The fiddlehead is perhaps one of the most well-known wild edible. It is very tasty and cooked like asparagus.
Usually, when one says fiddlehead they mean the Ostrich Fern fiddlehead. This time, we are instead harvesting the bracken fern, an incredibly common fern in the north woods. The fiddlehead is shaped somewhat like an eagle’s talon with a silver-grey hair covering the stalk.
Harvest them when they are about 6-8 inches tall and not maturing, meaning, not yet uncurling and showing their leafs.
To cook them, give them a wash and rub the hairs off of them. It doesn’t take too long and the hairs come off easily. The bracken fern must be cooked before being consumed. They can be steamed for 30-45 minutes in two changes of water until tender-crisp or fried with butter or olive oil. They taste and are used much like asparagus.
Once they start unfurling, they become inedible as they tend to get more bitter. This is an example of a maturing fiddlehead that I would not consume.
They can be gathered in abundance and make for a delicious meal from our own forest and prove to be way cheaper (just a little time and work) than buying them at gourmet prices at restaurants or at the store.
Mmm, a great and tasty wild edible!
Harvesting Cattail Shoots
Cattails are a nutritious plant that are packed full of starches and in a survival situation, that means a good find.
The cattail is found throughout most of the US near slow moving or standing water. Almost all parts of the cattail are edible at some time of the year and were depended upon heavily as a main source of food by Native Americans. Currently in the North Woods around late April and early May, the cattail shoots are just coming up and are ready for harvest. They are very tasty at this time of their growth and exceptionally tender.
Here is a cluster of old growth cattails and new shoots growing near a lake.
This time of year, we are looking for the younger, new growth plants which are typically the green plants among the dead brown.Here is a young cattail
And another young cattail to show you the variation in sizes and to further illustrate that plants don’t always look text-book.
The goal is to reach down and dig a bit through the muck at the base of the stalk and pull up the white shoot, starchy bulb, and/or the starch filled rhizome. This early in the season we are focusing on the tender white shoots.
With a little bit of swishing in the water, the white shoot should become prevalent and it is this white part that you are after.
These cattails are plentiful and quickly gathered.
To be a responsible harvester and make sure that there are new cattails for you to harvest later, only harvest a third of the available cattails at the most.
The outer leafs are separated from the stalk, leaving the tender shoot to be cut up into chunk sized pieces. They then can be fried up with a little butter or otherwise cooked in the same way one would do with asparagus.
As always, check with your local laws before using bushcraft and primitive methods in a non-survival situation.
The Paiute Deadfall is a fast acting kill-trap that uses cordage rather than solely sticks as seen in a figure-four deadfall. For the kill weight, it must be around five times the target animals weight. Remember, deadfalls are not toys and cannot make distinctions between targets that may set it off. If something sets off the deadfall it may be killed or injured without being the target animal.
The Paiute Deadfall requires two sticks, a piece of cordage, a trigger mechanism, and a heavy weight to crush the prey.
The two sticks should be about as long as one’s pinky to thumb in the “Hang-loose” gesture.
Next, carve a flat surface to rest the rock upon. This is carved on what is to be the top horizontal stick. With a flat surface, it will be much easier to stabilize the rock as on the horizontal stick.
Carve the vertical stick in a similar fashion as this narrowed portion will act as a swivel.
It is now time to take the horizontal stick and carve a notch into it. This notch acts as the female part for the male part of the vertical stick.
The picture above is the bottom side of the horizontal stick. The horizontal stick will balance on the male portion of the vertical stick like such
The trigger mechanism is the next to be built. This stick is the bait stick. It presses against the trigger mechanism and pressures against the rock. It is where bait will be placed to draw in prey.
The trigger mechanism to witch cordage shall be tied
With a piece of cordage, tie a tight knot around the trigger mechanism.
This is tied to the back side of the horizontal stick on the far end away from the female portion.
It is then pulled down and wrapped around the vertical stick and held in place by the bait stick. If you study the pictures closely, it will become apparent how the trigger is set.
