Debarking Dead Trees, Shelter Roofing, Cordage Material & Bush Tucker B...

Debarked standing tree using a steel hatchet. This could have been done by a white woodsman or an Aboriginal.

At least two sheets of bark were removed from this standing tree using a stone axe, more than likely done by an Aboriginal.

Australian Preppers Forum.

Australia is unique, not quite like any other country. American forums can be okay, but their situation in regards to many things simply do not apply to Australia. If you live in Australia, here is a chance to learn & to share your knowledge. I have not been on this forum for very long, but so far is seems friendly. I am not a manager or moderator on this forum so my hands are tied to just participating & making suggestions, but this forum does need some new blood & more participation. Please check this forum out when you get time.

Thank you.

Keith.

https://australianpreppers.com.au/forum/index.php

Good Prepper/Survival Forums.

I have been a member on many survival forums, the American ones are fine for those living in America, but Australia is so different from America that I find it is really of no interest or help to me. Australian survival forums do not impress me at all, many members tend to be narrow minded & set in their ways & spend more time making disparaging comments than actually adding useful information to the topic.
In my search for a forum where I can actually enjoy sharing my knowledge & at the same time learn something new, I came across the "Preppers Forum" based in the UK. Now I fully realise that the UK is also different from Australia, but not as different as America is. The people don't always think in the same way as we do in Australia, but they are more like us than the Americans are when it comes to discussing survival topics.
Right now I am posting topics on this UK forum that is of some use to those in the UK, but if there were more Australian members then I would also post topics that are of interest to Australians. If like me you have found that you don't "fit in" on other forums, forums where Moderators & Managers fail to curb bad behavour by other members, then this could be the forum for you.
You can check out the forum here: https://www.preppersforum.uk/ (I am now site manager on this forum, so if you have any problems, please feel free to contact me).
Regards, Keith.

EMP Attack Information.

An EMP attack would knock out the entire power grid in your area. No electricity, no communications, no mobile phones, no water on tap, no transport, no sewage/toilets, no internet, no fuel at petrol stations, no registers working at supermarkets, Government may implement martial law, there will be widespread looting & possibly widespread home invasions. It will not be safe outside of your home. It may not be safe to stay in your home if you are in the city.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_electromagnetic_pulse

http://www.ausairpower.net/dew-ebomb.html

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/north-korean-nukes-space-war/

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/nukes-electromagnetic-pulse-electronics-2017-5?r=US&IR=T

https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2017/09/what-happens-if-australia-is-hit-by-a-nuclear-bomb/

Bugging Out. Something to think about.

Bugging Out. Something to think about.

For the purpose of explaining things in this article, let us assume that this shtf situation is going to last for at least 5 years. Let us also say that bugging out in this article means not living in the city. You could be living at a country retreat in a house, in a house somewhere out of town, possibly even in a small town or you could be camped out in a wilderness/country area.

1) There are many ways/choices/methods in which you could opt to survive. One would be to go into the country/wilderness with nothing at all, in which case you would have to make your own tools from stone, wood or bone, make fire by a friction method, & construct a primitive shelter from wood, stone or earth. Now this would mean a lot of hard work, & this work would be for the most part continuous. Comforts would be at a minimum. Your defenses would be very primitive, & your best defense would be to stay unseen; hidden from view.

2) You could go bush carrying a lot of modern gear, some modern gear is good, but all modern gear has its limitations & is rarely sustainable. Two modern items that are worth considering are 1) medical supplies, which I consider vital, & 2) a modern firearm. The modern firearm is not really sustainable, although a .22 rimfire rifle or an air rifle would allow you to carry quite a lot of ammunition without adding too much weight. The larger the modern caliber, the more weight you carry & therefore the less ammo you can afford to carry. Reloading equipment, primers & lead would add even more weight. Modern gadgets for the most part are not sustainable or vital to your survival. Torches, solar chargers, multi tools, compound bows, radios, walkie talkies, satellite navigation, fuel stoves, heated gloves, night vision goggles, cigarette lighters, matches, ferocerium rod, etc, etc, are not vital additions to your equipment & they are not sustainable or they will add weight & take up room in your pack that could be better served by carrying more important vital items such as water, food, medical supplies & ammunition.

