We are all familiar with the term “The Zone”, usually as it relates to sports. Also known as The Flow in western society, it is a well documented psychological event in which many positive things can happen (more on that later). For athletes, or anyone doing menial labor for that matter, the Zone is usually the synthesis […]
George Michaud’s Survival Kit by Brandon Jacobs
It’s no secret that spending any amount of time in the woods requires some gear, whether it’s for an intended task or just there in case of an emergency. George’s time in the outdoors is no exception. Running a trapline in the Teton Mountains requires a certain amount of gear to spend any length of […]
Instinctive Navigation: Keeping the ‘Dead’ out of Dead Reckoning by Patrick Farneman
As a child it amazed me the way my father could navigate in the woods. It also amazed me that he could go the whole day without having to go to the bathroom, but that is another story! We could head out on a trip, whether for a few hours or a few days, with […]
North Columbia Knap-In October 10th – 12th
What’s a Knap-In? A Knap-In is a gathering of flintknappers – people who make arrowheads, spear points, knife blades and such from suitable stone, glass or other material. There is more offered than just breaking rocks; there are other primitive skills demonstrated and there are often competitions in various primitive sports such as archery, atl […]
‘Firebomb’ Firestarters
Firebombs, at least the ones I make, are not bombs. They have a similar shape to a stick of dynamite, so I guess that’s how they got the name. Nonetheless, they do make an excellent firestarter in the home and the woods. I actually started making these many years ago as gifts to friends for their fireplaces […]
How To Make a Classic Camping Style Knife Sheath
If you have an hour and would like to know how to build a BSA style clone sheath, this video is for you. This isn’t as much a how-to as it is a follow along. I break down each step taken to get the end result along with some of my thoughts on leathercraft and […]
Primitive Survival Skills in the 21st Century by Mark Warren (3 of 6)
If you missed Part 1 & 2, start right HERE. A Place to Rest My Cold, Cold Body ~ self-made shelter ~ The earth giveth. And the earth taketh away – especially when it comes to body heat. The cold ground saps a mammal of its precious warmth. When you need to stay overnight in […]
Trees You Should Know…
Willow Haven Outdoor has a great article posted on their website, 6 Trees Every Survivalist Should Know & Why. Here is their list, you’ll have to go their site for the why: White birch (paper birch) American Basswood White Pine White Oak Sugar Maple Willow Tree To supplement Creek Stewart’s article, here is a video […]
Survivorman’s Secrets of Survival – a couple observations and a tangent on priorities
Survivorman’s Secrets of Survival T.V. show by Les Stroud caught my attention yesterday when I saw several bloggers posting about the first episode, Fire. Why it caught my attention is several fold. One, I have the deepest and utmost respect for this sacred element and know what it means for a woodsman. And two, with Les […]
Land of OZ 2013 Fall Gathering
October 11th – 13th 2013 KINGMAN LAKE 883-979 State Lake Rd Kingman, KS 67068 Food: Everybody chips in. It’s always something fantastic. There may be a deer kill due to the early season and subsequent butchering. Tasty venison! We’ll reach out to Rusty the Chef too! Skill Building: Every single event all the way back […]
Primitive Survival Skills in the 21st Century by Mark Warren (2 of 6)
Hemlock, Gift Giver of the Standing People If you missed part 1, it’s right here 😉 The gifts of the forest are legion. Today those gifts are thought of as arcane anecdotes to a fast and furious culture disconnected from its environment. Just five centuries ago, the lore of plant foods and medicines and craft […]
GIVE ME 2 HRS AND I’LL SHOW YOU HOW TO SAVE THE WORLD
But… It will also work on a small scale, say, your yard or land. Own less than an acre? No problemo. This will work on the most basic of individual holdings to the Worldwide pandemic of desertification. Here’s the problem: Nobody really cares! Heh, I bet you could care less what happens in some butt […]
New England sees a return of forest, wildlife
Across New England, areas like the Swift River Valley (above, left, in the 1880s and in 2010) in Petersham have seen their forests, once cut down and cleared for farmland, replenished in the 21st century. From the aspect of green infrastructure in particular, I was delighted to see this article from the Boston Globe; New England […]
Back To Eden Gardening Method
The Back To Eden Gardening Method is a very basic one that only requires the composting component and wood chips. *Note: If you are offended by religion, turn away now. This video is not for you. The author reinforces simple compost gardening with Scripture from The Bible. 🙂 BACK TO EDEN shares the story of […]
The Human Race
The Human Race video below popped up on an internet forum earlier this week. Many years ago I had seen this documentary about three gentlemen with different backgrounds making a 300+ mile race by foot across the Australian Outback with what they can carry. Specifically, a German Survivalist in his early 60’s, an American marathon […]
Camping and Woodcraft republished!
