Bushcraft 101

1. The Five Cs: Core Gear for Wilderness Independence

Within these five base elements are all the tools and knowledge you need to be prepared for emergencies as well as to become independent of the trappings of the urban jungle.

The Five Cs Defined. The core of bushcraft lies in the "Five Cs": Cutting tools, Cover elements, Combustion devices, Containers, and Cordage. These are the hardest items to reproduce from nature, require the most skill to create, and directly impact core temperature control. They are the foundation for self-reliance in the wilderness.

Prioritizing Core Needs. The Five Cs are not just about having gear; they are about understanding what is essential for survival and comfort. They help you focus on maintaining core temperature, ensuring a comfortable night's sleep, and making tasks easier. This approach allows for a lighter pack and a more enjoyable experience.

Beyond the Basics. While the Five Cs are the foundation, additional items for first aid, navigation, and repair are also important. However, every item should have multiple uses, reducing the overall weight and complexity of your kit. This philosophy encourages resourcefulness and adaptability in the wild.

2. Mastering Cutting Tools: Knives, Saws, and Axes

Quality, well-maintained tools can mean the difference between an enjoyable, comfortable tramp and an unsuccessful—or even dangerous—venture into the bush.

The Essential Knife. A belt knife is the most important tool for any woodsman. It should be a full-tang, high-carbon steel blade, 4.5-6 inches long, with a sharp 90-degree spine for fire starting. Proper knife safety, including safe grips and avoiding the "triangle of death," is paramount.

Saws and Axes for Efficiency. Saws, especially folding saws like the Bahco Laplander, are safer and more precise than axes for many tasks. Axes, particularly Swedish-made ones, are essential for processing firewood and felling trees. Safe handling, proper grinds, and regular maintenance are crucial for both.

Tool Care and Sharpening. Sharpening is a key skill. Whetstones, diamond rods, and stropping are all methods for maintaining a keen edge. Tools should be protected from rust with oil and stored properly. A dull tool is dangerous and inefficient.

3. Cordage and Knots: Essential Skills for Binding and Building

It is extraordinary how little the average individual knows about the art of making even the simplest knots.

Cordage Choices. Cordage, including tarred mariner's line, hemp rope, and webbing, is essential for lashings, bindings, and shelter construction. Natural materials like hemp are useful for fire starting, while synthetic options offer strength and durability.

Essential Knots. Mastering a few key knots, such as the bowline, lark's head, jam knot, trucker's hitch, prusik, fisherman's, timber hitch, and clove hitch, is crucial for various tasks. These knots should be practiced until they can be tied quickly and reliably.

Lashings, Bindings, and Toggles. Lashings are used for constructing objects, bindings for securing items, and toggles for creating adjustable attachment points. These techniques are essential for building shelters, pack frames, and other camp necessities.

4. Containers and Cooking: Tools for Sustenance and Survival

The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.

Water Containers. Stainless steel water bottles are preferred for their ability to withstand direct flame for water purification. Canteens and cups, often made of stainless steel or wood (like kuksas), are also essential for drinking and cooking.

Pots and Pans. Bush pots and skillets, made of stainless steel or anodized aluminum, are used for cooking and heating water. Swedish cook sets are a great option, offering multiple pieces in a compact package. Cast iron is excellent for camp cooking but is heavy.

Cooking Methods. Tripods, cranes, and pot hangers are used to suspend pots over a fire. Planks are used for cooking breads, and tools for food handling can be fashioned from natural materials. Understanding fire management is key for effective cooking.

5. Coverage and Shelter: Protection from the Elements

A pleasant stopping-place is seldom far to seek in a hilly country that is well wooded … In a level region, whether it be open plain or timbered bottom land, good water and a high and dry site may be hard to find.

Tarp and Tarp Tents. Tarps, made of canvas or oilcloth, are versatile for creating shelters. They offer a no-floor footprint, which prevents water accumulation and condensation. Tie-out loops are preferred over grommets for durability.

Sleeping Systems. Wool blankets are excellent for their water resistance and warmth, but require a leaf bed or browse bag for insulation. Sleeping bags, especially military modular sleep systems (MSS), offer good protection in various conditions. Hammocks are lightweight and comfortable, but require a tarp for weather protection.