If you were to opt for carrying all modern gear that was not sustainable, then sooner or later you could end up living a stone age lifestyle such as in the first option of going bush with nothing.

http://www.pakguns.com/showthread.php?8458-Bug-Out-Weapons-Bag;

3) You could equip yourself with sustainable equipment that will not run down, break or wear out. This type of equipment is dated, by that I mean it is hundreds of years old in its function & technology. Your comfort will not be the same as lying on an inflatable bed in a tent cocooned in a sleeping bag, but there would be a certain amount of comfort that can be maintained/sustained! Flint & steel fire lighting will mean that you are never without fire. Your tools are unlikely to break if you look after them. The moccasins on your feet can be repaired by yourself & even replaced when needs be. A long bow or a muzzle-loading flintlock will supply your meat as well as the traps you have made to set up your trap line.  In short you will have a more comfortable lifestyle than the stone age option.

Put some serious thought into the gear that you choose, if you do not have the experience, then use your imagination! Some people say that you cannot learn anything worthwhile from watching movies, I disagree. Some old movies did in fact foresee the future, & many modern dramas are based on real life, based on the fact that there are bad people out there & it only needs you to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to get yourself in a heap of trouble!

Primitive skills are important, good equipment is vital but A) you need to know how to use that equipment to the best of its advantage, & B) with the skills comes knowledge & understanding.

People on forums have often commented that with all their modern equipment, including powerful telescopic rifle sights mounted on a powerful super accurate rifle that people like me will not live long post shtf. But what these people fail to comprehend is that they do not have the skills that I have, & they, unlike me are not a part of my environment. I can smell things they don’t smell, I hear things they don’t hear, & I sense things that they cannot.

You will not become a part of a wilderness environment overnight, it takes time, patience, experience, & a willingness to learn. Don’t rely on modern gadgets, rely on good proven tools & above all rely on yourself, your abilities & your skills.

Keith.

Bush shelter saved dad and son lost in Tasmanian wilderness for days

ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO CARRY SURVIVAL GEAR IN YOUR VEHICLE IF YOU ARE GOING BUSH, BUT THERE IS NO POINT IN LEAVING THAT GEAR IN THE VEHICLE IF YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE!

Learn primitive skills & equip yourself with suitable equipment before going bush.

Full story here: http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/04/27/08/35/father-son-still-lost-in-tas-wilderness/?ocid=nann170428

Survival, Camping or Bushcraft?

Survival, Camping or Bushcraft?

If survival is what you are interested in & preparing for, then that is what you need to concentrate on. Camping is not survival, unless it is primitive camping, in which case there are skills to be learnt there. Bushcraft in the main is not about survival, it is about inventing new so called “skills” that you can practice & share but have no real practicle survival value. Modern camping & bushcraft is about gadgetry, new gadgets & tents are being produced all the time to lure the gadget oriented person into spending more money on stuff that has no real practicle value. Camping used to be about practicle skills & basic equipment, now it is an industry.

Lost survival is different from shtf survival. Lost survival involves people who fail to notify anyone where they are going & how long they will be, or they change their plans without telling anyone. SHTF survival is about surviving a major catastrophe, surviving an event that endangers your life & your living standards. If you are in the city you will have to leave & find somewhere safer in the country. If you are living in the country already you will need to step up your security measures. In both cases you will need to know primitive skills, & you will need basic tools to help you survive long term. Modern gadgets & modern tents won’t cut it. They will not last or stand up to the rigors of primitive living conditions & once they are gone you are left with nothing.

The author's .62 caliber flintlock smoothbore fusil.

You need to choose a period pre 19^th century & equip yourself with the tools & equipment of that period. Why? Because these tools will last, these tools were designed with a specific purpose in mind, survival, & once you are equipped in this fashion you will never drop below that level of comfort. Some 20^th century tools will be very useful if you are already living in the country or are intending to move to a retreat. We are talking “hand tools” here, basic hand tools that do not rely on electricity or fuel to operate. You may well be living off grid using solar power electricity, but there is no guarantee that this will last. One of our batteries now has a dead cell, the system is still holding up, but for how long we can not tell.

So, think long & hard & seriously about how you equip yourself. Think about what will be required of the tools that you choose. A short bladed bushcraft knife will not kill as quickly as a longer bladed hunting knife if used for stabbing. Modern methods of fire lighting may not be the best, get a real flint, steel & tinderbox. This will last a lifetime & using it will teach you more fire lighting skills than using a ferrocerium rod. 

12 gauge Black Powder breechloader shotgun with brass cartridges.

