Posted: 2/12/2015 8:03:40 PM EDT
| What is a bushcrafter and what type of bushcraft is important to know to improve odds of survival and improve comfort when in the wild? |
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What is a bushcrafter and what type of bushcraft is important to know to improve odds of survival and improve comfort when in the wild? My guess? Something less than Swiss Family Robinson, but somebody who can live out in the woods, or wild and survive without a lot of gear. Know how to build fires, make shelters, hunt/dress game out, fish, cook, make traps if need be--just survive on his/her own without needing a 24' box truck's worth of stuff. Chris |
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My guess? Something less than Swiss Family Robinson, but somebody who can live out in the woods, or wild and survive without a lot of gear. Know how to build fires, make shelters, hunt/dress game out, fish, cook, make traps if need be--just survive on his/her own without needing a 24' box truck's worth of stuff. Chris Quoted:
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What is a bushcrafter and what type of bushcraft is important to know to improve odds of survival and improve comfort when in the wild? My guess? Something less than Swiss Family Robinson, but somebody who can live out in the woods, or wild and survive without a lot of gear. Know how to build fires, make shelters, hunt/dress game out, fish, cook, make traps if need be--just survive on his/her own without needing a 24' box truck's worth of stuff. Chris This. dont over think it. Humans have been living in the wild longer then we have been civilized.. Its not really complicated. Id say the most important thing to learn is how to improvise, and adapt.. Your most important tool in the woods is your brain. Learn it stuff.... |
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The basic idea behind bushcraft is carrying more knowledge and less gear.
Meaning, if you are practiced in it you should be able to walk into the woods with a limited set of tools and be able to not just survive, but be comfortable doing it. Lots of emphasis on types of fires and how to start them, types of shelters for staying warm in all seasons with limited sleep gear, traps made in the field, and then for fun some pretty basic carpentry (that's what I consider it anyway) for thing like stools and more permanent shelters. It's fun to play around with, and the skills are good to learn, but the mindset is sort of old fashioned. I have no idea why those guys are so obsessed with canvas packs and wool blankets. If you are interested in it I would recommend watching a lot of the Ray Mears stuff, most of it is on youtube. He demonstrates some very cool skills in lots of his shows. |
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Bushcraft - Camping - Wilderness Survival
Those terms for me tend to be interchangeable, but each have slightly different aspects that boil down to a more specific goal. I think the act of bushcraft specifically the modern interpenetration is more a honing, and practicing of skills. Its more so the act of being able to do more with less in the woods. Sure you can build a fire but can you do easily with a Ferro rod no matter the conditions? Bow drill or other methods? Mastering or practicing knife and blade handling so you can build what you need while out in the bush? Its the practice and training to master the skills used while in the outdoors. A quick example I came up with: I really like everything that Les Stroud does and really enjoy watching anything he films. He is a master of wilderness survival but if you watch a lot of specific things he does you will see he is far from a master of bushcraft. He just happened to be good at filming and entertaining so his stuff ended up on TV. He can probably teach us all a thing about wilderness survival or surviving in a variety of situations but to watch him strike a mag block with the blade of a knife makes me cringe. In one episode he even mentions that hardcore out doors/ survivalist or maybe he even said bushcrafters hate it when you strike a rod with your blade, but he said it works better and in a survival situation getting that fire going right now is all that matters and that's true, but the fact of the matter is, if your a skilled outdoorsman or bushcrafter you will never find yourself in any true survival situation. Your always going to have a blade, fire, the ability to build shelter, and at that point your not surviving, your bushcrafting, especially if you put yourself in the situation to practice your skills. If your going to use a ferro rod, every one knows you bring a striker AND square the spine of your blade so it can strike, and be used to scrape not only to make fire, but for other tasks as well. There are some very strong opinions in bushcraft, I am sure I have one to, but the truth is, what works for one doesn't always work for all. You can make of it what you want and go from there. I actually find bushcrafting very enlightening and rewarding. I balance that practice and skills with my limited prepping and micro homesteading (great term that was used in another recent thread) along with my other motor head and radio hobbies. I like having a broad brush of skills, and one of my favorite is being out in the woods. I will warn you with this, and I started to go down that road, many in bushcraft use leather, canvas, or older style/ looking gear. The look creates a wonderful level of nostalgia but can become very expensive and sometimes the term "bushcraft" it self will lead you to believe you need to be using or wearing things that don't look modern, but the truth is, don't get caught up in the hype. Enjoy the gear ya got and use the heck out of it. I have been playing bushcraft for a few years now and almost went down that expensive gear road but stopped myself, because I found a lot of the gear I already had worked better, and well didn't cost an arm and a leg. Same goes for the good ole MORA! I hope to do a significant more of outings this year, to include as many overnighters as possible! This spring I am going to start on my permanent bushcrafters shelter on my property, I think I am going to do some what of a trappers cabin meets lean-to meats primitive shelter. I would like to have a woodstove in it before next winter so I can spend nights in it year round. If the construction includes the use of blue tarps so be it, getting out there and doing is what counts! 
