On our recent trip to the Q with a real genuine rookie (he did perform admirably though) we were discussing some pranks that would have been fun to pull, but we were lacking in the planning. Since this particular rookie, in the real world is, how shall we say, “Wired”, we thought of a couple things that could have been worth a laugh. First would have been an outlet box with a short length of conduit that we would have stuck into the ground someplace along the perimeter of camp where he could find it. Another would have been a small tape recorder with a (his?) Blackberry ring tone on it.  we figured about 10 minutes of silence on the tape, and then the ring would have allowed time to plant it off in the woods before the ring was played.

Just the ones we thought of but didn’t get to implement. How about some that actually occurred?

Why do pranks have to be on rookies? I have found that having a little fun with seasoned veterans to be equally entertaining.

Examples: The look on QP's face is forever etched in my mind when he discovered the 'pack extenders' (pieces of railroad ties) at the bottom of the food pack he had carried all day at our camp on Gardiner bay. 

The look on Jimbo's face after he commented about the great smelling fish chowder. "Cmon old salt, let's have a look". The reveal was Pink Flamingo Stew (Made pink with red food coloring). Had the appearance of pepto bismol. 

Rookies:

Set an alarm clock (needs to be loud) to go off about 3 am. Set it outside their tent about halfway down from either door, so they have to get up to shut it off. Next morning, casually comment, "I heard you got up to go fishing. How was it?" 

When you get to first camp, have a veteran (who is in on the prank) to take them to look for firewood. They need to be gone 15-20 minutes, and as far away as possible. While they are gone, fill collapsable 5 gallon jug, and all other available water bottles & containers with water. Remove the contents of whichever pack they carried and hide contents in a tent. Refill pack with 5 gal jug & all other water containers, cookkit, and any other misc to 'hide' water until they dig. When firewood team returns (hopefully with lots of firewood), casually announce that its time to start dinner. Ask the rookie to dig down in the pack they carried for the cookkit. Then ask them to find some water... 

Give them a very quick (briefing) on the route(using the false maps you will give them). In doing so, give them maps of a completely different area than the area you will actually be traveling. Give them the admonition that one of the marks of a seasoned tripper is always knowing where you are. (In doing this prank, it is important that they never see the maps that the rest of the party is actually using. It also helps for their partner to be in on the prank to encourage them to follow the route on their maps. It is fun to hear them mentally prepare themselves for that killer portage, and then remark about how easy it was. Or to hear them talk about how the next one is a piece of cake, and it turns out to be a marathon with a quagmire. If the joke plays out all day, it makes for great conversation at end of day.  and the rest of the trip...

That's enough...can't give away all the pranks... 

Moose turds in the sleeping bag at the end of the trip.  When you get home and unpack you have a "small reminder" of the trip when you air out your bag.

I'll never forget !

LOL Westwood... 

The definition of a good prank or practical joke is where both parties can laugh about it after the fact.  It shouldn't be mean spirited.  If friends play the occasional prank on friends, and it's done in fun, why would that be bad?

Why do you feel the way you do?

pghportager wrote on Jul 7^th, 2009 at 2:03pm:

Make sure you bring cloth bags along this time....so you can bring back the Snipe.