Thank you.
This lower example is made of leather. Images supplied by Steven Lalioff.
Monday, 17 January 2011
French Engraved Powder Horns.
Chistine from www.kristinsawyer.com contacted me asking if I knew of any French engraved powder horns. Well I think I found a couple for Christine, but their French heritage has a big question mark over it. Certainly one has a Fleurdelis engraved on it, and bears a French name, but this does not make it conclusive. The other comes from Montreal and is believed to be French. I did some more thinking on this matter and decided to see if I could find more information. I was astounded by the lack of information on the net! Still the search goes on. If anyone has any info on French engraved powder horns, please contact me.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Camp Activities.
Camp Activities.
I have been asked several times “what do you do on historical treks?” and “what is there to do when camping?” “Don’t you get bored?” Well actually I don’t think I have ever been bored when camping under canvas, there is always so much going on around me.
I can sit and just watch and listen, and if I get tired I can lie down and sleep. I can brew a cup of tea and listen to the sounds of the forest and watch for wildlife. Sometimes I will take my gun and go exploring, following a trail to see where it goes and note what types of animals have travelled this track. All the while looking out for wildlife so I know what frequents this area.
I also look for edible plants and plant tinders, taking note of where I saw them. Bracket fungus like the Lietiporus Portensosus will spread its spores in the same area each time, so it is wise to keep track of where you find them. If I need tinder I will collect some and take it back to camp and prepare it there, charring the material in the camp fire and placing it in my tinderbox to extinguish it.
There are many skills that are second nature to me now, so I rarely practice them unless I need to, but there was a time when I would practice these skills in camp. Making cordage is a good skill to learn and cordage can have many uses from fishing and yabby lines to traps and shelter construction. Make it heavy enough and you can use it to hang game for skinning and butchering.
Tomahawk throwing is good fun and a good survival skill to practice if you can find a dead tree, and if you have a good fishing hole nearby what a great way to spend some time catching dinner.
One of the things I do make each time I go out is a kettle hook. Simple and easy to make with my clasp knife, yet an essential item in camp. I don’t usually have a need to make cordage because I use the same leather ties that secure my blanket roll and oilcloth to construct my shelter and hang my kettle.
Making traps for practice is always worthwhile if you have not done a lot of it. In a real survival situation setting out a trap line is a priority. Traps will work for you day and night whilst you are working or sleeping. The more you can depend on your traps, the less you will have to depend on your gun, and therefore save powder and lead. Trapping large game will require plenty of strong cordage and knowledge of the trails they use.
Getting plenty of firewood in is important during the colder months, because with only one blanket you will be relying on your fire and its rock reflector surround to keep you warm. Some kindling must be stored under your shelter, in case your fire should go out in the night. Should it rain or snow you will need that dry kindling. The other firewood should be stacked outside your shelter, but close up against it so you can stoke the fire in the night without having to leave your blanket.
Sometimes there are repairs to be made to moccasins; packs that have got damaged on the trail and of course your clothing. This is a good time to check things out and make those necessary repairs before the return trek. Check out your tools, do your blades need sharpening? Or your gun need cleaning? If you carry a journal as I do now is a good time to record things that have happened so far. If you are new to woodsrunning you might want to note down items that you carry that were not needed, or perhaps and item you wished you had taken with you. How is your food supply working out? Do you need to make changes to food choices or quantities? This is a good opportunity to note how much of any particular food you use. If you are out for say two nights, take note of the food used and work out how much you would need for say 8 nights.
I always carry the same amount of everything regardless of the length of time I am away from home. In this way I get used to the weight, and I know that if I can not get back for some reason, I have enough food. In reality on a long trip my food would get lighter. Once the meat was gone that I was carrying, I would hunt for more, eat what I needed, and dry some of the meat over my fire to take with me. If you should ever get sick, having enough food will be important, because you will not be able to check your trap line or go hunting.
On one trek I started constructing a half-faced shelter. Although I live in the forest I have other work to do, daily chores. So I only had a day to spare on site. I cut the poles and stacked them ready for next time. On the next trek I started erecting the shelter, and so it went on until the shelter was finished.
I have been asked several times “what do you do on historical treks?” and “what is there to do when camping?” “Don’t you get bored?” Well actually I don’t think I have ever been bored when camping under canvas, there is always so much going on around me.
I can sit and just watch and listen, and if I get tired I can lie down and sleep. I can brew a cup of tea and listen to the sounds of the forest and watch for wildlife. Sometimes I will take my gun and go exploring, following a trail to see where it goes and note what types of animals have travelled this track. All the while looking out for wildlife so I know what frequents this area.
I also look for edible plants and plant tinders, taking note of where I saw them. Bracket fungus like the Lietiporus Portensosus will spread its spores in the same area each time, so it is wise to keep track of where you find them. If I need tinder I will collect some and take it back to camp and prepare it there, charring the material in the camp fire and placing it in my tinderbox to extinguish it.
There are many skills that are second nature to me now, so I rarely practice them unless I need to, but there was a time when I would practice these skills in camp. Making cordage is a good skill to learn and cordage can have many uses from fishing and yabby lines to traps and shelter construction. Make it heavy enough and you can use it to hang game for skinning and butchering.