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The basic idea behind bushcraft is carrying more knowledge and less gear. Meaning, if you are practiced in it you should be able to walk into the woods with a limited set of tools and be able to not just survive, but be comfortable doing it. Lots of emphasis on types of fires and how to start them, types of shelters for staying warm in all seasons with limited sleep gear, traps made in the field, and then for fun some pretty basic carpentry (that's what I consider it anyway) for thing like stools and more permanent shelters. It's fun to play around with, and the skills are good to learn, but the mindset is sort of old fashioned. I have no idea why those guys are so obsessed with canvas packs and wool blankets. If you are interested in it I would recommend watching a lot of the Ray Mears stuff, most of it is on youtube. He demonstrates some very cool skills in lots of his shows. I prefer a sleeping bag or fleece blanket.  Another thing I just thought of that is all over YouTube as well: for some reason people baton all of there small size kindling with a knife, almost always... Maybe it is AO specific but I can't understand why any one would spend the time battoning their blade through small logs to create camp fire kindling. I can spend about 5min walking around almost any Adirondack forest (that's not a beat to hell camp site) and find pine twigs, sticks and branches, and never had a neat to chop them up with my blade to make fire. Even in the wettest of conditions you can find dry stuff to start a fire, just need to know where to look. And come to think of it during my 10 day hunt in the Rockies I never needed to baton anything! I can understand some limited splitting with an axe or hatchet to help you get the fire going but I have never needed to.
Another thing in bushcraft that is important is an open mind, because there is always some one who can do it better, and whom has more experience. I do my best to learn, take in, and modify or make better my skills by integrating other ideas and thoughts. The fact of the matter is, it comes down to skills, practice/training, and learning. Do what you want to do and have fun with it! One of my favorite things learned is from MCQbushcraft on youtube. A small stainless steel pot scrubber makes for perfect kit cleaning while in the bush. No need for soap, just scrub away and rinse. When done rise and shake clean then place at edge of coals to sterilize after usage. You always have a clean scrubber capable of not only scrubbing the inside, but the ash on the outside as well. I also learned that a little bit of honing compound and a small portable leather strop works wonderfully in the field or even at home. Never got a knife so sharp before. |
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camping/hiking: this is about enjoying nature and outdoors activities while being as comfortable as possible. Tents, sleeping bags , lightweight gear and some knowledge on how to navigate with a map are usually all that is needed. For some it's more about setting camp and swapping stories around the campfire, for other more sporty ones it's about trail running or walking longer distances. it's fun, a great family activity no doubt but it doesn't have a lot in common with survival.
