Chicory.

Chicory.

Dandelion.

This year we are growing Chicory & Dandelions.

https://humanelivingnet.net/2013/04/09/foraging-for-chicory-greens/

The Great Forgetting

http://www.davidsheen.com/b/b1.htm

Survival Movies. Surviving An Outbreak. Isolation.

I have not finished watching this video to date, but it has been very good so far. I have a dislike for Zombie movies, & this one is based on a similar scenario, but it is done very well. Well worth watching.

Bugging Out. Carrying all that weight.

You can travel light and carry all you need for long term wilderness living/survival, all that is accept perhaps enough water and food! If there are water holes on your route then there is no problem. If you are able to hunt & forage on the way then there is no problem. But what if you get diverted have to by-pass those water holes? What if you are trekking in winter and there are few edible plants to find and the game is scarce? Then you have a problem. You can survive for three days without water, but this also depends on how hard you are working. You can survive three weeks without food, but again, this is dependent on your exertion level. You probably know as well as I that when you are working hard your need for water and food increases. You are drinking all the time to stay hydrated and come lunch time you are very hungry. To go without water and food is dangerous, because the lack of water and food effects how you perform, mentally and physically. One minute you think you are doing fine, the next minute you are feeling sick. Keep going and you will collapse.

Sharing the load with a partner is fine, you can carry the shelter, kettle, arms and ammunition, your partner can carry the water. But water is heavy, and to be safe and practicle your partner also needs to carry at least some of her/his own equipment. Simply put, you can never really carry enough water for a long trek unless you can find a water source along the way to refill your water bottles. Even then to be safe you will need to stop and boil that water before you can drink it.

So what is a simple and practicle alternative? Using a trekking trolley. A trekking trolley can carry a lot of weight, and there is a wide variety of different trolleys to suit your needs. On a level surface pulling a trolley is easier that carrying a heavy load, but going uphill you will need to pace yourself. Even so, when you stop for a rest on the trail and take a drink of water, you are not still bearing that load. If you are travelling with a partner or a group, you can use a rope to link you to another trekker who can help pull the load up steep inclines. If you can afford it, you can purchase a trekking trolley, if you don't have the funds, then you can make your own without too much trouble.

An Australian made trekking trolley.

http://www.prohikeaustralia.com.au/

A trekking trolley that the author made from old wheelbarrow parts and bush timber. This one only has one wheel, but the author plans to make another one from an old golf trolley.

When you reach your destination this trolley will still be of use, and can be used for: transporting game, transporting water from a water source, carrying firewood, transporting rocks for a fireplace, moving camp if needs be. Perhaps you can think of further uses?
Keith.

Comfort Equipment.

http://www.unz.com/pfrost/did-human-evolution-accelerate/;

Comfort Equipment.
Definition of Paleolithic. Of or relating to the earliest period of the Stone Age characterized by rough or chipped stone implements. Merriam Webster Dictionary.

Humans have been surviving for thousands of years, back in the Paleolithic period life was hard, even so these people must have had some creature comforts, perhaps local flora placed on their beds to make it softer and keep them up off the ground. Tools were very basic being made of wood, stone bone, horn or antler, and yet these people survived.

Make no mistake, most of the equipment we carry today is for comfort, to make life easier, but we could survive as a people without the equipment we carry. Some items I deem essential, a good medical kit for instance. But as for the rest, no it is not a necessity, just a preference. So why all this modern so called “survival gear”? Does it add to our comfort? In some cases perhaps, but it also has drawbacks. Take the sleeping bag for instance. Great until it gets wet, then it will not retain as much of your body heat as an ordinary pure wool blanket! I am not going to list all the fancy gadgets here that are basically designed to attract people that like gadgets, people that have no real sense of what is needed to survive long term in a wilderness situation. But I would like you to think about this. Every time you add a piece of equipment to your pack, ask yourself these questions: Do I need this? Is this piece of equipment sustainable? If it breaks can I fix it? Will this piece of equipment serve a needed purpose, or is it just taking up room where I could be carrying something else that is more important, such as water, food and ammunition?