When it comes to guns modern firearms are best for defence at your home in the bush, but if you have to “bug-out” with no dwelling to go to, then I recommend you carry a flintlock muzzleloading gun & a bow. Modern ammunition is heavy & bulky & if a modern firearm malfunctions, you are left with a fancy club or a goat stake! People are for ever rubbishing the flintlock muzzleloading gun, in favour of a more modern firearm. Yes having a 9mm Glock on your belt would be very reassuring, IF you can obtain one! My argument is that I can have a flintlock pistol right now, & I would sooner have a flintlock pistol than no handgun at all. Besides which there are many advantages to using a flintlock that are not available to you if you are using a modern breechloader.

.32 caliber flintlock rifle. Accurate, more power than a .22 rimfire & practicle for long term wilderness living.

So make up your mind now if you are really serious about shtf survival. If you genuinely think that something major could go down in the future that could threaten you (& your family);your life & your way of living, then stop wasting your time & money on modern gadgets & tents. Learn primitive skills & equip yourselves with primitive gear that will last long term. You will find that it is less expensive in the long run anyway.

Belt axe/tomahawk. Far more practicle than a machete.

Hunting knife for skinning, butchering & self-defence.

.70 caliber smoothbore flintlock pistol for defence.

Exceptions? Possibly water filters, these could be useful if you have to leave the city & go bush. Maybe not of long term use, but they may help in your escape. Medical. You can’t beat good modern medical supplies. By all means use herbal remedies, but do not rely solely on herbs for your survival.

Medical supplies are very important.

The author's hunting sword. A good basic self-defence tool to carry after the fall.

Hand Drill Friction Fire Step-by-Step Tutorial: Making Drill to Starting...

This is not an Australian video, but the same applies if you are using the grass tree plant, also know as Yacca. This is the brother of one of our group members on our official forum. Great video & well worth watching.
Keith.

A Correlation Between The Equipment You Choose and The Skills You Learn.

I believe that when choosing equipment for survival use in the bush, there is more to consider than just ease of use and sustainability. Obviously when preparing for long term wilderness living, you need to choose equipment that will survive the years of use, but what about a correlation between the equipment & the skills you learn from using this equipment?

As an example, anyone can learn primitive fire lighting skills, they can learn about native plant tinders & the difference between tinder & kindling. They can learn about wet weather fire lighting & where to find dry kindling in the rain, but how many people do you think will actually learn these skills if they are using a BIC lighter or a ferrocerium rod & Vaseline cotton balls to make fire? Let us take another example; using bow & arrows for hunting. If you are using a bow for hunting, or even a muzzle-loader, you need to know how to stalk your game in close. You may only get the one shot, plus you need a clean kill or at the very least a disabling shot. But how does this compare to someone using a long range modern breech-loading rifle?

Now for those of you that now ask the question what does it matter? I say this, IF you are unable to get a fire going with your BIC lighter or if you should take a fall & break your lighter, how are you going to make fire? If you run out of ammo or your modern rifle malfunctions, how are you going to be able to hunt for food? Yes I know, you may have learnt how to make traps & learnt about trapping, you may also have more BIC lighters on your person, but you can surely see where I am coming from. I believe that a person who is primitive oriented & chooses to carry primitive equipment (pre 19^th century), is likely to be more knowledgeable regarding primitive survival skills than someone who uses modern equipment.

What equipment do you use? What primitive survival skills have you learnt? Think about it!
Keith.

What Skills Will Allow You To Do & Not Do.

Medical Kit.

Medications.

Food bags & containers.

Water bottles or flasks.

Tools for hunting & defence.

Shelter & bedding.

What Skills Will Allow You To Do & Not Do.

The debate regarding equipment versus skills is ongoing, in my personal opinion, both are of equal importance. We are not just talking about survival; we must also be concerned with our quality of life. Yes learning primitive skills for long term survival are very important, but you have to think about what these skills can provide you with & what they can’t. For instance, if you need to cook a stew, then you need a fireproof container. You could experiment making clay vessels, you can also use animal skins & use the hot rock method. But how much easier is it to carry a metal kettle with you?

So why am I mentioning this? I am mentioning this because weight matters if you have to carry it on your back when travelling on foot. There has to be some compromise between two principles, minimum weight & maximum self-reliance. When people are asked about the hunting tools/weapons, top of the list is usually high powered breech-loading firearms. These are fine for self-defence, but how practicle are they for long term survival? The larger the caliber, the more the ammunition weighs, & the more space in your pack it takes up. We need to prioritise, is it more important to carry a lot of weight in modern ammunition? Or is it more important to carry more medical equipment & supplies, vitamin supplements, more food & more water? If we are travelling alone, we can not carry both.

