Sap is a very useful resource that can be used for a variety of purposes. It can be used as a fuel for starting fires, as an adhesive often used in hafting arrowheads, and medicinally to help heal wounds. Most folks are familiar with the concept that maple trees are tapped to produce syrup. They are tapped in the early Spring when sap begins to flow and uses a spile or tube to reach the cambium layer that lies behind the outer bark. The reason for tapping a pine tree for bushcraft is more likely for an immediate need and performed at any time and without special equipment. The outer bark must ..read more

In the past I have explored a number of different Hearthboard Variations and was pondering the prospect of experimenting with a new approach using a saw instead of a knife to make a hearthboard. Inspired by the Swedish Log Candle I decided to make a similar cross cut approach thinking that the char produced by the spindle combined with open saw cuts for air might be sufficient to create an ember. I began using a Western cedar board and made a perpendicular cut across the width followed by two adjacent cuts at 45 degrees to the right and left. Each cut was halfway deep into the wood. I made a b ..read more

In my neck-of-the-woods in Northwestern North Carolina this wispy plant is commonly found, especially in fields. It is known as Dog Fennel. Although it has a pleasant appearance it is the bane of farmers and considered a nuisance. I recently visited a new neighbor who had acquired some acreage and was preparing to build a new home. We gazed over the pasture where he had begun to mow the tall grass and he mentioned that the plumes of Dog Fennel was his next chore to remove. As I inquired about the name and nature of the plants he explained to me that some folks use it as an insect repellent by ..read more

Use Coffee Grounds For A Smudge I recently saw a post suggesting that coffee grounds could be used to repell mosquitoes. The grounds could be lit with a flame so that it would smolder in the area where you might sit outdoors. One person suggested that used coffee grounds could be used for this purpose and so I decided to give that a try. I laid the used coffee grounds out in their paper filters on a cooling rack on top of a tray and put it in the oven and set the temperature on “warm” for about an hour, then I turned it off and let the oven cool down overnight. The next day I poured some of th ..read more

Not all camp sites are conducive for hammock camping. Two trees or anchor points are typically needed. In a previous article I illustrated a hammock boom hang. I decided to try a different method of using just a rope, a tree, and a stake. I found a tree with two branch stubs and threw my rope over the first one then walked around the tree to cast the rope over the other, then I placed a second cast over the first one again for a more secure anchor in case those stubs were weak. I tied off below about four feet above the ground. I clipped the hammock’s carabiner at my tie-off on the tree trun ..read more

At the threshold of inhabiting our land I discovered the largest tracks that I have ever seen. It was confusing at first as small cat tracks ran along side. This led me to wonder if they were mountain lion tracks with a kitten. At first I only saw 4 digits and no claw marks, a defining feline characteristic. Mountain lions had been rarely seen on the mountain but it was possible. Upon further examination of the trail of spore I was able to detect 5 digits and a heel. This indicated that they were from a different visitor, a black bear. There had been some rare bear sightings over the years as ..read more

I am fortunate to have a pond on my property that was created by the construction of a dam. It is interesting how what Man has created, Nature over takes. Trees had begun to grow on the outer wall which looks nice, but can have adverse effect. If the roots penetrate the wall, it could compromise it’s integrity and cause leaks to occur. It is necessary to keep the wall of a dam clear of this type of growth. On several occasions I have cut down the saplings and young trees that had grown in girth and height and ended up piling them up in a heap that remained neglected. This year I am taking a di ..read more

I keep food pouches in my Bug-Out-Bag because of the slender profile and ease of opening but I keep in mind that there are times when canned goods may be needed that have been stored in a cache or may be acquired during a brief stop at a convenience store gas station. Canned goods require some way to be opened. Many cans now have pull-top rings that make it easy to open but not all cans are manufactured that way. The majority of food cans have plain metal lids. The smart move is to have some openers available on hand. There are kitchen style hand operated models that can be stored along with t ..read more

I have often looked at different materials with which to improvise a fishing lure. I saw a post with the suggestion of using a microfiber washmitt for this purpose. The chenille microfiber looks like sea anemone tentacles of which one could be cut off to mount on a fish hook. I decided to take this to a test. A trip to the local dollar store provided the mitt so I removed one of the many protruding parts and attempted to attach it to a fish hook like I would mount a worm, but as similar as it looks like a worm, it is not hollow but rather a fuzzy string. The tip of the hook could pierce some o ..read more

Whether you use canned goods or acquire food in the field it’s nice to not need to use your fingers directly in order to cook, serve, or eat food. If you carry flatware such as spoons or forks this isn’t a problem, however, if you forget to pack them or if they are lost or broken here is a simple solution… chopsticks! Most folks are familiar with them from takeout meals or from restaurants and have acquired the skill for using them. For those who aren’t I would encourage them to become acquainted and develop the skill as they have been used for millennia in other cultures quite successfully. I ..read more