Bushcraft differences around the world

[Sittingbull]

Hello, I am a new member from Los Angeles California. I joined because I enjoy the Natural Bushcraft videos on Youtube.

One day I'd love to do a course in the UK. I think it would be a great way to experience the countryside.

My question is this: If you know, what are the major differences in the way that bushcraft is practiced around the world? US, UK, Australia etc.

One thing I have noticed of course is different terrain. I enjoy spending time in the California deserts.

[Ehecatl]

Hello & welcome,

M@

[BJ]

Hi & welcome,
I think you have hit on a big difference, the changes that climate zones necessitate. Desert to tundra, each have their own challenges.
Living in a temperate (cold and wet) climate I would relish a hot desert for a few weeks. http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/subject/t57025.gif (http://yoursmiles.org/t-subject.php?page=2)

[Bernie]

Hello and welcome.

I think one of the biggest differences is how we're affected by weather/climate, vegetation and animals. It might be interesting to hear how much water or food and warm clothing people carry in warmer and dryer climates than England.

I know that staying in semi desert regions in the army in South Africa, we had to carry a lot of water, and the challenge was staying warm at night when temperatures dropped below zero, whilst soaring to over 40 during the days. And there's pretty much nothing to eat either. I much prefer England's wet and green climate. :)

[snowleopard]

Hello and welcome from a suposedly sunny climate!! Rains a lot (too much) down here.

Joel

[Sittingbull]

Hello and welcome.

I think one of the biggest differences is how we're affected by weather/climate, vegetation and animals. It might be interesting to hear how much water or food and warm clothing people carry in warmer and dryer climates than England.

I know that staying in semi desert regions in the army in South Africa, we had to carry a lot of water, and the challenge was staying warm at night when temperatures dropped below zero, whilst soaring to over 40 during the days. And there's pretty much nothing to eat either. I much prefer England's wet and green climate. :)

Where did you spend time in the SADF? You must have seen some beautiful places.

[OakAshandThorn]

Fáilte go dtí an comhphobal bushcraft :welcome:.
I agree with Bernie - I think it depends mainly on the climate and what resources are available.

We have another member from California, Nilo52 ;).

[biker-bri]

A warm welcome from North Wales
Cheers Bri

[Old Guard]

:welcome:

[Sittingbull]

I'll say one thing - many people on US forums talk about carrying a handgun into the woods. I've never felt the desire, seems to me to go against the whole point of spending time in nature.

[Bernie]

Where did you spend time in the SADF? You must have seen some beautiful places.

I did, but too often that was obscured by the unpleasant treatment we had. But it made me a stronger person for it. :)

I did my basic training in Ladysmith, then transferred to Oudtshorn for junior leadership training (corporal), after which I transferred to Bloemfontein for mechanised infantry training where I became a gunnery and signals instructor. As such, I was shipped out to Uppington to train troops.

I certainly saw a lot more of South Africa than I would have, had I not (a) gone to the army, and (b) taken every opportunity on offer. Case in point: on a field day out visiting a local animal park, I was first to raise my hand when they asked for a volunteer. My reward? Unlike most expected, I did not have some unpleasant job; I got to enter the Cheetahs cage and pet one of them. An awesome moment in my life I shall never forget.

[alvino78]

:welcome:
along with the weather,terrain and animals suppose our ability to never be that far from a road helps!!!!!

[Fraser]

Welcome aboard from the scottish highlands.

[Sittingbull]

Welcome aboard from the scottish highlands.

Sounds like a fantasy place...

[OKBushcraft]

I'll say one thing - many people on US forums talk about carrying a handgun into the woods. I've never felt the desire, seems to me to go against the whole point of spending time in nature.

