Re-discover the Art of Self-Sufficiency
Bushcrafting And Survival Skills
Explore the essential skills of bushcraft and survival, re-connecting with nature and fostering self-reliance. Learn to make a fire, identify plants, and build shelters, preparing yourself for any challenge while appreciating the beauty and wisdom of the natural world.
Discovering Bushcraft
Bushcraft survival skills is something I started learning in 2020. I learnt some of the most amazing skills which I recommend we all learn as these skills are beneficial. My belief is that everyone should possess these skills and that society needs to become more self-sufficient and nature is calling us towards that direction. A friend of mine bought bushcraft to my attention and I started to investigate it further on YouTube, bought a bushcraft book, and even attended an introduction to bushcraft course for a weekend. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Connecting with Nature...
Being connected with mother nature is probably the best relationship I have and I am always in awe of her brilliance, her beauty, and what she does for us. Sadly sometimes, this is forgotten by a society who live in a very fast-paced life. During this intro weekend, I learnt how to make a fire, identify trees, forage, assemble a hammock and much more. There is nothing quite like laying in your hammock at night, listening to birds, rabbits, foxes, deer, touching the cold, and feeling this magnificent presence in the forest that is mother nature, for which there are no words to really describe.
Experience and Equipment
I went in the month of September and the nights were very bitter and cold, so make sure you stay warm and dry by buying the right equipment. The main is to start somewhere and experience it. I will leave links of where you can buy the relevant equipment at the end of this article.
Instructors
The instructors that were leading the course were ex-military, so they have the best experience. Even though I am not an advocate of war, you have to listen to what they say if you want to learn and get the best out of your experience. They will recommend all the equipment that you need to buy.
Recommended Equipment
The best equipment to use in bushcraft is military. This is to ensure you are getting the most suitable equipment which carries out the function you need them to; whether that will be a decent and warm sleeping bag or the most appropriate bushcraft knife that will be long-lasting.
Preparation for the Course
There really might not be much you need to take on the course itself as they can potentially provide most of the equipment for you, but you will need to discuss this with the instructors beforehand. I was told to wait and complete the course first to learn what I need. However, you will definitely need to provide your own warm clothes, waterproofs, thermals, rucksack cover, walking boots, notebook and pencil, and water. Food may be provided for you but take something anyway like tinned food.
Basic Bushcraft Tools and Equipment
The basic bushcraft tools and general equipment that you will eventually need to purchase will be something like this and are close to what I have:
Black mora bushcraft knife, fire steel, a sharpening stone, a knife strop, DD hammock, tarpaulin, decent sleeping bag, better kip mat/sleeping pad, first aid kit, a cook set (one I was recommended was a swedish army trangia or billy set), jetboil will be handy if you would like one, water filter bottle, candles/night light/head torch, 10m paracord or nylon cord, camping chair/stool, and a power bank charger. This is simply a rough guide.
Anything else that you will need you will learn in time.
Equipment Consideration And safety
I am a vegan so I purchase equipment that is either plant-based or made with synthetic materials. I still try to buy cruelty-free products when it comes to bushcraft or camping equipment. Be extremely careful when using any of the tools, especially a bushcraft knife as it is very easy to cut yourself when using a fire steel to start a fire or even just handling it. You will be taught the safest way to use these tools.
Foraging Experience
You will find foraging an amazing experience too if you have not done it before. You will learn the names of the different plants, such as goosefoots, blackberry leaf (make a tea and it’s good for sore throats, gums or mouth ulcers), sloe berries for your gin, pineapple mayweed (also to make a nice tea), dock leaf (good for stings and are also edible), and mushrooms like chicken of the woods if you are lucky. It all depends which country and area you are in.
Fire Making
There is nothing quite like making a fire in the cold of the night surrounded by wonderful people. You will also learn how to make a fire using the most appropriate wood. Beach, oak, chestnut and ash are great for firewood but sweet chestnut will spit out hot embers, so it is best to avoid. Alder wood is poor in heat and does not last.