Think about the tools that you carry or are about to purchase, think about their purpose. The knife, what is it used for? Skinning and butchering game, and for defence; Is the blade long enough for defence use? Can I kill with this blade or is it too short? The axe, used for many tasks that involve the cutting and shaping of wood as well as for defence and possibly needed for hunting. How easy would it be to replace a broken helve? How heavy is it? Can I use the poll as a hammer to drive stakes into the ground? And so on and so on. Your equipment needs to be versatile & sustainable, it needs to be able to perform the function that it’s namesake was originally designed for. Paleolithic flint knives were not used for cutting down small trees; they made flint hand axes for that purpose. In today’s modern world of survival equipment manufacturers seem to have forgotten this common sense approach that those primitive people in the Paleolithic took for granted. Think about that, your life may depend on it!
Keith.

By David Wright.

Survival, Then and Now.

Survival, Then and Now.

What do you think has changed  in the last 300 years regarding our survival needs? Anything? Whether it be long term wilderness living as it was for the New World settlers in the 17^th and 18^th centuries or whether it be a lost in the bush survival situation, I don’t see as though anything has changed. Our requirements are still the same, sensible tools, good survival provisions and primitive survival skills. Yet here we are in 2016, and people are obsessed with using dryer lint. stubby so called “bushcraft knives”, camo clothing, ferrocerium rods, pop-up nylon tents, RAT packs and freeze dried foods, special hiking boots, fuel stoves, battery operated equipment and no skills to speak of except invented ones like “battening”, making Vaseline cotton balls and other “homemade” fire starters and inventing new ways to lay a fire so they can take photos of it for their favourite forum!

300 years ago the main tools you needed to survive were the gun, the axe, the knife and flint and steel for making fire. You could even survive without the flint and steel if you had to because you could use the lock on your flintlock gun to make fire. You needed skills such as trap making and the knowledge of trapping. You packed only the essential equipment and provisions, and if you made mistakes in packing too much useless gear, then you ditched it along the track and learnt a hard lesson. Generally you asked experienced people for their advice, some ignored that advice to their own peril, and others profited by it. Today many so called survivalists and preppers also seek advice on internet forums, or at least they appear to. Most though have already made up their minds, and really all they want to do is share on the forum what they have chosen and carry. Giving correctional advice to these people is usually a waste of time, and in some cases you will be answered with rudeness and ridicule. Most of us, who have been there and done that, had a lot of experience in long term wilderness living simply ignore this and perhaps go to the persons profile and click the “Ignore” button. After all, we don’t have to put up with abuse, and the less people that survive after tshtf the better for us, less hunting and foraging competition.

For those of you that are serious about survival, and genuinely think that a shtf situation could arise in the future, here is my advice, take it or leave it: Think about your needs, think about the tasks you will be faced with if you have to survive in a wilderness situation. Choose you tools carefully. You will need a tool or tools for hunting, you will need an axe for cutting wood for shelter construction and trap making, you will need blades for skinning and butchering, camp chores and trap making, and perhaps a spare just in case. You need a hunting knife with a blade long enough to be used in self defence. You do NOT need a tool for skinning and butchering that was designed to cut wood, and you don’t want to have to cut saplings down with a knife! Each tool should have a specific purpose, don’t skimp on tools to save weight, you need the right tool for the specific job in hand.

Think sustainable, if you purchase something that is going to break, wear out or run out and you are unable to repair it, then it is just extra weight in your pack you don’t need, and it is going to compromise your safety. Carrying good sustainable gear may mean that you are carrying extra weight, and may mean that you will have to travel slower and take more breaks, but long term it will pay off.

Learn the skills you will need now. Having a good pair of hiking boots may help you initially, but what happens if they break or wear out? Do you know how to make a moccasin pattern? Do you know how to make moccasins? Do you know how to tan an animal skin to make leather? If you make a pair of moccasins now, then you will not only have learnt the skill, but you will have the moccasins and the pattern for another pair. This is the way you need to think. A modern firearm is great providing it remains functional, but what if it ceases to work? Can you fix it? How much weight in ammunition can you afford to carry? How much ammo do you use on an average hunting trip? You may shun primitive hunting tools such as the traditional bow, the crossbow and the muzzle-loading gun or rifle, but these tools have certain advantages over the modern firearm for long term wilderness living. By all means if you are travelling in company have someone carry a modern firearm, but make sure it is not the only hunting tool you are taking with you.

