The Trek - A Primer For First Timers 2023

Since its beginnings in 2003, the SVML Autumn Trek has been the high point of our shooting season. While considered a shooting event, participants must also demonstrate an understanding of frontier life, hunting, and seeing to basic survival needs. Teams have been known to plan all year for the event, making sure that they bring everything they need with them.

In the spirit of the Trek, participants should actively adopt a 1750-1850 persona, and act within the limitations of the social norms and available technologies. This includes your dress, your equipment, and your application of period-correct skills necessary for living "on your own hook".

Team Event: A Trek Team consists of three members. There are no re-entries, since advance knowledge of the trials and tribulations provides an unfair advantage.

Guides: When each Trek Team sets out, they will be accompanied by two or more Guides, the referees who provide the scripted commentary necessary for you to complete the task. They will also ensure that safe practices are always followed, and they will clarify any misinterpretations of the task on a need-to-know basis. In addition, they are the score keepers for the event.

The Course: Since we are limited by the physical size of the property, the  actual Trek Course may only be one-half mile, round trip. In keeping with the spirit of the Trek, your preparation should anticipate a journey lasting several days, rather than a few hours.

The Narrative: The Trek Narrative is a short story giving the Trekkers some information on what they must accomplish, with hints on what may, or may not, occur. It will be posted on the blog and mailed to those on the mailing list. It is important for each team member read the narrative carefully and equip him/herself accordingly.

Timed Event: The Trek is a timed event.

• Overall Time: Your Guide will start the stopwatch when your Captain takes the first step and stop it when the last task is completed. 

• Task Time: You may also have a time limit placed on a specific task. Similar limitations may be assigned to certain phases of the Trek.

Scoring: Points can be earned in a variety of ways:

• Marksmanship: Targets hit are points earned. Understand that certain targets may be worth more based on their difficulty or tactical significance.

• Dress Point: The Dress Point is already awarded for Trail Walk (period correct Hat, Wide Belt, Shirt, Pants, Shoes).

• 
  Documented Frontier Skills: Guides will be observing and documenting the team's activities. During the course of the Trek, a team might be assigned the task of Making Camp. Teams will be required to demonstrate that they can get their camp ready for the night. 

• The Scavenger Hunt: A list of 19th century necessities has been compiled. The Guide will ask the team to produce the items from the list. 

• Tactical Thinking: During the course you will be presented with situations where the correct response is not so clear cut. You may need to get creative in finding a solution that has the best possible outcomes. 

Remember that while on the Trek, you are living in the seventeenth-century on the outskirts of the civilized world, ready to confront dangers and hardships for a tankard of mead!

Start Studying! The right Side Bar has a list of topics arranged in alphabetical order. This will give you some insights on what you need to bring, or what is historically correct. We suggest that you start with the period correct Bug Out Bag.