Identifying Dangerous Plants
The most important information I took away from the course was learning to identify the hemlock plant. I would not touch this or any other plants around it. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates carried out his own execution by consuming a deadly potion of this plant. Now that I am able to identify hemlock, I can steer completely clear of it. Learning knowledge like this makes me extremely grateful.
Self-Sufficiency
I believe nature is pushing us to use our instincts and to be more self-sufficient. We rely heavily on the system we live in but if it ever were to collapse, would we know what to do? Would we be prepared enough to survive and thrive in this situation, be able to find and grow food, would we know how? I think these skills are essential in life and should be passed on generation to generation if it is not going to be taught in schools. Learning to make a fire and creating a shelter should be a basic life skill that we possess but we all still have an opportunity to learn these things. It is not something the government is ever going to encourage us to do. If we research enough, we can find evidence of farming and agriculture systems going back thousands of years. They were completely self-sufficient and had the basic survival skills, however, they did endure tough times. I have believed for a long time now that relying on others to provide our food and water supply is an extremely dangerous reality and it’s something I feel we all could be providing for ourselves. We only have to look at how sick society is. The food that we are provided is not healthy. The soil has been contaminated with chemicals by the use of synthetic fertilizers, which in turn poisons our plants, our food and humans.
Empowerment Through Self-Sufficiency
We can place all that power back into our own hands by taking control of our own food and water supply and learning self-sufficiency and survival skills. The tools are all out there for us to learn.
Recommended Resources
A great Bushcraft book I was recommended is in the link below. It will include all the practical skills and knowledge essential for you to survive in the wilderness:
Book Recommendation
A good book I recommend is “Bushcraft Outdoor Skills And Wilderness Survival” by Mors Kochanski. I don’t always agree with everything I read in a book or whatever I research but this man’s book was recommended to me when I completed the Bushcraft Introductory Course. This book teaches us how to live out in the wild with minimal dependence on technological materials and tools. And this is what an off-grid situation will do to us because we never know when we will need these skills.
The book talks about Firecraft/fire lighting, choosing a safe fire site and outdoor cooking. The information will help lots of people who would like a good starting point when it comes to making a fire and what wood to use. This is a good step-by-step guide to get you started.
The book also talks Axe crafting. It really is one of the most basic an important bushcraft tools to have. So, it will teach you the various types of axes to buy taking into consideration of the weight and lengths of handle. It all depends on what your individual needs are. The bigger the axe, the better and safer it is to use. Be careful not to purchase one that is too heavy though.
It also talks about Tree Felling for beginners and for those who are more skilled. Be careful when you do this as safety comes first. We got to take into consideration the different types of trees that will fall in different ways and always know your surroundings for any potential hazards.
One of the most useful bushcraft tools to use. It teaches about the best knife to get that will suit the individual. Taking into consideration of the width of the knife and the individuals palm and wrist size. All these things matter when choosing this tool. Again, it also matters for what you are using it for as it’s not just for carving wood but can be used to knock down small trees. Accidents can happen just carrying a knife, so, a first aid kit is a must. Please be careful.
The saw and axe both work well but it’s more of a skill to use an axe than it is to use a saw. There are pros and cons with both. You can use both for similar tasks and if you have mastered using an axe then the results will be much better and quicker. Obviously, the saw has limits, it is more labour intensive and it still has it’s uses but if a saw is damaged, it’s unlikely to be fixed gain. It all depends on what you are wanting to experience and what you are using these tools for. The book explains a lot how to avoid damaging your saw, how to fell trees and how to look after your tools. All these things are important and you will learn the essentials.
We would need to take into consideration what we exactly intend to use it for, what materials are available and how good you are at building. The most important things to think of is warmth, a framework, what material is available, such as, leaves and mosses. You can even make a grass quilt. The book goes into further details about an open-fronted shelter which you don’t need tools for but just basic framework that can be of an arch, a ridge-pole, a semi-tipi and to having an open fire safely.
I also recommended watching lots of survival skills videos on you tube. making your own survival water is a great skill to have. All you will need: Plastic bottle, a cloth, some rocks, gravel, sand, activated charcoal, and some more sand. Then boil the water. 