix brand with low sodium)
• 1.5 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon liquid smoke
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flake
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon paprika
• 1/4 tablespoon Cayenne

Again, you may process yours differently than I, so I won't go into that...or my other little secrets! HA! Anyway. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Dealing with Addictions(the silly ones that could REALLY hurt your chances of survival)

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I tried to come up with a witty way of naming this post. I really did. And if you think you have a better one, then I am all ears.

I have tried to think about things that you may not have thought of, in regards to EOTWAWKI. And maybe not just fresh ideas for readers, but even for those that write about these things. And, it's possible that you may even think that I am going WWAAYYY out there to bring you fresh ideas. But I'm not. I bet you haven't thought of how silly and secret addictions can really hurt you. Have you? While the effects of hard drugs, even seemingly minor alcoholism, have their own withdrawal symptoms that are easy to point at and identify. It's the ones that you haven't thought of that may be your undoing. Let me share a story.

Last week, I traveled to ATK in Utah for some NASA work. Flight left at 6:08am. So, I didn't really have time to fix a pot of coffee. I figured I would grab a cup when I got the the airport and enjoyed a fabulous $10 rewarmed biscuit. And, verily, that's exactly what I did. I enjoyed said biscuit with a small coffee, then boarded the flight from Huntsville to Houston.

Knowing that this would be a long day, judging by past experiences on United, I drifted off to sleep on the flight. When I woke up, I found out that we had been diverted to Alexandria, LA due to fog. We sat on the plane an hour, then deplaned into this tiny executive airport. Alas, it has no restaurants and only one kiosk that sold bottle drinks. Since 7 other planes arrived before me, the kiosk was drained. No big deal. I have sworn off soft drinks in an attempt to loose weight.

Boarded, once again, and we finally made the flight to Houston.

That's where it began.

I had a splitting headache. I was sick to my stomach. I had ZERO energy. When I called my wife, she immediately could tell something was wrong. I could barely speak, I was trying to figure out what I needed to do to make it to Salt Lake City with all the delays. But I couldn't think. At all. My brain simply wouldn't work. I told her I didn't know what it was and that I felt I was dying. Being ever so intuitive to her loving spoonful, she knew what had happened. I had 1 cup of coffee. All day.

Sounds stupid, doesn't it? Because I had only 1 cup of Joe that day, I couldn't mentally function. And this isn't the product of just a long day. It's happened over. And over. And over.

In fact, I can't start my day without having a pot of coffee. Not because I am spoiled, but because I can't mentally function. See, my every morning revolves around dressing my kids, packing snacks and diaper bags, and getting them to school. There have been days that I have gotten to work and had to seriously think about if I actually took them.

Laugh now. But consider. Are you in the same boat? Do you have a long term tradition of stopping at Starbucks? Do you have to have a pot of coffee at your desk while you read the news, before you start your work day? Do you have to have that Mt. Dew at 2pm? how about that Redbull or 5 Hour Energy Drink?

You do. Don't you? Don't lie to yourself. It's ok.

And if you don't? Do we dare go down that path? Well, I've already told you about my inability to function. As a NASA engineer, I recognize many of the stereotypes in myself, and one of those is the need to "mainline" caffeine directly into my blood stream. And if I don't....I cannot function.

Ok. So, I think we have beaten that dead horse enough.

What does this mean for our survival? Do you realize just how dangerous this is to your EOTWAWKI plan? We have had many talks about being on top of your mental game. Having a plan and enacting it, having thought of solutions to conceivable future issues. Making. Critical. Decisions. At. Critical. Times.  This takes clarity of thought. And if you don't have this, you have a problem.

I couldn't wrap my mind around how to change a flight to make it to my destination. How would I ever be able to make a split second decision on how to save my and my families life? I wouldn't. That doesn't even get into the physical ailment I felt. I am willing to bet that I would have been throwing up had I not downed a 34 ounce Dr. Pepper.

Now, I am much better off with my coffee consumption that I have been at other times in my life. I drink about 10 fluid cups a day. That's the only caffeine in which I partake. Let's look at some facts.

