Sixteen skills in 2016

[Toddy]

Learn skills slowly let them sink in, don't be afraid of failure, learn from it, everybody does.
Enjoy the process otherwise it defeats the purpose of the outdoors.

We need a list of inspirational quotes.
That one's going on mine

M

 

[Goatboy]

Here's a link to Inuit snow goggles. LINK Some wood, some bone. Here's a video on how to make a pretty rudimentary set from birch bark. You get the idea and could make something more permanent.

[video=youtube;Kbwk0zo8Q38]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbwk0zo8Q38[/video]

On the trystick front have a wee peak here... LINK Turns out I don't have a picture of one on file but if you look it up on Google there are plenty in images. (Don't want to infringe anyone's copyright.)

 

[tsitenha]

Good video, cut them out from a dead birch tree.
Always wear shades summer/winter/spring/fall, sunny or overcast days. Our atmosphere isn't filtering out UV rays these days as of old.
You have to remember to take them off before entering a store afterwards

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Good video, cut them out from a dead birch tree.
Always wear shades summer/winter/spring/fall, sunny or overcast days. Our atmosphere isn't filtering out UV rays these days as of old.
You have to remember to take them off before entering a store afterwards

I have to wear glasses to see anything over about 2m away in focus, my glasses react to UV and change colour. I hadn't realised how dependant I had become on this, until recently I wore some non auto adjusting sunglasses, and walked into a pub and got very confused that they hadn't adjusted to the light level...

J

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Quixoticgek, I don't know you or your realistic skill level, so take it slow and methodical. I didn't know what I know now in a day, weeks, months, years, I was mentored by elders, family, friends I am still learning new skills (right now is learning to play a chanter, first step towards playing the pipes), be patient.

Not sure how to categorise my skill level. Not a total newbie, but I'm not Ray Mears either. I also tend to under value my abilities (years of people telling me how useless I am or that I can't do something cos I'm a girl...).

Instead of chasing a magic 16 skills, learn 1 skill very well, when you can control it, start with a second one and so on.

The idea of this is to acquaint myself with things I've not tried before, have a dabble, see what I like, see what I don't like. I can then take the ones I get on with, and see about taking them further at a later date.

First skill is to make a shelter, nothing elaborate, find a tree, take out a poncho, sit and listen. Take a plastic sheeting they use for painters and with some nylon cordage build a larger shelter that will protect you from sun, wind, rain etc... No such thing as cheating, as you accrue skills then expand in their variations.

Already do that, a lot, shelters with tarps, poncho's the like I'm comfortable at. I've even been teaching others. Natural shelter, that I have less experience with (hence it being on the list).

Actually start a fire, use kindling and remnant pieces of lumber, tinder, get that fire going and alive for at least 1/2 hour, I get my students brew me a cup of hot tea. Oh yes I walk away, for 5-10-15 minutes and expect a hot cup of tea when I return. Devil you say YES I say. It doesn't matter at first of how you start your fire, BIC lighter, matches, when you are competent then expand your sources of fire making.

Again, fire I am comfortable with, I can get a fire going with natural tinders, as well as artificial tinders, using ferro rods, flint and steel. Yet I've never tried fire by friction, hence that being on the list.

Learn maps and compass, get to know your neighborhood, city and such. Proceed to a known park and repeat the same exercise. When you are comfortable with your navigational skills apply them for more remote wilderness.

Nav is an interesting one. I have won awards for orienteering, and have been using a map and compass without any training for decades. I'm sure I could be better at it, hence it's on the list as something to improve.

I highly recommend learning butchering skills, in the UK maybe approach a butcher and exchange skill learning for service.

Butchery of domesticated animals I am comfortable with, have done pigs, lamb, and chicken before. I've never done a full on gut and skin a dear. But I'm not sure how I would go about learning that here in the UK, unless I pay up to go on a dear in a day course or similar. It's not a priority yet, and as it requires money, I'd rather pay someone to teach me flint napping.

Maybe you are farther along than I realize, so much the better. Learn skills slowly let them sink in, don't be afraid of failure, learn from it, everybody does.
Enjoy the process otherwise it defeats the purpose of the outdoors.

Wise words.

J

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Thank you everyone for your input and suggestions. So far I've picked a mix of skills to go on my list. The list is not definitive, if I find something else that works better, or looks more interesting, I may swap things around a bit. That said the top 4 are definites that won't be dropped for something else.

1. Fire by friction
2. Nav skills
3. Learn to sharpen my knives/tools
4. Carve a spoon
5. Catch a fish with improvised equipment
6. Make a meal from foraged ingredients
7. Natural shelter
8. Carve something useful other than a spoon
9. Basic flint knapping
10. Bake bread on a campfire
11. Make a net
12. See a Red Squirrel in the wild.
13. Make 16' of nettle cordage
14. Make an Atlatl + Dart
15. Learn basic rope splicing (inc amsteel)
16. Make a birch bark container

Will post progress as it happens.

J

 

[Goatboy]

Sounds a diverse & encompassing list there. Looking forward to the reports & progress.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[GadgetUK437]

Learn maps and compass... When you are comfortable with your navigational skills apply them for more remote wilderness.

Nav is an interesting one... it's on the list as something to improve.

How about some natural navigation skills, certainly good to complement map'n'compass.

