101 bits of bushcraft or wilderness wisdom

DWK2 said:
A geezer friend of mine brings an extremely light gardener's knee pad and keeps it on his right knee after setting camp for the evening. When he gets down on one knee to work with the fire, his boney old knee doesn't get beat up by gravel or hard soil around the fire ring.

DancesWithKnives
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Hey, I do that too! :o, although I don't have it attached to my knee. I also do this when doing bow drill and hand drill (you can see it in my Earth Day / Birthday thread.

Another use is when you're hiking in the wet and you want to sit down somewhere dry.

Doc
 
Doc,

Like you, I carry a foam pad (as for canoe seats or treestands) to sit on. Especially when hunting ambush style. My friend uses a small, lightweight version of the slip-on knee pads worn by volleyball players and the like.

DancesWithKnives
 
Prepare a list and use it to pack. That way you are unlikely to forget anything important. (I thought YOU brought the TP...But I thought YOU were bringing it...)
 
No matter how tired you are, always spend some time checking the ground you're going to sleep on for small stones, roots, levelness etc. 2 am is not the time to be moving your tent because there's a tiny stone under your hip and you can't sleep.
 
I always carry two compass. Not that I've ever gotten lost, ahem, but there are times I've begun to doubt the veracity of my compass.. Comparing the two can quash that "But I know it's that way..." syndrome.
 
Know how to use and practice with every item you carry. What good is a fire steel if you cant use it. Or even a tarp if you don't know how to properly set it up. Same goes with a compass. Most people don't know how to get from point A to point B with a compass. Familiarize yourself with all your gear. Very important.
 
When you start losing your coordination - stop. You're either over-tired, dehydrated, or hyperthermic. The next thing you're probably going to lose is your judgement. Then things are going to go from bad to worse.
 
KEmSAT-Survival said:
Quick way to check for oncoming hypothermia:

touch your pinky to your thumb (making the number "3" sign with your hand). If you can't do that easily, get warm. (Kochanski, M. Bushcraft.)
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It could be 80 out and I still can't do that with my left hand, (busted thumb a while back):D:thumbup:.
 
Always sheath your knife (or secure your firesteel) after you use it, dont just leave it on the ground or stuck in a stump, even if you plan only to leave it for a minute.
 
I have two:

In cold weather, even if you sleeping gear is adequate to keep you warm through the night, heat up fist-sized rocks in the fire until just below glowing red. Wrap up in a hand towel (use a beater-you will probably char the cloth) and bring into your sleeping bag with you. Held against your chest or with your feet, it will be warm and cozy for at least a few hours. As it cools down, unwrap the rock a little at a time to release more heat. - I've used this technique to make it through a 10* F night in relative comfort when I was only packing a light fleece blanket.

Pack twice as much water as you think you will need (until you get used to how much water you actually need) - I often end up sharing my water when hiking with people that are even remotely inexperienced...alot of people don't realize how much water they drink throughout the day.
 
Do and/or plan to carry what you need to make yourself comfortable enough for eight hours sleep should you have to spend the night out. If you can do that and stay hydrated, you got it made.

Oh yeah, also... don't eat yellow snow.

.
 
make sure your clothing, pack, and boots are in good condition before you head out in the wood, and carry a needle, and thread pluss a few spare buttons just incase.
 
If you backpack, invest in a inexpensive digital postal scale and use it as you pack. It's amazing how it makes you decide between two pieces of gear or clothing when you compare true weight.
 
Drink clean water every chance you get. (hydrate,hydrate,hydrate !!)

Give yourself adequate time to set up camp before the sun sets. Doing it in the dark is more difficult AND dangerous.
 
Wrap the handle loops of your packs (and other areas that don't need tightening or adjusting) with 550 cord. This is a convenient way to pack extra cordage without wasting space in the interior of your bag.

This should go without saying, but be sure to break in a new pair of hiking boots before bringing them on an extended outing. And, as an addendum to that, always pack a few extra bandages / moleskin / ointment just in case your hiking mates forget to break in their new boots.

All the best,

- Mike
 
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