According to CoffeeFAQ, a standard 8oz coffee has UP TO 200mg, but usually around 110mg.
According to Mt. Dew, a standard 12oz can has 55mg
According to 5 Hour Energy Drink, a standard shot has 208mg
According to Red Bull, a standard 8.4oz can has 50mg

So, while many people may laugh at the amount of coffee I drink, many of those drink multiple 20oz bottles of Mt Dew everyday. Or multiple Redbull. According to this, I consume a gram of caffeine a day. A GRAM!

Where do you fit? Have you ever gone without? If so, what were your experiences? I honestly would like to know.

What this past weekend showed me was that I have a severe addiction to coffee which can completely inhibit my physical and mental cohesiveness. It is something that I MUST consider in my survival plan. But, I will be honest. I enjoy coffee, so weening myself off of it is improbable. So, what's my solution? Well, it's silly and simple.

I had been thinking about this topic and just how dangerous it really is, for something as stupid as a daily habit. I mean, honestly, I don't rank my addiction up there with heroine...and yet, I can now identify what Kurt Cobain must have felt (though I identify that I didn't have Courtney Love to deal with). When I got to my hotel that evening, the first thing I saw was the prepackaged Coffee on the sink. I thought to myself....hey. That's at least a bandaid solution. After all, in the EOTWAWKI, our plan all along is that we will have scavenge at least SOME. But until it's safe, just a few packets of prepackaged brown goodness would get me by. So, I snagged it. And now it's in the pack.

While this may sound stupid and you may not even believe me, others have considered it. In the "Outlanders" series of books by James Axler, coffee is a regular staple of commodities that are held in high regard in the Post-Apocalypse. In "Pitch Black", Cole Hauser's character Johns, has an addiction that is never specified, yet it renders him physically and mentally incompetent after their space ship crashes on a hostile planet.

So you don't care about media? Consider this: Coffee is a staple in military MREs. Why? Maybe not for addicted souls like me, but certainly for some of the reasons that I am addicted to it. It's a stimulant. It keeps you alert. It's comforting.

The fact is, the EOTWAWKI is a scary and harsh place where survival is already walking a razor thin edge. Just to survive and prosper, you already will require a great amount of luck, not to mention the planning and sharper-than-razor mental capacity to make even the smallest decisions that mean life or death. You cannot have anything keep you from making the right call at the right time. Loosing your mental capacity over something stupid, such as missing a days worth of coffee, is a silly way to go out.

And, again, we aren't even considering the more serious addictions that you may have. Doing a quick search, it says that 3% of Americans have a drinking problem. That sound about right to you? It does to me. The effects of alcohol withdrawals are just as dire, and even more so. I have seen it first hand. So, 1 out of ever 3 of you that read this now know that your alcohol addiction should be something to consider.

I'm not telling you to kill off your secret addictions. It's not my place. And, considering how unlikely an earth-shattering EOTWAWKI would be, it's probably not worth quitting. Shoot, I know I can't quit coffee. But, it's certainly worth planning for, even if it means raiding the hotels freebee coffee stash.

Fishing Report for Guntersville 1/25/13

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I had been on travel for work out to Ogden Utah to visit ATK, who built the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle, and now builds the boosters for our new rocket, SLS. So, after a 19 hour travel day on Sunday, a full 2 days of work Monday (which was a holiday) and another 12 hour day traveling home on Wednesday, a full work day Thursday doing my post trip reports, I was ready for some time off.

Ironically, my friend Jim and Josh went fishing the day I left for ATK. It was a Sunday afternoon to be remembered as they boated around 15 keepers with a 5 fish limit verified at 26 pounds with a 6.5 pound kicker. They accomplished this by throwing lipless cranks on 6-10 foot flats all day, fishing out of The Bait Tackle and Grill of Goose Pond.

You can imagine how that fired me up, considering that I fished just 2 days before without a bite. But, Jim knows the water and I chalked it up to that. But, all week I stewed about how Jim and Josh had knocked them dead and I couldn't get a bite. All week, I blew up Jim's phone about going.