bushcrafting: learning outdoors primitive skills. Some will be more purist than others but you can't just show up to a class where everyone is carving a wooden bowl and just throw a tin cup and say "there, stop wasting your damn time" that kind of attitude is frowned upon. you'll notice a trend, a certain style of dressing and general esthetics, favoring and old school kind of a approach. I've seen on several occasions that this can get out of hand to the point where practicality is clearly sacrificed in the name of being authentic traditional or purists. Although there's different trends within bushcrafting , the most common ones seems to be pretty hippie love mother earth types. wilderness survival: here you have a couple different schools of though as well, some more leaning towards the practical side of emergency preparedness, others more focused on outdoors survival, focusing more on food gathering and shelter building rather than quickly reaching civilization. This somewhat overlaps with bushcraft although it tends to be less traditional than bushcraft and more practical. There the military survival branch that focuses more on E&E, comms, etc. I think that they all have their merits but a wilderness survival from a disaster preparedness approach would be the more practical, and this is still taking into account that wilderness survival is probably one of the things we are least likely to use within the entire survival and preparedness genre. FerFAL |
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Les Stroud??? I would say more like Ray Mears or Mors Kochanski. Bushcraft has a wide spectrum of definitions and is much like "survival" when it comes to marketing. It is also much like our Nessmuk and woodcraft which was popular in it's time and a solid foundation for skills used in/around camp and the outdoors. Many like to think of it as specific wood-working tools and skills, I tend to think of it more of an attitude and lifestyle...or at least the journey to such. Some go to more primitive skills where others think of it as skills to make life a little easier when in the bush. Ray Mears is probably the most prolific "bushcrafter" and his attitude permeates much of that culture. My personal feeling is that "bushcraft" skills correlate well to survivalist skills in a more wilderness setting. If you accept the definition that it's more attitude and lifestyle, it could transcend to other areas. A lot of serous bushcraft-types take the basic skills to more extreme levels where they actually go from survival skills to skills that make you comfortable. One of the areas that delves into the marketing realm is that bushcraft often takes on a life of its own when you start discussing knives (including other cutting tools such as axes and saws). Although I believe it's broader than just a design of the blade, knives often become the central aspect when one brings up that specific term. However, there are subset cultures and groups that use it for a culinary lifestyle...very unique but on the macro level it mirrors much of the skills necessary for survival when you see it through the eyes of a hunter/gather mentality. Over on Bushcraft USA, they have a pretty broad circle of interests that fall under that umbrella, but I still think the basic skills and mindset tend to favor the necessary skills of wilderness survival requirements. ROCK6 |
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This. dont over think it. Humans have been living in the wild longer then we have been civilized.. Its not really complicated. Id say the most important thing to learn is how to improvise, and adapt.. Your most important tool in the woods is your brain. Learn it stuff.... Quoted:
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What is a bushcrafter and what type of bushcraft is important to know to improve odds of survival and improve comfort when in the wild? My guess? Something less than Swiss Family Robinson, but somebody who can live out in the woods, or wild and survive without a lot of gear. Know how to build fires, make shelters, hunt/dress game out, fish, cook, make traps if need be--just survive on his/her own without needing a 24' box truck's worth of stuff. Chris This. dont over think it. Humans have been living in the wild longer then we have been civilized.. Its not really complicated. Id say the most important thing to learn is how to improvise, and adapt.. Your most important tool in the woods is your brain. Learn it stuff.... I sort of disagree with the red. There is a ton of stuff to know and the more you know the easier it is. There is a lot of technology that isn't intuitive and if you don't know it, you're not likely to just figure it out. The blue is certainly an asset. A huge one. I think some bushcrafters have gone off on quite the tangent of improvising from lesser stuff for the sake of it. It's good to be able to, but why go into the woods with a plastic sheet when you could have a nylon tarp or even a good tent for less or equal weight? Same with the canvas and wool. Sometimes they're better suited. But the Frost river pack that weighs twice what my nylon does, doesn't carry stuff any better. But, to each their own. For me, I tend toward the old ways. I find them more enjoyable as well as more renewable and more in harmony with longer term living in the wild. Something about that just satisfies me. Anything from Longhunter stuff from the late 1700s up to early 1900s with the likes of Horace Kephart or late 1800s with Nessmuk. I'll include modern materials and tech when it's beneficial. Would recommend the books by the above mentioned authors. I've treasured my copies. The website mentioned by another poster is a good'n. |
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Look up Ray Mears Bushcraft on Youtube. Watch a few of his episodes. Then watch some of Les Stroud's Survivorman episodes. Then some of Bear Grills stuff. You will see a trend. Ray Mears is all about enjoying your time in the woods, and making and enjoying the experience of the outdoors. Using only limited tools, like a good knife and axe, knowing edible plants, and knowing how to fish or hunt/trap and in the end knowing how to cooking your catch. Live, learn and thrive in the outdoors, regardless of climate or conditions.
Les Stroud is more just making it through a week in some remote place. That is more about survival and navigating to 'rescue' but not bushcraft beyond some basics shelter/fire making. Bear Grills is... well, Bear. He has extreme situation and drama, and is intended for entertainment and excitement in a 'what if' scenario. To me both Les, and Bear are missing the point of their shows. Inform, educate, and entertain. I think Ray's shows are a little less entertaining and more on education, and I like it that way. I've watched everything Ray has done. Bushcraft is knowledge of the woods/outdoors. Knowledge is gear that weighs nothing. His shows are not about survival in the woods. But how to thrive in the woods. IMHO a big difference, and that is bushcraft. |
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I'm just getting started. Well not even really started. I car camp once and a great while. I have really been enjoying the videos on youtube lately.
