Bushcraft 101: A Field Guide to the Art of Wilderness Survival (Bushcraft Survival Skills Series)

I’m going to be a bushman now. I’ve read the whole thing. I would recommend this to all who desire to be bushmen too

Things that people need to know in an emergency but has been forgotten over time. This is a great review!

I bought this book for my fiancée, an Eagle Scout who already knows how to survive in the wilderness using nothing but a shoelace and sheer determination. I thought, Oh, this will be a nice little refresher for him! No. This book is now his Bible. I have seen him reading it with the kind of reverence usually reserved for ancient scrolls or secret government documents. He refers to it in casual conversation. “Well, actually, the best way to build a debris shelter is—” No one asked, but I’m glad you know.I, personally, know nothing about bushcrafting. My survival strategy involves screaming and hoping someone else handles it. But thanks to this book, I now rest easy knowing that if the apocalypse happens, my fiancée will be ready. I, on the other hand, will probably be eaten by a raccoon within the first 24 hours. But at least he will thrive, roasting acorns over a fire he made with nothing but a stick and a prayer.If you have a partner who enjoys being prepared for a world without grocery stores, Wi-Fi, or the basic comforts of civilization, this book is essential. Buy it. And if you hear someone whispering “always be prepared” in their sleep, don’t be alarmed—it’s just the book working its magic.

This book was pretty good & it probably would have been excellent if it hadn't been shortened the way it was. I'm relatively familiar with Dave's work (at least on Youtube & from some different articles), and I could see where it was cut short in places.A great example of this was when talking about using a peg & string to get a bottle/canteen out of the fire- getting it in & out was covered, but not jamming a forked stick into the ground so you can catch the bottle in that fork & pour into a cup held with your free hand. A good trick that got left out.Same with using an exercise mat & space blanket (or reflectix, which is that mylar bubble wrap that goes around the ducts in buildings, like in Dave's video on Winterizing the Hammock) as a warming layer in a hammock. You can even lay on a blanket that's layed out in a diamond style, fold the corner over your feet, fold one side over that, fold the other side over that, then pull a sleeping bag over that! I remember hearing about that & I was all over the place- you can be very warm without fire with that one.Anyway, Dave's next book should patch out the gaps in the first one (which don't seem to be his fault). I would very much like to see a book by Dave Canterbury on "Mountain Man Bushcrafting" or "Pioneer-Era Life Skills" or something like that. I get that some things aren't distinctly American, but a book that mentions those skills in detail with the alternative styles added in would be great. As an example: "They used to do [whatever] in the pioneer days, but you can also use [whatever trick from Scandinavia]." There's plenty of opportunity to throw in that someone might not want to use modern stuff like lighters or nylon rope simply because they don't want to be that supported (like only taking an axe & a sharpener). Or that they might want to experience what things were like in different situations, instead of just imagining & theorizing. Or that they want to prove (to themselves and/or others) that they CAN do it, too. Sometimes just describing something is the best way to put words to it.Extra Points: Dave seems to have mixed-up "Swiss" & "Swedish" on the backpack & the cookset he mentions. Not too big an issue to find either one, as a lot of people mix those two up & frequently it IS actually labeled as "Swedish." Just figured I'd mention it, in case someone was looking & figured it wasn't available. Don't have either to know how they'd work, but I remember Dave taking a hose to the backpack in one of his video demonstrations- so I figure that would be a good one.Also, I figure there's a few things that didn't make it into this book (maybe they'll be in the next one, or maybe Dave doesn't even know about them). I'll list them & give a general description of what they are, but after that someone could always do their own research:(1) Jerven Bag. Kind of like a poncho/space blanket combination that zips into a sleeping bag. It's supposed to be very effective, versatile, lightweight, and small when compacted (like being able to be stuffed into canteen pouch with stakes & a bungee cord). Very expensive, but also supposed to last for decades if you don''t light it on fire. There's different variations, but it seems the first one is the smallest.(2) Mountain Serape. An insulated poncho liner that zips into a sleeping bag & sleeveless coat. Is somewhere around 2.5 pounds & rolls into its own hood. A trick with any sleeping bag that has the extra length to do it is to scrunch it up so that there's more insulation under you & it doesn't compress as much. Nearly as expensive as the Jerven Bag (either one is about $180).(3) Russian Army Surplus Sleeping Bag. Similar to the US modular one, but it can be completely unzipped- this allows you to jump right out of it if the need arises (might be better to leave your feet sticking out for this). It's also got a waterproof & durable outer layer that makes it so that you don't necessarily need a bivy bag. You could bring one, but NEEDING one is a potential problem- since if you don't have it, you don't have it.(4) Plash Palatka. Russian canvas poncho. A bit more versatile as a poncho or as a shelter option, since it can be worn open or closed & can be safely used next to a fire. Can be hard to find, but you can look up "Russian Tent Triangle" on ASMC.de & there's different sizes. There's also sovietarmystuff.com & eBay.(5) Wells-Lamont work gloves. Work gloves WERE mentioned, but I didn't see that brand specifically mentioned & it can be hard to find work gloves with good dexterity. You could try looking up "cattleman's gloves" for that general idea. Might be good to have some of the cut-proof variety, but haven't seen them used for much outdoor activity. Maybe the kinds chefs use in the kitchen would be a good idea, at least for those same uses.(6) Leatherman Sidekick. Just a small, inexpensive multi-tool with a straight edge knife & a saw. Doesn't have an awl, but maybe you could sharpen the flathead screwdriver & drill a hole in it. Price varies around $30-$40.(7) Cedar Oil. Supposedly keeps scorpions away. Might be good for spiders & ants, too.Well, that's a few more than I originally intended, but at least the shelter stuff is something to look into.

This book is packed with a lot of information. Easy to read and understand. I recommend for any pepper or hiker to keep this book in the pack at all times.

Great book. Covers the important details of skills and wildlife knowledge. Can even take it with you while outdoors. Researched well, takes from the knowledge brought forth by early age woodsmen, in addition to modern practices. An essential book for my library.