Personnally, I don't do very long trap fences. A 10 square long line with 3 traps is really enough. At least at first.
If you start with an harsh scenario (slaver, Njerpez, hurt/autumn, winter), you'll want to dig a trap quickly, so the smaller and yet efficient possible. After that, try to make a shelter, and fish to try to survive starvation. If you manage to survive until an elk or something fall into your trap (don't check before a week, and then at max every 3 days), you're good. This is especially hard without an axe, cause you have to do an stone-axe, do a shovel and dig holes (activities in the 7 hours each, with your poor tools).
Even if you can't eat all the meat, cook it all (for the first at least). Cooked cuts are worth less into trade (cuts are nearly worthless, anyway), but you can still eat them while spoiled. And spoiled food will only get you a bit sick, but won't kill you or put huge malus like starvation.
Spoiled food is good for you !For weapons, I tend to prefer axes, since you almost always got one (well, except at start, your stone-axe sucks). Of course, it mainly depends on the clan of my character. Generally, Northerners are good at spears, while the "clan-that-is-the-easiest-but-I-don't-remember-the-name" can have a great skill at axe. And battle axe (if you survive that long and can trade for it).
If you want to try an alone game, I recommend that you had some mods for metallurgy, some leather crafts, and stuff. Once you get to forge your own axe, you feel so powerful (careful not to spoil the game though, this can easily make the game too easy).
So, unless you choose I want to be a fisherman scenario or follow the tutorial to get a fishing rod or handaxe, the best bet is trapping.
Hunting is still possible though, but it also depends more on your sneak and build. Which makes tiny Northerners better at hunting. I had a Owlman kill 2 elks (or the like) in the first week with javelins only (and a staff
). You have to pursue the animal for a long time, and eventually, they'll feel asleep, allowing you for a hit, before they flee again, etc. You absolutely need a good bow skill, or a good spear skill to hunt, a decent sneak kill too. And luck. Luck is very important when surviving. Finding an elk and managing to kill him ? Fest on his corpse while making a trap for his comrades.
This make hunting much more rewarding.
OP last active in Nov 2012. Doesn't seem he visits on daily basis.
And his website monkeydonkey.info is DOWN.