Coming out in the woods

[Metal mug]

What kind of reaction do you get from people when you tell them you're a bushcrafter? Do they think you're some Rambo nut, or do they understand what bushcrafting's about. I was just curious to know what other people find.

Jack

[Bernie]

People at work (I'm a software developer) think I'm a bit of a Rambo. My other interest (canoeing) doesn't help much either - just makes things worse when they see photos of me FAR from shore all alone in a little canoe. Yeah, I'm a nutter for sure in their books. :)

[Ben Casey]

My old Army mates think I'm mad my family know I'm mad so nothing out of the ordinary for me LOL

[Martin]

Not sure you mean coming out do you Jack? ;)

Martin

[Metal mug]

Not sure you mean coming out do you Jack? ;)

MartinAh at least someone got my joke. :D

[LandRoverMatt]

Well as im only a begginer I dont call my self a bushcrafter but my mate thinks its mad :) no one really comment about it

[comanighttrain]

People ask about, say I wish I could do that and then are always "busy" whenever im going, which is usually any given weekend....

[GwersyllaCnau]

There is a rumour going round my place of work that I'm ex SAS... this could be due to my interests.

[CanadianMike]

The majority in North America haven't a clue what bushcraft means....................... I usually have to explain it as "lightweight camping, talking what you need in a light backpack, and fashioning everything else you need from nature", but then again, it's worthless to say all overall, and I still haven't experienced lightweight camping myself, don't get out much and tend to take way more than I need, entire baby steps if you will........

[survivalgirl]

yea I don't like saying I love survival

[JEEP]

Well, being a medieval re-enactor aswell as a bushcrafter and a collector of arms (and a ton other things), the reactions, I get from telling about my hobbies, are normally of the "smile and don't make eye contact" variety. I have stopped caring really.

The only truly negative reactions I have gotten, are a few times, at open camping grounds, when I have pulled out my knives, especially my 8" leuku. But, once people see that I actually use said knives for working wood, preparing firewood/tinder, etc. They mostly relax about it. I have gotten a lot more negative reactions from carrying my camera actually.

[comanighttrain]

You get negative reactions from carrying a camera?

[jus_young]

The question of 'Why ?' usually gets asked. Why would you want to go out in the woods with as little as possible, sleep rough and cook the hard way. I would like to show some of these people just what an experience it can be. My wife was a doubter and even used to object to glamping but now its a case of 'where are we going next' and 'what other events can we go to'!

Most of those that know me have got used to it and as their kids go to Cubs & Scouts they just see it as me learning and using it to teach the Scouts new skills etc. I'm just the looney one that the kids love as I let them do things they can't get away with at home, and the parents just shrug their shoulders, shake their heads and leave me to it :happy-clapping:

[cuppa joe]

i dont tell anyone....its my dirty little secret....oh and quietly...trust no one lol

[GwersyllaCnau]

I get alot of negative reactions when I'm out using my camera... I once did a series of photos of old red telephone boxes in rural locations at night. One was next to an old farm house.... Must have lit his bedroom up like daylight at 3am. He wasn't pleased. Personally i think he was lucky I was only using the flash on 1/8th power LOL>

With regards to lightweight camping/survival interests most people look at me and say your mad. They also say that about my excersicing...
Them: "Do you play rugby"
Me: "no"
Them: "Why do you run then?"

"It's raining, why are you going out running?"

"You ran how far?!! What's the point of that? There's something wrong with you"


BTW I'm planning on doing the 'long drag' to raise raise money for my local scout group. But also because it's there and I want to see if I can do it.

[JEEP]

You get negative reactions from carrying a camera?

Carry a big camera with a big lens, be it in the city, on the beach, in the woods, etc. People think you are there to snap candid photos of their kids (funny, as I rarely take pictures of people at all). All while the guy with the compact camera, at the beach, obviously photographing the bathing children, is left alone. I will never understand that. Maybe I just look like a creep?

[GwersyllaCnau]

Carry a big camera with a big lens, be it in the city, on the beach, in the woods, etc. People think you are there to snap candid photos of their kids (funny, as I rarely take pictures of people at all). All while the guy with the compact camera, at the beach, obviously photographing the bathing children, is left alone. I will never understand that. Maybe I just look like a creep?

