Originally Posted by
azn_redneck
Only critter I know how to gut is a fish (I wonder how fish jerky tastes?). I'd like to take up small game hunting, but there's many animals that cannot be hunted in CA, including tree squirrels. I guess I'll have to learn how to shoot bunnies. It'll take a lot of bunnies to make a coat though.
Fish jerky isn't bad depending on the seasoning, doesn't have the same texture though. Learn about cold smoking and how to make a crude setup for it. It's real easy to do you just have to tend the fire and keep it going at a fairly steady temp. Also learn to use your hands as a crude temp gauge, it doesn't have to be exact just somewhat consistent and once you get it down it's a breeze.
Read up on various varminting techiques. If the SHTF the last thing you are going to worry about is the stupid ass laws in Cali. The technique though for skinning and cleaning game is pretty much the same for all mammals (humans as well in case you wondered). Once you have them gutted hang for a night the quarter them out and use spices to help preserve them. You can make a crude ice box in a river or stream but it takes some supplies to do it right. Extra tyvek, rope or twine and wood and rocks can do the job but make sure no water seeps into it...wet meat brings disease and mold faster.
Learn to trap (again I say this) this goes for fish as well as mammals. Reasoning is you can set multiple traps and go scout, build, repair, filter etc while it does the job for you. This also allows for live capture for livestock or fish stocking once you build a cage or a closed pool. This also saves valuable ammunition.
Getting rid of bones, scraps or feces should be done away from camp. Some say a half mile is best but for feces if you dig a daily pit I would think a qurter mile suffices and you don't have to walk as far to shit.
Sorry I didn't make a list but it's a lot of little things that make a difference...btw make sure in you buyout bag that you pack one or two personal reading books, it will stop you from going stir crazy.