Hunter Gatherer Challenge- Wilderness Survival Skills (may want to grab a brew first)

  • Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.

sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
did highlight what can be done with only the basics too

Aye I s'pose a couple of extra kit items here or there could change the whole ethos of the course, plus the safty factor too


Besides, I'm biased. An axe or other chopping tool has been part of my woodland kit since I was old enough to swing one
 
Axe has been in my kit list since cubs and always gets missed when it's not taken.

one the other chaos had taken his normal days bimble kit to test how he would fare with just that.
I was in some ways very envious of his extras. Specially the water bottle and poncho. In others I wasnt as it made me really think about what I was doing kr could do with what I had
 

sunndog

Full Member
May 23, 2014
3,561
477
derbyshire
Slight de-rail of you're thread here mate

i'v only been using bushcraft forums for six months or so and I think the biggest thing i'v noticed about my own skill set/activities since joining here is how stuck in my ways i'v become
My parents house is set in a three acre wood which I pretty much lived in as a kid so I started early with this lark and there's stuff I see on here that I haven't tried since I was a small boy

Birch bark containers for instance. I remember spending the best part of a summer holiday obsessively collecting birch bark and making stuff. but i bet i'v done it two or three times at most since
Same with this course of yours. my first reaction was. bugger the kit restrictions I know what I like to carry....but that kinda misses the point don't it. DOH!
I reckon I could stand being moved out my comfort zone a bit (no axe would still be a hard choice though lol)

I'v done the bimble bag thing.....but tbh the stuff in my bag is just a scaled down version of a "standard bushcrafters" weekend kit. so its 90% of everything you need to be comfy
 
Julia. The flemsih dart I made is a very simple hunting tool as I discovered. Anyone can make one (exhibit A me) and anyone can quickly pick up using it (I refer you to the previous exhibit A)
effectively its a thin straight piece of wood measuring the length from your fingertip to your arm pit (or longer but after a bit more its just an Atlatl) you measure the distance you want the fletching to cover then add a notch in front of the fletching. To throw it you take a piece of cordage of your choice. Tie a knot in one end of the cordage. This is laid over the notch and the rest of the cordage is locked over the knot in a half hitch type thingy and held tight along the length of the dart before you secure the excess in your hand.

mine was made from hazel,the tips sharpened to points and hardened in the embers of the fire (Tim used a badger tooth for his dart's point). I fletched mine with inner paracord and rhododendron leaves l. It worked effectively but by the end of "The Hunt" it and I was knackered although only the dart had snapped in half ;)

It was an insight into the most efficient hunting tool as all the power comes from tbe individual with a flemish dart whereas a bow which was the choice of most others. The bow holds more energy for less effort and is also more accurate.
I'm going to be playing more with flemish darts as they are great fun when you arent reliant on them to win you a snickers bar........


sunndog I reckon everyone gegets set in their wayways I use the same woods whenever I go camping and its all so well established I don't have to think about where to camp within it nor produce any camp equipment etc.
its nice to exit comfort zones be it with kit or what you are doing.
this last weeks definitely given me new areas to persue within the broad umbrella term "bushcraft"
 
Last edited:

TinkyPete

Full Member
Sep 4, 2009
1,966
191
uk mainly in the Midlands though
Great write up Sam and I am glad it has given new insights as to what you want to do next with your bushcraft.

I have done a couple of challenges over the years including full E&E exercises with the military, you certainly find out what and where you lack things and it brings things to mind.

Even when I am out and about even in the streets there are somethings that I always take which most find wierd (a swiis army knife or other folder, ways of making fire, bin bags, bits of cord and even oven bags and lots of other things :) ) most people think I am slightly made but after having been on a inspection parade and then be told get on the back on that 4 tonner and you'll be back in a couple of weeks.... we did a week of being taught and then a week on pratcising the skills whilst being on the run...it was not fun but I did learn a lot.
 

Big Stu 12

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 7, 2012
6,028
4
Ipswich
Great write up Sam thanks for give your time up for our enjoyment, I look forward to doing the winter one next year.

Thanks for that once again Sam
 

GGTBod

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 28, 2014
3,209
26
1
Nice one Sam, i must have missed when you wrote it up as I had posted in your planning thread, sounds like a cracking week
 

Arya

Settler
May 15, 2013
796
59
39
Norway
Great write up! Interesting to read how courses like this work :)
The lack of sugar would have had me mad in no time.
 

GGTBod

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 28, 2014
3,209
26
1
My one vice i would miss would be my tea bags, don't have any others these days, i either temporarily got old or i've outgrew them. If my October goes to plan I will be in Norway in a sea kayak on me todd exploring
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE