John Bell - Bushcraft and Useful Knots for Beginners - 2 BOOKS IN 1 -: A Complete Guide to Learn how to Survive in the Wilderness and Learn to Make the Most Useful Outdoor, Emergency and Survival Knots

John Bell

BUSHCRAFT

and

USEFUL KNOTS

For beginners

A Complete Guide to Learn how to Survive in the Wilderness and Learn to Make the Most Useful Outdoor, Emergency and Survival Knots

Copyright 2021 publishing.

All rights reserved.

Author: John Bell

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying recording or other electronic or mechanical methods or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotation embodies in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Table of Contents

BOOK 1: BUSHCRAFT FOR BEGINNERS

BOOK 2: USEFUL KNOTS FOR BEGINNERS

Bushcraft is a term given to the practices of skillful woodland survival and the knowledge of how to live in the wild. European settlers in North America originally developed it, but its practice has become widespread worldwide (including many particularly harsh climates).

Bushcraft is the art of living off the land. It requires skill, judgment, effort, and insight. Most guides to bushcraft focus on survival in the woods (e.g., food gathering, building shelter) rather than culinary skills or other aspects of living off the land (e.g., gardening). It is often referred to as bush skills, wilderness skills, woodsmanship, wildcrafting, woodcraft, woodland living, or country life.

Bushcraft can be as simple as knowing how to gather edible plants from the woodlands with no assistance other than a pocket knife. It can require learning methods of long-term survival without support or supplies (especially water) for weeks at a time.

What are some of these skills? Making simple stone tools, dressing a deer or an elk for transport or eating, building natural shelters, and navigating using natural landmarks. These techniques have been passed down through generations with great care; this has made bushcraft a respected skill that you can learn if you have time to spare.

Bushcraft is a way to make the most of your surroundings and turn what you find in nature into tools, food, and shelter. It gives people who are away from civilization the knowledge they need to live in nature. Bushcrafters can stay alive with primitive tools and without modern equipment for a lot longer than an average person.

Bushcrafting is a wilderness skill and survivalist activity that involves gathering natural resources, either for personal use or to provide food and materials for self-sustainment while in the wilderness. Bushcraft can also involve trapping games, hunting wildfowl and small mammals, carving woodwork, or making bows and arrows. The term is most often used in Europe, where it refers to a prolonged period spent outdoors with minimal equipment in a wooded area with no defined geographical boundaries. This type of outdoor activity has frequently been praised as being an excellent means by which children can learn about the natural environment without electronic distraction.

Bushcraft skills include fire building, shelter construction, making basic bows and arrows, finding fresh water and food sources, rope made from natural fibers such as animal sinew or foraged vines. Modern bushcraft also studies the life span of various components used by the outdoorsman to ensure that they have the longest useful life before they become nonviable regarding providing their respective services (sleep protection, food acquisition). This knowledge can be applied to items such as tents and various other pieces of equipment.

A common misconception is that the term "bushcraft" refers only to woodwork skills, but this is incorrect because metalwork skills are equally a part of being a "bushcraft." As there are many different areas of bushcraft, there are many different items that a bushcrafter may need to be effective, but it is not an exhaustive list.

It is difficult to pinpoint when the craft of "bushcraft" began, but some of the earliest attestations date back to the early 1600s. The term "bushcraft" itself is modern and was coined by the English author and adventurer Richard Graves in his book "Bushcraft" (1937). Graves wrote about his experiences surviving in the Australian outback from 19101933. He used the term "bushcraft" to describe his way of life in the Australian bush. Bushcraft is an outgrowth of pre-industrial woodlore, describing how woodsmen and women used their practical knowledge of wild plants and animals to survive in the woodlands. Much has been written about those who can claim to have used skills that they learned from their forefathers, but seldom is this referred to as bushcraft.

The hunting skills of our ancestors have since become a lost art, something that we take for granted nowadays. We rely on guides and professional huntsmen, not on our skills and experiences from countless hours over generations. Although many of us have learned a lot from books, DVDs, and television programs, it is a rare person who can truly claim to be in touch with their ancestral roots.

Because of the very long training required to become proficient at hunting, most western-world hunters will only become skilled after many years. We are more accustomed to seeing television shows where professional huntsmen track down big games for us. The thrill of the chase is absent in this type of sport since "our" eager huntsmen do all the work for us while we watch as spectators. In essence, we become passive spectators rather than active participants as we watch our "master huntsman" chase down an animal and return with it to our camp. The skills of the huntsman are often respected and admired, but few of us consider what it takes to become a top-class hunter. And even fewer of us will ever have the time and opportunity to learn these skills.

Bushcraft is a practical way for anyone to learn those survivalist skills that our ancestors once used regularly. For this reason, bushcraft has experienced an upsurge in popularity in recent years; there is now a waiting list for those wishing to join bushcraft courses.

Bushcraft is about pursuing self-sufficiency in the wilderness and not cutting corners to save time or money on equipment or supplies.

Anybody spending any amount of time in the wilderness, whether hiking, camping, hunting, etc., should carry a backpack containing essential tools and supplies. What a bushcraft backpack contains is a widely debated topic as each person has their own opinions and preferences as to what they think should be in that backpack. Some people stock their backpacks according to where they will be spending time, how long they will be there, and who they will be spending that time with. Some many outdoor tools and supplies are subject to personal preference and opinion, but there are a few essential stables every bushcraft backpack should have.

Knives

Knives are the ultimate bushcraft basic staple tools. You will never find an outdoors person worth their salt without at least one knife with them. They are the most versatile tool in your bushcraft repertoire and can be used for many purposes, from food preparation to building a shelter. You should stock your backpack with two knives.

Large Knife/Machete

If you were only allowed to take a single knife with you into the wild, a large knife or a machete should be your first choice. A large knife can act as a go-between by performing several kinds of tasks as a smaller knife and some of the tasks you would use an ax or hatchet for.