Bushcrafter or Survivalist?

BarberFobic1992 said:
Which one do you see you self as? I know, the difference really isnt that significant, but i thougt it would make for an interesting discussion. The two differ mostly in mentality. Are you more of a Ray Mears or a Survivorman?

I see a bushcrafter as a person who adapts to there enviroment. I see a survivalist as more of a person that adapts the enviroment to their needs.

So, which one are you? i havent decided on mine yet, but ill get my post up in a bit.
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Both for me as I feel they go hand in hand. The purpose of the skills i practice is for emergency situations where I am forced to find/make shelter, get drinkable water and find a food source. In this current world, the possibility of having to do this is a reality. Better to be prepared just incase.
 
Never took the term 'survival' seriously but after looking at this thread,
I read wikipedia of survivalism.

I'm not a survivalist at all.
 
I lean more towards survival but I have an interest in certain aspects of bushcraft.

For example: in terms of my gear, it is mainly focused on keeping me alive under adverse conditions. I pack stuff like Fire Paste and Bic lighters in the bush. Why? Same reason I put optics on my guns. I'm cheating! Because when it comes to stuff that keeps me alive I am only interested in winning. I'm plenty good with iron sights, but if I need to make accurate shots as fast as possible in bad conditions I am not interested in relying on my skill with irons, I want every possible tool to make life easier on me. When it comes to fire, being good with a firesteel etc is an awesome skill. But I am not relying on fungus, flint and an iron if I've just climbed out of an upside down kayak in a river half a degree above freezing into ten degree below freezing air! I want a damn flamethrower!

So in that sense I am interested in survival in the most efficient, effective possible way.

In general I have an interest in tacticlol survivalism, too, and I always have. The first book I ever bought myself with my own money was the Improvised Munitions Handbook, back when I was 13. A few months later I bought the Wiseman SAS book, and shortly after that, Carlos Marighella's Mini-Manual for the Urban Guerilla (give me a break, I was a kid)! The point I am making is that I have always had an interest in the wacko militaristic end of survivalism (we didn't have the word tactical back then) and still a lot of my wilderness survival interests are informed by that.

However it also happens that spending time in the wilderness is something I really enjoy. My dad was a prospector in the mountains of BC (before I was born) and his dad lived in remote mining camps for most of his life, and I guess I inherited their interest in spending time in the bush.

Consequently I find it relaxing to try to live in harmony with nature when I can. I like log cabins and spend a lot of time pencilling out log architecture ideas and trying to combine log building and certain aspects of green architecture (such as the obvious heat sink effect, or the slightly less obvious carbon sink effect of whole log construction). I like hand tools and I especially like axes and chisels so for me hand construction of log buildings designed to be energy efficient and off the grid is a very appealing way to spend my thinking time.

So I guess it is fair to say I have an interest in both survivalism and bushcraft, but unlike most of you it is slightly coincidental. They are correlated but different parts of my personality.
 
RescueRiley said:
I see myself more as a bushcrafter... and a hack one at that, but here's my 2 cents for what its worth
I see bushcraft as the pursuit of forgotten knowledge for the sheer enjoyment of it
I see survivalist as focusing more on gear and preparedness
(ie I don;t need to make cordage I have 1000 yards of 550 as opposed to I got some 550 but making cat tail cordage is just cool)

I think a competent Bushcrafter can make a good survivalst but is doesn;t necessarily go the other way That's just my opinion YMV
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What he said! :thumbup: :D

Doc
 
That's an interesting question. I've never thought of them as mutually exclusive. There is a harsh reality to the world in general and natural world in particular (survivalism) that underlies the hobby of being in the outdoors and enjoying it in harmonious fashion (bushcraft). So, for instance, I start most of my fires with a firesteel and natural tinders, but you can bet I have matches and lighters and PJBs and fuel tabs in my gear in case I'd ever need them.

I've had a lifelong fascination with the mountain men of the early 19th century and been a soldier, so I think I've created an eclectic fusion of desiring the skills of the first and the cutting edge gear of the second. Either that or I'm just schizophrenic;).
 
I am NEITHER a "Ray Mears" nor a "SurvivorMan", I am me. I dont follow trends or celebrities, I chart my own course. I am a woods wanderer, trying to shake off Society and all its media bombardment of Be Like The Celebrity!
 
