Book on basic bush craft. Does anyone recommend anything for a newbie?

C

cdnrogue

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Oct 30, 2012
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Hey all, as my becker knives keep being delivered, I am onto my next phase. I would really like to start practising more on some bush craft.
I have looked for a course in my neck of the woods, and there are none happening at this time of year, so I thought maybe I would take a book out into the woods, hang my hennesey hammock and spend the day practising with my new BK2.

I found lots of books online, but not sure if anyone recommends a good book to atleast start out. Maybe something that starts at technique and goes into making chairs and such.

Cheers and PS, I started my smoker with my BK2 this morning and ferro!!!! what fun!
 
Even if it's not your first bushcraft book, everybody needs to read "Woodcraft and Camping" by Nessmuk (George Washington Sears) at least once.
Welcome to our little corner of the asylum!
 
Wildwood Wisdom is a good book, it was a compilation of the woodsmoke series from the 1950s. SAS survival guide has good info on general wilderness survival, shelters, traps, edibles, first aid etc. Once you get the basics practicing is more important than reading about them. I have spent a lot of time in the woods and doubt I could go out and make a friction fire just because I have never practiced that skill much. I find every time I am in the woods I learn something if I'm paying attention.
 
other than books...Youtube has a lot of good info... you just need to weed through a bunch of it to find it. Watch the videos, take some notes and a little trial and error.
 
They are so many book out there on Bushcraft, these are the two I often recommended to people just getting into it really. They are two really good books from people that made Bushcraft a lifestyle and they are affordable and widely available.

Bushcraft Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival by Mors Kochanski, Essential Bushcraft by Ray Mears.

Watch out for bad information from older books, people on youtube that have no idea what they are talking about, and so-called 'wilderness schools' that are nothing more then a pyramid scam where in which the instructor only recently learned the skills he is now teaching for money.
 
Hey Rogue........

Mors Kochanski's "bushcraft should be at the top of everyones list......Especially for you northern types.......I love Horace Kephart's "Camping and Woodcraft" It IS from a different time and as Widerstand points out details have changed but the princples are still the same.........His treatise on the need to carry a compass is one of the best three pages of outdoor writing extant......I grew up on Jaeger's " Wildwood Wisdom" I still Love it but it is dated, but still fun and has a lot of camp crafts and furniture stuff......Do not forget the Society of Primitive Technology publications.......The real stuff there......The big thing is to get out there and DO stuff.....The first attempts at shelter or furniture, a fork, spoon or bowl will probably be good only as fuel but the next one will probably be better and the next better yet......Give us pics and questions......We have all been at the beginning of this learning curve and will be happy to help.......

Ethan
 
Two must-haves are:

Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen

Ultimate Guide to Wilderness Living: Surviving with Nothing But Your Bare Hands and What You Find in the Woods - John & Geri McPherson

Also Bushcraft, by Richard Graves - here for free download.

Also, since you're in Niagara Falls, you're welcome to come to Hamilton and play in the woods with my buddy, Phil & I. If you're interested, email me at: primitive AT sympatico DOT ca. We don't really make chairs, but we've played around a little bit with other things.

Doc
 
Hey Doc......

I left the Olsen and Graves books out because I thought Olsen's was out of print and I forgot Graves' was available as a down load.........Thank You for bringing them and the McPersons up........I plumb forgot them too.....

BTW your bow drill treatise is spot on....

All Best.......

Ethan
 
Ethan Becker said:
Hey Doc......

I left the Olsen and Graves books out because I thought Olsen's was out of print and I forgot Graves' was available as a down load.........Thank You for bringing them and the McPersons up........I plumb forgot them too.....

BTW your bow drill treatise is spot on....

All Best.......

Ethan
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Hey Ethan, Thank you. I did see your comment in W&SS.

I received my copy of Graves' book as a Christmas present from my kids who were about 7 & 9 at the time. They are now 45 & 47! Wow, how time flies. Actually, I think McPherson's is a free download as well. Let me check.

Doc

Yes, I found it HERE !
 
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Thanks for the link Doc. I haven't seen McPherson's book in a long time and have been enjoying the read this morning.
 
DOC-CANADA said:
Two must-haves are:

Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen

Ultimate Guide to Wilderness Living: Surviving with Nothing But Your Bare Hands and What You Find in the Woods - John & Geri McPherson

Also Bushcraft, by Richard Graves - here for free download.

Also, since you're in Niagara Falls, you're welcome to come to Hamilton and play in the woods with my buddy, Phil & I. If you're interested, email me at: primitive AT sympatico DOT ca. We don't really make chairs, but we've played around a little bit with other things.

Doc
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Thanks for that link to Bushcraft, Doc. There's some great stuff in there.
 
I have "wildwood wisdom" and "bushcraft by mors kochanski...I much more prefer wildwood wisdom.
 
Doc, I will certainly get in touch with you! Thanks for the post! I will check those books and the link out!
 
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