If we are only carrying a modern firearm & we intend to use it for hunting & defence, then the ammunition will not last long. We can of course avoid a fire fight by keeping a low profile, & we can save on ammunition by setting up a trap line for meat. But how secure will you feel knowing that when your ammunition runs out, you will be left with nothing with which to defend yourself or procure game? Your alternatives are: carrying an air rifle, carrying a traditional bow & arrows, or carrying a flintlock muzzle-loading gun/rifle & pistol. Another alternative for those in America might be to carry a modern sidearm in combination with one of the aforementioned hunting tools, or carry a bow & a modern firearm.

Weight is the all important factor, that & sustainability. Solid form medications have a long shelf life, so we need to take advantage of this. Dry foods too have a long storage capability & it is important that we carry as much food as we can. Eventually we hope to be able to take the time to forage for edible flora & hunt & trap game, but until that time comes, we are on the move & we need to keep a low profile.

Can primitive skills supply you with medications? Yes of course they can, but finding the herbs you need will not be easy, & especially so if you are already feeling ill. We need to think about our well being, our comfort. Any item that is sustainable & will make life easier is worth carrying, within reason. Skills will enable you to make a survival bow & arrows, but if you should ever come up against someone with a gun, you may have some difficulty surviving. Something that people often fail to take into account is the shock factor of a firearm, the noise & the impact of the missile. A bow against a firearm can not deliver this.

Anyway, the purpose of this article is to make you think before you leap. Think about the equipment you are going to carry & how it will best benefit your survival physically & mentally. Learn all you can about primitive skills, & if you plan to survive on your own retreat, then think about the living skills you will need to keep things in good repair.

When it comes to transporting equipment on foot, you can use a hiking trolley, but like all forms of transport from vehicles to animals, there will always be a negative side. The tracks you will leave to be followed, the places you can’t go, the noise you will make.

The cost & importance of learning. Clubs, Groups & Schools. Plus the advantages & disadvantages.

The cost & importance of learning, clubs, groups & schools. Plus the advantages & disadvantages.

When it comes to long term survival, the skills start with choosing the right clothing & equipment. After that you have to learn how to use that equipment & you need to learn how to manage if you should lose that equipment. Survival schools are generally expensive, this is because they have to put in a lot of time teaching people the skills, & time cost money if you are running a business. Some schools will teach you primitive skills, others will not. Some schools will teach you how to survive if you get lost in the bush, others may teach you how to survive long term. But it will all cost you money.

Bushcraft groups are good & they will teach you some survival skills. Again, some may promote the use of modern tools & equipment, where as others may teach you more primitive skills. In general, you will pay a yearly fee which is used to pay for your insurance cover. Survival groups fall roughly into the same category as the bushcraft groups, a mixed lot which may or may not teach you what you need to know. Basically it depends on the individual members, some will be more knowledgeable than others, but in the long run they can’t teach you what they don’t know themselves.

It is well known that in order to survive long term in a wilderness situation, you will need to learn primitive skills, & your equipment & tools will need to be low tech. Modern equipment is not made to last, batteries will go flat, items will break & wear out. You need sustainable methods & primitive gear. If you start off with pre 19^th century equipment you will never drop below that level of comfort. But if you start off with all modern gear, then sooner or later you will be thrown back into the stone age.

Now let’s look at another kind of club or group, an 18^th century living history group. Most again will charge a yearly membership fee, & it must be said that not all living history groups are equal in the benefits that they offer the survivalist. But, the potential for learning is still there, you simply may have to put in more effort to gather some members together who have the skills that you need to learn.

Our group, the New England Colonial Living History Group does not charge any membership fees or training fees, it is all free. However, we do not carry any insurance either, our members are covered by the Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Bill 2002. For many years I payed for our group insurance out of my own pocket so that lower income families could afford to join our group. Eventually, I had to stop paying out of my own pocket (there never were any accidents or insurance claims). When you think about it we go with groups of friends out bush for various recreational activities, & no one ever questions if there is insurance cover. We all take personal responsibility for ourselves, & we watch out for the safety of others.

