The physicality of satisfying our essential needs today is virtually effortless – like strolling through the aisles of a grocery store or turning a knob to heat an oven. So why turn back history and roam forest and field to dig up edible roots? Why twirl a stick in your hands to near exhaustion in […]
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Rabbitstick
It is that time of year again — when I start thinking about travel to Rabbitstick. The event is held September 15 – 21, 2013 in Rexburg, ID… so a flight into Jackson Hole, WY (90 miles) or Salt Lake City, UT (240 miles) is in my near future. If you are not familiar with the […]
Dual Survival / ALSS Auction for Fallen Firefighter Families!
Sorry I didn’t see this sooner! Cody Lundin is holding an auction to raise money for the families of the 19 fallen firefighters who died battling the Yarnell Hill fire. Link is HERE! Auction closes 7/22/13 at 6 p.m. Arizona time.
Collecting & Treating Water in the Backcountry
I made the video below 3 years ago. Since that time, and for many years prior, nothing has changed for me in how I collect and treat water in the backcountry for biological pathogens. And when I say collect, it is more than just dipping my bottle or pot in a creek, there is […]
The Bushcraft Movement: what is it and why should you care?
Google News globally searches key words of interest for me. For over a year now one of those words has been ‘bushcraft.’ Every couple of days or so there is a new article mentioning Bushcraft. All but two of a 100+ news articles have been from the UK. And each of those have been about […]
Your Guide To Survival Using A Trash Bag
When it comes to survival in the wilderness, a trash bag in your emergency kit could be a lifesaver for you and your family. This article is your guide to survival for it’s use as an environmental layer to your clothing and much more! “Your clothing is the most important survival tool you have. Dress properly […]
HOW TO WAX CANVAS with Mule Team Canvas Company
How to wax canvas with Mule Team Canvas Company Have you ever wanted to wax your own canvas pack but you weren’t sure just how to do it? You’re in luck because in 6 minutes, you’ll be able to wax your own canvas at home or in the field with Mule Team Canvas Company. Interested […]
Survival Foods in the Forest: the quest for protein by Mark Warren
Very few people actually plan a strategy for survival foods and survival when lost in a wilderness for a substantial length of time. As research has shown, however, a little survival training can go a long way when one is truly confronted with life-threatening circumstances. These days, it is worlds easier to simply stroll down […]
Gypsy Jack’s Camping Journal – Earnest Hemingway
Who is Earnest Hemingway? He liked to open cans…and shoot hyenas for no reason. Yep, Hemingway was a hand full if there ever was one. I met him in Philip Percival’s camp just west of the Ngong Hills. We got along well enough I suppose, but four days turned out to be just about enough. […]
Add The Hammock Insulation Bed To Your Survival Kit And Sleep Like A Baby
HAMMOCK INSULATION BED by Chad Nech The hammock insulation bed makes an easy addition to any survival kit! Here is a quick way to set it up. On a recent canoe trip, I purposely left a few items at home. One of which… My sleeping pad. It was still early spring, and I would need […]
Classic Camping Knives by Steven M. Watts
“A knifeless man is a lifeless man” – Nordic proverb Steven M. Watts, 2013 Most campers and woodsmen in the first quarter of the the twentieth century carried both pocket knives and sheath knives — a wise continuation of frontier practices from a century or more before. Sheath knives performed the “heavier” woodworking, skinning/butchering, and […]
The Pot Hook Notch
Timing is everything so they say… I just started reading Mors Kochanski’s new eBook from Karamat, Basic Safe Travel and Boreal Survival Handbook. A pleasure unto itself. But that got multiplied this past weekend doing knifecraft with my good friend Steve Watts. Talking knives, Steve entwined his encyclopedic knowledge of primitive skills, Nordic tradition, the American […]
That Fresnel Lens in Your Survival Kit
Today’s common Fresnel lens, and the one a Woodsman should carry, is a super-thin business card sized piece of plastic. Based on the 1822 lens design by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel, it was originally intended for lighthouses, hence it’s larger aperture, shorter focal length and much thinner design compared to conventional lenses. For a lighthouse, […]
Tree ID 101
Most of us have been there… on that nature walk with a local expert who points out 20 or so different trees and plants giving them a brief description while you feverishly take notes. The notes will last, informing you about that tree; and you may have even have snapped a picture or pressed a […]