If you don't know Jim, you better get to knowing. Jim has fished all over the country, which is impressive for such a young guy. Very versatile fishermen. Like me, if you ever are in need of some on-th-water-advcice, look him up! If you are in a tournament against him...well....good luck. I am fortunate to know him.



It was going to be cold and rainy...even a bit of sleet. The weather men said it was going to be the snow and ice apocalypse. Jim wouldn't let me dip out of it, so we planned to hit the water around Goose Pond on Guntersville. Now, I don't have to remind you how my luck has been on this lake over the last year. Seeing as he is quite the expert on this lake, I saw this as an opportunity to settle the score with the Big G (or at least give myself a fighting chance).

I took this opportunity to take my GoPro again, hoping to catch something on video. After my first attempt at using it, I have found that I have to take a lot of short videos and delete them due to storage space. Also, the battery life has to be considered.

We started out throwing lipless cranks. I threw the Xcalibur XR50 rattle bait.

Up until this point, I had been throwing mine on a Wright and McGill 7'6'' fiberglass Magnum Cranking rod, with a Shimano Citica reel and 30 pound Suffix braid. I had originally done this for a better hook up ratio, as I had lost a lot of fish in the past from jerking the bait out of their mouth. The softer rod allowed them to hook themselves. Over time I have gotten better and now throw it on a Wright and McGill "Bama Rig" rod.

Jim was throwing the Spro Aruku

He was throwing his on a Boyd Duckett 7'3'' Medium heavy.

You may recall that I did a product review way back when on these. It's found here:

Anyway, Jim caught one short fish, and while I did get it on video, it wasn't really worth keeping.

It became fairly obvious that the fish weren't going to be on fire as they had been. So, we figured out that we needed to slow down. I was throwing a T-rigged Gambler Why Not

I'm was under orders not to say what Jim was throwing, but it was a similar beaver type bait. After just a few minutes of fishing creek channel ledges , Jim slammed the rod back on this NICE fish. And....I got it on VIDEO!

After that, the rain and sleet moved in. We didn't really feel like getting wet and cold, so we moved underneath the causeway. Immediately we noticed the number of crappie fishermen that were yanking out slabs left and right. We didn't have an grubs, but we did have some baits that MIGHT work. Jim tried a blade bait while I used a Cotten Cordell spoon. I wasn't tearing them up, but I boated some nice slabs as well as 6 other species of fish.

• 2 different species of shad
• flat head cat
• perch
• bream
• drum

We stayed there until the rain left, which was several hours. It left us with only about an hour left to fish, so we stayed close. We went back to flipping T-rigged plastics. That turned out to be the ticket. We didn't whack them and stack them, but we did boat some GOOD fish, including the whopper flat head that about took the rod out of my hands!

Again, not at banner day, but we started getting regular bites. We just had to find the right area, the right bait, and the right approach. Best fish went over 4 pounds.

Hey, I'm not going to complain. I caught a bunch of fish, and while they weren't all bass, it was certainly fun and it keeps with my New Years Resolutions.

The 5 Stages of Preparedness Part 3.2

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Well folks, we are back for another segment of the 5 Stages of Preparedness. In case you missed it, we have covered 1 of the 3 different survival types for the Intermediate Stage that I have identified. These 3 being:

• The Doomsday Bunker Dweller
• The Jeremiah Johnson Mountain Man
• The Mad Max Scavenger

These are the 3 lifestyles that you would see, though I admit that they are all a bit extreme in and of themselves. On the right wing, we have the Jeremiah Johnson Mountain Man, who needs nothing from anybody, doesn't concern himself with the rest of modern humanities struggles and conveniences and lives 100% off the land. The Doomsday Bunker Dweller is in the middle. This person has had the forethought to prep for the EOTWAWKI, has some decent skills but realizes that he or she doesn't have the ability to run into the woods and make do, nor do they have the desire to scratch out a living against their fellow man as a scavenger. Instead, they have bunkered down. On the extreme left we have the Mad Max Scavenger. This person didn't have the foresight, knowledge, or ability to prep. They don't have the skills needed to make their own way by living off the land. But, they have the cunning and nerve to brave the dangers of exposure (in it's many forms) to scavenge for necessities. This person would inherently be violent. These are the 3 basic lifestyle and while everyone would exist somewhere in the middle and have traits of each and all, they would lean towards one or the other.