Take the horizontal stick and fit the male part into the female socket. The flat portion of the horizontal stick should be facing the direction of the rock as it will bear the weight of the rock. Finding a good flat rock to use is very important. Going out of the way to find such a rock and carry it to the trapping site may very well be worth it for sake of even getting the trap to balance.
Carefully place the weight of the stone on the horizontal stick and begin to set the trigger by wrapping the trigger piece around the vertical stick.
The trap is ready to be held in place by the bait stick, but because the rope ended up being a little too long and not providing enough tension to hold the rock up, I wrapped it around the vertical stick once more.
The bait stick was then positioned to pressure against the rock and the trigger mechanism. The bait is placed on the stick as close to the underside bottom of the rock as possible.
The trap, when done correctly, shall now be free standing and ready to make a kill while you are off foraging.
A front view to better see the trigger mechanism
A food that has to be tugged at and pulled makes an excellent bait on the bait stick as this will cause the trigger to be set off. Notice the hungry wandering stick about to go for the bait stick!
The stick goes for the bait causing the trigger mechanism to release and topple the supporting structure!
The throwing stick is one of Man’s earliest weapons and was found throughout nearly all primitive cultures. Many people are familiar with the throwing club in the form of the returning boomerang used by the aboriginal peoples of Australia.
The throwing club is intended to to be used as a method of acquiring small game and water fowl. Thrown at the target with the intention of killing or maiming, the throwing club tends to be weighted heavily at the top to carry momentum through the target. Curved throwing sticks may be weighted or unweighted with the intentions of the curve to allow the throwing stick to bounce and skip across the ground at its target.
Easily one of the most simple weapons to make or acquire in the bush, the throwing club could present the wielder an opportunity to actively hunt small game in a survival situation. A stick may be used as a club as is, but to optimize the effectiveness of the club it needs to be shaped and weighted.
First is to acquire the piece of wood that is wanted. For my purposes, I wanted a straight stick to use as a club
Next is to begin shaping it. I take off the limbs of the branch and cut it to around two and one-half to three feet.
Next is to begin shaping the throwing club. To make it the most effective weapon possible, the top of it should be weighted. I begin to shape the shaft and the portion where I will hold the club. I also add a pommel at the end for some flare as well as to prevent unintended slipping when using the club in a final blow.
Beginning to shape up
To make the throwing club more comfortable, the wood may be sanded to smooth it out and prevent slivers entering the hand. A coarse rock or a rock and some sand may be used for this. Some sand is sprinkled on the throwing club
Any number of carvings could be done in the stick to turn it from a tool to a work of primitive art. Here is the final and primitively sanded throwing club.
When it comes down to it in primitive hunting, we don’t care how it looks but how it works. Having a few carved throwing sticks at the ready will greatly increase the chances of hitting the target as well as giving the chance for a followup shot.
Happy Hunting!
The Dakota Fire Pit was first developed on the plains. It was used to hide fire, which could be seen for miles on the plains, burn with minimal smoke as it provides enough oxygen to prevent most smoke, and to burn in a manner that is incredibly efficient as fuel came scarcely on the plains.
While the Dakota Fire Pit is a bit more labor intensive than other fire methods, it will produce a warmer, more fuel efficient fire. This means that to cook on, less fuel will be required– meaning more wood saved for later and less time spent collecting fuel. This fire method is also useful for stealth camping as the flame is below ground, minimizing visibility of light.
Another advantage of the Dakota Fire Pit is that it is easy to cook on and if the pot is big enough, can be set directly over the fire. If not, this can be remedied with some cross beams quickly fashioned with a few sticks braced across the fire pit.
How the fire pit works is depicted in the diagram below. It helps to build the oxygen feeding hole in the direction of prevailing winds. The fire heats up, drawing in air, the 0xygen feeding hole is sloped to the base of the fire so that it will draft oxygen in, causing a warmer and more efficient flame.
Find a flat area where the fire will be made, preferably under some canopy cover so that any smoke coming off may be further diminished.
Clear the area of organic material so that the fire will be safe and not spread.
If a modern digging tool isn’t available, a stick may be used to greatly increase digging efficiency.
Dig out a hole that is about one foot deep and around one foot wide.
