Went hiking and found some cool stuff...

[wildmanh]

About noon today some friends came over and got me to go hiking with them up Provo Canyon. We parked at Canyon Glen pack and hiked north from there to a Great Western Trail access. About 15 minutes from the park along the trail there is a fork in the trail that takes you in to Johnsons Hole. It's a neat little valley with a medow in the middle, Scrub Oak and Elm trees around the edges.

While we were hiking into Johnsons hole I got ahead of the group and found a cool stick that made me think "Beating stick" or "Rabbit stick" so I picked it up and started carving a handle. Brought it home and got some pictures for you:

As we entered the little valley we saw a wash/rock slide to the east and desided to hike up to it and check out the rocks. I didn't go as high up as the others, I found a nice rock to lean against to finish carving the handle of my "Beating stick". After they were done checking out the rocks we desided to hike down the slide to the north end of the valley to check out the medow and see if we could find some potential camp sites. On my way down I found a 2 point antler that a Deer had shed some time. I picked it up and noticed that it was in pretty good shape so I brought it home with me. Not sure yet what I'll do with it, but I'm glad I have it:

The same group of friends and I have been planning a campout for Easter Weekend. At first we planned to go to Spring City where I'm from or Alpine where William is from but now we are planning to go to Johnsons Hole. Figure we will backpack in Friday afternoon, explore the valley and ridge line to the north then have Tinfoil dinners that night. Thinking Pancakes, fruit and sausage for Breakfast then more exploring before coming home. I forgot to grab my camera as I was leaving for the hike today but will make sure to have pictures after we get back next weekend.

Heber

 

[RoyalM]

Always good when you find something to bring home from a day out. Glad to see i'm not the only project man/hoarder on here.

 

[dawsonbob]

Glad to see Another Brother Scrounger!

I don't know about the rest of you, but if I go out carrying twenty pounds of gear, I'm likely to come home with forty pounds of swag I've found along the way.

As old and as slow as I am now, I tend to investigate almost everything... and bring half of it home with me. I tend to get excited over rocks, plants and small critters that leave my friends scratching their heads; "uh, Bobby, it's just a rock." Well, to them it may be "just a rock," but to me, it's possibilities. They don't understand why I would want to chip blades out of it, or use it to make sparks, when I have perfectly good steel knives and Bic lighters. Oh well, I have fun.

wildmanh sounds like he's on the way to becoming a scrounge, too. Fun, Isn't it, Heber?

 

[wildmanh]

Bob, it is pretty fun! These days I don't normally collect rocks, but I'll take plenty of pictures of it before placing it back where I found it. But plant life, that I'll take. Want to start collecting samples of native plants around the area and pressing them in my plant press. Makes cool book markers or they are great for a scrap book.

Hoping to travel somewhat light next weekend so there will be room in my pack to bring trash home (there are tons of beer cans in the valley) and other cool and usefull things. My friends brought some rocks home with them to tinker with. I think they will either try to make arrow heads or some such thing.

In high school I took a Wildlands Management/Conservation class. Learned some cool things, made plant presses, found fosils and such. After that trip, I always make sure to have some room in my pack incase I find something cool to bring home. :thumbup: And today was no different. Now what in the world should I do with the Antler I found??

Heber

 

[dipbait]

Use the antler as a rabbit stick.

I often bring back old bottles

 

[Bushman5]

very cool! that would make some nice firesteel handles!

 

[dawsonbob]

Bob, it is pretty fun! These days I don't normally collect rocks, but I'll take plenty of pictures of it before placing it back where I found it. But plant life, that I'll take. Want to start collecting samples of native plants around the area and pressing them in my plant press. Makes cool book markers or they are great for a scrap book.

Hoping to travel somewhat light next weekend so there will be room in my pack to bring trash home (there are tons of beer cans in the valley) and other cool and usefull things. My friends brought some rocks home with them to tinker with. I think they will either try to make arrow heads or some such thing.

In high school I took a Wildlands Management/Conservation class. Learned some cool things, made plant presses, found fosils and such. After that trip, I always make sure to have some room in my pack incase I find something cool to bring home. :thumbup: And today was no different. Now what in the world should I do with the Antler I found??

Heber

Well, that's the thing, Heber, it's not just an antler, it's possibility. Could it become handles for various things? Could you learn scrimshaw? Could one of the tines become a pressure flaker for knapping flint? Could it become... well... anything? The possibilities are endless. Maybe it will just sit on your desk and remind you of the good time you had today.

That's what makes scrounging in Mother Natures back yard so much fun: endless possibilities and memories.

It's probably a good thing I don't have a wife anymore; she'd want to make me get rid of what she would think of as junk, and I think of as memories and future projects.


ETA: Hey! I just noticed that this is my 3,000th post! Kinda snuck up on me. Now I have to find something to give away.

 

[DH1]

I've seen antler cut and used as buttons.

 

[rdgarbo]

Good day when you find some cool stuff!

 

[DOC-CANADA]

Some good suggestions for antler use, mentioned. Couple of others, use the 'Y' as the top bearing for bow drill tools.

The tine can be smoothed up and used for a bodkin for basket making or a spike (brain block for proper name ) for picking apart knots (top one in picture).

Or you can make a 3-sided point and use it as an auger for making holes in bark (for lacing, etc.) (bottom one).

Doc

 

[Mistwalker]

Cool pics, I am hoping to go shed hunting tomorrow.

 

[banana-clip]

Nice pics, its always nice to find sheds

 

[amcardon]

I think the shed looks like it has a couple really nice bone folders in there! Maybe some firesteel handles... Just keep it wet if you're working it, burning antler smells like death!

 

[BOOMSTICK]

great score! I love those dear horns. did you take any pictures of your hike?

 

[DMD08]

I used to mtn. bike the Great Western Trail around there. There are some great places to hike and camp up the S. Fork of the Provo past Vivian park. If I remember correctly you can start back there and connect through to Rock Canyon depending on how far you want to go.

 

[tonym]

Good stuff Wildman!

 

[wildmanh]

I think the shed looks like it has a couple really nice bone folders in there! Maybe some firesteel handles... Just keep it wet if you're working it, burning antler smells like death!

Been thinking about the fire steel handles, but I didn't think about a bone folder. Thats a cool idea. Do you just dip the antler in water every so often to keep it wet?

great score! I love those dear horns. did you take any pictures of your hike?

Nope, the trip was last minute so I forgot the camera. Will take pictures for the campout though. Might even go back sometime in the next few days with a pack to get some exersize for when I have my big pack loaded with food for the Dutch oven.

I used to mtn. bike the Great Western Trail around there. There are some great places to hike and camp up the S. Fork of the Provo past Vivian park. If I remember correctly you can start back there and connect through to Rock Canyon depending on how far you want to go.

South Fork is pretty cool. Friends and I go hiking south from the park from time to time. South fork to Rock canyon is a populare trail for the college students to take. I've hiked part of it, but had to turn back after an hour because I wasn't feeling well (pinched nerves in my back).

I just plotted the trail we used yesterday on Google Earth and it's just under one mile from the parking lot to the grove of trees that we plan to camp in this coming weekend. Now I need to figure out how to print out a good map for the group thats coming up in the evening.

Good stuff Wildman!

Thanks!