A More Natural Aproach To Bushcraft and Survival.

[seantimberwolf]

Hello Friends, over the past 4 years i have been honing my Bushcraft and Survival skills.
And i have Come to realize the "natural" approach to Bushcraft is best.
The whole idea of Bushcraft is to be at harmony with your surroundings, and to not leave a mark on the mother earth.
When we look at the crap that is shoved down our throats these days about Bushcraft, some of us start to think we need to carry excessive amounts of "high tech" equipment on our person at all times otherwise we may fall victim to the elements ha ha.
These include huge stoves for cooking, 100% synthetic clothing, the latest knife, and even GPS systems that can walk the journey for you.
I would like to remind all my brothers and sisters that we never needed these lazy things in the past and please learn to live without them, just to cover your A**.
Then if some kind of CME or similar event takes place you are safe in the knowledge of your ancestors, remember this:

"When one carries knowledge, one needs no tools"

Obviously a knife might be a must :)
But the point is that natural Bushcraft is not just better for the environment that you live in but it is also better for you, and your soul also, being closer to the spirit of the earth like our ancestors, brings a peace of mind that is hard to match i can promise you
that friends !
I have had my best nights Bushcrafting/Camping when under a clear night with a cotton blanket as my bed and a nice small fire beside me, knowing all i need is in my head and a small bag. its priceless peace of mind.
Especially if you live in an area of the world that would be considered very urban.
The link between you and the nature can be "strained" at best maybe even gone.
The city can breed the attitude of nature and the wild being Scary to some, maybe even most.
My hope is that if there is a CME event that not all the world will embark into the wild i do not think the mother earth could sustain the entire world and its modern habbits within her domain.

But just some food for thought for any Bushcrafters/Survivalists out there who may want to know a better way :)

Kind regards and love
Sean Timberwolf

[13th Warrior]

I feel as you do.


"When one carries knowledge, one needs no tools"

I always found it odd that people put primitive fire starting materials in their survival kits? If your going to carry some thing; why not take a lighter or butane torch?

[seantimberwolf]

Agreed, although i would carry as much natural tinder as i could find at any time.
But to carry basic fire lighting equipment is counter productive, unless one is going into an area that may not have the materials required to start a fire.

[Vanessa]

Warrior, made me laugh because I've thought the same. Doesn't hurt to carry a lighter along with waterproof matches AND primitive fire starting equipment. Someone said one is none, two is one. Not knowing how long such a situation would be, three is better.

[toad]

Agreed, although i would carry as much natural tinder as i could find at any time.
But to carry basic fire lighting equipment is counter productive, unless one is going into an area that may not have the materials required to start a fire.

Im with you, I love bushcraft, and I find it very satisfying staying out in the forest alone for long periods of time. I've spent most of my time picking mushrooms and wild edibles, and have become very comfortable in the forest. Its amazing how alot of people think they can start a fire in the forest cause they've seen it on tv, but have never ever once tried to execute it. Even with a flint stick it still isnt easy, but it is alot of fun. I usually enter the woods without a very sharp solid knife and a flint stick, just cause you never really know, the universe can unfold in mysterious ways, and it may just decide to test you. I've gotten lost and twisted in the woods only once, but I managed to get out before it was dark, luckily. cheers!

[konocti7]

"When one carries knowledge, one needs no tools"

I agree with this statement, although, I would say for survival it could also be stated as:

When one carries knowledge, one needs minimal or limited tools.

Implied in this is part of the knowledge is how to make the additional tools one finds they need for survival. I really did appreciate the simplicity of your thinking in this matter. I believe that the less one has to have in order to survive the better the outcome. Thanks for the thought stream.

[seantimberwolf]

"When one carries knowledge, one needs no tools"

I agree with this statement, although, I would say for survival it could also be stated as:

When one carries knowledge, one needs minimal or limited tools.

Implied in this is part of the knowledge is how to make the additional tools one finds they need for survival. I really did appreciate the simplicity of your thinking in this matter. I believe that the less one has to have in order to survive the better the outcome. Thanks for the thought stream.

Well its nice to jave a thread that involves no aliens or sages :)
A Nice reminder we are on this planet not another!

[Lost Soul]

Tom Brown teaches the same thing. The best bug out bag is the brain and the knowledge one has between their ears. Brown has literally gone into the woods naked and without a knife and has emerged fed and clothed. It is a matter of learning how to knapp stone for knives, spears, arrowheads, making bows and arrows, cordage, reading tracks, awareness and living by nature's rules instead of fighting them. He has some excellent books on the subject.