The advantages of joining a group like ours is that our activities cover a wide range of interests. We can advise on equipment & clothing, & we teach people all the skills they may need for free. Individuals do not have to participate in any activity if they do not wish to, but remember, in a shtf situation, there will be NO insurance, NO doctors & NO hospitals. If you want to cover yourself, use your money to purchase a good modern medical kit & take it to group meetings. Also carry a personal first aid kit in your pack. That way if you cut yourself or smack yourself in the head whilst learning archery, you can patch yourself up & keep going.

Kids in general love participating in living history. It is an opportunity to do something which is fun & educational & they get to share this experience with there parents or carers. In shooting clubs, archery clubs & fishing clubs you will learn only so much, very little of what you do learn will prepare you for survival. In a group like ours though you get to learn everything; you learn what is the best equipment & how to use it. You learn how to repair your equipment & in the case of archery & fishing, you learn how to make your own from scratch with no modern tools.

Some living history groups have splinter groups such as a militia group where you can learn battle tactics. Some groups are purely Ranger groups & again, battle training is a normal part of their activities on top of all the other skills you can learn. All Living History groups are family oriented, so all the family gets to join in one way or another. On top of all this learning & training, living history groups are a lot of fun. If you are serious about long term wilderness survival, I recommend you inquire in your area for a living history group, be it medieval period or 18^th century or somewhere in between.
Keith.

Our Group's Official Forum: http://eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/  

You will also find links to other groups in other areas & countries on our forum.

Animal Parts Use Image.

Don't forget the brains can be used to brain tan animal skins. Bones can be used to make tools, spear & arrow points. Horns for containers; powder horns, tinder horns, grease horns, cups & other vessels. Tendons for bow strings & cordage. The hide for making many leather items & for making hide glue. 

Failed New Australian Survival Forum. But Old One Still Exists.

Because I was not satisfied with present survival forums I attempted to start one myself. This failed miserably. Simply put not enough people were really interested in the forum, even though I bent over backwards to make it interesting & supplied plenty of choices on subjects. It was primarily a Primitive Survival forum, although modern equipment was not left out. Even so I think that most survival preppers & survivalists are not really serious about survival, they like the idea, but are not prepared to go the extra distance. Camping & playing at survival is fun, but this will not get you through a serious shtf situation.

If you can't think of anything more important to carry than modern battery operated equipment & multi-tools along with a ferocerium rod for fire lighting, then in a long term wilderness survival/living situation you are going to be in a lot of trouble. How long do you think this modern equipment will last? What will you do when your hiking boots come apart at the seems? What you need is equipment & methods that are sustainable & to a point renewable, & you need to have skills.

Modern medical supplies & equipment are a priority, no argument there. Modern firearms if they are only used for defence & you can afford to carry them without compromising your ability to hunt are also fine. But if you are only going to carry a modern firearm for hunting & defence, then you will not only need to carry a lot of ammunition, but you will also be putting all your eggs in one basket!!!

If you are serious about survival, if you think there is a possibility that a TEOTWAWKI situation may arise in Australia, then I suggest you check out our forum "The Survival Connection" on our group's 18th century Living History forum at: http://eighteenthcenturylivinghistory.freeforums.org/  We have some good people on this forum, knowledgeable people from all over with whom you can share your knowledge & learn from. 
Regards, Keith.

NEW Australian Survival Forum.

I have recently started a new Australian Survival forum. Please check it out, & if you join, please feel free to post ideas & suggestions for improving this forum if you see a need.

Thank you.

Regards, Keith.

http://australiansurvival.freeforums.org/index.php

Survival as Recreation & a Social Activity.

Prepping for survival can be a lot of fun, & I think it should be enjoyed. But treating survival solely as a recreational activity is not really preparing for survival. It can be fun to join a survival forum as a social activity, but if this is all it is, then you are not going to survive a major event.

If you are someone who thinks that a fuel stove is a good addition to your survival gear, then you are not really serious about surviving if or when the SHTF. If you are someone who defends their poor choices of survival gear by saying "when I run out of fuel for my stove I will throw the stove away", then you are not serious about survival.

Long term wilderness survival, whether at your bush homestead or simply living in the bush, requires a "sustainable" outlook. Anything that has not got a reasonable chance of lasting the distance is a waste of space in your pack & extra weight that you do not need.

If you think that a radio, a battery operated torch & a solar battery charger are more important than food & water, then you are not serious about survival. We will always need more water, more food & more ammunition. There will always have to be a compromise between minimum weight & maximum self-reliance. Think about that, minimum weight & maximum self-reliance. Everything you put into your back pack should be chosen with these two important factors in mind.