True

[JEEP]

True

True that I look like a creep? :p

[comanighttrain]

BTW I'm planning on doing the 'long drag' to raise raise money for my local scout group. But also because it's there and I want to see if I can do it.

not to go off topic but that is something I would like to try also.

[Humakt]

I don't use the word 'bushcraft' to non-bushcrafters. And even when I do use it I can feel my toes curl slightly in embarrassment.
When people ask what I do, I tell them I like going camping/hiking/watching wildlife and that sort of thing. If asked what tent or campsite I go to then I tell them I don't use a tent, and that I camp out in the woods away from public sites. I don't expand upon it because I know it'll only be a good source for them to ridicule me and lazily use words such as 'Rambo' and 'survivialist' etc. And I can't be bothered with all that. I'd sooner come across as anti-social and taciturn than voluntarily open myself up to narrow-minded comments.
But if I reckon someone is receptive and interested (whether or not it's something they themselves would do) then I will expand a bit more and go into more detail on what I do. I may even, get this, drop in the name Ray Mears.

Keep in mind my other hobbies are modelmaking and playing miniature wargames (no, NOT Warhammer - I'm an adult!) then saying 'camping etc' is the least embarrassing of my options.

[treefrog]

The majority in North America haven't a clue what bushcraft means..........

You're right about that; it's not a common word here. Lots of people hunt and fish and camp and practice various degrees of bushcraft
without calling it bushcraft. I just got back from the hunt camp last night (4 deer so far. Yay!) and I'm sure none of the guys in our
party would know about Ray Mears, etc.
BTW, we got to try out an official Bear Grylls knife. One of the guys had his young son there who was all proud of his new BG knife;
we were skinning out a couple deer and one guy's knife got way dull so he borrowed the kid's BG. All I can say is it's edge didn't hold up
too well to deer hair and bone; this one gets a 4 out of ten.:mad2:

[GwersyllaCnau]

True that I look like a creep? :p

I would never say that... people in glass houses etc... :D

Have you seen my avatar???

[JEEP]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLPZmPaHme0

[Pryderi]

Carry a big camera with a big lens, be it in the city, on the beach, in the woods, etc. People think you are there to snap candid photos of their kids (funny, as I rarely take pictures of people at all). All while the guy with the compact camera, at the beach, obviously photographing the bathing children, is left alone. I will never understand that. Maybe I just look like a creep?

I'll third the camera reactions.... You get all sorts of hard stares and what not. Was even accosted by security guard while out with my wife photographing a squirrel but to be fair to him he had the good grace to be embarrased about it. Doesn't help that I am chubby, middle aged and wear glasses.

[Realearner]

I have had the usual reactions, but my retort is to laugh. And say but I don't sit in front of a television shouting at 22 grown men kicking a bag of wind about. This usually gets a strong reaction and they forget about bushcraft :guns:

[Metal mug]

I have had the usual reactions, but my retort is to laugh. And say but I don't sit in front of a television shouting at 22 grown men kicking a bag of wind about. This usually gets a strong reaction and they forget about bushcraft :guns:My favorite discription of football is - "A game where you watch thick millionares kick a ball round a lawn." :D

[JEEP]

I'll third the camera reactions.... You get all sorts of hard stares and what not. Was even accosted by security guard while out with my wife photographing a squirrel but to be fair to him he had the good grace to be embarrased about it. Doesn't help that I am chubby, middle aged and wear glasses.

The worst (and strangest) reaction I have ever gotten, was a very angry man threatening to throw my camera in the water, if I didn't leave, at a beach on Bornholm. Funny thing; my camera was hanging over my shoulder, turned off and with the lens cap on. This happened all while an elderly man was standing at the edge of the water, blatantly photographing the bathing people with his compact camera, while sporting an undeniable creapy smirk on his face - aswell as every other sign of "excitement", hardly concealed by his bathing trunks.

Fully dressed young man w. large camera, walking with his girlfriend, not taking pictures = creep
Granpa sporting sompact camera and "exitement", taking pictures of bathing kids = not creep
I still don't get it...