[13th Warrior]

Tom Brown teaches the same thing. The best bug out bag is the brain and the knowledge one has between their ears. Brown has literally gone into the woods naked and without a knife and has emerged fed and clothed. It is a matter of learning how to knapp stone for knives, spears, arrowheads, making bows and arrows, cordage, reading tracks, awareness and living by nature's rules instead of fighting them. He has some excellent books on the subject.

Tom Brown fan here.

[RMorgan]

Hi Sean,

I agree with you.

In my opinion, basically (depends on your local climate), all you need is a way to protect your feet and to keep your body warm (you can use animal skin for that, in extreme situations), any kind of knife (even a butter knife is already a bless in extreme situations), any device to carry water ( you can improvise one using animal skin, bamboo, etc...), something to start a fire and cordage ( para-cord is extremely useful).

Probably, finding food is the hardest thing of all. Making effective traps is very hard and eating plants and roots, if you don´t know them, is very dangerous. That´s why I think archery skills are essential to any survivalist.

You can carry a take-down recurve bow and some arrows with you anywhere you go, but if you´re taken by surprise, it´s pretty easy to make a survival bow and arrows in the woods as well. I have a Hoyt Game Master II takedown bow, which is almost impossible to destroy.

Also, a simple BIC lighter can literally save lives. Like Toad sad, making fire out of nothing is pretty hard, if not impossible for a regular person, and trying to make fire with wood sticks can cause serious accidents that could hurt your hands. If you live in sunny places, a magnifying glass is enough for making fire and it doesn´t have trouble with getting wet, like lighters have.

Of course, the most important thing of all is to know your environment. Knowing what plants, fruits and roots you can eat, knowing the behavior of local predators and these kind of things is essential.

Cheers,

Raf.

[Lost Soul]

According to Tom Brown, the things you need to survive in the order of importance are: shelter (exposure kills), water (dehydration impairs movement, cognitive ability and can kill), fire (warmth, food preparation, water sterilization) and food (most of us can go two weeks without it).

[Davy]

Great thread, I agree knowledge is indeed empowering, i decided to learn all I can about gardening, I print off any info or invest in books, that away if no power due to mass outages at least I will have access to knowledge and I am constantly trying to learn as much as I can.

[AuCo]

Great thread, I agree knowledge is indeed empowering, i decided to learn all I can about gardening, I print off any info or invest in books, that away if no power due to mass outages at least I will have access to knowledge and I am constantly trying to learn as much as I can.

In my opinion, and I hope that you are thinking on long term, for one can only do gardening after the dust is settled and be able to stay in one place. Survival skills on the move would be what one should be aiming for, at least to me that is. I like RMorgan's post #10 above.

I imagine when the time comes, if one is lucky enough to survive the initial wrath of nature, still must try to stay away from hungry fellow humans, into the woods that is, where foods are only accessible to those with the right skills.

When the crowded boat sinks, dive before you swim. For those that can't swim will try to cling on anything that floats, including the you.

[Free Bird]

Thank you for starting this thread. It is so important we relearn being in harmony with nature. Humanity is forgetting so many skills.

My favourite Bushmaster is Ray Mears. Back in the late eighties I met the "Bush Tucker Man", Les Hiddins, when he was filming in the Kimberley region of North Western Australia. He taught us loads about going out bush and once a month, we would leave Fitzroy Crossing with just our swag, fishing lines and a few tinnies of beer. Great fun! :)

Here is some Ray Mears to enjoy :)
dxmUjW-b4c8

Peace and Love

[seantimberwolf]

Thanks free bird, i think its a relevent thread.
Its best if we all know the knowledge our ancestors had, there may be a time soon where we will need it more than we know :)

[Ria]

You know there's a London meet up taking place on the 5th May[for putting the Idea out]
Its just a suggestion, that may be a group would like to partake in a bush type course.??
You could see what the interest is, sharing of skills also.
gear it for different ages.
consider different localities.
What do you think?

[seantimberwolf]

You know there's a London meet up taking place on the 5th May[for putting the Idea out]
Its just a suggestion, that may be a group would like to partake in a bush type course.??
You could see what the interest is, sharing of skills also.
gear it for different ages.
consider different localities.
What do you think?

sounds good what kind of venue is this meet held in,? i had seen this post and meant to post on it.
is it the very same one regarding the london meet, maybe ill post a comment over there ria, see what the general feeling is :)