We are all on a
quest for self reliance—beyond just survival. Survival, in and of itself, is
just the bare basics of living. Enter the “Feral Hunter Gatherer”, a new
species based on the foundations of thousands of years of experience and
history. They, the old hunter gatherers, are the most successful humans ever,
over the greatest amount of time. I feel that is a clue on how one can become a
Feral Woodsman. By bringing some modern skills and updating some of the
traditional skills to fit today’s world.
Being able to own
the traditional skills, will put you far ahead in this experiment in living.
Being totally honest with yourself and your real skills level will set the base
line for your success or failure. To fail is okay as long as you learn from it.
You do not want to place yourself in a dangerous position by being a romantic about
the feral life. It wont be an easy life as a feral hunter gatherer or as the
complete Feral Woodsman. My suggestion is to start out slow, while you learn to
move, and come closer to a true creature in the wild.
Detractors will say
there is no place to do this. Ahh! But there is. Look on any map and all of
those places all over this country that have no roads or at best dirt roads,
are all empty. Those huge areas of green or brown, even California, offer a lot
of land, from the deserts to the mountains and between. Being careful to stay
off of private land is a high consideration, unless you have written
permission.
A hard one is water.
All of the cities we see, for the most part, sprang up because they had a
spring and wells for water. Los Angeles, Ca. had springs thats why in downtown
Los Angeles we have a street called Spring st. So, for the most part, those are
all spoken for. Water you can access is one of the most rare things you can
find. Other places in the country have lots of creeks and rivers Placing your
activities in one of those locations might be prudent in my book. Keep those
places secret as all get out, but I assure you those places are there.
Being a feral hunter
gatherer will take a determined mindset and wont be accomplished in one fell
swoop. Take the time to scout out a location. Once you have secured that goal,
start off very slowly. Try weekends at first and get the true lay of the land.
The time of year will be a key issue. It might take a year to find out it wont
work out for you—at all—in this location. You might come to that conclusion
even sooner. If so, scout again. Winters can be very tough and in the high
deserts, where I live, winters can be a surprise of snow and bitter cold down
into the teens. It can get so hot, you cannot do anything, except in the very
early mornings and late afternoon. Be aware of the extremes no matter where.We
do have an advantage in that if we care to spend the spring and summer
months in one location we can move to another location in the winter. That is
very nomadic and fits the Feral Woodsman style well. Most tribes did not just
stay in one location.
Lets look at a few
of the modern devices we can bring to the table. A .22 carbine can be a great
game getter. That’s all the fire power you may need. Trapping, in its various
forms, should be given serious consideration. You can run many traps and as
meat getters are hard to beat. 25 to 40 or so traps would be a trap line.
Another weapon/tool that is under rated, but proven to be a great small game getter
is the modern slingshot. What with the improved materials of tubing etc, they
offer ranges and velocities not known before. They are silent and easy to
carry. You can get very good with just a little practice. You also could employ
the old time sling that is still used today in many parts of the world. It
takes a bit more practice, but after a few days of practice you can hit milk
carton size targets.
Knowing the critters
and when hey move about is also key on where to hunt and set traps. A real
knowledge of the plants is also a key element. In your area, you need to have
knowledge of the plants that can feed you, and know when to harvest and how to
prepare them. You will need to store them as well. Make a store house that will
keep critters out and moisture out as well. Many books show how the Indians
made them.
Paul Campbells book,
“Survival Skills of Native Californians” is deeply researched and can help show
the way.You will also need to take classes, so you can survive and then thrive
as a feral hunter gatherer. We also have at our disposal great ways to always
make a fire, most of the time anyway. Most of us know of all the gadgets that
will spark a fire for us. The primitive basics for making fire should be part
of your skill set—hand drill, bow and drill and firesaw. You should be able to
find the right woods and the tinders and recognize them at a glance. Of course
the modern way is with cigarette lighters and or matches. and an in-between
skill, you can use flint and steel, or ferrocerium. The use of a bow and arrow
is a plus. In many places, it is before the gun hunting season. Some may prefer
black powder, which also has its own season in most states. Taking advantage of
these extended hunting seasons will help fill your plate.
Looking at the long hunters life style of the
18th century and the gear they used could be a lift into the Feral Woodsman’s
own life style. A Feral Woodsman would travel light and would be doable simply
because you are on home ground, so to speak. With a variety of caches for
shelter and food stuffs, even weapons and places that are your own special
spyder holes, in which you can lay up for a day or a week, you always would
have the advantage in your environment. American Pioneer videos(
www.americanpioneervideo.com) has a long hunter series, in 5 parts, featuring
Mark Baker, who is well known in the reenactment community. These videos could
almost be a primer for the future Feral Woodsman. By applying these skills to
your other skill sets, you could be well on your way. as a feral hunter
gatherer, a true Feral Woodsman.
For some this Feral
Woodsman thing might be an easy transition. For others, not doable at all. We
are innocent victims of our society and to breakaway is mostly a dream/fantasy
a lot of us have. That’s okay, because, as I stated in other articles, just
being and practicing being a Feral Woodsman part time is a great escape. You
will learn to live beyond survival, able to live well.
I know many folks
who have never spent any time alone in the wilds, and would not last a weekend
alone That’s why having a partner to team up with might be a good idea. Sharing
a campfire while the smell of a meal you have harvested yourselves is a
wonderful feeling and brings us back to our real roots of being a feral hunter
gatherer. it is in your Feral DNA.
For me much of this
life style is second nature, I have been practicing these skills for well over
60 years, and I am at 75 years old. Trying to be careful, and as prudent as I
can be, I do not want to mislead anyone into thinking it would be a snap. One
of the reasons I mentioned, in an earlier article, that the Feral Woodsman is
good for any age is you dont have to be in a rush, so old timers like me can
still participate in this experimental lifestyle. I have been practicing what
I’m writing about in the high desert of California , I study the local Indians
life as it was, and I move through that terrain following those ancient
footsteps, while learning more of my chosen location. Always strive to be a
student of the wild, you might discover your wild self, The Feral Woodsman.
By Dude McLean
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