Natural Shelters. Lean-tos, A-frames, and debris huts can be constructed from natural materials. Understanding how to control conduction, convection, and radiation is key to building effective shelters. Proper thatching and bedding are essential for warmth and dryness.

6. Combustion: The Art and Science of Fire

Possessing the means and the knowledge to light fire at any moment is a prerequisite for living and surviving in the bush.

Reliable Ignition Methods. Lighters, ferrocerium rods, and magnifying glasses are reliable methods for starting fires. Lighters are convenient, but ferrocerium rods are more reliable in wet conditions. A magnifying glass is a great resource when the sun is out.

Tinder and Fire Lays. Bird's nests, tinder bundles, and feather sticks are used to ignite kindling. Understanding the "triangles of fire" (heat, oxygen, fuel) and fuel (tinder, kindling, fuel) is crucial for successful fire starting. Teepee, log cabin, long fires, Dakota fire pits, and keyhole fires are all useful for different purposes.

Charring Tins. Charring tins are used to create charred material, which is easily ignited by a spark or sun glass. This is a backup method for when natural tinder is scarce or damp.

7. Navigation: Finding Your Way in the Wild

Knowing where you are is unnecessary. What you need to know is how to get back to where you were.

Compass Essentials. A baseplate compass with a mirror and magnifying glass is essential for map reading and navigation. Understanding how to take and follow a bearing is crucial for walking a straight line.

Map Reading. Topographic maps show elevation, vegetation, water sources, and man-made features. Understanding contour lines, map scales, and declination is essential for accurate navigation. Orienting the map to the terrain is a key skill.

Navigation Methods. Handrails, backstops, baselines, aiming off, and panic azimuths are all useful for navigating in the wild. The PAUL method is used for scouting and returning to camp. Pace beads are used to measure distance traveled.

8. Trees as Resources: A Four-Season Guide

From the most ancient times, human beings have had a primal belief that plants contain healing powers.

Pines. Pines provide edible seeds, medicinal needles (high in vitamin C), and resin for first aid and adhesives. Fatwood from pines is excellent for fire starting, and pine roots can be used for cordage.

Willows and Poplars. Willows and poplars provide inner bark for tinder, pliable branches for basketry, and bark for containers. Willow bark is a natural painkiller. These trees are also good for bow drill sets.

Black Walnut. Black walnut trees provide iodine, tannin, and juglone. The green hulls are used for dyeing and rust prevention, and the leaves are used for treating skin ailments.

Sassafras and Oaks. Sassafras bark is a carminative and a source of vitamin C. Oaks provide strong building materials and medicinal bark, especially white oak, which is a powerful astringent.

9. Trapping and Processing Game: Securing Food in the Wild

The first thing to be considered in reference to a campaign is the selection of a trapping ground, and it is always desirable to choose a locality where travel by water can be resorted to as much as possible.

Trap Components. Traps consist of a trigger, lever, and engine. They are designed to crush, strangle, or live capture. Understanding trap components is key to effective trapping.

Modern Traps. Conibear traps, cable snares, and rat traps are effective for various game. Improvised traps can be made from wire, guitar strings, and fishing leaders.

Upland and Water Trapping. Upland trapping involves foothold traps, baiting, and proper bedding. Water trapping uses pocket sets and castor mound sets for beaver.

Processing Game. Small game can be cooked whole, while larger game should be skinned, gutted, and quartered. All parts of the animal should be used, including organs and bones. Meat can be preserved by drying or smoking.

10. Camp Setup and Hygiene: Maintaining a Safe and Comfortable Base

Shelter provides a micro-environment that supplements inadequate clothing or allows you to shed cumbersome layers, especially when you want to stop moving or when you want to sleep in cold weather. Shelter also enhances the effect of a warming fire.

The Four Ws. When choosing a campsite, consider wood, water, wind, and widowmakers. These factors are crucial for safety and comfort.

Camp Hygiene. Waste disposal should be far from water sources and camp. Personal hygiene includes washing with ash and water, cleaning teeth, and drying feet.

Tarp Setups. Flying a tarp, lean-tos, and diamond shelters are all useful configurations. Tarp tents offer more complete protection. Ground cloths provide a moisture barrier.

Fire Safety. Fires should be built in safe locations, with a clear area around them. Fires should be completely extinguished before leaving camp.

Last updated: February 22, 2025