Are you a doer or a donta

[stovie]

Like the majority, I get out there when I can. And if I've just been out, and want to go out again soon, I use the scouts as an excuse and Mrs stovie just sighs and understands.....NOT.....But I go anyway

 

[Phil562]

Yep, get out and doo it

 

[Glen]

Practice does not always make one good at something, it is the ability to learn assimilate and then employ a skill with competence and understanding that makes one good at it. Some people can do this quicker than others.

However not all things that are learnt in the field need to be practiced there and many basic things which are invaluable to working in the field can be learnt at home or work.

In other words people can hone thier skills and increase thier knowledge base as much in thier backgarden as they can in the field, however neither can replace the other.

That's not far off how I look at it.

Maybe because in my case, living and working in one of the biggest metropolises in the world, ontop of that being in a reasonably long distance relationship I don't really find much time to go somewhere to camp out nights, at least and still have a relationship and be in a fit state to start work mornings. At the same time that doesn't stop me wondering through nature reserves, canalsides etc and gathering a bit of fallen/precut willow or birch and practising a few skills at home, nor taking some bought or homemade kit and having a bit of an enhanced picnic with SWMBTaken Into Account Nor incorporation things like nettles, lime leaves etc into meals, or making bannock while also cooking a pizza. Mind you even she though I was getting weird when during a phone call asked me what I was doing later to be told, " It's midwinter I'm opening the windows, turning heating off, cold fan on and damping down my bivybag to see if I can get a decent nights sleep with this mat/bag and liner combination under these conditions" My reasoning being it's far better to try out your gear at home first and have chance to modify it, than in the field and find it lacking.

Similarly living in a 3rd floor bedsit doesn't stop me from slinging up a hammock and tarp on a close friends balcony terrace when they're off on their photography assingments and I'm pet sitting, don't think it would be too wise to do that over Hackney Marshes though, nor carrying an expensive and non compliant knife with me just in case I want to carve or split wood, make a bow drill. Far better in my situation to bring it home and do that bit here. SWMBTIA also thought it rather weird that I felt happier and more bushcrafty setting up a hammock and tarp alone on the balcony terrace than joining some of our friends who's arranged a large organised campsite binge party. They took their loud urban party attitudes with them whereas I enjoyed the fresh(ish) air and quite(ish) nightsky.

Possibly I think of myself as a Urban Bushcrafter rather than an Armchair one, ( got 4 hammocks zero armchairs ) as I'm more likley to scavenge and reshape a thown out fan for a windmill project than to carve a spoon, it's more applicable to my life as it is, doesn't stop me reading about how to do stuff, assimilating enough knowledge to think that it'd only take me a few attempts to make something vaguely functional, maybe even getting round to doing it at some point when in the right situation. Never been keen to take growning wood for projects as if everyone in my situation did there might not be too many trees left, so maybe the bushcrafting bit is, in my mind at least, tied into responsibility for "The Nature" as much as actually using its wealths.

Doesn't stop me pining for a canoe camping holiday in Sweden either, but a few more nights out and playing with more bits of shiny kit ( reading here about others experiences with theirs, or thowing out " Why don't you do it this way?" ideas is often good ) to get comfortable using and which would be the right choice for me before I'd really feel happy to do that

If someone's lucky enough to have a large house and garden with a river at the end, would sitting infront of a home fire in a LazeeBoy Recliner carving out a gunall really be that much less bushcrafty than going and doing it at the bottom of the garden? Though buying one keeping it as a conversation piece or 2 week toy might be.

Have to admitt I'm rather jealous of those who's situations allow them to get out and do it more ( and I'm working on changing my situation somewhat in the next few years too

 

[Mr_Rimps]

Practice does not always make one good at something, .............
......... people can hone thier skills and increase thier knowledge base as much in thier backgarden as they can in the field, however neither can replace the other.

I agree. Sometimes practice is not about getting better but just being more comfortable with what you are doing and chatting on these forums will go some way of achieving that.