Tomahawk throwing is good fun and a good survival skill to practice if you can find a dead tree, and if you have a good fishing hole nearby what a great way to spend some time catching dinner.
One of the things I do make each time I go out is a kettle hook. Simple and easy to make with my clasp knife, yet an essential item in camp. I don’t usually have a need to make cordage because I use the same leather ties that secure my blanket roll and oilcloth to construct my shelter and hang my kettle.
Making traps for practice is always worthwhile if you have not done a lot of it. In a real survival situation setting out a trap line is a priority. Traps will work for you day and night whilst you are working or sleeping. The more you can depend on your traps, the less you will have to depend on your gun, and therefore save powder and lead. Trapping large game will require plenty of strong cordage and knowledge of the trails they use.
Getting plenty of firewood in is important during the colder months, because with only one blanket you will be relying on your fire and its rock reflector surround to keep you warm. Some kindling must be stored under your shelter, in case your fire should go out in the night. Should it rain or snow you will need that dry kindling. The other firewood should be stacked outside your shelter, but close up against it so you can stoke the fire in the night without having to leave your blanket.
Sometimes there are repairs to be made to moccasins; packs that have got damaged on the trail and of course your clothing. This is a good time to check things out and make those necessary repairs before the return trek. Check out your tools, do your blades need sharpening? Or your gun need cleaning? If you carry a journal as I do now is a good time to record things that have happened so far. If you are new to woodsrunning you might want to note down items that you carry that were not needed, or perhaps and item you wished you had taken with you. How is your food supply working out? Do you need to make changes to food choices or quantities? This is a good opportunity to note how much of any particular food you use. If you are out for say two nights, take note of the food used and work out how much you would need for say 8 nights.
I always carry the same amount of everything regardless of the length of time I am away from home. In this way I get used to the weight, and I know that if I can not get back for some reason, I have enough food. In reality on a long trip my food would get lighter. Once the meat was gone that I was carrying, I would hunt for more, eat what I needed, and dry some of the meat over my fire to take with me. If you should ever get sick, having enough food will be important, because you will not be able to check your trap line or go hunting.
On one trek I started constructing a half-faced shelter. Although I live in the forest I have other work to do, daily chores. So I only had a day to spare on site. I cut the poles and stacked them ready for next time. On the next trek I started erecting the shelter, and so it went on until the shelter was finished.
What Do I Do First.
Before you reach the area where you intend to set up camp or settle permanently, collect some firewood as you go. It may not be enough to see you through the coming night, but at least if dry, it will give you something to start a fire with.
If you are alone, then set up your shelter first. Store some kindling and other wood at the back of your shelter and put your pack and other gear under cover. If there are two of you under one shelter, then your partner can be collecting firewood whilst you are setting up the shelter. If you are using separate shelters then after both shelters are set up, one of you can start constructing the fireplace and make fire whilst the other collects the firewood.
Your first shelter will be the one you carry with you, your oilcloth. This will be your shelter until you get something more permanent built. A half-faced shelter can be built by one person, as can some of the smaller wigwams. Once this shelter is in place you can turn your attention to constructing snake fencing and putting in a garden.
This was the first garden fencing I put in, a snake or dog leg fence. You can make one from wood from the forest floor, from saplings, or as I did here split rails from logs.
If there are more than one of you then you will have brought in more tools, and the work can be divided amongst you. Whilst semi-permanent shelters are being built and gardens being put in, others can perhaps make a start on some permanent shelter construction.
The half-faced shelter I built in Fox Valley.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
Graphic Primitive Hunting Video. Warning!
Warning! This video shows images of Australian natives hunting Kangaroos for food. This video may upset some viewers. This video is being shown for wilderness survival purposes and in no way do I recommend non skilled people should practice on live animals.
The Woomera.
The Woomera.
This woomera above is fitted with a Kangaroo claw in one end which fits into the end of the spear, and it has a sharp edged rock fitted to the other end which can be used as an adze.
Showing the adze end of the woomera, the end held in the hand when spear throwing.
Skills & the Right Tool for The Job.
Many of you may already have seen this particular video of mine, but I am posting it again because it fits in with the present topic. Take note of the skills used here, besides the obvious knowledge or ability to construct a primitive shelter.
Most modern bushcrafters say that carrying a tomahawk or belt axe is not necassary, that they can do all that a hatchet can with their bushcraft knife. Knives have specific purposes, though some knives are versitile enough to butcher game and use for camp chores, I still prefere to carry more than one knife and use the right knife for the job in hand. Knives to my knowledge never were designed to hack at wood or be driven through wood by hitting the back of the blade with a maul!
Anyway, for those of you who are interested in long term survival, I would like you to start thinking about the skills required as well as the tools & equipment NEEDED.
Most modern bushcrafters say that carrying a tomahawk or belt axe is not necassary, that they can do all that a hatchet can with their bushcraft knife. Knives have specific purposes, though some knives are versitile enough to butcher game and use for camp chores, I still prefere to carry more than one knife and use the right knife for the job in hand. Knives to my knowledge never were designed to hack at wood or be driven through wood by hitting the back of the blade with a maul!
Anyway, for those of you who are interested in long term survival, I would like you to start thinking about the skills required as well as the tools & equipment NEEDED.
Friday, 14 January 2011
Puritan Family Of New England.
This one has been posted here before, but I thought it worth a re-visit.
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