 Last go-round, we covered Doomsday Bunker Dwellers. Although we did note several pros, what we REALLY seemed to find was the common misconceptions and mistruths that are easy to believe. That being the mindset of any of a handful of films from "City of Ember", "A Boy and His Dog", to light hearted "Blast from the Past". The fact is, no one...regardless of skills and income level, can shut the door to a shelter and shut themselves out from the world. In reality, certain assumptions and concessions must be made. Now, does that mean that I think bunkers are a waste? Absolutely not. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bunkers are absolutely necessary in the EOTWAWKI. Yet, what we picture in our mind and how it would be used is far different from reality.

So, I am not so keen on that. After all, look what you would be like if you DID hide out for a year..or years...at a time. Man, in Fallout 3, it took me all kinds of time to learn skills....ok ok. That's a video game.

 But, go read it. If you disagree...let me know. I may still argue with you about how I am right, I still consider your thoughts (and I may steal them....)

So, again, a quick definition of the Intermediate Stage. This is the period of time up to 1 year. At this point, supplies and food is still readily available...though that is not to say that it's easy to get...which is a very important side note.

Ole JJ, much like the movie, is a man who lives 100% off of the land. He has little to no conventional needs. He doesn't need canned goods. He doesn't need vehicles. He doesn't need prebuilt shelters. But, JJ is just a name and I identity this man from a movie character. Though you can see where I am going with this, what you may not think about is that this lifestyle identifies that civilization...or the lack thereof...is much more dangerous than anything to be found in nature. In nature this man fights the elements, fights the animals, but he doesn't have to concern himself with the troubles that created the EOTWAWKI, whether that is plague, nuclear fallout, invasion, etc. He would much rather take his chances against a random black bear in the wilderness than some trigger happy, half-starved Mad Max in a dark alley of a city.

There are so many Pros to this lifestyle and I believe that most people identify with it. Why? Because most of us that read this have some sort of rural background. Did you build forts as a kid? Did you specifically looks for cedar trees to play in because it was easy to build platforms on it's many branches? Did you deer hunt or bass fish constantly? Did you spend endless summers tending your family garden? If you did, your first instinct during the EOTWAWKI is "good riddance...off to the woods I go. I have the skills. I can make a fire. I can find food. I can build shelter".

And while all of these are certainly true, even for me, the fact is that my life has never been dependant on ANY of these...much less the summation. I have never HAD to start a fire. I have never HAD to kill an animal to eat. And these are day 3 activities. What about the winter months when your body needs Vitamin C instead of just meat? Or a real shelter from the somehow-above-freezing rains of Alabama that penetrate into your soul. Even if the stars align and you are able to do these in the best of conditions, how will you deal with the unfortunate things that will come your way?

Now. Add in that I am a father to 3 children under 8.

No, my friends, I am not this man and neither or you. It's a funny thing to talk to friends and people I know, to read the comments on my Google+ and other threads I follow. People think they will disappear into the highlands and life will go on. Just like the previous post where maybe 1% of Doomsday Bunker Dwellers actually afford the all-inclusive resort of a shelter we all imagine, only 1% of us who THINK we are Jeremiah Johnson really can pull it off.

But, if we COULD....let's examine the pros. Some of them.

