How did you get into WIlderness skills/bushcraft/survival?

[Dr. Mudd]

Brian, my wife, an elementary school teacher, thinks much like we do. She usually has a few kids (boys) in every class with fathers and uncles who take them camping, fishing, and hunting and show them how to use the tools we value. She knows full well that these are the ones who will grow up right more than 99% of the time. When one of them brings his pocket knife to school because he's so proud of it and wants to share it, she just quietly explains why she needs to put it in her desk until a parent can come by and take it home for him. There are no hysterics, no involvement with the school administrators, and no cops called. Of course, she's about as "old school" as I am!

 

[Polymath]

Dr. Mudd, please give your wife a hug or buy her some flowers for me.

It sickens me every time I read about the police being called in just because some kid
pointed his/her finger and said "pow".

 

[Brian Jones]

Wish I had her for a teacher when I was in school!

 

[XMP]

For me there is a how and a why. The how is pretty simple my family did the car/trailor-camping thing pretty regularly and we also lived in some nice rural environments in North Carolina and then North Dakota (talk about a change). My parents weren't big outdoors people, but they let us explore the woods as much as we wanted and I was allowed knives and a hatchet. (I've mentioned saving green stamps to get my Estwing hatchet as a gradeschooler previously, for those who remember saving stamps). I then did Scouts for a number of years and later the army. I also reacted to the complicated nature of trailor camping (in my book) by always wanting to do things the simple way -- backpacking, minimalist camping. That and lots of reading and experimentation is how I've picked up the skills/knowledge I do have. And I've picked up lots of good things here along the way (PJ Balls are a winner!).

Even more important for me is the why -- I became fascinated by the Mountain Men as a gradeschooler. I had a disease in my legs for 5 years that prevented me from walking, so I read everything I could. While other kids idolized firemen or policemen I fantasized about Jedidiah Smith and Jim Bridger. That love for the wild, and especially mountains is still with me 40 years later.

 

[Angus McGunnigl]

Fishing,camping, backpacking as a kid. Moved to a "homestead" type situation at age 12 and that was a big part of it.

Much of this interest has been renewed as I now have kids of my own to take on adventures.

 

[Trent Rock]

Upon further reflection I can trace my survivalism roots Pre Rambo-Era
I have always been fascinated by The Mountain Men
What better survivalist than GRIZZLY ADAMS???

The series ran in 1977 so that made me 9 years old
I don't think I had my Crosman 760 yet
(That's a whole nother chapter in The Saga of Young Trent)

I used to watch that show religiously
I prolly have seen every episode in my lifetime
Haven't seen an episode in years though

What kind of knife did Grizzly Adams wear in the TV show and/or movie?
Anyone know?
I guess I'll have to find one on EBAY and relive my 9th year of existence
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Times-Grizzly-Adams-Haggerty/dp/6300251756

 

[k_estela]

I first got interested in primitive skills and survival as a young child. My father would put me to bed at night describing his ordeal growing up in the WWII Japanese-occupied Philippines. From 1941 to 1945, my grandfather moved the town to the jungle to escape the Japanese. It was there my father grew up and learned a whole host of survival skills as a child.

Growing up, I never was a boy scout. Growing up, I didn't participate in pee wee football or little leage. I did, however, receive my first SAK knockoff around the first grade and a book of matches about the same time. I still have the first photos my father took of me hiking with him at the Barnes Nature Center here in Bristol, CT. That picture is one I'll never part with.

Over the years, I read up on survival any chance I could. I purchased all the books and tried out the skills in my backyard and while camping with friends. In the 4th grade, I read Trapped by Arthur Roth and really got interested in survival kits. I started building and testing my kit over the years.

I took a number of courses growing up in all different disciplines and got out as much as possible. Dirt time is the best teacher and especially when it is time spent with others who know the skills you wish to learn.