Hello from Oklahoma. After seeing so much from the UK on hammock camping, that's become my preferred style. We have stunted hardwoods in my region of the state. I'm about 45 miles from the plains. I prefer to
Camp near the Arkansas border where it's generally greener, the trees taller and the streams clearer.
We go through extremes about like any other place. -20F up to 117F and drought being common.
Ticks!! Ticks are a major health concern here. Lime disease, rocky mountain spotted tick feaver and a couple others. Precaution is key. Also we have chiggers.
Only in the last few years have I started carrying a gun regularly in the woods. I usually carry a singleshot 20ga. Why? Dogs, feral hogs- they destroy so much of the habitst for the native species, possible bears and mountain lions but mainly i carry it due to the pot growers out in the woods now days. It doesn't weigh much.
I'm a hunter so I'm not opposed to adding some protein to the meal should it be season.
Being here in the land of the red man, about everyone you meet has Indian heritage and practicing the skills of our forefathers plays into it a bit I assume.

[Sittingbull]

Hello from Oklahoma. After seeing so much from the UK on hammock camping, that's become my preferred style. We have stunted hardwoods in my region of the state. I'm about 45 miles from the plains. I prefer to
Camp near the Arkansas border where it's generally greener, the trees taller and the streams clearer.
We go through extremes about like any other place. -20F up to 117F and drought being common.
Ticks!! Ticks are a major health concern here. Lime disease, rocky mountain spotted tick feaver and a couple others. Precaution is key. Also we have chiggers.
Only in the last few years have I started carrying a gun regularly in the woods. I usually carry a singleshot 20ga. Why? Dogs, feral hogs- they destroy so much of the habitst for the native species, possible bears and mountain lions but mainly i carry it due to the pot growers out in the woods now days. It doesn't weigh much.
I'm a hunter so I'm not opposed to adding some protein to the meal should it be season.
Being here in the land of the red man, about everyone you meet has Indian heritage and practicing the skills of our forefathers plays into it a bit I assume.

I'm cool with hunting and would love to see the Midwest some day, just not crazy about people with a hero complex.

[shepherd]

welcome to the forum! from the Lake District.... also bear in mind the fauna differences.... you have alot of very dangouras animals to be wary of, depending on your location, bears, wolves, pumas, snakes, cayotes etc ... if we sleep out the worst we get is a flasher....

[ChristerM]

Flora and fauna differences, cultural differences and not at least different legislation.... :)
I would say Bushcraft around the world is as diverse as the the world it self.

(Yes, I know bushcraft is bushcraft no matter, but from my experience, there is also a huge diversity in what individual persons regards as bushcraft as well... Even if they are in the same country/region...) :)

What I persieve as bushcraft might not be what others see it as... If that makes sence to anyone... :)

[shepherd]

plus austrila has all the snakes, poisonous insects, dingos, thats before you even mention the bloody heat! haha

[shepherd]

Flora and fauna differences, cultural differences and not at least different legislation.... :)
I would say Bushcraft around the world is as diverse as the the world it self.

(Yes, I know bushcraft is bushcraft no matter, but from my experience, there is also a huge diversity in what individual persons regards as bushcraft as well... Even if they are in the same country/region...) :)

What I persieve as bushcraft might not be what others see it as... If that makes sence to anyone... :)

great point T^

[Fraser]

Sounds like a fantasy place...

No it's real..... I live here :cool:

[OKBushcraft]

I agree. I have no desire being around trigger happy egotists. I'm very careful who I hunt with. Now that I have children their safety is forefront in my actions and considerations which is why I now carry when afield. Beforehand I just had my edged tools and my hickory walking stick.

Speaking of children, I'm planning a trip to Tsalagi, the Cherokee Village at Talequah Ok. Its a precolumbian village where the guides are the only English speakers and the people in the village speak only Cherokee. I want to see if there are any skills or lessons that are worth incorporating into my style of bushcraft. Don't get me wrong, I like my stainless canteen cup and my Aussie hootchie just fine. I'm always morphing my style- no matter where the folks come from if I listen I'm capable of learning something to add to my skills base or my kit.

[OKBushcraft]

welcome to the forum! from the Lake District.... also bear in mind the fauna differences.... you have alot of very dangouras animals to be wary of, depending on your location, bears, wolves, pumas, snakes, cayotes etc ... if we sleep out the worst we get is a flasher....

Flasher! Lol!!!