If you are someone who ignores the above advice, then you are NOT serious about survival. Unfortunately there are many people who think this way on survival forums, & for those of us who are serious about our survival, this is very frustrating. We all love to share & learn, but if we are not learning anything useful, & we are not being taken seriously in our posts, then what is the point in us being on that forum? 

A quick note about modern firearms. A modern gun is by far the best tool for defence, but in terms of sustainability it rates pretty low. A .22 is probably a good choice, because the ammo weighs less than most other modern ammo choices. But if you are going to use this arm for hunting & defence, then you will use up a lot of ammunition. If you carry a bow as well as the gun & set up a trap line at you final destination, then this will help conserve your firearm ammunition for defence only.

My choice as most know is the muzzle-loading gun, & I will post a list of reasons why I choose this tool above a modern gun at the end of this writing. But I will not be alone, I will have others to carry modern firearms for defence, our group also includes some archers, including myself, so we are well covered. My theory on long term wilderness living is also known to many, I believe that anyone starting out with the main bulk of equipment being modern gear will eventually be reduced to living a stone age lifestyle as items start to malfunction & wear out. Where as someone who starts off  with mostly 18th century gear will never drop below that level of comfort & security.

Remember, though certain survival situations may require a military style outlook (militia), there will be NO supply drops! You are on your own. If you gear breaks down it is gone. If you run out of something that can not be replaced from nature, it is gone! 

Good luck & stay in touch.

Keith.

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.

This is a list of equipment that I carry:

Equipment List.

·      .62 cal/20 gauge flintlock fusil. 42 inch barrel.

·      .70 caliber smoothbore flintlock pistol.

·      Shot pouch and contents.

·      Leather drawstring pouch of .60 caliber ball (in knapsack).

·      Powder horn.

·      Butcher/Hunting knife.

·      Legging knife.

·      Clasp knife.

·      Tomahawk.

·      Fire bag.

·      Tinderbox.

·      Belt pouch.

·      Fishing tackle in brass container.

·      Two brass snares.

·      Roll of brass snare wire.

·      3 Gunpowder wallets

·      Knapsack.

·      Scrip.

·      Ball mould and swan shot mould.

·      Lead ladle.

·      Tin Cup.

·      Water filter bags (cotton & linen bags).

·      Medical pouch.

·      Housewife.

·      Piece of soap and a broken ivory comb.

·      Dried foods in bags.

·      Wooden spoon.

·      Gun tools and spare springs.

·      Compass.

·      Whet stone.

·      Small metal file.

·      Oilcloth.

·      One blanket (Monmouth cap, spare wool waistcoat and wool shirt rolled inside blanket).

·      Two glass saddle flasks.

·      Length of hemp rope.

·      Bottle of rum.

Basic list of what I carry. This list is made up from items that we know were carried, from items that my research has shown were available, & from items that have been found, such as the brass snare wire. I am not saying every woodsrunner carried all these items, but I am saying that some woodsrunners may have carried all these items. From experimental archaeology results in historical trekking, I think the items I have chosen are a reasonable choice for any woodsrunner that is going to live in the wilderness for a year or more.

Woodsrunner’s Skills.

New England Colonial Living History Group 1680-1760.

This is a list of basic skills in which we expect an 18^th century woodsman or woods-woman to have some experience with in our group. There is no time limit set, learn in your own time & if we can help just ask.
Keith.

·      Flint & steel fire lighting

·      Wet weather fire lighting

·      Fire-bow fire lighting

·      Flintlock fire lighting

·      Flintlock use, service & repair

·      Marksmanship with either gun or bow.

·      Field dressing & butchering game

·      Blade sharpening

·      Tomahawk throwing

·      Making rawhide

·      Brain tanning

·      Primitive shelter construction

·      How to stay warm in winter with only one blanket

·      Cordage manufacture

·      Moccasin construction and repair

·      Sewing

·      Axe and tomahawk helve making

·      Fishing

·      Hunting

·      Evasion

·      Tracking

·      Reading sign

·      Woods lore

·      Navigation

·      Primitive trap construction & trapping

·      Open fire cooking

·      Fireplace construction

·      Clothing manufacture

·      Drying meat & other foods

·      Knowledge of plant tinders & preparation

·      Knowledge of native foods & preparation

·      Knowledge of native plants in the area and their uses for other than tinder and food.

·      Scouting/Ranging.

·      Basic first aid.

·      Finding and treating water.

·      General leather work.