what other activities improve your bushcraft?

[Zodiak]

Not sure who he is, but I'm thinking that that was meant as an insult

I thought it was a reference to "Trailer Park Boys" but I can't print the name of the episode here

 

[Carcajou Garou]

I actualy studied Japanese Tea Ceremony for a few years to improve by kneeling abilities for canoeing after an "accident left my left leg stiff" also helped in the use of a fire drill etc... anywhere scrunching down was needed.
Also helped out friends/acquaintences to dress and butcher game..deers etc.. just to keep my hand in it.

 

[Tadpole]

Running for the fitness it brings, for the skills learnt by running at night, trusting your ears, and your sense of smell. Power walking out in the fresh air, for fitness and fun, and for saving money on bus fares.

Working at night for the fitness that walking a dozen miles each night brings, and for the opportunity to listen, and really hear, to look and actually see, rather than just look.
Night work also teaches you not to fear unknown noises, be it an animal rooting about in the undergrowth, or the sound of footsteps following you in an empty building. Oh and night work teaches you the value of family and friends.

 

[Mikey P]

Being a Building Surveyor.

You learn to trust your sight, learning to observe tiny detail. Feeling things with your feet when walking around like floor boards etc. Listening to the building and it's environment for creaks, expanding pipes etc. Trusting your sense of smell for damp, drainage issues etc.

I makes a walk in the woods interesting observing, smelling and feeling the environment you are passing through.

Stewey.

Wow. I really hadn't thought of things like that. Do you find that it works to other way round too? Are you more aware of your surroundings during work time because of the time you spend outdoors?

 

[w00dsmoke]

. Being brought up in the country
. Working in forestry
. working as a countryside ranger and reserve warden
. wilderness canoeing and kayaking
.wildlife surveying and trainer
too many others to list!

 

[hammock monkey]

wow, some skilled mofo's...amazing, keep em coming!

more things that i use:
5+yrs as a metal fabricator - taught me to use proper tools for the job in hand and get a life time of use out of them, as well as construction techniques, bit of balcksmithing, strength and lifting etc - working safely and quickly

8+yrs as a guitar tech again using tools, many of which i had to make and working with rather than against it.

3 yrs as a system test engineer: teaching me to get the hell back to guitars!

 

[Tengu]

Ive never had much opportunity to do outdoor stuff, but all my life I have made models

Teaches you to work to fine tolerance, with a variety of tools and materials, and plan and design things

Oh, and be patient

 

[bent-stick]

My hoobies are bowmaking and other woodworking. These give me lots of experience with sharp things an awful lot of what we do is about cutting things.

I think Wing Chun has improved by coordination and ability to move around the woods and also suppleness and fine movements. I don't study with a teacher any more (but I can recommend the Martial Arts Institute in South London) but I still do some of the movements and stretches every day. I'm quite'senior' and it's a good way to keep my joints supple and is very good for muscle control.

It's also a good general confidence builder. I can be out and about at all hours and feel pretty confident.

Before I got old and fat I used to climb and some of the knots still come in handy.

 

[Chance]

Gardening (proud to be middle-aged): identifying 'weeds' (we've got pignut!); felling (dead) trees; whittling while resting from wood-splitting; improvising treehouses, sweat lodges and wigwams.

 

[Squidders]

rock climbing... not only being comfortable with ropes but attention and awareness of nature... from a specific crystal on a granite crag to how water works through limestone rock, to burd nesting seasons and patience waiting for the right weather conditions.

More than any of that though, it gives me one more reason to get out of my comfy chair and heated house.

 

[jasons]

theres only one way to inprove your bushcraft is to get out there and do it

 

[dommyracer]

I worked in a butcher' s for a while when I was young lad

I'm sure it helped my knife skills and when I was being shown how to skin and joint a rabbit not long back there was definitely latent memories

 

[Long Stride]

On the Safety side.

If you work for a biggish company/organisation ask about courses they might be prepared to put you through

First Aid
Manual Handling
Fire Fighting
etc

They all come in handy and are usually at their expense if they think it will benefit them

 

[locum76]

surfing the web and reading bcuk

 

[Celtic Dragon]

Working in IT as a epos support engineer.


Makes all the time in the woods soooooo much more enjoyable, no technology!!!!

 

[SunDog]

Running for the fitness it brings, for the skills learnt by running at night, trusting your ears, and your sense of smell. Power walking out in the fresh air, for fitness and fun, and for saving money on bus fares.

Working at night for the fitness that walking a dozen miles each night brings, and for the opportunity to listen, and really hear, to look and actually see, rather than just look.
Night work also teaches you not to fear unknown noises, be it an animal rooting about in the undergrowth, or the sound of footsteps following you in an empty building. Oh and night work teaches you the value of family and friends.

Sounds interesting Tadpole, what do you do for a living if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Nightwalker]

I was brought up into the tradition of Cornish Wrestling. My farther being a champion cornish wrastler brought me up to respect the sport and tradition. The history and skill of Cornish Wrestling has been passed down through generations, from farther to son, friend to friend, through an unbroken living chain that is lost in the myst of time. Over the past decade we have struggled to keep this tradition & sport alive. The preservation of this living art, skill and history reminds me of the unique link that we have with our ancestors through the skills and knowledge past down through endless generations in Bushcraft skills.

I believe Cornish Wrestling has also contributed to the power, strength and determination I have in life, in-turn im sure this will benifit my bushcraft activities.

I also enjoy weight-lifting to slowly maintain/build on my strength.

I have also enjoyed kayaking for many years since I was kid and this has had a direct link with me enjoying the nature around me at the same time. As I grow older (recently 21) I find myself craving a open, Canadian-canoe, dreaming of an open beautiful lake with my rucsac & tarp onboard. I can see it now... I wish I was on page 35 of Issue 2 (Summer 06) of the Bushcraft Magazine, take a look

 

[GlenM]

Here's one for nightwalker. I like to go down old mine workings, which we have a lot of in our county. There's a particular mine near St.Agnes called Cligga Head, its situated right on the cliff face with access at the bottom through a drainage adit. To say its awsome is an understatement, iv'e walked around for 3 hours and still missed bits of it. Its a good first mine to experience and probably one of the safest too, although all mine exploration is done at your own risk. If you would like to visit it PM me and i'll include you on our next expedition. All you need is an old pair of boots, old clothing, a head torch and a pasty, got to keep it traditionall you see. Cheers Glen.

 

[FGYT]

Diving is good espesally the more advanced stuff

keeps you fit

puts you in a strange environment with total reliance on equiptment for your life so you DO buy well and look after and understand it.
you should dive in a total team But be able to be totaly selfsufficent
you have to understand the environment your going into
Navigation underwater in bad vis in currents
you need to be aware of how your body reacts to cold, stress, Nitrogen Narcosis, task loading, DCI (Bends) and others in your team
Planning for Gas usage, Run times, emergancies etc etc

Lots of usfull stuff for life and Buscraft

ATB

Duncan

 

[hammock monkey]

this is bloody great, thanks for everyone for sharing all this, love the Cornish Wrestling, spent many summers in Cornwall (i'm a Zummerzert lad myself) and the thought of a long-held tradition like that still being kept alive feels great.

there's a common thread of strong self responsibility running through these...its opening my eyes to new pursuits too...anyone else?