I'm a woodcrafter...oh wait that wasn't an option.:D I'd say I'm in the middle. I want more knowledge than your basic survivalist but I'm not going to carry bushcraft specific gear like crook knives and the like. I'm perfectly happy packing a spork.;)
 
misanthropist said:
I lean more towards survival but I have an interest in certain aspects of bushcraft.

For example: in terms of my gear, it is mainly focused on keeping me alive under adverse conditions. I pack stuff like Fire Paste and Bic lighters in the bush. Why? Same reason I put optics on my guns. I'm cheating! Because when it comes to stuff that keeps me alive I am only interested in winning.

[...]

So in that sense I am interested in survival in the most efficient, effective possible way.

[...]

However it also happens that spending time in the wilderness is something I really enjoy. [...]

Consequently I find it relaxing to try to live in harmony with nature when I can.

[...]
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I'm very similar to misanthropist in the points highlighted above. I lean more towards survival and preparedness and view "the bushcrafter" as something to work towards over time. I don't have a ton of time to spend in the woods right now acquiring and practicing bushcraft skills, but I do like to get outdoors for hikes and such. So I want to be prepared for the worst case scenario. To that end, much of my current gear, skillset, and mindset is geared towards survival.

However, I do like learning and picking up bushcraft skills, because I believe they comprise the foundation of a competent outdoorsman. In a sense, I think of the bushcrafter as the ultimate survivalist because he can adapt and survive using primarily the resources in his natural environment. So I see myself evolving as I learn and practice more bushcraft skills over time.

And it's just cool :cool: I mean, I can't think of a more intriguing hobby/lifestyle :)
 
I like the traditional Bushcraft,but I also like the modern survival stuff too...Hard choice :D
It depends on the situation ;) But most of the time I'm a survivalist :D :D :D
 
I respect the natural world both for its ability to inspire us and for its potential to destroy us, so I'm an adaptive outdoorsman.
 
I think the question needs refining. I am not what I do. I am a 6 foot, 200 lb, human male.

When I have free time I like to practice bushcraft.

When circumstances combine to threaten my survival I like to survive.

Mac
 
I'm just a chucklehead trying to get back to enjoying nature. Previous seaside resort vacationer transitioning to a camping vacationer.

However, when you're out camping, you can't order room service for the night if you didn't prepare.
 
I've always thought of myself as a hiker/backpacker. Aspects of Bushcraft and Survival come into play. I really enjoy seeing the great ideas folks have aroud here that might help if something takes a bad turn in the woods. I've worked on some skills that might come in handy, but I really just want to enjoy myself outdoors. If having six different ways to make a fire or selecting gear that may have dual purposes puts me in one camp or another so be it.
 
I'll go with Outdoorsman, as well. I love bushcraft, and also survivalist-type skills. I also love to hunt, fish, hike, and just generally spend time outdoors. So, I guess it's easier to give me an all-around title like "outdoorsman".
 
I really do not care for the term "survivalist". To many, the term means paramilitary, or military wannabe. I spent 4 years in the Marines and don't like my military service connected to that term. The term Bushman or woodsman is more to my liking. Being a blackpowder shooter, I have enjoyed 27 years of portraying the fur trapper era and kind of like the term mountainman or buckskinner. Outdoorsman draws less attention than Survivalist. Good question, I never thought about it much. Enjoy this forum and hope I have not flamed anyone, it was not my intention. Regards
 
The fact that we are here in the Wilderness and Survival Skills Forum tells me the most respondents will fall somewhere in between.

I think most of us realize the importance of knowing Survival Skills but we also work at developing better Wilderness Skills.

I feel I have good survival skills, and I work toward developing a better understanding of bushcrafting.

I would also add that a good survivalist may not be a good bushcrafter, but I believe most good bushcrafters have a good set of survival skills.





"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
I myself am a survivalist but I like to learn the bushcraft skills & gain more knowledge to advance my survivalist mentality.
 
sicily02 said:
I see myself as becomming a better woodsman. learning bushcraft skills enables me to be a better woodsman. I think we are all into survival because that is what we do we
live/survive until we die.

Well that is my thoughts,

Bryan
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I think this is a very good summation of what I am about too. Sprinkle in a bit of backpacker - and you have me.

TF
 
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