Tag: Survival

My First Parang

May 7, 2019 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Limbing a hazel branch with a parang, Ireland. Limbing is simply the process of removing side branches from a main branch and is mostly done with either an axe or parang/machete. It can be done with a knife but requires more effort (Photo: Sean Fagan).

About 6 months ago I bought my first parang.

Parangs, like machetes, are one of the main cutting tools for rainforests.

The axe may be considered the king of sharp-edged tools for bushcrafters in the coniferous woods of the north - while the saw and knife comes into its own in temperate woodlands…but the greater reality is that all three of these tools can be used effectively in both types of woodlands.

Not only can they be used on their own to great effect - but when used together they are a powerful, versatile trio.

So many bushcraft projects can be fashioned with these three tools – from a spoon to a log cabin. They are amazing, enabling tools when used effectively and safely.

But when it comes to the densely-vegetated, tropical rainforests a more specialised tool is often required…

The Art of Improvisation, yet again!

August 7, 2017 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Like an old, broken (but lovable!) record player - I'm going to repeat an oft-spoken mantra of mine: Improvisation is an important part of bushcraft and survival.

By its very nature, bushcraft is often about venturing into wild places with minimal kit.

And placing our bodies and minds at the tender (and not-so-tender) vagaries of wild places requires a flexible, mental attitude - along with a willingness to adapt and improvise.

Why? because nature is often unpredictable and challenging.

Sleeping on a discarded duvet blanket - and why not? (Photo: Sean Fagan, Southwest Ireland).

An Example...

Above, is a contentious photo for many bushcraft purists and campers...

It's a photo from last May when I camped in southwest Ireland and slept on a discarded, duvet blanket.

Learning from Failure…

June 7, 2017 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Below, is a brief clip from a great film (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest)

In this scene, Jack Nicholson attempts to win a bet by lifting a water fountain.

It's a great clip, have a look...

*Please excuse the coarse language.

When Jack fails to lift the water fountain he exclaims to his fellow patients..."at least I tried God damn it, at least I did that".

The above quote perfectly encapsulates an age-old truth - when we attempt something difficult, something that challenges us - we are going to occasionally fail.

Toxic vs Edible Wild Plants

April 20, 2017 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

The delicate prettiness of wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella). Wood sorrel is one of those wild edibles that should be eaten in moderation as its contains oxalic acid - a potentially harmful chemical if eaten in excess (Photo: Sean Fagan, County Wicklow, Ireland).

A Grey Area of Wild Food Foraging...

It would seem that as a species we generally shun ambivalence.

Of course I generalise.

As regards bushcraft, a grey area I've often come across is the area of edible and non-edible wild plants.

Either a wild plant is deadly poisonous or a hearty edible. That’s it. Kaput! Let there be no clouding of the clear waters of truth.

But the greater reality is that there is much ambivalence in the area of wild plant foraging.

The natural world is very much layered in complexity (albeit an interconnected, self-regulating complexity).

Wild plants, especially the ones we are most familiar with - the flowering plants (the angiosperms), have been surviving and thriving on our planet since primeval times – from about 125 million years ago.

Throughout that vast span of time, flowering plants have evolved a whole slew of defences against the diverse hordes of plant-eating mammals, invertebrates and reptiles etc.

One such defence is chemical defence – whereby many plant species contain certain chemicals that make them either harmful or unpleasant to consume.

But that’s not even the whole story as to why wild plants are either edible or toxic for humans. Some plants are both toxic and edible, while some plants are edible throughout certain times of the year.

Learn more about my general thoughts on why wild plant foraging must be treated with a flexible and cautious mind-set, and why ambiguity should be embraced rather than shunned when it comes to the tricky world of edible plants.

Making a Mini Fire-Trench

January 12, 2017 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

A small trench under a camp-fire can really give you a fire-lighting edge, especially when it's cold & damp (Photo: Sean Fagan)..

Why making a Fire-Trench will give you a Fire-Lighting Edge...

Often I make a small trench under my campfire so as to raise the campfire above damp, cold ground and to improve oxygen flow.

It can really make a difference with fire-lighting success.

Learn how to make a simple fire-trench, when to use them and other more common variations of fire trenches.

Using Reeds to Keep Warm

January 5, 2016 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

The common reed, Phragmites australis, is a surprisingly common & widespread grass species of temperate, tropical and to a lesser extent boreal wetlands (Photo: Sean Fagan).

Plant Seeds as Insulation

Many plant species are reliant on wind for seed dispersal.

Often, wind-dispersed seeds are covered in a fluffy, downy covering - which improves their air buoyancy.

Even the slightest breeze can lift and carry fluffy seeds far away from the parent plant.

Many of these fluffy seeds can be used as a tinder for starting a fire.

Another great use of these seeds is insulation (especially when stuffed into socks, gloves, clothing, hat & sleeping bag)

Numerous plant species produce soft, fluffy seeds, such as thistle and willow-herb species, but not many plants produce enough soft seed material that can be expediently used for improving the warmth of clothes.

One plant in particular produces prodigious quantities of soft seed heads - the common reed, Phragmites australis.

Learn more about this fascinating grass species and how reeds can potentially be a life saver...

*As a bonus I've also included a clip from the wonderful film, Dersu Uzala, which depicts two men making a make-shift, insulating shelter from reeds in order to survive a freezing storm. I've included this clip in the main blog (so you might want to read the blog post here, then watch the clip).

Navigation Skills: Vantage Points

May 10, 2015 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Vantage points confer many advantages for navigation (photo: Sean Fagan).

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LEARN HOW VANTAGE POINTS

CAN IMPROVE YOUR

NAVIGATION & SURVIVAL SKILLS

With the outdoors it's often the simple solutions that can make a difference.

Often the key is to remember when to use simple solutions while outdoors.

One simple aspect of navigation I frequently try to avail of when navigating outdoors are vantage points.

It seems such a simplistic notion - using vantage points - but it's so often forgotten when we are engrossed in the more technical aspects of navigation (especially map & compass navigation).

Learn why I think using vantage points is a key bushcraft and survival skill.

Bushcraft Safety: Hypothermia

March 24, 2015 / pioneerbushcraft@gmail.com

By Sean Fagan

Learn about the Hypothermic Incapacity Test (Photo: Sean Fagan).

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Learn a Simple Method to Detect and Prevent Hypothermia

One of the most serious outdoor risks is hypothermia.

Hypothermia can sneak up on its victim, unannounced. The victim may not even notice its symptoms until too late.

With hypothermia, prevention is certainly better then cure.

One way to be vigilant to the risk of hypothermia - is to test for a loss of manual dexterity.

After all, if an individual is alone while outdoors and potentially slipping into a hypothermic state - then the ability to use their hands could be crucial for reversing the symptoms of hypothermia.