Then, one fateful day in college, I met Mr. Brian Jones while working at Eastern Mountain Sports in Fairfield. He turned me onto Bladeforums and a couple others. A whole new world of survival info was presented to me and I never knew there were like minded people out there.

Course after course followed along with work in different outdoors summer jobs. Most recently, I started teaching with the Wilderness Learning Center and to teach is to learn twice. I'm learning more as I go and I love every minute of it whenever I can share how to do what I do.

 

[GEC]

My grandfather, father, uncle taught me. Now it's my turn to teach me kids or any other that is interested. I am always willing to learn from anybody about anything. I'm still figuring out how to make milspec butt pack fit for my 2 year old son. LOL

 

[zman308]

My father worked summers as a camp counselor at a camp on a lake in Michigan. I believe I was four or five at the time. (early 1950's) The camp supplied a cabin in the woods where my mother and sisters lived while my father worked. So I got to run wild in the woods and participate in some of the activities. It was a boys dream, camping, fishing and swimming. Scouting reinforced my outdoor skills. After H.S. I joined the Army (1965) and of course it was the Infantry. I went to college and graduated with a degree in Geology. I was in a Marine Reserve Infantry unit for a decade. Served a few years as a Scoutmaster. Still fish alot and do some hunting. Have a wife who loves to hike and canoe. So all my life experiences have revolved around the outdoors.

 

[Brian Jones]

Then, one fateful day in college, I met Mr. Brian Jones while working at Eastern Mountain Sports in Fairfield. He turned me onto Bladeforums and a couple others. A whole new world of survival info was presented to me and I never knew there were like minded people out there.

Wow! Kevin, I never knew that our little conversation and your finding Bladeforums had such an impact! That's really cool. Thank you for sharing that. It feels good knowing I maybe played some small role in helping someone pursue their interests and dreams, and achieve them, even if it was just pointing them to something. That's what I love: helping people succeed.

I look at teaching really as just mutual sharing and discovery. It's a constant two-way communication, and all involved are both students and teachers. A process of mutual giving. I love when someone asks me a question that I don't know the answer to. First thing I'll say is, "I don't know - let's experiment to find out together." I always look to learn from people who have the humility to know-what-they-don't-know and will say so. Why? Because I can then trust that when they DO give me an answer, it's correct and not B.S. to make them look like the all-knowing expert. It's especially important when the wrong information on the subject matter - survival - could get you killed. Integrity is key.

To continue on my strange outdoor odyssey, I also had learned that I had some American Indian ancestry, so I was hungry for all things Native American. Because I was young, I didn't understand the esoteric aspects, but really got into the primitive skills part. I devoured TV shows and movies that featured both them and mountain men of any kind. Grizzly Adams I loved, too. I confused my female labrador retriever, Bonnie, by calling her Ben and pretending she was a bear. I always had, and still get, a special feeling of home - like a rush - just even seeing pictures of wilderness and/or snowcapped mountains. I'm drawn to it - compelled by it, - and feel like I'm where I belong when out there. It's been that way since childhood, almost like genetic programming. Later, First Blood played a part, too!

For the record, I was not wearing the Speedos when I met Kevin...At the time I swung from the rafters and took out my mother, my young brain decided that they were the closest equivalent to Tarzan's loin cloth that I had. Thank God I knew better than to wear them as an adult. Horrifying!!!

 

[batosai117]

Great reading here Brain and K_estella :thumbup:. Glad to hear you guys are just as passionate about the outdoors as I am.

 

[Brian Jones]

And I also know that whenever the word MORA is brought up, a lurking Skammer is sure to follow .

LOL! I missed this first time around. Where's Skam been? Haven't seen him for a bit...

And thanks for the kind words batosai.

 

[rzwieg]

Where I grew up, it was mostly farm country and there wasn't much to do in my spare time except go to the woods. My family members hunted, fished, trapped, camped, dug medicinal plants, and had large gardens. If they didn't farm, they still had a flock of chickens or ducks or raised rabbits.