1. Independence on premanufactured goods. That's a big one. Maybe THE big one. If you can provide for yourself via hunting and gardening, not only is it healthier and a better long term situation, but it provides stability and safety. Being able to build a shelter in-situ, keeps you from having to source building supplies, tools, etc as well as avoiding the need for squatting in someone's barn (whether it's abandoned or not). Keeping from venturing into populated areas keeps the exposure against...whatever caused this...low. Also, it keeps you from randomly getting shot. Face it. There will be plenty of people out there...scavengers in particular....who will have no problem popping you for your stuff.
2. Provides a constant and readily available commodity in which you can barter or sell. There will be plenty of people out there who will not have the skills to hunt/trap/grow their own. Chances are, you wouldn't have any problem securing more than you need. If that's the case, you can avoid scavenging entirely and barter for items rather than exposing yourself
3. Safety from humanity. For whatever reason, we can rest assure that humans are the cause for EOTWAWKI. Being a mountain man secludes you from the cause AND the effect.  For whatever caused the end of the world, you can rest assured that it would be centered around population centers. Seeing how being away from population centers is your bag...it's a non-issue. However, let's examine the behaviour of the 3 lifestyles, since avoiding humanity entirely isn't exactly possible. You won't really have to bother with the bunker dwellers other than if you were out rambling and accidentally kicked over their ant nest, which you wouldn't do anyway, since you are a mountain man, living off the land and minding your own business. They like to stay hunkered down, so as long as you don't go prying on any cellar doors, you should be ok. You wouldn't have to deal with scavengers since they are limited to the proximity of supplies in towns and cities. If they did wander into your neck of the woods, you would almost certainly know they were there before they knew you were there. Other mountain men are certainly a potential cause of strife. I'd like to say that there would be a certain amount of respect, but you just never know. But, statistically speaking, there would be very few of the Mountain Men and a whole lot of land to cover. So, encounters should be far and few in between. 
4. Immune from many drastic changes. Being JJ the Mountain Man offers quite the buffer against the unknown. You will, or should be, stockpiled against potential threats, whatever that may be. You shouldn't be caught off guard by most things that get thrown at you. Where a sudden cold spell may cause you to burn up a lot of that wood you already cut, it might kill most anyone else in the cities who couldn't keep themselves warm or scavenge for food. We don't even have to touch on the particulars on being immune from political and social changes. These wouldn't concern you in the slightest.
5. Diverse and Refined Skillset. I understand that sounds like "having skills because you have skills", but bear with me. Though we are only considering up to the first year, the skills that are needed to be a JJ for that first year, plus the refinement over that year of the skills, will be invaluable for the next 2 Stages of Preparedness. Face it, all the Twinkies and Pork-n-Beans will get eaten within the first year or so. So, after that point, EVERYONE will have to have these skills. Better to have them already and have the routine ironed out than having to transition. This would also allow you to have the choicest lands available. Everyone will eventually push away from cities. Once again, better to have laid claim to the good stuff than have to settle for the remainder.  

How about the Cons? Well, there are a lot of them. Let's name the first few that come to my mind.

