Bare Bones course

G

Gossman Knives

Edged Toolmaker
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Apr 9, 2004
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A group of 10 did the course last Fri. Sat. and Sun. 7 of us are good friends that have spent many times in the woods sharing good times and practicng our skills. The other 3 were from Georgia. A husband and wife and their friend.
The course consisted of the basics. Nothing out of the ordinary, fire skills, shelter building, water purification, navigation and knowing the basics of survial in the wilderness. We also made jerky with a smoker we made, made slingshots, untensils and skinned and cooked a rabbit. Gear was very minimal. Food was extremely minimal only having two meals which were dry soup mix, 3 coffee bags, 2 cocoa mix and one power bar. Shelter material was provided, two pieces of plastic sheet. We could use blankets or a sleeping bag. Most of us just had blankets. It did rain so making your shelter right was very important as it down poured several times. If your sleeping gear got wet you were fu*ked. It was in the 40's at nite.
Below are some pics. I'm sure the other guys will chime in with their thoughts. Byron was a great teacher and speaker with an awesome sense of humor.

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Byron's cutting tools for the weekend. 40 year old machete and a Buck 110. He now has a Gossman knife to go along with these. :D

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Thanks for looking.
Scott
 
That looks like a great time Scott!

Very cool smoker. I see Jerry can't stop cooking no matter what the trip!

Good to see the crew in action. It will be nice to see you all again in October.
 
jcl-MD said:
Great Pics Scott!!!
So you gifted him your challange knife!!???
Very Cool!!!
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I gifted him a Mini Tusker G-10 scales and CPM 154 steel. About the size of the Lakota knife he just retired.
Tony, it was an honor doing this course with the "guys". I sure am lucky to have such a skilled bunch of friends. Every time I go out with these guys, I always learn something. Having Byron as an instructor was great. He is the real deal. http://www.byronkernssurvival.com
Scott
 
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What a great time. He always had us guessing and second thinking our actions, which was a great way to teach. Still had me second guessing as to what to do with the meat before we smoked it.
Byron's machete was given to him for being the honor grad. at the jungle school. I had gone out with him before but this time was better sharing it with this fine crew.
An after action e-mailed from By praising us for our woodskills was a compliment above and beyond.
Word to the wise, don't rely on a Gerber saw,'nuff said!
 
Gossman Knives said:
I second harpoon's comment about the Gerber saw.
Scott
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Really I have had good luck with Gerber saws. Mostly just clearing shooting lanes and limbing trees as I go up in my deer stand. Got one in my kit now. Been thinking of swithcing to a laplander. Guess this will push me over the edge to go buy on and try it out.
 
Let's just say that Byron's Gerber was made by the Snap Off company. :D thanks for that one kahuana.
Scott
 
Really great pics :thumbup: I'm always impressed by the simple tools of the true survival experts.
 
tknife said:
Really great pics :thumbup: I'm always impressed by the simple tools of the true survival experts.
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How true that statement is! Look at how most new knives on the market geared for this field are also simple in design.
 
Cool times it looks like. What size machete was it? Looks like it may be about a 12incher. Thick or thin?
 
Shotgun said:
Cool times it looks like. What size machete was it? Looks like it may be about a 12incher. Thick or thin?
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It was a 12 incher. As harpoon said, Byron got it for being an honor grad in jungle survival training school in 1971. It was handfordged by a villager. Probably about an 1/8" thick.
Scott
 
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