Bushcraft Forum

[The Stig]

SURPRISE! A new forum for the Ants.

Brother Izzy get's the gold star for spearheading the idea. Here was part of his note suggesting it.


Here is my thought:

We are a survival forum, correct?

I see a lot of threads about show and tell. A lot of discussion of scenarios. Many threads about this piece of gear or that.

All of those are well and good and are most definitely a part of our way of life.

Here's what I see a serious deficiency in:

Actual Survival skills.

Who'da thunk it......

I'm proposing that we create a new forum or subforum dedicated to true survival skills................bushcraft.

This forum can take us back to basics and all the way to advanced skillsets and knowledge bases.

Fire starting, making shit, truly finding ways to survive without all our cool stuff.

In essence, the whole premise of the forum is to get us back to thinking, dare I say it: PRIMITIVE.


I'm gonna let Izzy and Tunnelrat run with explanations of what this forum is all about but it should be pretty obvious. We're looking for discussions of real life survival skills. Whether they be camping, living off the land, a 5 day survival course, how to eat bugs or how to dig a latrine this is the area to talk about it. In other words, this forum is primarily focused on actual field experiences more-so than theory.

[apssbc]

Absolutley awesome!!!!! Cannot wait to see how this part of the forum grows!

[bacpacker]

I am very stoked to have this available to the colony. Gonna be some good stuff here I think.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Sounds good!

[mitunnelrat]

I got really excited when this was proposed, so I'm sure you'll see me doing my part to get material in here.

The way I personally see it right now is there are three areas that will fit very well in this forum. Wilderness/ Primitive skills, urban specific adaptations of those skills, and some of the RYO/ DYI projects.

Granted, some of that isn't bushcrafting, but it all focuses on knowledge and skill building rather than the equipment and materials many of the other forums are focused on.

Some things I'd especially like to see personally are:

Identifying wild edibles, and how to prepare them. Especially those edibles you can find within cities like mast trees and such.

Primitive fire making and how to carry it safely.

Primitive tools and weaponry. I have an article on making a simple wooden spear I'll be trying out and reviewing. Does anyone know how to make bows or other projectile weapons? How about flint knapping for a serviceable blade?

Natural cordage from various regions would be awesome as well.

That's it for now, just off the top of my head, so let's get out and have some fun!

[Dropy]

I was trained in flintknapping. WHat ya wanna know? I dont claim to be a know it all...but i can make blades, axe heads, arrowheads. Sharp enough to shave with.

- - - Updated - - -

And with flintknapping you can make some tools too. Like awls, drilll bits chisel heads..lots of stuff, just about anything with an edge on it can be flintknapped. Shall i start a thread on it?

[mitunnelrat]

Basically everything! Lol

Seriously though, its one of those topics that I see could go in-depth. From identifying what clues terrain may give you to its possible presence, to identifying when you do stub your toe on some, to the actual mechanics of working it...

What are you comfortable discussing on it? The flow of any info would be great.

[apssbc]

I agree with MTR I would love to learn more on finding and working flint. Also the edibles would be another learning tool. Should say learn on this because I know nothing about it ;)

I guess it depends on what we consider bushcraft. I dont want to throw a thread in about tarp shelters if thats not going to be considered and appropriate for this forum. IMHO buschcraft now a days is making do with a minimal amout of tools and skills even if some modern conviences are used such as 550 cord and tarps.

Also I would like to see some field expedient shelters, minimalist typle shelters. I for one am a fan of tarps and ponchos. PS I will plan to do this thread when I get some time...maybe even this coming weekend. Well see what I can do since after all it is hunting season. I believe this would be an acceptable submission

Firestarting is another thing that is good. Beyond flint and steel, and other manufactured starters I'm a noob.

Ooooo Snares, traps, and others would be awesome too.

[Taz Baby]

There are already threads on a lot of different things that have been mentioned but you have to find them. Edibles wild plants would be in the food section, fire starting is another one in equipment and basic supplies. I just type what I am looking for into the search and I find it that way. It helps so I don't have to go through each section.

I think what Stig is saying here (or at least the way I understand it) is that this thread should be about what we have made, done, and tried out already and then talk about how it worked for us. (Example: the rocket stove thread.) But I might be wrong on my thinking.

[mitunnelrat]

There are already threads on a lot of different things that have been mentioned but you have to find them.Agreed, but the emphasis is often different in the threads within those forums. I've seen discussions on end results, and very little on what people know of foraging to achieve those results. Take your two examples, for instance:


Edibles wild plants would be in the food section There is a whole skill set involved in finding them, another for determining if something is safe to eat if you aren't sure, and one more still for preparing them with little to no gear available.


fire starting is another one in equipment and basic supplies. Ditto here. Its the emphasis on skills over materials. I have to know what type of woods to select and how to assemble the components in order to make fire without my beloved zippo or any other man made materials.



I just type what I am looking for into the search and I find it that way. It helps so I don't have to go through each section.Smart way to do things.



I think what Stig is saying here (or at least the way I understand it) is that this thread should be about what we have made, done, and tried out already and then talk about how it worked for us. (Example: the rocket stove thread.) But I might be wrong on my thinking.

appsbc was pretty much on target. Bushcrafting can be seen as breaking survival and emergency prep skills down to their most basic form. What will or can we do if we have nothing but the clothes on our back and the items in our pockets.

I believe its more a forum/ matter of "how" than it is "what"

[Taz Baby]

Thanks for breaking it down like that. If all you had was what was in your pockets, then that would be the question, what should you carry in your pockets in case that is all you have. Like how to make a bow drill and how to use it to make a fire? All you would have to have is a string and you could use the one in your boot or shoe for that. Am I on the right track?

[mitunnelrat]

Yep, you're welcome! Like another example I asked for too though: natural cordage. That way you can even keep your shoes tied ;)Think "Survivorman" and that covers quite a bit of it.

[mitunnelrat]

I think you'll see once we get rolling. I haven't had time to get out and do anything since this was proposed, but I love having things to do when I'm out in the woods overnight.

[bacpacker]

Dropy I for one would love to have some info on Flint Knapping. I picked up a book on Knapping a few years ago, but never really found what I felt like was adequate material to use. I think that would be far and away most useful to me, at least to get started.

A couple other topics I feel would be useful in this forum would be navigation, in daylight, dark, and cloudy/fogged in conditions. And if anyone has ideas on the best way to find hidden water. In my AO I would call looking for hidden springs. Other areas would probably have different techniques involved.

[Taz Baby]

As far as the edible plants go, that is something everyone needs to learn on their own. You have to see the plant. You need to know what is in your area and find out if it is edible or not. You can look at pics from the book in your hand then look at the plant and sometimes see what it is. But others are not that easy. Some have look-a-likes that are poisonous. I am still having a hard time learning the difference between Water Hemlock (poisonous) and Queen Anne's Lace (edible).
We have a lot of one if not both of these growing every where around us but I am too scared to use any of them. here is a link to why I am scared:http://wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/food/edibleplants/wildcarrot/index.html


Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrot)
http://ts4.mm.bing.net/th?id=I.4574574722024919&pid=15.1

Water Hemlock
http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=I.4717476860856354&pid=15.1

When you see these in the wild they look the same.

[izzyscout21]

Lets get this party started!

[apssbc]

Ill have something after this weekend as long as all is well at the bol. As for now I'm stuck at work for 36 hours and can't accomplish much.

[mitunnelrat]

I just moved and merged several older threads into here, so I figured I'd bump the forum for people to notice and get a fresh look at them.