The ones I am most fond of right now are(mind my spelling as I am not looking at my youtube atm) MCQBushcrafter, AlphieAesthtetics, Funkyprepper, Alonewolverine1984 and wildernessoutfitters(Dave Canterburry). They seem to touch on interesting things and for the most part make things more entertaining to watch. Especially AlphieAesthtetics... He is a hoot to listen too and is amazingly knowledgeable on plants and fungi, although not so much a bushcrafter type of videos, but good general woodsy stuff. I stumbled upon some old timer(probably a guru of bushcrafters) last night and it was hard to make it through a whole video as he was so boring. But I am sure there are good bits of info if I can force myself to sit through them. It's as addictive as ARFCOM for finding ways to spend money thought. There are temptations everywhere when looking at the different gear and websites. It also REALLY makes me wish I had more free time and accessible forests closer to home. I think that's going to be my biggest downside, not having the time or area to really try much of anything. |
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I'm just getting started. Well not even really started. I car camp once and a great while. I have really been enjoying the videos on youtube lately. The ones I am most fond of right now are(mind my spelling as I am not looking at my youtube atm) MCQBushcrafter, AlphieAesthtetics, Funkyprepper, Alonewolverine1984 and wildernessoutfitters(Dave Canterburry). They seem to touch on interesting things and for the most part make things more entertaining to watch. Especially AlphieAesthtetics... He is a hoot to listen too and is amazingly knowledgeable on plants and fungi, although not so much a bushcrafter type of videos, but good general woodsy stuff. I stumbled upon some old timer(probably a guru of bushcrafters) last night and it was hard to make it through a whole video as he was so boring. But I am sure there are good bits of info if I can force myself to sit through them. It's as addictive as ARFCOM for finding ways to spend money thought. There are temptations everywhere when looking at the different gear and websites. It also REALLY makes me wish I had more free time and accessible forests closer to home. I think that's going to be my biggest downside, not having the time or area to really try much of anything. Where in NY are you? There is tons of public land all over the state. I have about 20,000 acres of it within 10-15 minutes in any direction. I live right in the middle of a ton of it. You can get on the DEC website and check your zone for places, some of the little chunks can be hard to find without knowing they are there. |
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I sort of disagree with the red. There is a ton of stuff to know and the more you know the easier it is. There is a lot of technology that isn't intuitive and if you don't know it, you're not likely to just figure it out. The blue is certainly an asset. A huge one. I think some bushcrafters have gone off on quite the tangent of improvising from lesser stuff for the sake of it. It's good to be able to, but why go into the woods with a plastic sheet when you could have a nylon tarp or even a good tent for less or equal weight? Same with the canvas and wool. Sometimes they're better suited. But the Frost river pack that weighs twice what my nylon does, doesn't carry stuff any better. But, to each their own. For me, I tend toward the old ways. I find them more enjoyable as well as more renewable and more in harmony with longer term living in the wild. Something about that just satisfies me. Anything from Longhunter stuff from the late 1700s up to early 1900s with the likes of Horace Kephart or late 1800s with Nessmuk. I'll include modern materials and tech when it's beneficial. Would recommend the books by the above mentioned authors. I've treasured my copies. The website mentioned by another poster is a good'n. Quoted:
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What is a bushcrafter and what type of bushcraft is important to know to improve odds of survival and improve comfort when in the wild? My guess? Something less than Swiss Family Robinson, but somebody who can live out in the woods, or wild and survive without a lot of gear. Know how to build fires, make shelters, hunt/dress game out, fish, cook, make traps if need be--just survive on his/her own without needing a 24' box truck's worth of stuff. Chris This. dont over think it. Humans have been living in the wild longer then we have been civilized.. Its not really complicated. Id say the most important thing to learn is how to improvise, and adapt.. Your most important tool in the woods is your brain. Learn it stuff.... I sort of disagree with the red. There is a ton of stuff to know and the more you know the easier it is. There is a lot of technology that isn't intuitive and if you don't know it, you're not likely to just figure it out. The blue is certainly an asset. A huge one. I think some bushcrafters have gone off on quite the tangent of improvising from lesser stuff for the sake of it. It's good to be able to, but why go into the woods with a plastic sheet when you could have a nylon tarp or even a good tent for less or equal weight? Same with the canvas and wool. Sometimes they're better suited. But the Frost river pack that weighs twice what my nylon does, doesn't carry stuff any better. But, to each their own. For me, I tend toward the old ways. I find them more enjoyable as well as more renewable and more in harmony with longer term living in the wild. Something about that just satisfies me. Anything from Longhunter stuff from the late 1700s up to early 1900s with the likes of Horace Kephart or late 1800s with Nessmuk. I'll include modern materials and tech when it's beneficial. Would recommend the books by the above mentioned authors. I've treasured my copies. The website mentioned by another poster is a good'n. Perhaps I worded that wrong. If you have no skills what so ever, and are straight out of a sub division, the I guess things could be considered "complicated". What I meant by not being "complicated" is that, humans have been living off that land for 1000s of years, and while the skills to do so may seem complicated at first, once you get the hang of it, you wont think so.. My girl friends daughter is 8 year old, she brings home common core math home work... Now that to me is more complicated, then say building and improvised shelter, or starting a fire with out a lighter... |