A secondary hole is dug about half a foot to one foot away from the fire pit. This hole is dug at an angle leading to the bottom of the fire pit. This hole allows for oxygen to feed into the bottom of the fire in the pit causing it to burn more efficiently. Tinder is built up in the hole on the right and then ignited.
This photo is from the oxygen hole. As you can see, it feeds into the very bottom of the fire pit so that the fire may draft oxygen and burn more efficiently.
If the wind is blowing too hard and is causing the fire to burn too rapidly, rocks may be used as a damper to slow the fueling of the fire by partially covering the feeder hole.
When it becomes time to move to the next camp, the fire site can be restored to its original state. The fire is extinguished properly and the dirt is filled back into the holes. The original debris is scattered over the site to rehabilitate it and hide the fire site.
Fire is an important element to wilderness survival. After getting a fire going the first time, it is important to never allow it to go out in a survival situation. The Long Match is a method of carrying that fire with you as you leave camp and head out to the next destination. This becomes of great use when the only method of fire starting available is through primitive methods.
The Long Match may be thought of as a “bushcraft cigar.” It is made of an outer shell and dry fuel that will smolder. The goal is not to ignite the dry tinder but to allow it to smolder until it is desired to be blown into flame.
First one gathers the shell. This may be made from nearly anything that can be rolled up into a tube. In this case, birch bark was used off of a dead and down birch.
The bark was broken into about a foot long section and then sliced down the middle to open it up.
This prepared bark is now ready to house dried grasses, leafs, and bark. The next step is to forage for these things. Anything dry that will smolder will do. This means it’s better to use grasses, bark, or things like chaga bits rather than sticks as the goal isn’t to have a flame but a smoldering bundle of fuel.
Dry leafs and pine needles are collected from trees where they blew into rather than the wet ground.
Dry standing grasses are easily collected and worked into a bundle.
After these things are collected and meshed together, they are placed on the inside of the outer shell.
The bark is then rolled up as tightly as possible to make sure the inner fuel is held together.
Once the long match is rolled properly, it is time to secure it with some cordage. In this case, 550 cord is used though root lashing or natural cordage will work just fine. This long match is tied in three sections to make sure that the shell is secure but also if the outer shell degrades as the fuel burns down the new (and smaller) sections will be held together.
To help hold the grasses and bark in, a cap can be made from another piece of bark by inserting it into the folds on the end of the long match.
With the cap now on, the grasses at the top of the long match are tamped down to make sure the smoldering carries throughout the fuel source rather than burning out.
A coal from a camp fire may be placed inside the tamped fuel source. In this case, a sparked piece of amadou is placed inside the fuel source.
To help insulate the coal from being put out by wind and to make sure that the coal catches the grasses and smolders, the coal is covered by a thin layer of fuel.
The long match may then be blown on to help insure transfer of the fire from the coal to the fuel source. In the case of an actual coal from a fire, it will often do it by itself but it doesn’t hurt to make sure that the fire is captured, especially in a survival situation.
The long match is now ready to be transported as it smolders, preserving the life of the coal.
If the wind is blowing, causing the fuel to smolder too quickly, measures may be taken to slow this unwanted effect. Fitting a cap on the top of the long match, the exact same way as the bottom cap was made in the beginning, will help starve the long match of oxygen and slow the rate of burning. Make sure some air is still able to get to the coal otherwise it will go out.
When it is time to make the camp fire or possibly a new fire to go about and make a new long match to continue the journey, it is simple to remove the cap and blow life into the fire. The long match is already full of tinder and ready to go with the right bit of wind!
Out in the bush we get many scrapes and bruises. It is not a foreign thought that one day you may sprain your ankle on a hike with no help around. Here is a method that could give you an edge to fight the pain and make it back alive.
Poplars contain a compound known as salicin in their inner bark. The marketed artificial substance many of are familiar with is acetylsalicylic acid; more commonly known as Aspirin. If you are allergic to aspirin do not use any form of it, including this method. The risks that apply to aspirin use still apply here and should not be taken lightly. The natural form is actually absorbed easier than the synthetic form, so do not believe that just because it is natural it is good for you. It is advised that you seek guidance from your medical doctor before using any herbal supplement or medicine. Overdose symptoms may include ringing in your ears, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, rapid breathing, fever, seizure (convulsions), or coma and require immediate medical attention. The use of aspirin is not advised for people who are bleeding as it may cause them to bleed out.
