Forgotten Woodsmanship Skills

[Account Deleted]

I'm only 29 and it amazes me how much hunting and fishing has changed since I was just a kid. There is a reason the hunting and fishing industry is booming. We'll just about anything that might give us just a hint of an edge. Many of us don't even bother to process our own game anymore.

I like to think I could still hack it without a lot of gadgets. It's about a mile walk into my favorite treestand. Almost always dark on the way in and on the way out. I know I have to stay on the ridgeline and jump over the top at a specific rock, follow the juniper line down, veer slight right to come into the backside of the tree.

I can still navigate the boundary waters with a compass and a map and cut up my whole deer and from beginning to end but I know there is still come cool old-school stuff I could be doing.

Anyone else have some antiquated skills that still serve the purpose?

 

[BDub]

I learned how to tie knots while in Boy Scouts. To this day I use those skills. Amazing how many people have no idea as to how and when to use knots.

 

[PrairieGhost]

I still like to start a fire with friction once in a while just to prove to myself I can do it. Perhaps one of the things I enjoy most is making a meal with just wild things that I pick. Wild edible plants has been a hobby with me for 45 years or more. One of my deputy friends who passed away years ago said "I would never go in the woods after you, I would wait until you came out". I asked him "why would I come out". There is an abundance of food and medicines on the prairie around here.

 

[KDM]

Grandpa and my Dad taught me to how to trail a hit deer with little to no blood by using other signs such as footprints, disturbed ground, and the like along with general behavior of wounded animals and those skills have recovered several deer that other hunters had given up on.

 

[svnmag]

I must have forgotten a few. I'll "thumbs up" if y'all remind me of any.

 

[svnmag]

THIS IS DANGEROUS: Hammerguns can be cocked silently by pressing back on the trigger while cocking the hammer. When the hammer is back, remove finger from trigger while maintaining pressure on the hammer to prevent falling. Slowly lower the hammer to "cock". It takes little practice with an un-loaded gun to get the "feel". I've never tried it with a revolver. This was a slight edge in the Hills. It's like a reverse hammer lower on a hot chamber. THIS IS DANGEROUS.

 

[Pinecone]

THIS IS DANGEROUS: Hammerguns can be cocked silently by pressing back on the trigger while cocking the hammer. When the hammer is back, remove finger from trigger while maintaining pressure on the hammer to prevent falling. Slowly lower the hammer to "cock". It takes little practice with an un-loaded gun to get the "feel". I've never tried it with a revolver. This was a slight edge in the Hills. It's like a reverse hammer lower on a hot chamber. THIS IS DANGEROUS.

My over/under is like this 222/20ga. lots of dead turkeys. don't know if its supposed to be like that or if the old man did some work to it.

edit: no guns are danderous they just lay there

 

[svnmag]

I just don't want someone to blow half their foot off.

- - - Updated - - -

In the forest

- - - Updated - - -

near the synagogue, beside the food truck: Any effing where.

- - - Updated - - -

Kitchen knives can be "steeled" on the partition between the basins.

ID likely copious mast in spring while turkey hunting: Frost ain't going to kill it all...

 

[LBrandt]

Best compliment I ever received was when one of my grandsons called me Jeramiah Johnson and meant it.

 

[svnmag]

My over/under is like this 222/20ga. lots of dead turkeys. don't know if its supposed to be like that or if the old man did some work to it.

edit: no guns are danderous they just lay there

That's nuts. Are you from the Hills? In my neck, besides the .222/12ga the 6mm Rem is also VERY popular. If you're not from the Hills this is still "nuts" due to legality. I believe West Virginia to be the sole source/motivation for Remington to load their 6mm case. It's very popular for luring toms to an "edge" and zapping like a freaking laser.

 

[Sum1]

I still like to start a fire with friction once in a while just to prove to myself I can do it. Perhaps one of the things I enjoy most is making a meal with just wild things that I pick. Wild edible plants has been a hobby with me for 45 years or more. One of my deputy friends who passed away years ago said "I would never go in the woods after you, I would wait until you came out". I asked him "why would I come out". There is an abundance of food and medicines on the prairie around here.

This is a skill I would love to have. I have a few books and have tried a few but know there are many more that I am missing. To bad there isn't an edible wild plant book specific to ND. You should start a class. I would attend.

 

[Account Deleted]

I still like to start a fire with friction once in a while just to prove to myself I can do it. Perhaps one of the things I enjoy most is making a meal with just wild things that I pick. Wild edible plants has been a hobby with me for 45 years or more. One of my deputy friends who passed away years ago said "I would never go in the woods after you, I would wait until you came out". I asked him "why would I come out". There is an abundance of food and medicines on the prairie around here.

I can do the flint and steel thing pretty easily. I know how to do the bow method but have never tried it personally. Should probably try it once.

 

[Kurtr]

That's nuts. Are you from the Hills? In my neck, besides the .222/12ga the 6mm Rem is also VERY popular. If you're not from the Hills this is still "nuts" due to legality. I believe West Virginia to be the sole source/motivation for Remington to load their 6mm case. It's very popular for luring toms to an "edge" and zapping like a freaking laser.

We shoot turkeys with rifles here legally. I also have an old ruger 6mm my grandpa got back in the 60's in my gun safe.

 

[svnmag]

I can do the flint and steel thing pretty easily. I know how to do the bow method but have never tried it personally. Should probably try it once.

If you're not dicking around then indeed you should Sporto. You might have to keep me warm one night with your warm beef broth.

 

[svnmag]

 

[svnmag]

 

[deleted_account]

Crafting a loincloth from your kill. Nobody makes those anymore.

 

[guywhofishes]

Given enough gas, beer, snacks, and many days/weeks I think I can lead you to within a foot or two of the spot for every morel I've ever picked. It's like a dang google maps up in there. And I'd have to shoot you when we're done so let's skip it and you can just trust me.

And yet I can't find anything in the mall.

- - - Updated - - -

speaking of which gal and I put the hurt on a bunch of morels this morning

we prefer weekday hunts so as to avoid morel pirates with binocs

 

[Account Deleted]

Given enough gas, beer, snacks, and many days/weeks I think I can lead you to within a foot or two of the spot for every morel I've ever picked. It's like a dang google maps up in there. And I'd have to shoot you when we're done so let's skip it and you can just trust me.

And yet I can't find anything in the mall.

- - - Updated - - -

speaking of which gal and I put the hurt on a bunch of morels this morning

we prefer weekday hunts so as to avoid morel pirates with binocs

I have a new spot to try. Gotta get some time off now.