[FishyFolk]

In Norway bushcraft, if you ask people they have never heard about it. But we are an outdoors kind of people, and spend a quite a lot of time outdoors in our hills and mountains. Actually we are kind of obsessed with mountains, and the latest craze is climbing them in winter on skis...and in the summer on mountain bikes. Unfortunately this has also lead to a kit hysteria that makes even Jeep look like an amateur. And that is mirrored in Norwegian forums.

What I like about this forum is that when you ask someone for advice like my budget is 100£, what is the best sleeping bag I can get in this range. You get adviced on what sleeping bags are availbale in that range, along with their pros and cons by people who have them. And often even advice on lower priced alternatives worth a look.

On a norwegian forum you'll be told that all 100£ sleeping bags are *manure* and then they will recomend that you buy a 500£ sleeping bag...
The result is that the most popular routes in the mountains look like a fashion show. well, that was the negative side of things.

But we do have a small bushcraft scene in Norway. Mostly inspired by people like Lars Monsen, and Uncle Ray. The bushcrafters don't do things so much different than in england. There are probably more tents than hammocks. And you do not see so much surplus millitary kit. Well...the only other Norwegian bushcrafters I know of is the ones with YT channels, + a handfull that posts on the Nordic Bushcraft forum. And the latter do have their stainless steel US G.I canteen cups etc...but that is because the Norwegian army canteen cup is plastic...

Else in wintyer we use skis instead of snow shoes...etc.

[butchthedog]

A rather late, hello and :welcome: from me Sittingbull. I'm sure you will enjoy it here, good thread by the way..

[OakAshandThorn]

I'll say one thing - many people on US forums talk about carrying a handgun into the woods. I've never felt the desire, seems to me to go against the whole point of spending time in nature.
I haven't either - the only time I would bring a firearm into the woods would be for hunting...and I'm not a hunter ;).

[Ehecatl]

The biggest difference for me is that I prefer the beer over here :happy-clapping:

M@

[Sittingbull]

I think many of the differences have to do with geography and climate. I see a lot of bushcrafters online in the US doing things in forested regions that might as well be other countries compared to the dry Southwest.

[Tommy]

Hi Sittingbull

Two differences that stand out in my mind when watching bushcraft videos on utube are;

1) The forest in England and the lower 48, in most videos looks almost park like to me. The forest here looks much messier to me, it's a big mess here.

2) There is lots of noise like traffic and lots of signs of people in most videos. Here I might hear a mining or logging operation towards the horizon. One time I saw an Indian pass by my camp. I think that I was on Indian land but he didn't say anything to me.

Oh and one more thing, it's cold here.

[OakAshandThorn]

2) There is lots of noise like traffic and lots of signs of people in most videos. Here I might hear a mining or logging operation towards the horizon. One time I saw an Indian pass by my camp. I think that I was on Indian land but he didn't say anything to me.[/QUOTE]
A Huron/Wyandot? Only Natives in my area are the ones running casinos...shame really :(.

[Tommy]

A Huron/Wyandot? Only Natives in my area are the ones running casinos...shame really :(.

He was a blackfoot, I was in the foothills of the rockies.

They have casinos here too! LOL

[OKBushcraft]

I think many of the differences have to do with geography and climate. I see a lot of bushcrafters online in the US doing things in forested regions that might as well be other countries compared to the dry Southwest.

I know we aren't nearly as dry as you, here in Oklahoma we have the extream eastern side that's more like the ozarks, the area I live is rolling hills with stunted oaks and hickories except the river and creek bottoms where the trees can be big. Then out west it's flat!!! The southwest has more hills and mesquite. Then there's the black Mesa area way out in the panhandle. The gloss mountains where my granddad was born is more desert like. Lots of extreams in my little state. I prefer the eastern hills.

[OKBushcraft]

Another difference here in the states, generally most people don't know what bush crafting is. They generally think you mean a survivalist lunatic.

[beermaker]

heyup from North Yorkshire :) welcome to the forum!

[Tommy]

Another difference here in the states, generally most people don't know what bush crafting is.
It's the same here.



They generally think you mean a survivalist lunatic.
They call themselves preppers now and their utube videos are pure comedy.

[Tommy]

Oh I forgot to say :welcome: , :Sorry: