10 top tips for bushcraft

[pitta-pitta]

My nephew has started getting in to bushcraft. I told him I'd put together a top ten tips for him. Once I started doing it I found I had hundreds of things I could include and found it difficult to narrow it down to the Top 10. What are you top ten things a young bushcrafter should know? You guys might be able to help me focus a bit. So ahat are your top ten tips - the basics.

 

[SimonM]

Start with the essentials:

Shelter:

• Be able to rig a tarp to suit different weather conditions.
• If lucky enough to have a suitable area to play in, building debris shelters & lean to.

Fire:

• Be able to light a fire using different methods, matches, fero rod, flint & steel & bow drill.

Food & Water:

• Be able to cook a meal using a stove and over a fire.
• As his skills develop - prep of game and some basic foraging
• Make water safe to drink - filter & boil, chemical, or flash filtration unit.

I would also look at kit selection, looking at fit for purpose etc, and how to pack a rucksac.

HTH

Simon

 

[Celt_Ginger]

Carry a first aid kit and know how to use it.

 

[MrEd]

Number 1

Sharp safety and some basic first aid

 

[MrEd]

Lol celt ginger simultaneous post

 

[FreddyFish]

Leave No Trace..........

http://www.lnt.org/

 

[Toddy]

Patience is a great skill to learn

Be aware. Of yourself, your environment, your tools.

Hard work's good for you

Make time to chill out.

Nobody knows it all, but everybody knows a bit.

Walk lightly, use don't abuse, try to leave better than you found.

Good friends are worth their weight in whatever you carry in to share

Phone home ! Tell your Mum you're alive and well.

It doesn't rain every day.

It's a big world out there, don't just observe, be part of it.




cheers,
Toddy

 

[jonnno]

Always, always, always, (always) gather 3 times as much wood as you think you're going to need to light a fire. The instinct is to gather just what you think you'll require and it's blummin never enough, especially when it's wet. Once I started doing this I never really had any more problems getting a fire going.

 

[SouthernCross]

IMO the first & most important was beautifully put by Dirty Harry; "a man's got to know his limitations"



Kind regards
Mick

 

[Zingmo]

"There's no such thing as bad weather - just inappropriate clothing."

Z

 

[rik_uk3]

How to pitch a tent well.

 

[Cobweb]

1. Always cut away from you.
2. When using an axe, practise swinging slowly before chopping to see if the axe may end up in you if it goes awry.
3. Take things slowly.
4. Always be aware of your personal space when using sharps. If someone is close enough to touch you or be touched by your sharp, move away.
5. Notice which way the ground slopes - don't set up camp in a bowl. If it rains, you will get wetter and possibly flooded.
6. Set your fire for the wind... Use the wind direction wisely to keep your fire lit.
7. If you are going away from camp, take note of landmarks to help you find your way back.
8. Don't leave camp after dark... the woods look a lot different after dark and you will get lost.
9. If you don't do it - it won't get done.
10. Have fun!

I wrote these with a child in mind

 

[John Fenna]

If you aint having fun, you are doing something wrong!

 

[pitta-pitta]

Thanks guys.

I was going to write him a little Top 10 tips card and then laminate it so it ddn't get wet. I ended up with so much stuff that the card would have been so big it would have doubled as a shelter!

I was interested what you guys would say as a top 10. I guess keeping blades sharp and knowing how to use them, keeping dry/making a shelter and lighting a fire have got to be the top ones. Knowing some basic first aid is probably important too.

 

[bush ranger]

as you quite rightly said the top ten bushcraft items are hard to narrow downjust try to rember kiss(keep it simple stupid! )

some thing to sleep in

something to sleep on

something to cook in

something to cook on

something to carry water

something to cut with

something to carry it

food

toilet roll

your knowledge

 

[Oblio13]

Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time.

 

[MrEd]

Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time.

especially after 5 beers and a massive curry

 

[Miyagi]

Thanks guys.

I was going to write him a little Top 10 tips card and then laminate it so it ddn't get wet. I ended up with so much stuff that the card would have been so big it would have doubled as a shelter!

I was interested what you guys would say as a top 10. I guess keeping blades sharp and knowing how to use them, keeping dry/making a shelter and lighting a fire have got to be the top ones. Knowing some basic first aid is probably important too.

You should make tarps/bashas with your tips/advice printed on the inside and sell them as "Know How Tarps" or something...

IIRC the game Monopoly was drawn out on an unemployed fellas dining room tablecloth following the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

Just a thought, it's not my idea (it was yours), this post is just a nudge.

Liam

 

[phill_ue]

I thought he asked for tips? Seems like everybody is suggesting skills.

 

[Toddy]

cheers,
Toddy