the word "bushcraft"

Siberianfury

Native
Jan 1, 1970
1,534
6
mendip hills, somerset
as far as i am aware, the term bushcraft has only been used since ray mears started making programes. before that the same set of skills could be called wild camping, survival, poaching, woodsman skills ect. my personal favorite term is wood craft.

anyway i suppose the purpose of this thread is to duiscuss the term bushcraft and why it seems to be the new word to describe the hobby or way of life.
 

MartiniDave

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 29, 2003
2,355
130
62
Cambridgeshire
I thought Mors' book "Bushcraft" pre-dated the Ray Mears use of the term. Of course, I reserve the right to be wrong!
 

Hoodoo

Full Member
Nov 17, 2003
5,302
13
Michigan, USA
Methinks you are a bit off on that one. Bushcraft by Richard Graves was published in 1972, Northern Bushcraft by Mors Kochanski was published in 1987. Ray Mears first book (that I know of) was The Survival Handbook--A Practical Guide to Woodcraft and Woodlore, published in 1990. Not sure if he used the term bushcraft in the book. I'd have to search through it.
 

Tadpole

Full Member
Nov 12, 2005
2,842
21
60
Bristol
Ernest Scott used the word (in the context that we use it today)in a book called the The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders, R.N. (1914)
Chapter 7 Discovery of Bass Strait

"It was not, indeed, till 1813 that Gregory Blaxland, with Lieutenant Lawson and William Charles Wentworth (then a youth), as companions, succeeded in solving the problem. The story of their steady, persistent, and desperate struggle being beyond the scope of this biography, it is sufficient to say that after fifteen days of severe labour, applied with rare intelligence and bushcraft, they saw beneath them waving grass-country watered by clear streams, and knew that they had found a path to the interior of the new continent."
 

Tadpole

Full Member
Nov 12, 2005
2,842
21
60
Bristol
Good find! :)

Not a good as I had thought, it seems Grooveski posted on this subject in 23-03-2006,
Groovesku said:
Looks like the Wikipedia listing comes from a straightforward search of Project Gutenberg, so there are no doubt other references that haven't made it onto Gutenberg's shelves yet.

------------------000------------------

The History of Australian Exploration from 1788 to 1888

It was down here that young Hamilton Hume, the first native-born explorer to take the field, was then gaining his bushcraft. Hume was a son of the Rev. Andrew Hume, who held an appointment in the Commissariat Department, and came to the colony in the LADY JULIAN.

------------------000------------------

My Brilliant Career

Peter was "tall and freckled and sandy, face of a country lout", and, like Middleton's rouse-about, "hadn't any opinions, hadn't any ideas", but possessed sufficient instinct and common bushcraft with which, by hard slogging, to amass money.

------------------000------------------

Campaign Pictures of the War in South Africa (1899-1900)

Talking of the Yeomen brings back a good yarn that is going round the camps at their expense. They are notorious for two things--their pluck and their awful bad bushcraft. They would ride up to the mouth of a foeman's guns coolly and gamely enough, but they can't find their way home on the veldt after dark to save their souls, and so fall into Boer traps with a regularity that is becoming monotonous.

------------------000------------------

The Explorers of Australia and their Life-work

It was in the Shoalhaven district that young Hamilton Hume, the first Australian-born explorer to make his mark in the field, gained his bushcraft.
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We have now, at this stage, the spectacle of the main body loitering on the outskirts of the settled districts, four men killing time on the banks of Cooper's Creek, and the leader and three others scampering across the continent, all four of them utterly inexperienced in bushcraft.

------------------000------------------

We of the Never-Never

By the time supper was over he had risked a joke or two, and taking heart by their reception, launched boldly into the conversation, chuckling with delight as the Maluka and Mac amused themselves by examining the missus on bushcraft.

------------------000------------------

The Life of Captain Matthew Flinders

It was not, indeed, till 1813 that Gregory Blaxland, with Lieutenant Lawson and William Charles Wentworth (then a youth), as companions, succeeded in solving the problem. The story of their steady, persistent, and desperate struggle being beyond the scope of this biography, it is sufficient to say that after fifteen days of severe labour, applied with rare intelligence and bushcraft, they saw beneath them waving grass-country watered by clear streams, and knew that they had found a path to the interior of the new continent.
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
45
Britannia!
I really don't like the term 'bushcraft'. Reminds me too much of middle aged men carving spoons, wild camping and wood craft I much prefer.

Each to their own though.
 

Samon

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Mar 24, 2011
3,970
45
Britannia!
That makes sence.

the word 'bushcraft' these days just seems to be a marketing ploy by companies and celebrities to make and charge loads of money for camping equipment with a bushcraft label on it and that for me is one of the reasons why I don't like the term.

'bushcraft knives' are another interesting marketing point..
 

dave53

On a new journey
Jan 30, 2010
2,993
11
71
wales
well you could always call yourself a happy camper if anyone asks(not)bushcrafter woodsman wild camper they will do for me regards dave
 

jungle_re

Settler
Oct 6, 2008
600
0
Cotswolds
my favourite i've heard was 'show and tell'

The Graves book was first published as a set of separate book/booklets not sure if they pre date the book by much though (a book that should adorn all shelves). I believe Mors's book was originally meant as a companion book for the northern forrest to go with the Graves Bushcraft. Great find for the first use of the word Tadpole.

Its a word that means a plethora of different things to different folk. My take its just an umbrella term which can be useful to describe lots of separate in depth interests and hobbies without over expansion
 

bojit

Native
Aug 7, 2010
1,173
1
56
Edinburgh
SWMBO calls it " that Bushtucker Trial Boys Club Nonsense"

Quite apt at times if you've ever been to a Comrie Meet!

Sounds about right !

I wonder how long the term bushcraft has been used in Australia as they have been rummaging around in their bush for a long time .

I usually just tell people that i am going camping ! it saves a lot of strange looks and questions . (i get enough of them without asking for them)

Craig.......
 

Neumo

Full Member
Jul 16, 2009
1,675
0
West Sussex
Well our hobby neads a name, preferably one word long & memorable, without any bad implications. I like Bushcraft, it does all that & sums it all up rather neatly.

'Wilderness Living Skills' is a US term I like, but it's too long. Survival(ism) had too many bad implications for some of us; that may still be the case, depending on how you feel about Mr Grills.... Camping is a bit dull, but I resort to it from time to time to avoid idiots taking the P***
 
Feb 15, 2011
3,860
2
Elsewhere
I'm sick of the sound of it, I don't call what I do anything..............When the locals see me waddling by with a rucksack on, they look at me as if I'm mad, when anyone asks me what I'm doing I look at them as if they're mad !
 

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