Then when I was four a teacher read a chapter from "My Side of the Mountain". That forever ruined me.

 

[pict]

The woods has been my refuge for as long as I can remember. I grew up in a sub-urban subdivision in PA that was surrounded by a huge forest and a farm with lots of fallow ground, RR right of way, large swamp etc. My homelife was turbulent to put it mildly and the bush was a safe place for me.

In the 70´s my parents built a house up in the Blue Mts and we spent most of the summer up there and just about every weekend. The homelife was no less turbulent but the woods was a whole lot bigger. My younger brother and I basically lived two days out of seven in the bush.

We started out scraping together gear that had been left over from uncles and parents adventures early in life, dug out of the attic and basement. As soon as we started making money for ourselves we started buying gear to improve our life in the bush.

We made alot of mistakes early on that got us into situations like dehydration, hypothermia, foot blisters. I started carrying a "survival kit", more of a possibles bag to cover contingencies and the whole thing just sort of took off from there. The whole idea was to lighten the pack and improve the experience. Suffering through our mistakes taught us alot.

When I moved back to Brazil (had spent 90-92 here previously) in 1999 in a way I thought I was giving up the bush, moving to a city of 4 million. I soon discovered a wilderness area within 1.5 hours of home that is just the ticket. All that experience base from PA translated very naturally into portuguese. I am a happy camper. Mac

 

[kgd]

Hey Pict,

One of the membes of my research group is a Brazilian, if he is representative of the populace than I have to say what a great and friendly people. I've tried my best but can never out drink this guy. Awesome attitude, carefree yet industriousness. Good natured, a little bit too good with the women Wish I could a visit the place...

 

[Bears Breath]

I spent summers in the white mountains growing up in the northeast as a kid and have lots of memories of these times in the woods...learning about knives and guns was always fun..

 

[batosai117]

Hey Pict,

One of the membes of my research group is a Brazilian, if he is representative of the populace than I have to say what a great and friendly people. I've tried my best but can never out drink this guy. Awesome attitude, carefree yet industriousness. Good natured, a little bit too good with the women Wish I could a visit the place...

Hey kgd, you're not working in the oil-field type work around Edmunton are ya?

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

Hey kgd, you're not working in the oil-field type work around Edmunton are ya?

Unfortunately too many of us around here do!!

I grew up in a very nature friendly family. Shared a bedroom with my grandpa and about 20-30 guns on the wall at any given time (and yet I have never shot anybody). My Grandpa grew up on the land and was an avid hunter, as was my dad. We went out every fall during season, camped during the summer, and lived near a large slough that had all kinds of nature around it. Being a bookworm I read every nature manual I could get my hands on. After my dad died my mom drank too much so I lived as much time as I could either tramping through the bush or hunting gophers. Now I am trapped in the urban jungle begging to get out!

 

[pict]

Kgd,

Wish I could a visit the place...

Just head south you can't miss it.

I've spent 1/4 of my life here and haven't looked back yet. The people here are great... when they are great. When they decide to be bad they don't hold much back.

Here in Belo Horizonte we have the distinction of having more bars per capita than any other place on earth. I don't drink but in a contest my money is on the Brazilian. Mac

 

[batosai117]

Unfortunately too many of us around here do!!

I grew up in a very nature friendly family. Shared a bedroom with my grandpa and about 20-30 guns on the wall at any given time (and yet I have never shot anybody). My Grandpa grew up on the land and was an avid hunter, as was my dad. We went out every fall during season, camped during the summer, and lived near a large slough that had all kinds of nature around it. Being a bookworm I read every nature manual I could get my hands on. After my dad died my mom drank too much so I lived as much time as I could either tramping through the bush or hunting gophers. Now I am trapped in the urban jungle begging to get out!

I was asking 'cause my dad is working up there right now with a company from here in Texas. I won't say his name for the sake of being on the internet, but he's one of the Electrical leads up there right now. Just wondering, hey, it's a small world .