1. Almost no one will have the skillset to pull this lifestyle off, as we have written it. Again, even if you have the ability to do all of these things, can you do them under pressure? Have you practiced them? That's the key, and while lots of people DO try these things in the wild, their lives are never in jeopardy and if things went south, they would pack up camp and head home. Face it, it would only take a small hit to any of the necessities of life to sink most of us. Wet tinder. Ill prepared clothing. Lack of flora and fauna in a particular area. Heck, just inclimate weather on Day 1 might sink the ship.
2. Human interaction. Specifically, the lack of . Being JJ the Mountain Man is all about self centeredness. You don't need anyone's help. You don't have to provide for anyone but yourself. We briefly mentioned this in the Doomsday Bunker Dwellers post. Like it or not, even the most independent and self absorbed people still need human interaction. That's a fact. And while I know most people are thinking about "someone to talk to", they aren't thinking about other things. Again, thinking about the "small things that could sink the ship", how about an infection? If only someone was there to run into town and brave the crazies for a moment to get you medication. Or if you just came down with a debilitating cold and needed someone to feed you? I won't delve into human sexuality, though I am saying that it's a bigger thing than anyone would like to admit. Suffice to say that we all need someone, like it or not.
3. Lack of modern conveniences. Just because you are JJ doesn't mean that modern conveniences aren't nice or sometimes even necessary. Face it. I don't care who you are, you can't rely on trapping your whole life. You are going to need a regular source of firearms and ammunition. You are going to get old, and with that comes debilitating injuries and nags like arthritis. So, a regular supply of medication, from simple vitamins, to flu shots, to specialty medications are going to be needed. Just think about being a diabetic, for example. Sure would be nice to have an old fashioned generator laying around for those really nasty cold spells, or building your shelter/bunker. Even if you are an A+ farmer, you are going to needs seeds at least once. So, scavenging trips are going to happen. That doesn't mean that JJ has sworn them off, but it does mean that if he wants them, he has to go get them. That introduces a lot of variables. While a scavenging trip or two is probably not going to be the end of JJ, reliance on scavenging, such as Mad Max, becomes a numbers game.
4. No solution to Stage 5: The End Game. This ties in to the very end of bullet #2 above. No one wants to think about it, but we won't always exist in our glory years. Between the hard work, frequent accidents, and just plain growing old, by the time you are in your late 50s, you will probably be unable to perform the tasks every day that you need to complete. So, if you can't grow your own good, repair your own shelter, who will? That's right. Community and family are necessary in your twilight years. That is, unless you are willing to work so hard for a long period of time just to die a slow, probably painful, and very desolate death. On the other hand, having a family...specifically children, insures that you have some sort of comfort in your late years.

Much like the Doomsday Bunker Dweller, there are definite Pros and Cons to the hardliner Jeremiah Johnson Mountain Man. If one has the skills to pull it off, it is a terrific lifestyle, though it has it's downfalls. But, the downfalls are outweighed by the Pros. And like we said in that former post, reality is that a strict adherence to it isn't probable or even possible. Again, as we have said before, while most survivors will exist somewhere other than the hardliner in any of these lifestyle choices, they will borrow heavily from one and supplement from the rest.

Take me, for example. I FEEL like I fit more snuggly in this category than the others, yet I have to be honest with myself and identity my shortcomings. Do I have a fairly long list of skills that fit JJ? Yep. I CAN farm. I CAN hunt and fish. I CAN build my own shelter. Yet, I admit that I don't practice them in a "life or death" situation, and that makes QUITE the difference. Nor do I have faith that I can do all of this for a family of 5. I am not sure that I could handle all the things that mother nature could throw at me. After all, it's not how you live in the sunny and 70s that matter, but how you make do with the bone soaking snot freezing winters. Now, that being said, with my plan for a shelter and sufficient stock in a rural area and frequent scavenging trips, I could pull it off. So, It's more of a 75%-15%-10%. between the 3. So, like I said. Not strict adherence, but heavily biased towards it with some supplement from the rest.

To sum up, this lifestyle is terrific for avoiding unwanted human interaction. While avoiding...whatever it is in humans that has caused the EOTWAWKI AND the future humans, whether it's ...despots....cutthroats...etc. It's a two edged sword, however. I think we can see the downfall of having NO human interaction. It frees oneself from dependence on manufactured goods...almost. But, a scavenging trip here and there is far superior to doing it for a living. This lifestyle will offer plenty of bumps and bruises, but that's a far cry from the cut-throat mentality to be found elsewhere. There are plenty of inherent dangers, however, simply from the type of work that would have to be done everyday. My grandfather, for example, has gardened his whole life and accidentally stabbed himself with a tiller and nearly bled to death. But, in this post-apocalyptic world, danger surrounds you, so pick your poison. It is hard work. It does take skills most people won't initially have. But, if you have them, it gives you a definite heads-up on the competition for the next stage of life. Like we said, eventually everyone will HAVE to possess these skills. So, learn now or learn later.

Again, this isn't the end-all-be-all definition of JJ the Mountain Man. But, it's a start. I believe it gives a good glimpse into the second of three lifestyles that we will see in the EOTWAWKI. I would love to hear your thoughts!