Usually, a younger branch off of a willow or aspen tree is cut. From there bark is scraped off and collected making sure to get the white “slick” layer of inner bark just underneath and before the hardwood. Within this bark and cambium layer lies the pain killing properties of aspirin.
There are a couple methods of ingesting this drug to help fight pain and alleviate inflammation. The most simple is to take about a 2 table spoon dose of the shredded cambium and bark then chew on it. It is going to taste as one may imagine; like chewing on chalk. Swallow the juices that come from the quid.
The second method of ingestion is to make a tea. Once again, take about 2 table spoons of the cambium, let it steep for about 10 minutes in hot water. Be careful not to boil the water with the cambium in it as it may denature the aspirin. This drink is often bitter but can be spruced up by adding some mint or honey.
Stripping the bark comes more easily in spring and summer. It becomes more difficult to separate it as the months grow colder but is still very possibly and remains just as useful.
Here is a list of some plants that contain aspirin in the cambium and bark:
Populus tremuloides: Quaking, Trembling or American Aspen (northern & western North America)
Populus grandidentata: Bigtooth Aspen (eastern North America, south of P. tremuloides)
white willow/European willow ( Salix alba )
black willow/pussy willow ( Salix nigra )
crack willow ( Salix fragilis )
purple willow ( Salix purpurea )
weeping willow ( Salix babylonica )
Water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink. It is well known in the survivalist and outdoors community that even freshwater is unfit for human consumption without treatment. Here are some tips and tricks on how we lose water, fighting dehydration, and how to stay hydrated in the bush and under emergency circumstances.
How we lose water per 24 hours
————-minimum—-hot——-heavy exercise
skin——— 350ml——350ml——-350ml
sweating—- 100ml——14000ml—–5000ml
respiration—350ml——350ml——-650ml
urination—– 1400ml—–1200ml——500ml
Defecation— 100ml——100ml——–100ml
——Total– 2,300ml—–3300ml——6600ml
—-————- 2.3L——-3.3L———6.6L
To maximize water uptake: drink no more than 8oz every 15 minutes so your body may absorb the maximum amount (8oz:15min)
SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION
Headache, irritability. Dark yellow urine, thirst, fatigue. Dry or sticky mouth. Low or no urine output. Not producing tears, sunken eyes, lethargic or comatose, vomiting, diarrhea, or a feeling one can’t keep anything down which may cause and/or worsen dehydration itself.
One may notice people becoming confused and doing just stupid things they normally wouldn’t do or others becoming combative and aggitated. This is a good time to make them drink some water as that’s one of the reasons they may be doing this, also they may be low in blood sugar (carrying an “emergency” cola product isn’t too bad of an idea for these instances of low blood sugar, but that’s not enough by itself)
Let’s examine the onset of dehydration:
3% dehydration you are thirsty
5% dehydration you are parched (only 50% grip strength)
7% dehydration you are unconscious
Signs of Water and where to Look
-Water flows down hill
-Grooms the surface of the Earth
-Encourages Vegetation
-Animal trails converge towards water
-Natural caches
-Plants, dew collection, snow, evaporation
-Transpiration
Tips and Tricks for Finding/Purifying Water
Hardwoods may be used to as a source of purified water by boring a quarter to 1/2 inch hole and inserting a hollow reed. Collect the sap on bark, a cup, or any container. This method works in early spring (walnut, maple, birch, hickory). This needs to be done in small amounts or mixed with other purified water as the sugar contents of the sap may make one not used to it sick or stricken with a sudden onset of diarrhea. Diarrhea kills in the bush so it is essential to prevent such a condition. The sycamore tree is one of the few exceptions to the sugar content of the sap. The Sycamore’s sap can be consumed without worry as there is very little to no sugar in the sap.
TRANSPIRATION
Transpiration is the process through which plants respire. What occurs during this process is the release of water vapor through the leafs of the plant. It is advised to use nonpoisonous species for collecting water from transpiration.
