What is bushcraft to you??

[John Fenna]

What is Bushcrafting to me? Life

 

[woodspirits]

blend and breath it in

 

[FGYT]

Bushcraft to me is a Buzz word of the Naughties

for something ive been doing since the Eighties

 

[poddle]

Primarily I am a hunter, however hunting and bushcraft are inextricably linked, even more so when safari's are run in Africa, as such an event can go on for many days and involve many people, all having to survive in the African bush, just to add that I do not do safari's, too expensive for a start.

Not much interest in weaving a basket, but certainly enjoy the shelter, fire making,camping aspects.

Knowing that you could survive should things take a turn for the worse is a great feeling.

How many think that they could survive when in fact they could not? I think this is where bushcraft comes into its own, and separates it entirely from survival and extraction Bear Grylls style

 

[R3XXY]

Being close to nature and cutting things up with knives and axes

 

[spiritwalker]

to me its exploring i love going places and not sticking to paths and seeing what i can see, wildlife watching, plant lore, camping, sharing time with others around a fire, oh and stove collecting :-D it would seem upto 9 now lol but there are just so many good ways out there to make a cup of tea. i also like the survival side of it just having some knowledge of what you can eat and use around you has to be of benefit some day and since we are social if the **** hits the fan if we all know little bits we should get by

 

[Ex Member - Sidney Bounty]

I use any and all excuses to get into the bush... fishing/hunting/hiking/bushcrafting/boating/etc....

 

[locum76]

You're a 'shrafter,stop denying it, no-one will hate you.

.......:theyareon........

 

[Broch]

Bushcraft to me is a Buzz word of the Naughties

for something ive been doing since the Eighties

Actually, I think it's a buzzword of the eighties for something I've been doing since the sixties but has been around since the dawn of ages.

I do less and less hunting; only killing if I really have to but practicing the same skills just to watchwildlife gives me the most enjoyment. That and just sitting and letting it find me!

A night under the stars with a small wood fire can't be beat IMHO; it has prehistoric connections!

Cheers,

Broch

 

[John Fenna]

What is Bushcrafting to me? Life

OK - I will expand...
Meets, sleeping in the woods, campfire cooking, wildlife, making my own kit, foraging, crafts, making my own booze, learning about the environment, being out of 4 walls, chatting to likeminded folk (face to face or here), primitive technologies, crafts, carving, aquiring stuff for free from nature, trading kit, selling kit, making practical kit, learning from our forebears, learning from Ray, laughing at Bear, making things that I will use in the woods, being in the woods and hills, apreciating the environment, getting my head "unbent", the smell of woodsmoke and the smell of honest sweat, self relience, making things, chilling , wildlife observation, good company, solitude, recharging, getting exhausted, realising how cushy my life is, getting back to basics, making things...and a little bit of shooting... oh - and canoeing...
"Life" just sums it up realy.....

 

[Barn Owl]

What i've done since a boy,watching nature and being out.

That's been mainly alone,so I love meets with like minded folks.

 

[dorkingbushcraft]

finding my way with no compass or map, night hikes, shelter building, foraging, hunting, fishing, carving, being alone, being with friends etc. Basicly my favourite part of bushcraft is well bushcraft,
p.s. great thread

 

[Harvestman]

Getting as far away from people and human noise as possible. Seeing plants and animals that I would never see where I live. Enjoying how beautiful the world is.

Just back from a short evening walk on the uplands with the dog. Full moon rising in the south, Venus setting in the north west. Partridge and grouse churring in the heather, and next to no wind. Glorious.

 

[ged]

Being close to nature and cutting things up with knives and axes

I think I just like hiding in the bushes.

I wouldn't call what I do 'bushcraft', but camping. I've done it since I was about seven, that's half a century, and I've always loved it. My mum used to call it "roughing it in the hills" which was probably about the best way of putting it then -- I had no sleeping bag, and we made my first tent because we couldn't afford one. Single skin, canvas, weighed half a hundredweight and leaked like a sieve. I can still remember proofing it on the back lawn. I had an old Primus paraffin stove that took up practically all the space in my rucksack, and my kit was so heavy by the time it was all loaded up that I could hardly stand up with it, let alone hike however far it was we had to hike for the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Once when two of us from school went on a camping trip, when we got to the place we'd planned to camp we realized that we'd forgotten the tent. So we made a kind of igloo thing out of a few broken fence posts and a lot of leafy branches and stayed in it for about a week. It was hard to get in and out but it was a lot warmer than any tent I've ever had. That was the closest thing I've ever done to what I think of as bushcraft.

I have to admit with the equipment that's available now (and that I can now afford, without so much as a second thought) it's a lot less rough than it was.
But it's no less enjoyable.

 

[jmatthews]

Watching a fire. Walking along and thinking I know what that it, I can eat that, I can't remember what that is. Cooking food on a fire I made. Waking up in the night outside, looking round then falling back asleep in my hammock. Listening to every slight crack of a twig and catching the tiny movement of something which you can then focus in on and observe. Admiring the world.

James

 

[rik_uk3]

Just going out and meeting one or two real friends, cooking good food, having a beer, listening to Radio Four (on my headphones) late at night, been doing the same for over 40 years.

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day Siberianfury

"What is bushcraft to you"

I really can't think of any better way to put it than was expressed By Richard Harry Graves when he penned as an introduction to his 10 Bushcraft books (found here: http://chrismolloy.com/www/p131 )

""Bushcraft" describes the activity of how to make use of natural materials found locally in any area. It includes many of the skills used by primitive man, and to these are added "white man" skills necessary for survival, such as time and direction, and the provision of modern "white man" comforts. The practice of bushcraft develops in an individual a remarkable ability to adapt quickly to a changing environment.

Since the real use of the term encompasses a variety of areas, I really can't say I have a "favourite".

BTW, the use of the term here in Australia well & truly predates either Mr Korchanski or Mr Mears use of the term




Kind regards
Mick

 

[Cobweb]

So much to choose from! I love basketry although I'm only good at the coil versions at the moment... I love cordage (small and simple, but it makes me happy) and I've always has a passion for knots

 

[Prawnster]

Watching a fire. Walking along and thinking I know what that it, I can eat that, I can't remember what that is. Cooking food on a fire I made. Waking up in the night outside, looking round then falling back asleep in my hammock. Listening to every slight crack of a twig and catching the tiny movement of something which you can then focus in on and observe. Admiring the world.

James

That just about sums it up for me too. Bushcraft makes me feel like a part of the ecosystem rather than just an observer.

 

[Firelite]

I would never discourage healthy debate, but having read through these responses I think pretty much everyone is in agreement...some aspect of bushcraft touches all of us deeply in some way. I've really enjoyed reading through your responses.
Great thread.