Favorite Bushcraft & Survival Books?

Barbarossa

Barbarossa

Joined
Nov 14, 2007
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I have read more of these books that I can think of. I recently got one that I really like. It is "WILDWOOD WISDOM" by Ellsworth Jaeger. It was first published in 1945 so I don't think a lot of people know of it today. I highly recommend this one to add to your collection. It is full of great old school bushcraft with over 400 very good illustrations. I can say that this is one I would take with me if the SHTF. Anybody else read this one? What are your favs?
 
I have so many, started with Tom Brown many years ago. But my favorite would have to be Cody's 98.7.
 
I have just started seriously getting into "bush crafting" instead of just camping with all your gear in the car type of wilderness experience. But two book's I have gains some valuable information from are the SAS SURVIVAL GUIDE HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE WIALD. IN ANY CLIMATE. ON LAND, OR AT SEA BY JOHN "LOFTY" WISEMAN. Not the larger book that has urban survival stuff mixed in. This one is pocket sized, so it fits in my pack well. The other is HOW TO SURVIVE ANYWHERE By Christopher nyerges there are lots of good tips and skills in this one. Tho at times it seems to be targeted at a pretty specific part of the stats, a lot of the thing's they build or make are focused around the yucca and gourds, but there are still lots of useful information.


I'm excited to here what you more experienced bush crafters read.
 
I have two books by Ray Mears and read them regularly. The book by Nessmuk is also a good read and rather thin. The SAS Survival Handbook is a nice reference. Since birding is something I like to do, I also have a number of bird reference books. Currently I'm reading "Press on!" by Chuck Yeager. Not a real bushcraft book, but outdoors is a big theme in the book.
 
Another lundin fan, he's got such a great, practical approach. I also like les strouds book. For REALLY back to basics stuff, check out Wilderness Living, by John MacPhereson. Good stuff to know when you literally have nothing to work with but your brain.
 
Camping and Woodcraft from Horace Kephart is one of my favorites.


Also like Mors Kochanski's Bushcraft.


And the Airforce Survival Man. Is a great read.
 
Len McDougal "The Complete Tracker"
AB Farnham "The home tanning and leather making guide"
"Camping and Woodcraft" Kephart
"Woodsmoke te book of outdoor lore" Ellsworth and Jaeger
Kepharts "Camp Cookery"
"On your own in the Wilderness" Whelen and Angier

most of these books are older than most of the ol timers but they lessons they teach are invaluable...I like Lundin's stuff too he's a pragmatic dude. A good survival read is a book called "Patriots" about the fall of society after hyper inflation kicks in...
 
Brad Angier is a name not heard much any more but back when I was a kid first starting out in Cub Scouts, then later in the Boy Scouts, the books and story's he wrote really instilled in me a love for camping and the outdoors that lasts to this day.he wrote more than 30 books and while some of the info is dated now,The books are still a Treasure trove of info.

Below is a link to online copy to the newest US Army Survival Manual
and a list to some of Brad Angiers books






http://rk19-bielefeld-mitte.de/survival/FM/inhalt.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradford_Angier
 
I like the SAS survival handbook myself. Straight forward with plenty of illustrations. I'm a visual learner.;)
 
Most survival manuals have the same stuff in them.

The better ones are the Air Force manual, Mors Kochanski's Bushcraft(a must have book), and Kepharts Camping and Woodcraft. I have a ton of survival manuals, and have read them all, and these are the best IMO.

I recently got ahold of The Air Force Manual 64-4, and it is by far the most comprehensive manual Ive ever seen. At over 600 pages, its no slouch. Trust me, if you get this one, you dont need any of the other "manuals". Blows the SAS book out of the water.

Kepharts book has good info in it, but its not really the most "survival" orientated book. I did enjoy reading it though.

Mors book Bushcraft is a great read. A ton of good info. The Axecraft chapter is a must read. Lots of good Axemenship info. Truely one of my favorites.

If you do a search of the forum, you will see this thread has been done over and over and over....

Wildwood Wisdom is a highly reccomended book. I still need to score a copy of it.
 
My father in law told me to check out the fire fox book's. Anyone read these? If so are they worth a look? Thanks
 
I somehow forgot my other favorite, David Alloways Desert Survival. Awesome book and geared toward the areas I usually play outside.
 
quick kill said:
My father in law told me to check out the fire fox book's. Anyone read these? If so are they worth a look? Thanks
Click to expand...

Foxfire - yes, they are good. They aren't really what you would consider survival or even bushcraft manuals but they are loaded with interesting things from building log cabins to making (and hiding) moonshine stills, to making chairs with white oak splits. The are very much worth a look.
 
A great older series of books was written by a couple with the last name of Helmericks, or Helmerichs, I forget which. At any rate, they were accounts of wilderness living off the land in Alaska, including at least one winter living with eskimos (sorry, don't know the current PC word--Inuits??) above the arctic circle, I think during the 40s. I think one of them may have been called "We Live in Alaska", or similar.
 
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