Wilderness survival : living off the land with the clothes on your back and the knife on your belt

271 Pages·2006·3.71 MB·English

WILDERNESS SURVIVAL
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WILDERNESS
SURVIVAL
Living Off the Land with the Clothes on
Your Back and the Knife on Your Belt
Mark Elbroch and Michael Pewtherer
Ragged Mountain Press | McGraw-Hill
Camden, Maine • New York • Chicago • San Francisco • Lisbon
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ISBN: 978-0-07-178268-5
MHID: 0-07-178268-0
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d e d i c at i o n
D
To my wife Diane for her unwavering support,
and to our two boys, Wyatt and Torrin, in hopes
that they soon surpass what is contained within
this book and share their knowledge with all
who care to learn.
Mike Pewtherer
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
A Journal of Wilderness Survival by Mark Elbroch 5 and following
Essays by Mike Pewtherer
Survival 6
Traps 10
Shelter 25
Making Camp 32
Meal Preparation and Cooking 40
Eat a Balanced Diet in the Woods 48
Carcass Care 54
Working with Pitch 68
Bone Hooks 72
Trout Hunting 77
Canteens 88
Stalking and Hunting 95
Preserving and Storing Food 101
Cooking Containers 111
Tipi Fires 116
Rock Boiling 119
Liquids, Water Gathering, and Purification 122
Stone Pecking 126
Fire Making with the Bow and Drill 132
Hunting Tools 157
Camouflage 172
Baskets 177
Acorn Flour 188
Cordage 198
Hygiene 208
Rawhide and Sinew 221
Epilogue 235
Appendix: Wilderness Living and Survival Schools 241
Index 253
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My early adventures in primitive skills were shared with many;
foremost among them are Kalya Sanford, Mike Pewtherer,
Jonathan Talbot, Ricardo Sierra, Frank Grindrod, Josh
Kaufman, and Casey, Hanneman, Catherine, and the so many
others I shared time with while I worked with Hawk Circle
Programs, and who supported and shared in my enthusiasm
and learning in the field. Several particular hills, a valley filled
with wild edibles, a wild stream and a swimming pond were
essential in my learning and enjoying primitive skills so many
years ago—a very special thank you to the lands which sus-
tained us while we practiced, learned, fumbled and laughed at
ourselves; these places remain a quiet place inside me where I
turn in times of need and sanctuary. Thanks also to the wild
flora and fauna.
The core people who provide me with enduring and con-
sistent support include Keith Badger, Nancy Birtwell, Fred
Vanderbeck, and my family. My grandfather introduced me to
nature and birds many years ago among the hedgerows and
fields of Suffolk, England. Since then, every member of my
family has not only suffered with, but also supported and
encouraged my obsessive interests in wildlife, birding, and
tracking. My parents support me in every way possible, as does
my grandmother Liz Gorst. And a special appreciation for my
Uncle Rob, also known as Christopher, who shares a special
insight into survival after years in Africa.
Thanks also to Jonathan Eaton at Ragged Mountain for this
opportunity, and Anne Hawkins for her enthusiasm and nego-
tiation of the contract. Of course, a heartfelt thanks to Mike
Pewtherer as well, for sharing in such a life-changing adventure
and our continuing friendship.
Mark Elbroch
ix