I’ve always enjoyed having a campfire. Having the right kit with you ensures that you can safely and efficiently start a fire. Learning different techniques can help you to be more effective in different weather conditions. I’ll go through each item in my fire kit. The things I carry work for me. Something else might work for you.
Deadfall traps have been used all over the world for thousands of years. The idea is that an animal triggers a trap causing a heavy object to fall on it. The animal is crushed and has an almost instant death. One of these traps is the Paiute deadfall. It’s a great trap for small game like mice and squirrels and can be scaled up for larger animals like raccoons.
Continue reading “Natural Cordage Paiute Deadfall”
Being able to repair and maintain your gear is essential to having a successful outing into the wilderness. Having a versatile kit with you makes life a lot easier when something should rip, tear, break, or dull. Here is a kit I’ve put together over the last few years for just such a purpose.
Continue reading “Field Repair Kit”
Choosing the proper site for camp is incredibly important. Without taking a few things into consideration you might have an inconvenient experience if not a dangerous one or even fatal. I’m not sure who first came up with the Five W’s but I learned them years ago. I’ll go through each one and do my best to explain why it’s useful. The Five W’s are Wood, Water, Wind, Widow-makers, and Wildlife.
Continue reading “The 5 W’s of Campsite Selection”Anybody who is even slightly interested in bushcraft, survival, wilderness living, etc. has probably heard of Dave Canterbury. He runs The Pathfinder School and has been one of the forefathers as far as mainstream survival and bush-living is concerned and has written several books on the subject. Something that he has taught has been what he calls the Five C’s of Survival. These are five items that are needed in a survival situation that would be the hardest to recreate from nature. They are Cutting Tool, Combustion Device, Cover, Container, and Cordage. I’ll do my best to talk about each one and give my experiences with them.
Making walnut dye is a pretty simple project. All you need are some walnuts, something to boil water in, and something to dye. Walnut dye is great for dying any natural material like cotton, wool, leather, wood, etc.
Continue reading “Black Walnut Dye”A deadfall is a type of trap in which an animal is crushed by a heavy object and is dispatched rather quickly and effectively. The Paiute deadfall was used by the Paiute peoples of ancient North America to catch small game. It consists of three sticks and a piece of cordage. It can be made without a knife as there are no notches and has a hair trigger.
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I wanted a collapsible twig stove to take with me on small outings and also to keep as part of my everyday carry (EDC). I looked around the internet and saw some really cool designs and builds. I really couldn’t justify spending $80 so I thought to myself I’d just have to build one.
Continue reading “DIY Twig Stove”
It’s funny how some things just seem to find you. I was walking the dogs the other day and came across a free pile. I take that back. Not a free pile. This wasn’t an old cardboard box full of miscellaneous empty jars, ratty romance novels, and unopened yoga VHS tapes. What is was was an old Craftsman standing grinder and a newer Ryobi 4×36 belt sander! Both had signs on them stating that they were free and in working order. I immediately finished the walk and went back with my car.
Continue reading “File Knife”
Nees Bushcraft