One may place a plastic bag, tarp, poncho, etc over the green leafs still attached to a plant. The bag is then sealed off so that no air can get into or out of the bag. A rock is usually placed at the bottom of the bag so that the water will pool. It is best to use a clear bag as this further encourages the transpiration process.
STERILIZATION
Boiling, Chemical treatment, and filtration
Boiling water is an ages old method of sterilizing water. Water should be boiled for a minimum of five minutes though there is argument that most microbes that could cause contamination of humans would die off the moment the water starts boiling. It is better to be safe than sorry. Water containers should be covered when boiling as to prevent the loss of water due to evaporation.
Common household bleach may be used to purify water in a pinch. Do NOT use scented bleach as it poisonous!
2-4 drops of bleach to a liter of water; 2-4 drops/bottle
8 drops per gallon. 16 for dirty water
HOW TO CONSERVE WATER
-Siesta during the day
-Don’t eat if no water is available
-Cover pot when boiling
-Drink limit when possible
-Body can absorb 8oz every 15 minutes
-Breathe through your nose
-Never pee in water
-Drink all kitchen water (i.e. pasta water)
Sphagnum moss has a fairly acidic pH and high absorbency. It collects a large amount of water from dew and rain; water may literally be wrung from it. This water should be sterile with the rare exception of a halophile that has only shown up in very rare cases…so it is a calculated risk with low probability of problems. I have now consumed the water squeezed from sphagnum moss on several occasions with no ill effects paying credence to my extensive research.
Sphagnum moss, due to its pH can also be used in a bark water filter to add extra filtering ability.
Another use would be for feminine hygiene pads as the pH will help to keep it sterile and absorbent properties. This is the same moss seen used by Cody Lundin to bandage a wound on a popular television series.
Sphagnum moss tends to grow in bogs or other places with high acidity. One of the things you will notice with sphagnum moss is that if you wring it, quite a bit of water will often come out. The way you can tell sphagnum moss from other moss is due to the way it clusters, it has quite a different branching of stems than other mosses.
I believe also, due to some anecdotal evidence and late night discussions with my biologist friends as well as confirmation by Dr. Robertus (biologist), one should be able to consume the water from sphagnum moss “raw” as well as from the pitcher plant with relatively little concern. There is still the chance of illness but the odds are on your side during an emergency situation.
Winter Cress is a simple to identify plant that is great for beginners. Though it is easy to confuse with different types of mustard plants, I have not found, through research, any poisonous look-alike. The best and true way to identify this plant is by its leafs. You may notice the leafs are differently shaped and more lobed than wild mustard. The leafs will be a dark green and waxy. It grows in moist waste areas and flowers in April-August. Winter Cress may be found year round, and if you’re lucky, can be dug out of the snow even in winter.
The young leaves may form dense rosettes during warm spells in late winter and may be picked into the spring while the nights are still frosty. Though the plant is edible all year, the frosty nights of the transition of winter to spring is when they are most delicious. They make a great addition to salads or as a cooked green similar to salad.
As the nights warm up and it is no longer frosting, the plant tends to become bitter. This is quickly remedied by boiling the plants in two or three changes of boiling water. The tight yellow flower buds (at the top of the below picture) appear after the leafs become too bitter for most palates. They may be collected and then boiled for approximately five minutes in two changes of water and served as a broccoli treat.
Harvest them when they are about 6-8 inches tall and not maturing, meaning, not yet uncurling and showing their leafs.
To cook them, give them a wash and rub the hairs off of them. It doesn’t take too long and the hairs come off easily. The bracken fern must be cooked before being consumed. They can be steamed for 30-45 minutes in two changes of water until tender-crisp or fried with butter or olive oil. They taste and are used much like asparagus.
Once they start unfurling, they become inedible as they tend to get more bitter. This is an example of a maturing fiddlehead that I would not consume.
They can be gathered in abundance and make for a delicious meal from our own forest and prove to be way cheaper (just a little time and work) than buying them at gourmet prices at restaurants or at the store.
Mmm, a great and tasty wild edible! 
This time of year, we are looking for the younger, new growth plants which are typically the green plants among the dead brown.Here is a young cattail
