Hammocking and bushcrafting

[Surfdog]

I did not click the link, but I'm going to guess that you are watching Kenneth Kramm(SP?). His love of the outdoors comes through in his videos and he has some great herb lore. He also shows off a side of Texas I never knew existed. I highly recommend watching his videos as he likes to explore all aspects of nature.

Ding ding ding, give that man a cigar. Yep it's Kenneth Kramm and he looks as at home in the bush as anyone I've ever seen.... and I thought Dave Canterbury was a bush rat.

[CountryRoads]

Awe jeez, now I have to try a ninja scarf hammock. I wonder how well an UQ would work with that? And how easy it would be to strangle yourself in the middle of the night? Thanks fallkniven! Another project to add to the list!

[mrmike65]

I thought the video was interesting, but it made me curious what kind of material was used for the tarp. Also, I found myself enlightened watching how he used the char cloth in the tin to light his fires. Really efficient and economical! I had always seen people take a piece out and use it to light their fires.

[CountryRoads]

I thought the video was interesting, but it made me curious what kind of material was used for the tarp. Also, I found myself enlightened watching how he used the char cloth in the tin to light his fires. Really efficient and economical! I had always seen people take a piece out and use it to light their fires.

I thought the char cloth method was interesting too. I think he had some char cloth but also some chared wood. When I saw him do that I was thinking why is he using up all his char cloth at once? And also wondering if closing that altoid tin would cut the oxygen off enough to put char cloth out. I also like how he said to step around plants off the trail, so as to not make new trails. Oops, getting off topic...good hammocking food for thought in those vids too!

[olddog]

I believe that I've watched all of Ken's videos and they are great. I'm one of those that have been bushcrafting since I was a kid. That's just how you got out into the woods back in the 60's. In '59 and '60 we spent the entire summer 'camping'. It was more like living in the woods at a semi permanent camp. Thinking back it was amazing how many of the friends and family came down to spend a week or two with us in the woods. Living primitive. About '62 or '63 I dropped a squirrel my Dad had been chasing around a tree at his feet at about 50 yds. From then on it was "you're on your own". Grew up through the mid '60s with four of us boys from 13 to 16, all with guns out in the woods all weekend. No one worried about us. We did find out later that the game warden would report in to the folks after eating supper with us in the woods. He always seemed to know where we were and show up at supper for some squirrel, rabbit or fish. After the military I got back into hunting but it was now all regimented, restricted, and controlled. Not quite the same as it was as a kid just being in the woods and taking supper and being boys. Gave up the managed hunting season in management areas in the late '70s. Returned to lease hunting for a few years in the early 2000's and again got annoyed with all the requirements and restrictions. All I wanted was to be in the woods. Found the Forum in late 2010 and saw this as an opportunity to get back into the woods. Made the same newbie mistakes others have. Big pack, bunch of gear, the latest this or newest that. But after a couple of years have finally gotten back to just being a boy of 63 in the woods.

My pack is a Swag & Dilly. I cook mostly over a wood fire but carry alcohol as a backup. Haven't gotten back into hunting for my meals but do manage to forage some. I'm finally enjoying being back in the woods again. This last year or so I have been trying to reduce weight, mine and the pack, and learning to do more with less. Some of it is just learning about how our forefathers managed to survive and prosper with far less than what we now consider the necessities. Yeah, bushcrafting has it's place but will not be for everyone.

[mrmike65]

Old dog, thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us. Sorry to hear those memories have been tarnished with all the government's interference. Going out to the woods should be a simple thing. Hope you continue to find your place out there. I'm sure it stands reserved for you.

[Surfdog]

Hey oldog, great story. I did a bit of camping as a teen in the late 60's. I lived around Chicago and used to catch the train up to the Indiana Dunes State Park to stealth camp, before I even knew what stealth camping was. Got busted once, but that's a story for another time. hehe
Always loved being back in the bush.
I can certainly relate to wanting to get back into the woods without someone checking to see....... "are your papers in order?"

[mbiraman]

I thought the char cloth method was interesting too. I think he had some char cloth but also some chared wood. When I saw him do that I was thinking why is he using up all his char cloth at once? And also wondering if closing that altoid tin would cut the oxygen off enough to put char cloth out. I also like how he said to step around plants off the trail, so as to not make new trails. Oops, getting off topic...good hammocking food for thought in those vids too!

I thought the video was interesting, but it made me curious what kind of material was used for the tarp. Also, I found myself enlightened watching how he used the char cloth in the tin to light his fires. Really efficient and economical! I had always seen people take a piece out and use it to light their fires.

The char material in a tin is the way it use to be done. Char "cloth" is a relatively new idea. Back in the old days cloth was not that cheap and readily available as it is today so people use to char various natural materials and then strike into it in the tin,,,,then smother it out. Many charred materials are too fragile and crumbly too take out of a tin and hold to a flint. Char cloth is good for that.

[mrmike65]

Suddenly, my Altoid tin collection has added value

[olddog]

Old dog, thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us. Sorry to hear those memories have been tarnished with all the government's interference. Going out to the woods should be a simple thing. Hope you continue to find your place out there. I'm sure it stands reserved for you.

Hey oldog, great story. I did a bit of camping as a teen in the late 60's. I lived around Chicago and used to catch the train up to the Indiana Dunes State Park to stealth camp, before I even knew what stealth camping was. Got busted once, but that's a story for another time. hehe
Always loved being back in the bush.
I can certainly relate to wanting to get back into the woods without someone checking to see....... "are your papers in order?"

Just stories about a bygone era guys. There is no way in todays society that 4 teenage boys would be allowed to roam the woods on their own especially with guns and no adult supervision. One of the gang had an old '48 Willy's Jeep and on Friday afternoon we would all gather with a 5 gal. can of gas each. Took a lot of yard work during the week to pay the $2.50 or less for the 5 gals. of gas. Kinda hard to think back when gov't decided they were more important than "we the people" but they have and it is our own fault.