 

[tsitenha]

We need a list of inspirational quotes.
That one's going on mine

M

How do I equal or exceed your very kind sentiment???????

No wonder my hat doesn't fit anymore.

 

[Billy1]

Really good idea. I just made my own list of 12 things to do/learn in 2016 (one a month):

1. Make some moccasins from a deer hide I have tanned myself.
2. Sleep in a natural shelter.
3. Learn to make consistently good feather sticks.
4. Make a primitive bow drill (includes learning to make good natural cordage).
5. Make a selfbow.
6. Carve a spoon, bowl and spatula.
7. Get 50 hand drill coals.
8. Get 1 fire plow coal.
9. Get a mirror finish on a knife.
10. Make beef jerky.
11. Learn 5 different types of trap.
12. Make a fire in the rain with just my EDC pen-knife.

 

[DocG]

We need a list of inspirational quotes.
That one's going on mine

M

Just seen this thread.

+1 to Toddy's comment

 

[mole trapper]

I'm on a mission to re-learn old skills and some new this year. I've been way to engrossed in my business the last few years and seriously need to reevaluate what's more important.
So, yesterday I made several batches of different types of charcloth, (breaking myself in gently), this afternoon I made a squirrel trap, next is fire by various means of friction.
Other ideas for this year, coastal foraging, trapping and long lining. Making cord from sinew, bramble etc. Orienteering coupled with some good yomping and over nighters.
Hopefully rather a lot more too.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Have crossed off the first of the 16. Number 10 - Bake bread on a campfire. I've written about it [thread=139677]here[/thread].

J

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Well the year hasn't quite gone to plan with this challenge. Moving country half way through the year didn't help, and spending December on crutches has scuppered pretty much any lingering hope I had of completing this. Doesn't matter too much, I've learned a lot and I will continue to work on these skills into 2017.

- Fire by friction

I had a go, but didn't get more than smoke. Needs more work.

- Nav skills
- Learn to sharpen my knives/tools

My nav skills have certainly improved this year, I've been learning lots of natural nav skills too. My knives seem to all be sharp, I'm not perfect at it, but getting there.

- Carve a spoon
- Catch a fish with improvised equipment
- Make a meal from foraged ingredients
- Natural shelter
- Carve something useful other than a spoon

Fail. Foraged meal was a partial success, needs more plant ID knowledge.

- Basic flint knapping
- Bake bread on a campfire

I did a course with Will Lord in June, I need to practice the skills I learnt. But I have a flint tipped arrow that I made hanging above my bed.

I've made a couple of very tasty loaves on camp fires this year. I think I've got the hang of it now.

- Make a net

Fail.

- See a Red Squirrel in the wild.

SUCCESS! I saw my first red squirrel on a bike ride in Gottingen, Germany, followed by another the following day at the European Astronaut Centre, then 2 more in Belgium the following day. Did any of them stay still long enough for me to take a photo? Haha!

- Make 16' of nettle cordage

I made lots of cordage as part of the flint knapping course, Not so much nettle, most of it was lime bast. I'm considering this a success.

- Make an Atlatl + Dart
- Learn basic rope splicing (inc amsteel)
- Make a birch bark container

Fail. Will try again in the spring.

In all, 6 out of 16. That gives me 10 for 2017...

J

 

[Nomad64]

Well the year hasn't quite gone to plan with this challenge. Moving country half way through the year didn't help, and spending December on crutches

Sorry to hear of your misadventure and better luck for next year.

Where have you relocated to - your profile still says Kent?

Best wishes.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Sorry to hear of your misadventure and better luck for next year.

Where have you relocated to - your profile still says Kent?

Best wishes.

The Netherlands. Thank you for pointing that out, had forgotten that I need to update my profile.

J

 

[Macaroon]

Six out of ten is good, J, as is the fact that you intend to persevere with your aims......

I seem to remember from some posts a while back that you're somewhere close to Aachen? I spent a few of the happiest years of my life near the Dreilandereck, between Vaals, Aachen and Bleiberg, some of the nicest parts of Europe right near there; you ever get to go through the Eifell and down towards Luxembourg?

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Six out of ten is good, J, as is the fact that you intend to persevere with your aims......

Aye. I'm pleased with what I've managed. It was always going to be a tough ask, but circumstances conspired to make it even harder. Just 10 to do in 2017...

I seem to remember from some posts a while back that you're somewhere close to Aachen? I spent a few of the happiest years of my life near the Dreilandereck, between Vaals, Aachen and Bleiberg, some of the nicest parts of Europe right near there; you ever get to go through the Eifell and down towards Luxembourg?

Oh yes. I've cycled (across 3 trips), from Luxembourg City all the way to Heerlen, minus a short gap between Sank Vitt and Sour Brot, plus an extra bit from Aachen to Sour Brot along the old Vennbahn line, taking in the highest points of Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. Stunning area. Entirely over looked by most people. I hope to go back with a long lense at some point and see if I can get a photo of some of the wild life, in particular the beavers.

J

 

[Robson Valley]

Neat list. I can do or have done 8/16. Only, smoke from my bow drill friction kit doesn't count = I need flames!
If catching fish by hand counts then I can add that. Building a shelter and rope splicing are about the most fun.

Flint knapping an edge to cut meat and fire with my bowdrill would be the crowning achievements.