As the days draw in I'll be doing more stuff indoors, whittling whistles, stick carving (like the tutorial in last months magazine) and generally making a mess for Mrs_Rimps

 

[Rebel]

I've gone from one extreme to the other in my outdoor activities. From living in big cities totally reliant on the commercial system for my daily life to living on a "survival" farm out in the boonies. From living in a hippy commune to a bedsit in town.

I'm older now and although not particularly sensible or successful in a worldly way I'm at a more balanced state now (at the moment at least ).

I try to have a mixture of satisfying activities in my life and that of my family. That includes plenty of outdoor activities but many of those activities might be more "River Cottage" than "Ray Mears". I also enjoy the comforts and pleasures of modern living, like a home with a fridge and electricity that also extends to interests like the Internet, photography, computing etc.

I can also happily go without these things if that's how life works out. I'm not dependent on materialism; having a knowledge of bushcraft and other "back to nature" things is good for the soul and equips you to not only survive in adversity but to enjoy it too. Nice cars, pretty faces, money, TV and iPods are all passing things that don't enrich your soul or build character.

Whatever you do, do it because you feel it's right and go at your own pace. Be your own person and don't do stuff because of image or what others think.

Now where's my shiney stuff? I need to shove the cat off the armchair and polish it.

 

[Jodie]

I voted comfy chair, and would add 'shiny things' to it (mostly I like shiny
technology!). Till next year leaves me free from studying I'm deferring
actually doing anything bushcrafty other than paying a bit more attention
to the trees whenever I'm outside. Of course every minute I spend on here
means I'm not studying [Am having a lovely weekend off visiting
my two year old niece and borrowing my friends' computer - we went to a
farm today, which is at least outside].

It'll be interesting to see whether or not I have any aptitude for it - I'm very
much an urban girl at heart but what I've read and seen so far has just
bowled me over.

 

[Zodiak]

Remember, the more you carry, the less you need to know.

Unless its a GPS in which case don't forget the manual

 

[martin]

Out as often as I can. Spent last night in a wood. Probably be out next weekend and diffinately out the weekend after.
Me cooking breakfast this morning...

 

[BOD]

Reading these posts makes me realise I am very fortunate but in 2 months 5 years of easy access will vanish and I'm back in a big city (Kuala Lumpur this time).

I have few photos of myself in the bush. Usually I am by myself or the dogs can't use a camera.

This is what i am losing

 

[Tadpole]

who can top ^ him up there

I’m less of a bushcrafter than I want to be, and more of forager than I ought to be, I went for a longish walk Saturday ended up carrying a whole load of wild apples home and making a blackberry and apple pie, Tuesday just gone I spent a happy hour harvesting black walnuts. Not sure what I’m going to with them but I’m told the husk makes a good dye. Who knows what next week will bring?
more of the same I wouldn't wonder

 

[swyn]

Hey Tadpole. I paid £2.50 each for black walnut whips....Try growing some!
Swyn.

 

[Wayland]

Great question, I think there is a bit of each answer in me.

I'm certainly a kit junkie, I'm always on the lookout for that next bit of kit that's going to make the rest of my kit lighter somehow.

The Forum has become a regular fix for me too. It's one of the home tabs on my browser and unless I'm out there doing it my day is not complete without a good browse on BCUK.

I certainly do not get out as often as I would like, that's modern life for you I suppose.

A lot of my time in the outdoors is when I'm out taking landscape photographs. This tends to be trips to wild spots up and down the country staying out on location when I can. Wild camping when possible but sometimes just sleeping in the back of the van. I do carry a portable hearth so I usually cook on a fire but I suppose it would be difficult to really call it bushcrafting.

Then I suppose it comes down to how you define bushcrafting.

Almost daily I make fire with flint and steel in my school talks, I also demonstrate many other ancient technologies. Is that bushcrafting?

I walk the dog up on the fells daily and collect mushrooms and other useful bits when I see them. Is that bushcrafting?

I make stuff for my demonstrations from natural materials with ancient tools. Is that bushcrafting?

I voted "I do get out there when I can" because I feel that most closely matched how I feel about bushcrafting and there lies an important point.