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Where in NY are you? There is tons of public land all over the state. I have about 20,000 acres of it within 10-15 minutes in any direction. I live right in the middle of a ton of it. You can get on the DEC website and check your zone for places, some of the little chunks can be hard to find without knowing they are there. Quoted:
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I'm just getting started. Well not even really started. I car camp once and a great while. I have really been enjoying the videos on youtube lately. The ones I am most fond of right now are(mind my spelling as I am not looking at my youtube atm) MCQBushcrafter, AlphieAesthtetics, Funkyprepper, Alonewolverine1984 and wildernessoutfitters(Dave Canterburry). They seem to touch on interesting things and for the most part make things more entertaining to watch. Especially AlphieAesthtetics... He is a hoot to listen too and is amazingly knowledgeable on plants and fungi, although not so much a bushcrafter type of videos, but good general woodsy stuff. I stumbled upon some old timer(probably a guru of bushcrafters) last night and it was hard to make it through a whole video as he was so boring. But I am sure there are good bits of info if I can force myself to sit through them. It's as addictive as ARFCOM for finding ways to spend money thought. There are temptations everywhere when looking at the different gear and websites. It also REALLY makes me wish I had more free time and accessible forests closer to home. I think that's going to be my biggest downside, not having the time or area to really try much of anything. Where in NY are you? There is tons of public land all over the state. I have about 20,000 acres of it within 10-15 minutes in any direction. I live right in the middle of a ton of it. You can get on the DEC website and check your zone for places, some of the little chunks can be hard to find without knowing they are there. I think this calls for a NY meet up/ ARFCOM camp out.
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I think this calls for a NY meet up/ ARFCOM camp out. Quoted:
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I'm just getting started. Well not even really started. I car camp once and a great while. I have really been enjoying the videos on youtube lately. The ones I am most fond of right now are(mind my spelling as I am not looking at my youtube atm) MCQBushcrafter, AlphieAesthtetics, Funkyprepper, Alonewolverine1984 and wildernessoutfitters(Dave Canterburry). They seem to touch on interesting things and for the most part make things more entertaining to watch. Especially AlphieAesthtetics... He is a hoot to listen too and is amazingly knowledgeable on plants and fungi, although not so much a bushcrafter type of videos, but good general woodsy stuff. I stumbled upon some old timer(probably a guru of bushcrafters) last night and it was hard to make it through a whole video as he was so boring. But I am sure there are good bits of info if I can force myself to sit through them. It's as addictive as ARFCOM for finding ways to spend money thought. There are temptations everywhere when looking at the different gear and websites. It also REALLY makes me wish I had more free time and accessible forests closer to home. I think that's going to be my biggest downside, not having the time or area to really try much of anything. Where in NY are you? There is tons of public land all over the state. I have about 20,000 acres of it within 10-15 minutes in any direction. I live right in the middle of a ton of it. You can get on the DEC website and check your zone for places, some of the little chunks can be hard to find without knowing they are there. I think this calls for a NY meet up/ ARFCOM camp out. I would love to, but I get busier yearly. I'm booked solid until at least July. Once the weather breaks it's go time for work. |
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Look up Ray Mears Bushcraft on Youtube. Watch a few of his episodes. Then watch some of Les Stroud's Survivorman episodes. Then some of Bear Grills stuff. You will see a trend. Ray Mears is all about enjoying your time in the woods, and making and enjoying the experience of the outdoors. Using only limited tools, like a good knife and axe, knowing edible plants, and knowing how to fish or hunt/trap and in the end knowing how to cooking your catch. Live, learn and thrive in the outdoors, regardless of climate or conditions. Les Stroud is more just making it through a week in some remote place. That is more about survival and navigating to 'rescue' but not bushcraft beyond some basics shelter/fire making. Bear Grills is... well, Bear. He has extreme situation and drama, and is intended for entertainment and excitement in a 'what if' scenario. To me both Les, and Bear are missing the point of their shows. Inform, educate, and entertain. I think Ray's shows are a little less entertaining and more on education, and I like it that way. I've watched everything Ray has done. Bushcraft is knowledge of the woods/outdoors. Knowledge is gear that weighs nothing. His shows are not about survival in the woods. But how to thrive in the woods. IMHO a big difference, and that is bushcraft. Good post. Thank you. |
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I would love to, but I get busier yearly. I'm booked solid until at least July. Once the weather breaks it's go time for work. Quoted:
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/snip I think this calls for a NY meet up/ ARFCOM camp out. I would love to, but I get busier yearly. I'm booked solid until at least July. Once the weather breaks it's go time for work. I'm in the metro ROC area. Not a lot of areas close that gets you away from the people. I tried camping at Stony Brook and while fine for a family, it's not much of a get away from the crowd type camping. Moose River Plains for the ARFhunts was great(but a little much on the driving). I'd be up for a NY meet up/camping trip though, if we can get a decent schedule running. |