Keith.

http://eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/

http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com.au/

If or When TSHTF Part Five. My choice of the best gun for long term wilderness living. The Muzzle-Loader.

Any muzzle-loader will give you an edge in long term wilderness living except the percussion lock. The percussion lock, also known as a caplock, requires fulminate of mercury caps for its ignition. This method is NOT sustainable. Tinderlocks & Matchlocks are good but they require a burning fuse at all times making you visible in the dark & the gun not so pleasurable to use as other later locks. The wheellock is good but does require Pyrite for its ignition & this is not always easy to find.

The flintlock requires a siliceous or igneous rock for ignition & this type of rock can be found in the bush if you know what you are looking for. I find the easiest way is to carry a fire steel with you & simply test the rocks you come across to see if they are hard enough to create sparks by striking the steel.

Above: This is English flint, a siliceous rock which can occasionally be found in coastal areas of Australia where English ships dumped their flint rock ballast before taking on a new cargo.

Above: This is agate which can be very common in places in Australia. Agate was used a lot in place of flint for flint & steel fire lighting. Agate is also a siliceous rock.

Above: This is quartz, very common in places & although it tends to fracture easily it is still a good rock to use for gun or fire lighting.

Above: Green chert.

http://www.aradon.com.au/green_chert.html;

Jasper.

This is obsidian, an igneous rock or volcanic rock.

Advantages of A Flintlock Muzzle-loader.

1)    Ammo is less expensive than a modern equivalent caliber firearm.

2)    The smoothbore is very versatile, being able to digest round ball, bird shot, & buckshot, or any combination of two of these (can also use minies).

3)    The fusil is lighter to carry than a modern equivalent sized gun.

4)    You can vary the load if needs be.

5)    The smoothbore will digest other projectiles besides lead.

6)    Lead can be retrieved from downed game & remoulded with a simple mould & lead ladle. This means that you can carry less lead, & more of the lighter gunpowder.

7)    You can make your own gunpowder.

8)    You can use the lock to make fire without the need for gunpowder.

9)    You can use gunpowder for gunpowder tinder fire lighting if needs be.

10)  IF the lock should malfunction (these are very robust & it is not likely) you can easily repair it if you are carrying a few spare springs & a few simple tools.

11) If you do not have any spare parts & the lock malfunctions, you can easily convert it to a tinderlock or matchlock & continue using it.

12) You do not need a reloader, brass shells, caps, or primers. The latter have been known to break down in damp conditions or if they are stored for too long.

13)  Wadding for ball or shot is available from natural plant materials or homemade leather or rawhide.

14) Less chance of being affected by future ammunition control legislation.

15) Gunpowder is easily obtainable providing you have a muzzle-loader registered in your name regardless of caliber (only NSW is looking at this legislation at present).

16) A .32 caliber flintlock rifle is more powerful than a .22 rimfire, less expensive to feed, more accurate over a greater distance, able to take small & medium sized game, & other than not being able to use shot (unless it is smoothbore), it has all the attributes of the other flintlocks.

17) Damage from a .62 caliber-.75 caliber pistol or long arm is in the extreme. Wounded prey is unlikely to escape.

18)  By using buck & ball you are unlikely to miss your target. This load is capable of taking out more than one target.

19)  There is less kick-back to a muzzle-loading gun.

20)  Antique Flintlock muzzle-loading guns do not require a license, registration, or a permit to purchase in NSW Australia.

My .62 caliber/20 gauge smoothbore flintlock fusil with a 42 inch barrel.

My .70 caliber smoothbore flintlock pistol.

My .32 caliber flintlock rifle.

If you have any modern breach-loading guns, & you have extra people to carry them, then I recommend taking them but keep them for self-defence ONLY. If you use them for hunting as well as protection, you will soon run out of ammunition.

TEOTWAWKI Australia. Practicle Primitive Survival. Part One.

This series of articles will mainly focus on pre 19th century equipment & methods, but may include some modern gear where practicle.

Cumbungi.