Piedmont Earthskills Gathering
“The mission of the Piedmont Earthskills Gathering is to provide a learning experience which empowers people through the development of skills and inspires a deep appreciation of inter-connectedness, cultural heritage, and ecological respect.” That’s exactly what happened when I attended the Piedmont Earthskills Gathering. Here is the video from the event. I only got to […]
New Mors Kochanski eBook ~ Basic Safe Travel and Boreal Survival Handbook
In a nutshell, the survival information that did not make it into Mors Kochanski’s classic book, (Northern) Bushcraft can be found in the new e-book, Basic Safe Travel and Boreal Survival Handbook. In addition, there is an expansion on his great booklets within the new book. See Karamat.com for purchase information and more. Video explanation from Mors and […]
Tricked by a Weasel by Peter Frost
Editor’s Note: If you haven’t read “Tracking a Fisher,” please read that article first and this is part two. The following essay is the sequel to the fisher story. It is an account of how the fisher turned into the bear, and how old habits can play tricks on the mind. After petting the fisher […]
Tracking a Fisher by Peter Frost
This morning we were very fortunate. The conditions were ideal for tracking. Early last night, an inch of dry, light snow sifted down through the trees and covered the forest floor. Underneath this fine layer, nothing of the previous winter snows remained except for a hard-packed crust. This allows one to move through the woods […]
Fridtjof Nansen – Gypsy Jack’s Camping Journal
Fridtjof Nansen “I’ve known some tough hombres in my time. I’ve seen cowpunchers ride, rope and brand all day–day after day—living all the while on beans, biscuits and prunes. Then each night, throw down a thin bedroll on the thin cover of the hard, herd- trampled ground– and there sleep the sleep of babes. I’ve […]
LEGEND OF FLOWER POT MOUNTAIN 2 OF 2
LEGEND OF FLOWER POT MOUNTAIN 2 of 2 This and more info from the book ‘Medicine Lodge: The story of a Kansas frontier town’ by Nellie Snyder Yost Copyright 1970 Swallow Press Inc. In part 1 of Lenora Day’s journal, we already have the makings of a blockbuster western movie. If you missed it, you […]
Cody Lundin Shares Survival Tips with SRU Student Newspaper
An interview from the Slippery Rock University Student Newspaper with Cody Lundin. Heads-up on a couple bad words if the kiddies are listening. More than anything, posting this for one of Lundin’s perspectives on ‘survival’ television; AND, why we like and list proven survival schools at this site, including Cody’s. Kudos to Slippery Rock University […]
Jack Mountain Bushcraft School Bibliography by Tim Smith
Naturalist John Muir said, “Books are but stepping stones to show you where other minds have been.” When it comes to outdoor living skills, books are a great way to take advantage of a Master Woodsman’s experience and see “where their mind has been.” We have worked hard to put together an extensive bibliography at Master […]
LEGEND OF FLOWER POT MOUNTAIN PT 1 OF 2
This is the first hand account of a group of survivors captured by Indians before the West was open and safe. The journal as well as other documents were compiled by Nellie Snyder Yost and were published as the book titled ‘Medicine Lodge: The story of a Kansas frontier town.’ The ISBN is 0-8040-0199-5. I’ve […]
Every Day is Earth Day for a Master Woodsman
Today, April 22, 2013 is a good day to remind all of us who spend time in the outdoors, that EVERY day is Earth Day. Not just today. As woodsmen who have an ecological knowledge of our surrounding environment, we should be the truest of conservationists. Please note that I referenced ‘conservation’ and not the […]
Traditional Camping And The Environmental Ethic: Trail Food For Thought by Steven M. Watts
By Steven M. Watts 2004 All human activity results in environmental impact. Every step and every breath leaves a trace of our passing. The modern camper/backpacker/outdoor enthusiast relies on gear manufactured in the far-flung corners of the globe. It is then delivered by train, plane, ship or truck—powered by gasoline, diesel or jet fuel. He […]
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Survival Entertainment, Friend or Foe? An exclusive interview with Cody Lundin
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Leave No Trace killed Woodcraft… almost
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Steven Miles Watts
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Promoting Outdoor Living Skills
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Your Guide To Survival Using A Trash Bag
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