[jus_young]

... I still don't get it...

The world is a funny place.

[GwersyllaCnau]

My favorite discription of football is - "A game where you watch thick millionares kick a ball round a lawn." :D
With their I.Q. written on their backs

[jus_young]

Wait for the reactions... :D

[Whistle]

I would definately class myself as a "closet bushcrafter" , though my wife puts up with my eccentricities by describing me as her little Ray Mears ...

I use Bushcrafting , Cycling and Hillwalking as a means to my Photography and find that generally , amongst other outdoor people , great tolerance in that setting up a hide or shelter to protect the camera / tripod to enable wildlife or landscape photography is well accepted and understood ...

But totally agree with JEEP , Pryderi and GwersyllaCnau that in more public places or where there are more people gathered you are looked on as though you had set up a machine gun in a sandbag emplacement !!!
I likewise have found that just carrying camera/big lenses gains you unwanted attention and often open hostillity ... I just make sure all the kit is broken down bagged and out of sight before entering that type of public space ... can be awkward sometimes but feels much safer !!!
The other problem I have encountered with people is that they all expect cash/money/royalties or other reward even if you haven't taken photographs ... Aghhhhhhhhh !!!

That is why I keep my Photography to wildlife and Landscape work to isolated spaces or silly o'clock in the morning and generally out of the public domain ...

Cheers Whistle

[JEEP]

The world is a funny place.

Indeed

[comanighttrain]

Indeed

On that note, sex is less socially acceptable than violence(in the uk)? Society sends me to the forest usually. I'm guess im glad they all don't like being wet and cold or I'd never get any peace.

[markal17]

i love it when the police follow me all the way up the road then when i go in to the filds they stop me to find out what im doing and were im going i say in the wood they say why you dont have a dog lolol dont you just love them lol

[Silverback]

What kind of reaction do you get from people when you tell them you're a bushcrafter? Do they think you're some Rambo nut, or do they understand what bushcrafting's about. I was just curious to know what other people find.

Jack

They think Im a nutter, but i have convinced 2 mates about the joys of getting away from it all. My other 'pastime' of dogging tends to attract a lot of interest too

[RobbC]

My other 'pastime' of dogging tends to attract a lot of interest too

Haha, this reminded me of this.......enjoy ;)
http://youtu.be/MXzaVOk_Ydk

Edit- WARNING EXPLICIT!!!!!

[Silverback]

Not that kind of Dogging !!!

[comanighttrain]

haha wont be pitching my tent near sapps!

[Silverback]

haha wont be pitching my tent near sapps!

nope because my dog may pee on it

[comanighttrain]

my atko laughs are your pitiful dog pee!

[Pryderi]

The worst (and strangest) reaction I have ever gotten, was a very angry man threatening to throw my camera in the water, if I didn't leave, at a beach on Bornholm. Funny thing; my camera was hanging over my shoulder, turned off and with the lens cap on. This happened all while an elderly man was standing at the edge of the water, blatantly photographing the bathing people with his compact camera, while sporting an undeniable creapy smirk on his face - aswell as every other sign of "excitement", hardly concealed by his bathing trunks.

Fully dressed young man w. large camera, walking with his girlfriend, not taking pictures = creep
Granpa sporting sompact camera and "exitement", taking pictures of bathing kids = not creep
I still don't get it...

Its the big cameras.... They steal people's souls you know. The little ones and camera phones are harmless of course.
:)

[RobbC]

Ive not really had any negative reactions, my friends think im a bit mad, buy hey most thought that anyway;), and they understand. The worst reaction was when someone compared me to Bear Grylls.......one was not amused lol.

Robb

[Metal mug]

This happened all while an elderly man was standing at the edge of the water, blatantly photographing the bathing people with his compact camera, while sporting an undeniable creapy smirk on his face - aswell as every other sign of "excitement", hardly concealed by his bathing trunks.
I hope it was a birch bark canoe in his trunks. :rolleye:

[Martin]

I hope it was a birch bark canoe in his trunks. :rolleye:

No, he was just pleased to see you.

Martin

[comanighttrain]

Lets hope he doesn't ask you to come on board...