1) Where best to start. Probably the best place to start is getting things clear in our minds about what we intend to do if life as we know it now changes. If the economy falls into a depression, then we will all probably be staying at home IF we can still afford to pay the rent. Home owners will still be expected to pay the local council tax/rates. IF you can’t afford to pay rent or rates, then you will have to find somewhere else to live. Hopefully, as illegal as the local council is in assuming it is in fact a local government, it will see fit to lower the cost of the tax/rates or cancel them all together until the depression is over. Either way, there will be a lot of people out of work, & these people need to have shelter, food & water. These things may still be available in the cities & towns, but these areas will increasingly become more dangerous to live in the longer the depression lasts, so we can now add a fourth need, safety.
 Keep these priorities in mind when looking for a place to settle in the bush. Water will be the most important; water will provide game & other foods. Look for a place where Cumbungi grows if possible. 

Keeping the above in mind, we will continue with material needs. If you are to leave the city or town, or if you have to hunt & forage, you will need some form of backpack. This can be a simple sack with rope straps tied to the lower corners & gathered around the top, to an inexpensive knapsack purchased at an op-shop. There are plenty of alternatives. I have made several different types of carriers from converted haversacks to 18th century market wallets & snapsacks.

Image from Diderot.

 This is what the French call a Havresac Double. It is similar to the pack known as a Rucksack, & is also much the same as the simple sack method I mentioned above with the straps attached to the lower corners & the gathered top. If you have the time & a sewing kit, you can sew cloth straps top & bottom instead of having to attach the straps at the top to the gathered neck. Now you may be thinking that this knowledge is of little use to you because you already have a good back pack, but remember, every member of your family or group may need to have a back pack each, & it is also possible that you may lose the one you have in some incident along the trail. 

This is a knapsack I made from converting an inexpensive “made in China” old school haversack. These come in a couple of different sizes.

Here is the smaller version of the above with blanket roll & oil cloth secured to the carry straps.

 Here is my own personal knapsack which is also a converted haversack that my wife made for me many years ago. I found that as a haversack it simply did not perform well on the trail carrying more than any haversack was intended to carry, so I cut the carry strap & added more length to turn it into a knapsack. This one also has a chest strap attached. As you can see my oil cloth is secured under the flap closure, & my blanket roll & spare moccasins are tied to the carry straps. Try & avoid zippers on packs, they are usually the first thing to break. If you have buttons, keep them handy so you can repair these packs when the zippers malfunction.

The Snapsack. This one is made from lined. One strap, carried on the back or by your side. The opening can be tied closed.

The Market Wallet. No straps, can be carried over the arm or shoulder. I use mine secured under the flap closure of my knapsack to carry extra light goods.

My haversack, made from a piece of old stockman's coat. Good for foraging or carrying water bottles or food.

Some Edible Plants In New England NSW.

Some of these plants may be growing in other parts of Australia, but I an concentrating on what I know is growing in my own area.
One of the things to bear in mind is the lack of edible plants in any one area. There is no point in searching for something that either does not exist, or there is not much of in your area. This is more important if you are having to forage for your food, because you can not afford to expend more energy looking, than you can replace by finding. You need to keep an open mind to all types of foods available, not just flora, but also fauna.
The following are the most common and most easily found plants in my area.

Appleberry. Small fruit growing on a climbing vine.

Spike Rush bulbs. This plant grows in water. The bulbs are not very tasty or even pleasant raw, but I have not tried cooking them.

Mistletoe Berries. Not very large fruit, but there is usually a lot of them on one plant. This plant feeds off trees. The seeds are sown on the branches of a tree by the Mistletoe Bird. More often found growing out of reach, but occasionally can be found like this one growing low to the ground.

Nettles. Care must be taken harvesting this leafy plant, as the fine hairs on the leaves will sting. Boiled I find they remind me of spinach or silverbeet.

Cumbungi. Flour made from the pollen is usefull, new green shoots are tasty raw. The new flower heads can be cooked like corn. The roots contain a good deal of starch, which can be collected by soaking in water after breaking, then evaporating the water. Or you can chew on the roots. Again, these can be found in water.

Grass Tree/kangaroo Tail/Black Boy. This plant grows Australia wide. The base of the narrow leaves can be eaten. The amount on each leaf is minimal, but there are a lot of leaves. The flower stem can be used for carrying fire, & for producing tinder for fire lighting. It can be used for making fire by the hand-drill and the fire-bow methods. The stem can also be used as a spear shaft if you add a hardwood tip. The flowers can be sucked on for the nectar, or they can be soaked in water for a refreshing drink.