Bushcrafting

A way of life

Through talking with many different people, I have come to the realization that everyone has their own idea as to what constitutes bushcrafting. Some people believe it is about making things from bark and twigs. Others believe it is about building shelters from logs or forest floor debris. Still others believe it is about learning how to catch fish using a bone and cedar tree roots.

While all of the activities listed above definitely fall under the heading of bushcrafting, they are not the full story. I believe Bushcrafting is a mindset, or a philosophy if you will. Simply put, bushcrafting is learning to make the most from what you have. Whether in the city, or the forest, it is about creating something from little or nothing.

It does not necessarily mean running into the forest naked, and weaving clothing from plants, and making knives from sticks and stones. Although if that is your thing, enjoy. I do not believe bushcrafting is about enduring self-inflicted pain and discomfort. I believe bushcrafting is about living the most comfortable and rewarding life you can in any situation in which you might find yourself. Even deep in the forest, you can use the ideas learned through bushcrafting to live quite comfortably.

Building shelter, building fire, finding and purifying water, finding food, land navigation, and edible and medicinal plant lore, are all bushcraft activities. However, the idea of being resourceful is what bushcrafting is truly all about. Making something from nothing. Or finding a way to use an ordinary item in an extraordinary manner is the real rush. That is the idea behind the activity. That idea is the heart of and true definition of bushcrafting.

I can show you how to make a fish trap from an empty 2-liter plastic soda bottle. I can also show you how to start a fire using steel wool and a 9-volt battery. Would the fish taste better if they were caught in a fish trap made from willow branches rather than the 2-liter soda bottle? Or would the fire be warmer if it was started by rubbing 2 sticks together? We both know the answer to these questions.

Many people confuse primitive skills with bushcrafting. There is nothing wrong with learning to do things the "old way". Primitive skills were the bushcrafting of their time. They developed because our ancestors made use of what was available to them, to live in the best manner they could. That is my exact definition of bushcrafting. I would posit, using steel wool, and discarded plastic bottles are bushcrafting in its truest form. Let's take the idea of “reduce and reuse” to heart. Make the most from what you find around you.

If you can master the art of making something from seemingly nothing, you are a bushcrafter. To me, there is no greater rush than taking an item I just made, and using it to improve my life, and that of my family. If you think about it, life is about making the most of what you have. So, it could be inferred that bushcrafting is living your life as it should be lived.