what to fill it with?

[Bushcraftsman]

This may be a little lengthy

Right, I've decided to fill my newly aquired journal with the following things (in this order)

-Tracking
-Pencil Sketches of the Animals
-Different types of wood (firelighting)
-Recipes (both in the bush and at home)
-A "how to" section

Tracking
In this section I have included Sketches of the animal tracks (natural Size) a quick description of the animal, then information on its occurence, habbits, Habitat, tracks, trails, dwelling place and defining signs of the animal. I then finish with some more sketches of the track, e.g hind foot, fore foot, tracks registered, tracks in hard mud tracks in soft mud.

Pencil sketches of the animals
This is pretty self explanitory, I'm quite good at sketching things if I have something to look at/copy from, not very good at doing it from memory, this isn't really for reference sake but more for fun and because I think it will look nice in the journal.

Different types of wood
In this section I'm going to put a lot of different types of wood, how well they burn, heat, duration etc, and all other information on how they can be used for firelighting, I'm also going to stick in leaves from the different tree's for indentification, then finally some information on different fire set ups.

Recipes
I'll put in some simple recipes that I have gathered off this "lovely Grub" section, and then some others I know for both making out in the woods or at home or preparing at home to make in the woods etc.

"how to"
Finally I'll put in some information on "how to" subjects. E.g- tarp configurations, how to set up a hammock in the different ways, how to make home DIY items (such as a coke can stove,) then lastly how to make different natual shelters in the woods.

Now i've finished rambling Do you have any ideas of what else I could fill my journal with?

Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your help
Jordan

 

[sandbender]

There a few ideas for you on this earlier thread.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39063

 

[Man of Tanith]

i use mine as a bushcraft diary, so in it goes camping kit list followed by ticks if i use it or not, any courses i attend get written up in it, any projects i do ie handling the crook knife blade, what i get upto when camping, and any impressions of new bits of kit i try out.

long term plan is to fill the notebook and replace it with new one so i have a collection of them to pass on to any children i may have in the future. and also serve as a memory for myself when i get older of what i have done.

so maybe you could do that?
Sam

 

[Elines]

A variation on the theme - use it as a writer's note book eg this is quite a useful (and cheap) little book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Writers-Not...=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264864119&sr=8-6

 

[bearbait]

See also "Keeping a Nature Journal" by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth. Amazon has it at around half price.

 

[Barn Owl]

My advice is to fill it with what YOU see,experience and what works after you've tried it.

Keep the reference material from published works to a minimum.
It's what works for you from your own experience that counts.

Note all your findings,THEN refer to your library and see if anything matches.

Just 'cos someone has put something in print doesn't mean it's the be all and end all.

Some can start a fire easily,some can't with the same materials.
Same with baking outdoors etc...

Hth,
Tom.

 

[Bushcraftsman]

Also, what animals shall I copy the information for, I was thinking just small mammals that are found around Britain? so far i have Fox and badger, I was thinking of doing Deer, hare, squirel, weasel, stoat...then common cat and dog. Any other ideas?

 

[Bushcraftsman]

and thanks for the advice Tom

 

[Bushcraftsman]

onto the pencil sketches of the animals now, i've just started doing some deers and found a nice pciture to draw, its taken me a while, not finished it yet but im taking a break because my wrist hurts so here it is:



incase you can't tell, the deer are standing in the shallows of a lake, hopefully this will become more obvious by the time I've finished it.

Thanks for looking

 

[fred gordon]

I try to keep a Journal of important trips. Doesn't always work though. If you miss a couple of days it always seems a chore to catch up. I've also tried splitting the thing into sections. However, one section always seems to get filled up before the others and I end up wasting pages. I also wish I could draw but I'm just not clever enough. I blame my scientific background

 

[Bushcraftsman]

yes I originally intended to keep it in sections but I thought, To try and divide the sections equally would be hard and like you said I'd probably end up wasting pages. So now im just putting random things in it here and there but I have a section starting on the back page with "how to" tips and then wod burning properties then from the front is just fill it with what I like

 

[fred gordon]

Sounds just like I do it. I've tried all sorts of notebooks, got shelves full of them. However I've settled on Moleskines. Expensive but the best ever.

http://www.moleskine.com/

 

[Bushcraftsman]

next, now trying to decide wether to colour it or just shade it and keep it as a pencil drawing...what do people think?

 

[mikethescout]

thats a very nice drawing!! did you take the image yourself?

What size journal is it your usuing? Im thinking of starting one for camps that i go on...

 

[Bushcraftsman]

No im afraid I didn't take the image, would of been good if I had, I'm using an A5 journal that G4GHB made for me I love it!!

you can see some pics here if you want

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52253&highlight=leather+journal

 

[Pcwizme]

my "journal" is pretty much a poetry / Design book, its meant to record trips and kit i have taken, but normally i sit there and out comes a poem. Or I will be sat along side the fire and thing, ooh i could really use a what ever and have to come up with 5 diffrent ways!

 

[drewdunnrespect]

brilliant drawing bushcraftsman

now then in my journel i have listed all kit that i have but in sections

they are
cooking
shelter
clothes
sharps
lights
navigation
other
even if i sell the gear i will still keep it there but next to i will put why i didnt get on with it and what i didnt like about it.
also ave put in things i have learnt like how to identify the silver birch tree and the paper birch tree which are the first two tree i have learnt to identify.
hopefully this will continue

also have put in how i made my canvas army trouser bags cos well it will help some body

and any other tips tricks and lessons learned

hope this help but unlike yours mine is an A4 size one that i fill in when i get home

drew

 

[firecrest]

great picture. colour might wreck it if the paper isnt good, but i think shading will make it better, you can add depth with shading.

 

[Bushcraftsman]

you could but im not the best artist ever so I think I'd find it difficult to shade it well