I think bushcraft is much more about attitude that physical reality. It's a state of mind that can be just as valid at home as in the wilderness.

 

[Aaron]

Hello my name is Aaron and I am a Bushcraftaholic.

A couple of years ago I was a fresh-faced university graduate with my whole life ahead of me. Then I got in with the wrong crowd, hanging about in the woods, starting fires, carrying knives - it was a slippery slope. Now I have a serious kit buying habit - thermarests, ventile jackets woodlore knives; I've tried everything. My girlfriend and most of my old mates have deserted me - now all I have for company are squirrels and badgers and this odd bloke called Jason Sears who sits around the fire with me at night and we drink Special Brew together and swear at the moon. Help me, please. Help me.

 

[andyn]

I try and get out into the woods or countryside as often as possible either on my own, with the missus or other family members, or some of the other vagabonds from here .
But failing that, I also like coming here and reading the bushcrafty stuff that others are doing (so that it may inspire me to continue trying to perfect skills try new things and not to give up), or just hearing what everyone is upto.
Or i'll do stuff around the house and make stuff or just read books etc.

At the end of the day, whether people get out and live it, stay in and type about it or are just interested in just one or two subjects that could be classed as bushcraft...then its all good in the long run as it helps keep, what would otherwise be a long lost skill set in this rapidly modernising and technologically advancing world, alive.

Hello my name is Aaron and I am a Bushcraftaholic.

A couple of years ago I was a fresh-faced university graduate with my whole life ahead of me. Then I got in with the wrong crowd, hanging about in the woods, starting fires, carrying knives - it was a slippery slope. Now I have a serious kit buying habit - thermarests, ventile jackets woodlore knives; I've tried everything. My girlfriend and most of my old mates have deserted me - now all I have for company are squirrels and badgers and this odd bloke called Jason Sears who sits around the fire with me at night and we drink Special Brew together and swear at the moon. Help me, please. Help me.

Sorry mate, there just isn't a cure.

 

[The Joker]

Hello my name is Aaron and I am a Bushcraftaholic.

A couple of years ago I was a fresh-faced university graduate with my whole life ahead of me. Then I got in with the wrong crowd, hanging about in the woods, starting fires, carrying knives - it was a slippery slope. Now I have a serious kit buying habit - thermarests, ventile jackets woodlore knives; I've tried everything. My girlfriend and most of my old mates have deserted me - now all I have for company are squirrels and badgers and this odd bloke called Jason Sears who sits around the fire with me at night and we drink Special Brew together and swear at the moon. Help me, please. Help me.

Aaron, that was very good mate


There have been some great answers and some fantastic pictures.

Well done guys, keepem coming

 

[James_m246]

Well i'd love to say I get out all the time and all that but I don't, I answered not much. Mostly because where I live its very hard to find places to go wild camping, although im moving on wednesday so I might have more luck at the new place.

I like knives a lot

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Yes, no, maybe, sometimes

 

[Povarian]

Voted "not often", but it's also "when I can" (mostly with kipper the nipper), and I like shiney things too...

I enjoy doing bushcrafty things, but also have a life

[ducks for cover]

 

[andyn]

Voted "not often", but it's also "when I can" (mostly with kipper the nipper), and I like shiney things too...

I enjoy doing bushcrafty things, but also have a life

[ducks for cover]

LOL...I think that most will say that bushcraft has become integrated into their life or already was a way of thinking...rather than just being a hobby to pass time.

 

[Silverback]

Not strictly speaking bushcraft but I am out at least once a week in the dark until the wee small hours when I sneak back tired and cold beneath the duvet much to the disgust of Mrs Silverback who despite my multiple handwashings can still detect the unmistakeable aroma of fox .

I have a very young family with one still in nappies so I don't get out anywhere near as much as I would like and think that its only fair my wife gets a bit of a break from housewifely duties at weekends. I also have to fit three sessions in the gym in per week so spare time is like gold dust

I am however hoping to take Jason and Aaron up on their kind offer of a trip in the very near future (don't give up on me guys )

I must also confess to being a serious gear junkie and lover of shiny things particularly playstationy shaped