Hello everyone,

I am an outdoor enthusiast from western Washington with a question I've been mulling over for some time now. So many thanks in advance to all who reply. I'm happy to have found this site because it seems the the right place to ask.

Have you seen/read No Country For Old Men? I'm a fan, loved them both very much, and am wrestling with one issue.

For those who aren't familiar, the story hinges on one of the main characters who begins the story going hunting in Texas (for antelope I believe) without any water. He is a Texas native, an experienced hunter, and a clearly competent and responsible person. His lack of water leads to the series of events that make up the story. His intention was to spend the entire day hunting in the Texas desert, under the dry sun. There is never any explanation for why he found himself, halfway through his day, without any water on him. No empty or lost water bottle, no water filter. The writer simply doesn't address the issue.

I have a problem accepting this. I spend a lot of time here in the northwest in the mountains, forest, and beaches, and I am never without water. To me, spending the day hunting in the Texas heat without water is simply not believable.

Thoughts? Are you folks just more used to the dry climate and can endure a day in the desert without water? Have you ever set out for an entire day and not bothered to bring water?

Again, thanks in advance.

Hollywood!

I have forgot water a time or two but always cut my day short if I find myself without it.

Most texans don't drink water just whiskey.



HollyWood

You can usually find a water trough in my part of Texas, but the odds of the cure being worse than the disease (of which you will end up with many) are pretty high. Now, knowing where the windmills are and being able to get at the water as it goes into the storage tank will help a lot, but even then it is basically a survival measure.

Just my $0.02, but going out all day hunting, fishing, hikeing with out water would be very foolish. Just like it would be foolish to wake up drink some coffee, go to work and drink a coke at 10, lunch at 12 with tea, another coke at 3, dinner that night with tea, and a few beers in the afternoon. Day after day that lack of water will cause health issues. Doing the same while out doors where your hydration needs are greater will only lead to those issues quicker. I never leave camp or the house without atleast 2 liters of water, either in a Camelpak or bottled water. When I drink beer (and I love beer) I drink 1 glass of water after every 2nd beer. Mainly due to the fact I suffered heat exaustion several times while in my early 20s I am very diligent about staying hydrated to the best of my ability.

I don't usually take water unless it's near 100 then I take a small bottle. But then I'm usually not all that far from where there is water. Plus I ain't afraid to drink from a lake, pond, creek, river, whatever...

The book was much better than the movie. The guy was hunting but I seem to remember he had parked his truck and walked a few hundred yards away when the plot thickened and he was forced to take an alternate route back to his house. Isn't that how the bad guys eventually found him - his abandoned truck?

I could be remembering wrong.

Just my opinion, but it seems to me in the movie he had parked his truck and was basically sitting on a bluff overlooking a pasture watching the antelope. I don't think he planned on it being an all-day affair - sort of like when you just head to the blind for sunrise and then leave. Or he might been driving his truck in a pasture feeding cows or something and noticed the herd beneath him and decided to take one.

When he made his shot, he walked down into the pasture to track the animal and that's when he stumbled upon the mess.

Humm sounds like I need to see this movie.

Read the book, Rick. Better than the movie - your imagination will take your farther than the movie.

the movie is good too..i agree with the other guys ..he didnt intend on being out all day..he was going to get back in his truck and head to the crystal bar in alpine and get a beer..then , derailed by villains , had to take alternative routes etc..VERY realistic for that part of Texas...spot on in my opinion..

Hmmm, sounds like I have my answer.

I'll have to reread the beginning. Maybe I assumed he was spending the entire day hunting because that's the way I would want to do it if/when I find myself in your parts looking for game.

But even if he did intend to spend the day outside, seems it's not inconceivable that someone would set out without water. Question answered.

So thanks to all for replying.

Where I am, 1 hr SE of Dallas, it's a humid part of the state. I hunt hogs with a bow all summer long. I sweat, like everyone else because of the triple digits and high humidity. I would not think of going out without water or soda in my fanny pack. I've always got something to drink. My problem is I need to come up with a cupholder for my treestands! No I don't drink beer when I hunt.

Yeah, in the movie mr moss was not far from his truck when he found the drug deal gone bad, where he initially got the money. Then he went home, felt guilty about the dying fella, went back to take him some water, and the drug dealers chased him from there. The hitman found him from his truck at the scene, but also pinned him down from a tracker in the money.

Not sure how the book portrayed it, but that's what I remember from the movie.

Did he have any beer in the truck?