A mud-brick oven, or horno, is a great way to bake things while in a primitive living situation. It also offers a nice solution for bringing fire into the shelter. A fire is built withing the oven....

The birch basket is an expedient way to make a water-tight container. One may never need take the bark from a living tree except in dire circumstances for often times birch is available on the ground with...

A hoko is a simple yet practical knife being easily made in the bush. The first one was found in an archaeological dig near the Hoko river in Washington. A green stick is used so that the...

Char cloth is a simple tool used by many who enjoy the use of flint and steel fire making. The charred cloth readily receives sparks from flints and steel or ferro rods. It is then placed in...

When it comes to backpacking the most important thing is using gear that you enjoy and know how to use. From my experience in minimalistic camping and bushcrafting, I have found that bucket style mess kits, or...

The straw mat is a simple and effective method of staying warm in the bush. It can be made out of virtually any dried and nonpoisonous plant. It is may be used as a poncho, a blanket,...

The fiddlehead is perhaps one of the most well-known wild edible. It is very tasty and cooked like asparagus. Usually, when one says fiddlehead they mean the Ostrich Fern fiddlehead. This time, we are instead harvesting the...

Cattails are a nutritious plant that are packed full of starches and in a survival situation, that means a good find. The cattail is found throughout most of the US near slow moving or standing water. Almost...

As always, check with your local laws before using bushcraft and primitive methods in a non-survival situation.   The Paiute Deadfall is a fast acting kill-trap that uses cordage rather than solely sticks as seen in a...

The throwing stick is one of Man’s earliest weapons and was found throughout nearly all primitive cultures. Many people are familiar with the throwing club in the form of the returning boomerang used by the aboriginal peoples...