“If you’ve ever taken one of our courses at SARCRAFT, there’s a 100% chance we’ve at least mentioned Plantain, if not shown you how to use it. We’ve always said that if you’re going to learn one edible and medicinal plant, it should be this one.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 6/11/19 - Sweetgum Toothbrush
“One of the most important, yet most neglected, aspects of wilderness living is personal hygiene. In our experience, most guys behave like unwashed heathens in the woods and won't shower, shave, or brush their teeth for weeks at a time if they don't have to, but that's a recipe for trouble.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 6/4 - Bark Shingles
“Primitive shelters ain't all they're cracked up to be. If you've studied many "survival tips" websites or quick reference guides, you get the impression that simple debris huts are all you need to stay warm and dry in any conditions. If you've ever slept in one, though... well, that's a different matter.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 5/22 - Oxeye Daisy
“The Greeks dedicated the flower to Artemis, the goddess of femininity, as it was useful for treating women’s issues and was thought to bring fertility. Even today, it’s considered good luck in some circles for women who are trying to get pregnant to leave daisies at the ruins of temples dedicated to Artemis.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 5/21 - Toggles, pt. 1
“Tarp, ponchos, and emergency blankets are three of the most crucial elements of modern, fast-action shelters. And for those shelters to be effective, they need to be built correctly. But hanging them can be a pain if you don’t have much experience with it.”
Read more#WildEdibleWednesday 5/8 - Red Clover
“As medicine advances and more and more compounds are synthesized from natural sources, maybe it’s time we humbled ourselves and realized that the ancients knew what they were talking about.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 5/1 - Creeping Charlie
“It goes by a weird plethora of alternate names, including Creeping Charlie, Gill-Over-the-Ground, Hedgemaid, Tun-hoof, Runaway Robin, Lizzy-Run-Up-the-Hedge, Catsfoot, and Alehoof. No, not kidding. And don’t ask me how half those names came to be, other than people in the British Isles got bored.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 4/17 - Purple Deadnettle
“Although it sounds like an alt-metalcore band name (at least to me), purple dead nettle is another common “lawn weed” that you’ve probably walked by every day without knowing what it was. Closely related to Henbit (which we’ll feature in a few weeks) purple dead nettle has a great range of edible and medicinal uses.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 4/16 - The 9-Volt Fire
“While you can certainly carry a 9-volt battery and steel wool into the woods (there are a few pieces of gear left that still take 9-volts), I consider this to be more of a MacGyver skill.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 4/9 - The Possum's Dump Pouch
“But you only have so many pockets, and your pack is usually full of stuff already. So like any good marsupial, you need a pouch. The solution to this is to carry a military mag dump pouch (or a carpenter's nail pouch) with you so you can easily collect resources as you go.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 4/2 - Water from a Vine
“Need water but can't locate a good source? In certain areas (rarely in GA, but it happens) you might be a good ways away from a creek or stream, or it might be a time of drought and sources may be dried up. If that's your situation, consider the grapevine.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip: 6 Reasons Not to Trust Your GPS
“Those who are new to the woods and believe that wilderness skills can be hacked like everything else are especially susceptible to this fallacy. But some things can't be shortcut. Some things, the old-fashioned, difficult, inefficient and time-consuming way is still the way to do it. Land nav is one of those things.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 3/6 - River Cane
“Where river cane really shines is in bushcrafting. The uses of river cane for projects big and small is limited only by your imagination.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 2/26 - Keep Your Tinder Dry
“Rain is a natural and unavoidable part of living in nature, and can be tolerated pretty well with proper planning and gear. But one thing is for sure – it certainly amps up the difficulty of firecraft.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 2/20 - Creeping Cedar
“Creeping Cedar looks like something out of the age of the dinosaurs, because it is. Before that, actually. Remains of this exact plant are being burned as coal this very day.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 2/19 - It's All in Your Hands
“…If you’re carving out a comfortable living in the howling wilderness with only your knowledge and a few tools, that’s damn tough enough. I’ve got nothing to prove, so I’m wearing gloves. Here’s why.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 2/13 - Common Cattail
“Not only is it a four-season edible and a decent medicinal plant, it’s one of the few plants that can truly secure all four of your survival priorities. It’s the Wal-Mart of the swamp – providing food, medicine, building material, and fire starter. We’re talking, of course, about Typha latifolia, the Common Cattail.”
Read moreWild Edible Wednesday 2/6 - Eastern Prickly Pear
“As much as it looks like it belongs in an old Clint Eastwood western, this is, in fact, the only cactus species that is widespread in the Eastern Woodlands. And if you’re lucky enough to find one, it makes a reliable and nutritious year-round wild edible and medicinal plant.”
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Instructor Corps Pro Tip 1/29 - Reflector Wall
“Regardless of what shelter I set up, one of the first things I would do to try and give myself an edge in the battle against freezing to death would be to build a reflector wall.”
Read moreInstructor Corps Pro Tip 1/22 - The Case for Rest
“While getting proper rest may not seem important, consider the consequences if you don’t. One night probably won’t affect you too much. You won’t be at your best, but you’ll be alright. But more than one night in harsh conditions with little or no sleep, and things start to unravel…”
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