Trap practice, foraging, and camping

Md 25v

Md 25v

Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Messages
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I just had my first real outing since the car crash. I went on a laid back weekend camping trip with a bunch of guys from the Mid Atlantic Primitive Skills Group. There was brain tanning, flint knapping, lots of friction fires (my first successful hand drill fire without thumb loops). I played with a couple traps and practiced with a new (new to me) type of chert for knapping. I got to the event with my modern tent and got teased a bit since I was one of the only ones that wasn't in a Tipi or hide-lodge. That's OK because it rained hard and my tent is much more waterproof......
I went out foraging after I got my tent pegged and found some chicory, wild mint, and red clover. After picking a handful of each, I noticed a sassafras sapling and took a small section off one of the roots. Now I had all the ingredients I needed to make some tea. Except for fire that is. I carved an adjustable billy can holder and used my new red cedar bowdrill to get a fire going.
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Here is the Billy Pot holder

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The anchor in the back is just a couple pegs pushed into the ground

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The adjustable "hooks" sit in a notch at the end of the main stick

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Now that I had my tea started I wanted to make some cordage for my traps. I found some yucca (one of my favorites) and quickly twined up some cord for my paiute trap.

Paiute parts carved up

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Trap set

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Trigger close-up

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Trap in action

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I was to lazy to make enough cordage for the next trap (spring spear trap) and I think it would have made pics difficult so I used hi-viz orange cord.

Trap with spike

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Trap set but not armed

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Trap armed- trigger toggle in place

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How it works

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Now I'm getting hungry. I set up a small weir out of reed stalks and went out to collect snails and muscles from the marsh a couple hundred yards away. I didn't get any fish in the weir but I did get two crabs fighting (not an even fight) over the dead minnows I dropped in for bait. I even found some bamboo to bring everything back with.

Snails were found first

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Then a few muscles

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And two crabs in the weir on the way out

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Wiggly snails.... yum. Actually, they are not bad at all



Also got some wild onion to add to the snails when I saute them.

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Now its time to make some stuff to play with.
First is my three pronged flounder spear.

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I finally finished grinding my fish knife on my sand stone block. Now it cuts soft media like fish and most food prep very well.

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This is my new red cedar bow drill set ( set the last one down at the trade blanked). Its got a great color. The cordage is four-ply braid or yucca.

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I went back to the salt marsh and saw lots of fiddler crabs. They are very easy to catch but I just didn't think it was worth it to take them for the stew pot.

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MustardMan said:
Man, those salt marshes really provide quite a feast - great trip report!
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That was only five minutes of gathering! there were so many snails, muscles, and razor clams you could fill a backpack if you had the time. The marsh is so full of life you literally have to watch every step so you don't crush things. I filled the bamboo section and then put some razor clams in my pocket but I forgot to take pics of them.
 
good pics! glad to read you recovered pretty well after the crash. how's your dad doing?
 
JV3 said:
good pics! glad to read you recovered pretty well after the crash. how's your dad doing?
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Thanks. My dads gonna be out of work for a few months. He's walking around now and can use both arms again so he's definitely on his way back.
 
Shotgun said:
Man my trips aren't even half as productive as your "laid back" trip lol.
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I agree with you there. ;)

Looks like you found a plethora of things to gather for food.. glad to see you getting out after the accident :thumbup:
 
Thanks guys. The worst part by far is boredom. This was my first real outing and although I spent half the time sitting on my tarp making stuff I had a great time. We had bison roast last night for dinner and just sat around the fire and hung out till the rain started. You know you have a good fire when the rain comes down in torrents for hours and there are still glowing coals in the morning that can just be blown into flames. I learned that the Tr-Flex mora knifes can throw small sparks off the spine if you get the right flint/chert. Not as well as a full carbon mora but the carbon laminated blades give just enough spark to light char cloth and char cat tails. IAwoodsman made a U-tube vid about different natural materials that can be charred (thanks for that!) and I've been experimenting with natural containers (shells, bamboo, etc..) that they can be charred in and still successfully cut off the oxygen to stop the process when the smoke stops. So far bamboo with a tight wooden plug works pretty well.
 
Great stuff buddy, I wish I could set up traps like those but my brain hurts just looking at the pics !

Love the pot holder, will make one of those on my next camping trip !!!
 
pitdog said:
Great stuff buddy, I wish I could set up traps like those but my brain hurts just looking at the pics !

Love the pot holder, will make one of those on my next camping trip !!!
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Thanks but I'm not that good at the traps I'm just REALLY stubborn. I screw them up enough times and eventually I get it right and fortunately I can usually remember how once I make it work. It took me four tries yesterday before I could remember how that spike trap works. I love those easy campcraft type projects. The billy pot hanger was copied off a picture from a boyscouts quarterly magazine from the early fifty's that I got from my grandfather. I think I saw a Ray Mears video somewhere that shows the same kind but I could be wrong.
 
Excellent pictures and an excellent time! :thumbup:

I didn't hear that you were in an accident, but get well soon. Dad too! (I don't read every post).

I should add that I love trap triggers and playing with traps is mucho fun. I think we have a trap playing session coming up.

BTW, is that wild onion or wild garlic?

Doc
 
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