Kentucky Woodsmans Weekend

This past weekend I was privledged to attend the KWW at Fort Boonesborough in Richmond Kentucky.The KWW is a yearly event of seminars dealing with many diverse topics that a 18th century woodsman would have known or been aware of.I had a very good time.The lectures were great.The deer meat stew on saturday night was yummy.It was a very stress releaving weekend and I look forward to next year when I might possibly be a presenter.The fat guy second from the right in the photo is me.God Im a fat bear but a happy fat bear.

Makin Plans

Its a new month....November.Deer season is fast approaching.A fella on FrontierFolk was asking about what folks do when preparing for a scout ie cut back on stuff like sugar and caffiene or sleep on the floor ect ect.So what shall follow is how I do it.

Where are you going;

Lay out on paper where you are going and if possible plot it out on a map.List who might know the area ie Nathan has been there.List contact numbers for emergency services in the area where you are going.If possible get a gps number for where you park your car,modern woodsman use gps more than not,it gives them a starting point if shit goes wrong.List when your going to be there and for how long and what the reason your there for.

The number one thing that most forget is a bugout plan.If you have to get out quick due to weather,accident or anything have a plan of your bugout route.If it turns to crao it does no good to have everyone else speculating on what your possibly doing.WRITE IT DOWN AND DO NOT DEVIATE FROM A BUGOUT PLAN.

Prescout Preps:

Somefolks swear off thier favorite foods or drinks.Somefolks start sleeping on the floor.Somefolks switch to different footwear.I do none of the above.

I find that swearing off my favorite foods or drinks before a scout makes it worse for me.I start jonesing bad.Its works better for me to substitute the things Im addicted to with something period proper.Pepsi is substituted with tea.That is my addiction.

Feet run the whole machine.If your feet hurt the rest of you will hurt.I wear period shoes a lot so I dont have to condition my feet to period shoes.I wear moccs around camp or when I go to bed.You will get what I call moccasin horrors if you do not wear moccasins on a regular weekly basis.

Your gear speaks a lot about your experiances.Having your gear ride well and stay put is very important.It totally sucks when stuff is flopping around and swinging in your way getting caught on every stick in the world.Wear your gear around the house or around town and get comfortable with it and learn how to use it.I hope your stuff isnt just cool looking props.

You will get cold.You will get hot.You will get dirty and you will smell.I always find that I get cold the first night sleeping out,after that I sleep much warmer.

Im gonna try and put up a bunch of posts on basic gear and skills that you should know and a reading list of books that I have found usefull.This is enough for now.The photo above is of Jon Haggees pack and hat.

New Ground

My friend Nathan wished to fined a new location to go on a trek this weekend.His wife Andrea is pregnant and the due date is December 5.This is the last chance he will have before the baby comes.

We explored Hemlock Cliffs.Hemlock Cliffs is a beutifull location with plenty of game,wood and water but your not allowed to stay in the rock houses by law.Nathan and I had a very challenging hunt on a Squirell,little fella led a merry chase for several hundred yards.The squirell finally messed up and nathan popped him.I dont think we will be doing overnights at Hemlock Cliffs.To many hikers and we would have to pack a shelter.

We drove to German Ridge.Nathan wanted to show me a cluster of rock houses there.The rockhouses were neat but the water source there is way down hill and everything was to close to civilization and had a lot of traffic from horse riders.I dont like the area.It does have a lot of squirells nests.

Nathan then drove us back to Oriole Lake and I showed him what the USFS was doing at the trail head off of orchard road.He was as pissed off as I am.It looks like they are putting in a huge road to get access in for the timber.I took Nathan to the other trail area and we walked down into Stinking Fork creek.Its a good hike in and the area is beutiful.It lacks small game but has a potential for fish and trapping.It is a hike to get there but I like it.I will have to build a shelter since I cant locate any rockhouse there that are usable.I need to explore the area deeper.

Nathan still might go to Cains Keep this weekend even with the neon pink paint on the trees.I dont think I will go back there.It just saddens me to see it as it is now and remember how it was before.

Sad Day

I left the house today and drove to Perry County to begin my scout.When I got to the trailhead it was blocked by a USFS truck and utility trailer.I headed down the trail survey stakes were in the ground everywhere and a lot of trees were marked for cutting.I thought maybe they havent gone to far.I was wrong.At Cains Keep the trees are marked with neon pink paint blazes.It appears they have marked new boundry lines and quite possibly the neon pink is for a new trail that is ten feet in front of the rock house.I now understand even better what Nessmuk meant when he wroteNEVER ANY MORE CANIT BE UNTO ME AS BEFORE.It aint all bad I guess.Now I must explore new territory.The quest is sometimes the best part of a destination.

Getting ready for a scout

I am leaving in the morning on a scout at Cains Keep.I will be in there solo until Friday when I should be joined by a few others of like mind.It will give me the time to focus on solitude for a couple of days until the others come in.The weather forcast looks good with rain showers on a couple of days.I know some folks like lists and live by them so I will post what I shall be taking on this outing.

Clothing:

Linen knee breeches

Linen shirt

Linen waistcoat

Fustian Hunting Shirt

Leather leggings with barktanned leather knee garters

Fugawee Ligonier shoes

Wool Monmouth cap

Silk neck scarf

Leather waistbelt with accoutrements(belt knife,hatchet,8 tube cartridge box,noggin)

Gun:

20 Bore Fusil

Powder Horn

Slit pouch with ammo and mecessities for my gun

Pack:

Tony Baker Homespun Blanket

Palaise sack(to be stuffed with leaves for a bed)

Small brass kettle

Flint and steel

small market wallet with my food snd bits snd pircrd ie spoon,salt horn,sewing repair kit ect.

Moccasins for wearing around camp and sleeping in.

Food:

Parched hominy

Parched peas

Dried beef

Wild rice

Dried onion

Im sure to toss stuff in or out it all depends on my mood and the situation due to the senerio or lack there of.This trip is for me to get back to being me,I feel I havent been for quite some time.Will possibly take a camera and get some photos to post.I will keep a journal on this trip and will post the entrys here when I get back.

Im not sure who else will be showing up this weekend but those that do are good woodsmen in thier own right.

My wife Connie was looking at my Blog and noticed that I now have more compasses than I had last week.I didnt tell her about the one I picked up at Locust Grove on saturday.That means I must get more of them and she wont notice such things.

The big dang knife

I carry two knives.A very large knife for defense is always loaded and gives me comfort in my belt on a dark night deep in the timber.Hunting with a muzzleloading firearm is great untill its empty and you have to reload in a hurry.I carry a large plug bayonet or a large hand forged butcher with a antler handle.Both knives are used for general rough work and butchering.I carry a small knife in my pocket for fine work and skinning.Both knives are period correct to the 18th century.The plug bayonet would have been military surplus by the time I am most interested in but still a plausable weapon for the times.

Burl noggin

I thought I would share with you a littlle gem I have carried for ten years or so.This is a burl noggin/drinking cup.It is carried on my belt and is used for drinking from springs or creeks so you dont have to take your eyes of your surroundings by laying down at the creek side to get a drink.They are also known as canoe cups.Its also very handy for filling a canteen where the water source is very shallow or to small to fit the canteen.The deer antler toggle is thrust under the waist belt to secure it from loss.This noggin is native made and is from Maine.I found it in a shop and it has served me well for a decade or more.Its one of my most commented on pieces of gear.The walls of it are very thin.