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camping/hiking: this is about enjoying nature and outdoors activities while being as comfortable as possible. Tents, sleeping bags , lightweight gear and some knowledge on how to navigate with a map are usually all that is needed. For some it's more about setting camp and swapping stories around the campfire, for other more sporty ones it's about trail running or walking longer distances. it's fun, a great family activity no doubt but it doesn't have a lot in common with survival. bushcrafting: learning outdoors primitive skills. Some will be more purist than others but you can't just show up to a class where everyone is carving a wooden bowl and just throw a tin cup and say "there, stop wasting your damn time" that kind of attitude is frowned upon. you'll notice a trend, a certain style of dressing and general esthetics, favoring and old school kind of a approach. I've seen on several occasions that this can get out of hand to the point where practicality is clearly sacrificed in the name of being authentic traditional or purists. Although there's different trends within bushcrafting , the most common ones seems to be pretty hippie love mother earth types. wilderness survival: here you have a couple different schools of though as well, some more leaning towards the practical side of emergency preparedness, others more focused on outdoors survival, focusing more on food gathering and shelter building rather than quickly reaching civilization. This somewhat overlaps with bushcraft although it tends to be less traditional than bushcraft and more practical. There the military survival branch that focuses more on E&E, comms, etc. I think that they all have their merits but a wilderness survival from a disaster preparedness approach would be the more practical, and this is still taking into account that wilderness survival is probably one of the things we are least likely to use within the entire survival and preparedness genre. FerFAL Since I signed up at bushcraftusa I have noticed that there is a culture built around old school ideas and ways. I have no desire to dress up and play bushcrafter. No more than I want to dress up and play Harley like the weekend biker types. I do want to learn how to thrive in the woods, more than I do now. I am interested in fire building (pretty good already), construction of various shelters, catching and utilizing game, plant identification, and better understanding animal habits. I'm sure there will be more later. |
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I'm in the metro ROC area. Not a lot of areas close that gets you away from the people. I tried camping at Stony Brook and while fine for a family, it's not much of a get away from the crowd type camping. Moose River Plains for the ARFhunts was great(but a little much on the driving). I'd be up for a NY meet up/camping trip though, if we can get a decent schedule running. Quoted:
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/snip I think this calls for a NY meet up/ ARFCOM camp out. I would love to, but I get busier yearly. I'm booked solid until at least July. Once the weather breaks it's go time for work. I'm in the metro ROC area. Not a lot of areas close that gets you away from the people. I tried camping at Stony Brook and while fine for a family, it's not much of a get away from the crowd type camping. Moose River Plains for the ARFhunts was great(but a little much on the driving). I'd be up for a NY meet up/camping trip though, if we can get a decent schedule running. Check out Sonyea or Hemlock Candice in Livingston County. http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/37457.html http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/66521.html Most of the smallish state parks, like Stony Brook are not a good time for anyone that wants to do anything primitive, they are usually rather crowded with car campers and hikers. Get out and look for the small chunks of state forest and go explore them, most have trails, but you can usually go off trail and find some really cool and peaceful spots. |
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Since I signed up at bushcraftusa I have noticed that there is a culture built around old school ideas and ways. I have no desire to dress up and play bushcrafter. No more than I want to dress up and play Harley like the weekend biker types. I do want to learn how to thrive in the woods, more than I do now. I am interested in fire building (pretty good already), construction of various shelters, catching and utilizing game, plant identification, and better understanding animal habits. I'm sure there will be more later. I am a member over there as well. I participated in the bushclass basic which is a pretty neat thing they have going on. I started it with my own mindset but quickly realized that not everything I thought was the best, was actually the best. There is a fine line between wilderness survival and bushcraft but I tend to meld the two together with a mindset of utility and function over cost. I like high priced knives and would love one, but will probably never buy one. There are a lot of good folks over there and a massive wealth of knowledge from all corners of the country. There are a lot into the period/ older school stuff, leather and canvas but not all. One thing I noticed over there is no one is going to bash you for using modern, different looking, cheap, cost effective gear! As long as you are out there doing that's what matters. Here is a thread on my hunting trip to CO: http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php/139095-A-few-Adirondack-yankees-overload-their-packs-and-head-to-CO-Hunting-trip-w-pics Its not all about wool blankets and bow drill fires. Its getting out there that counts! Blue hardware store tarp and all
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Im on a facebook forum (an actually awesome use for facebook) and recently I did the "one match fire challenge."
It turned out okay and I eventually got it but my matches were really old, Id rather have had a "stormproof" match or something. Its no so much about the match though as it is the preparation for the fire etc. I think being able to do things like make a fire in stressful and less than ideal situations is important. It is good to challenge yourself. My next thing to work on is shelter making etc. My 1 match fire video There are some other good ones I linked at the end. |
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Fire video thread, now?
Jake's flint/steel fire The steel is just a piece of hardened W1 carbon steel. It's set in a wooden handle so the boy's would be less likely to hack their hand open with the sharp flint. |
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Fire video thread, now?
Jake's flint/steel fire The steel is just a piece of hardened W1 carbon steel. It's set in a wooden handle so the boy's would be less likely to hack their hand open with the sharp flint. nice! |
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nice! Quoted:
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Fire video thread, now?
Jake's flint/steel fire The steel is just a piece of hardened W1 carbon steel. It's set in a wooden handle so the boy's would be less likely to hack their hand open with the sharp flint. nice! Thanks. We spent a lot of time in the scouts working on assorted fires and fire methods. Laying a proper fire and setting up the fire area properly for the intended tasks at hand make a big difference on effectiveness and ease of use. Flint and steel came to be the preferred method. If you have dry tinder, when you do get flame, it's a big hearty one that lasts. Also, a stiff breeze only helps coax the spark to flame. Quite the opposite of matches...the bane of scout fire building. 
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Fire video thread, now?
Jake's flint/steel fire The steel is just a piece of hardened W1 carbon steel. It's set in a wooden handle so the boy's would be less likely to hack their hand open with the sharp flint. Very cool! This is why I like ferro rods (even easier than flint) as it forces you to really prepare your tinder and/or accelerant along with your initial fire prep and associated fuel sizes. If you can master the most primitive ignition sources, a storm-proof match or butane lighter will be exponentially easier during a real emergency; again, as long as you understand the basics of preparing your fire before using your ignition source. Getting to the proficiency of flint and steel or other primitive methods (fire bow or hand-drill) just puts you on an expert level. You have to be proud of Jake! ROCK6 |
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My guess? Something less than Swiss Family Robinson, but somebody who can live out in the woods, or wild and survive without a lot of gear. Know how to build fires, make shelters, hunt/dress game out, fish, cook, make traps if need be--just survive on his/her own without needing a 24' box truck's worth of stuff. Chris Quoted:
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What is a bushcrafter and what type of bushcraft is important to know to improve odds of survival and improve comfort when in the wild? My guess? Something less than Swiss Family Robinson, but somebody who can live out in the woods, or wild and survive without a lot of gear. Know how to build fires, make shelters, hunt/dress game out, fish, cook, make traps if need be--just survive on his/her own without needing a 24' box truck's worth of stuff. Chris You mean all the stuff I learned in Boy Scouts 40 years ago? |
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Quoted: I think that they all have their merits but a wilderness survival from a disaster preparedness approach would be the more practical, and this is still taking into account that wilderness survival is probably one of the things we are least likely to use within the entire survival and preparedness genre. FerFAL Many people who historically lived off the land used what modern technology they had to make life more efficient. The "mountain men" were using the best made metal knifes they could afford, trapping with steel traps, and hunting/defending themselves with firearms, were all using what was then cutting-edge technology to give themselves a leg up in the wilderness. Even the Native Americans upgraded their tools when they could to go from stone to metal and gunpowder because it was better than what they could build straight from the wilderness. I think its better to think of bushcraft as last-ditch knowledge to get you out of a pinch than it is your first line of preparedness. Outside of a survival situation, buschcraft is more of a hobby or a lifestyle choice. My 2 cents. |
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This is what I think as well. There's nothing wrong with focusing on primitive bushcraft and enjoying it, and its better to have the knowledge than not have it. Yet in a true survival situation you will almost always be more efficient in gathering food from and sheltering in nature utilizing modern equipment than you will be using bushcraft methods. Many people who historically lived off the land used what modern technology they had to make life more efficient. The "mountain men" were using the best made metal knifes they could afford, trapping with steel traps, and hunting/defending themselves with firearms, were all using what was then cutting-edge technology to give themselves a leg up in the wilderness. Even the Native Americans upgraded their tools when they could to go from stone to metal and gunpowder because it was better than what they could build straight from the wilderness. I think its better to think of bushcraft as last-ditch knowledge to get you out of a pinch than it is your first line of preparedness. Outside of a survival situation, buschcraft is more of a hobby or a lifestyle choice. My 2 cents. Quoted:
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I think that they all have their merits but a wilderness survival from a disaster preparedness approach would be the more practical, and this is still taking into account that wilderness survival is probably one of the things we are least likely to use within the entire survival and preparedness genre. FerFAL Many people who historically lived off the land used what modern technology they had to make life more efficient. The "mountain men" were using the best made metal knifes they could afford, trapping with steel traps, and hunting/defending themselves with firearms, were all using what was then cutting-edge technology to give themselves a leg up in the wilderness. Even the Native Americans upgraded their tools when they could to go from stone to metal and gunpowder because it was better than what they could build straight from the wilderness. I think its better to think of bushcraft as last-ditch knowledge to get you out of a pinch than it is your first line of preparedness. Outside of a survival situation, buschcraft is more of a hobby or a lifestyle choice. My 2 cents. If I got stuck walking home from South Dakota, I would take advantage of man made shelter every time it is available to me. I would rather be inside an old warehouse of partially collapsed building than try to build a new shelter every night. It sure would be handy to have a small but hot fire to keep me alive. That is where bushcraft seems to be the key. Knowing bushcraft construction techniques might help improvise a better shelter inside a structure that will better keep me alive and capable. Knowing trapping might get me a cat or rabbit to eat to stay alive. |
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I grew up poor in the deep South. What they call 'bushcraft' now, is what we just did, back in the day. Minimum equipment, maximum enjoyment. Getting into bushcraft requires an investment in time. You cannot learn skills watching YouTube. The most valuable single thing is a mentor, someone that knows the local flora and fauna, that knows how to start a fire, build a shelter, find water, make a small animal trap.
Blades and Bushlore.com is a good place to start. An off shoot of BCUSA, and populated by people that actually get off their computer chair, and go afield. 
Several of the lads just finished their annual 'pot and machete' river trip. Three days with nothing but a pot and a knife. Have to find your own food, make shelter, make cordage, make fire with a fire drill................. and yet, every year the lads return alive, in good spirits and with new knowledge. |
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Quoted: I grew up poor in the deep South. What they call 'bushcraft' now, is what we just did, back in the day. Minimum equipment, maximum enjoyment. Getting into bushcraft requires an investment in time. You cannot learn skills watching YouTube. The most valuable single thing is a mentor, someone that knows the local flora and fauna, that knows how to start a fire, build a shelter, find water, make a small animal trap. Blades and Bushlore.com is a good place to start. An off shoot of BCUSA, and populated by people that actually get off their computer chair, and go afield. Several of the lads just finished their annual 'pot and machete' river trip. Three days with nothing but a pot and a knife. Have to find your own food, make shelter, make cordage, make fire with a fire drill................. and yet, every year the lads return alive, in good spirits and with new knowledge. Back in December I found a cabbage palm/palmetto lean-to and a dirt oven at Osceola Landing. Wasn't you was it? I figured it had to be a hard core bushcrafter. No one else would have taken the time to build that oven. |
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What is a bushcrafter and what type of bushcraft is important to know to improve odds of survival and improve comfort when in the wild? Yeah, head over to BCUSA IMO. What type of Bushcraft (or woodcraft) skills help while out in the wild? Navigation, water procurement, shelter building, firecraft, and plenty more. As for comfort, just bring a hammock. |