Earlier this year, early Spring actually, I was working in Knoxville, TN. As is usually the case, I prefer the scenic route… On my way back home to north Georgia, I stopped in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Visitor Center in Gatlinburg, TN to ask if Parson Branch Road was open. FYI, Parson Branch […]
Firewood Quality
I am not the original author of the national firewood quality data you will see below. I archived it for myself several years ago, long before the idea of this website. My apologies for not providing the proper credit. Whether it’s your fireplace, woodstove, or campfire, having some knowledge of wood properties and how a […]
Trees
I have always loved trees. From the time I was seven years old, I knew I wanted to be a Forest Ranger or something along those lines. Ultimately, I became a Forester. Many of my childhood memories escape me, but for whatever reason I remember specific trees and their location vividly. Is that engrained in […]
P.A.C.K. One Update
If you haven’t already, go check out Joe Flowers with the owner of Mule Team Canvas Company as they go over the P.A.C.K. One. Not sure what a P.A.C.K. One is? The acronym stands for Personally Accessorized Canvas Knapsack. This is probably the best Canvas pack you’re gonna see at the sub fifty dollar price […]
Swiss+Tech Utili-Key for EDC Firesteel Scraper (video update)
I have been carrying the Swiss Tech Utili-key for at least six years on my key ring. It has a serrated knife edge, plain knife edge, eyeglass flat screwdriver, larger flat screw driver, bottle opener and phillips screwdriver engineered to the size of key. Very handy to say the least. And when I say I […]
Horace Kephart Days Celebration – October 11, 12, 13
This year’s Horace Kephart Days Celebration will be held October 11, 12, & 13 in the Pisqah National Forest (western North Carolina). Activities start with a day hike on Friday. On Saturday, join Steve Watts and the Classic Campers from the Schiele Museum for classic camping demonstrations and more!!! Keep checking back at HoraceKephart.com for location and activity updates. Hope to […]
My Survival Kit
MasterWoodsman.com® is a resource of information with a focus on skills, not gear. In keeping with that premise, I want to share with you not just what I carry in my survival kit, but more importantly, the rationale behind what I carry and how I would use it. Therefore, let me also present to you […]
Cooking Quad Pod
I first saw this cooking quad pod made by my friend Tim Smith of Jack Mountain Bushcraft School last summer at Woodsmoke. So I made one this past winter for a family campout and it worked great! As Fall will be here before you know it, posting this now in case you will be camping with a crew […]
Steve Watts Opens his Wilderness Survival Kit(s) for Lost in the Woods (2 of 2)
This is part two of an interview done by the blog, Lost in the Woods. Part One is HERE. By Liz Childers | Published December 9, 2011 In addition to directing the Aboriginal Studies Program at Schiele Museum of Natural History, Steve Watts is a member of the International Society of Primitive Technology. Their biannual publication is a great way to […]
Steve Watts talks primitive camping skills with Lost in the Woods (1 of 2)
This article originally appeared in the blog, Lost in the Woods, and is a perfect fit for this site as we explore the different facets of Outdoor Living Skills. Part Two will be coming with an added picture from Steve that did not appear in the original article. Thanks Steve! By Liz Childers | Published December 7, 2011 […]
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