Bushcraft program

[RickV]

I'm looking for program ideas for an evening (2 hours max) of bushcraft orientation.
This is for a group of young adults (18+ up to 30).
The only idea I have come up with so far is the making of a fire with a firesteel (most of them can make a fire with toiletpaper and gasoline But who can't do this?).
I was thinking of a bit of carving (simple spoon) but it is quite an active group who can't sit around for too long.
Whe have the following tools we can use: Axes, knives (fixed and folders), wooden hammers (big), hand powerd earth drills, lots of rope and wooden poles, wood for fire and firesteels.
If you have any ideas for a program i can appriciate it.

Rick

 

[JohnC]

nettles for cordage?

Setting up a hammock and a tarp?

Some of the scouting sites have a lot of information and acticvity sheets
http://www.inquiry.net/
http://www.scoutingresources.org.uk/knots_az03.html#sailors
http://www.shurdington.org/downloads.htm
http://www.scouting.org.za/resources/pioneering/

Geodome, I've tried this with my kids and we had a great time
http://www.yesmag.bc.ca/projects/geodesic.html

 

[Tony]

Hi Rick,

Are you outside? If you’re not I would be cautious with the firelighting. There’s a lot you can do with that though, different methods and materials etc. Get them collecting the tinder they think will take from a spark and let them try, see if they can prepare and light a fire with one match…..

I think you’ll find that if they’ve never carved before they’ll not produce a spoon in 2 hours, well it’s doubtful and depending on the size of group you’ll have a hard time getting them all on track and safely doing it.

You could so some basic carving, feather sticks and the like.

Have you thought about water filtering and purification? You could get some dirty water and show them how to get the bits out by filtering, then do treatments, boiling, chemical etc.

Another good one is to get some cheap tarps etc and let them set up their own shelter, you’ll get a lot of different ways of doing it and they’ll enjoy it. You can always help them by pointing out things they could improve.

You can get them to do some team exercises, using the poles and rope, make a bridge sort of thing. The Scout recourses would be excellent for that sort of thing as well as the others.

Good luck with it.

 

[Jeff Wagner]

I'm looking for program ideas for an evening (2 hours max) of bushcraft orientation.

If you have any ideas for a program i can appriciate it.

Rick

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity for hand drill training.

 

[RickV]

Some good ideas, thanks! Part of it will be outside (fire). It will probably be some kind of adventure course (catcrawl etc.) with some bushcraft problems they have to solve underway with some assistance.
Tarps is also a great idea we have some old laying around.

Rick

 

[ilan]

hi any type of backwoods cooking works well , team games with a backwoods flavour first to make me a bacon sarnie and a cup of tea ? provide basic material , The ground/hall will flood in 20 mins build a platform to get all your team of the ground ? if you have the space tallest self supporting structure from x nos poles ? or even a match splitting competition with the axes ie can you split 3 matches length ways in three goes ? have fun