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elkhound

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This thread is going to contain historical stuff that some might not want to see, hear or read. It is going to take awhile for me to post up everything and show links and more.

Once at a place far from here, I was going along and saw a crowd of folks. I walked up to them and they had this old man hog tied and their ring leader was bashing him over the head while others were getting the stake ready to hang him on. I said, hey what y'all doing...well they was saying this old man had secrets and wasn't telling them to the crowd. I said, hey have you asked him...they just growled and howled. I said hey old man, why don't you tell them one little nugget? Now the old man done had his fill but decided to give a short and sweet answer....He said "Generally, there is no firewood. It can be 20 or 40 or more miles to the nearest tree. Unguided hunters have been known to smash their wood rifle stocks for firewood. This was before non-wood stocks. Guys have been known to burn their spare clothing for fire. Most (but not all) hunting & camps are above timberline."

They screamed and hollered. I said, there, ya nugget! Why do you think the old man has for decades talked super good sleeping bag and water over and over. I was told I ain't going to be at high elevation....well, I tried to give some examples but the man in charge and others were not having it at all. What they failed to realize is elevation had nothing to do with it...lack of resource was the problem. A treeless area can be at all elevations including coastline.They said, I ain't goin' there because no reason! Well, I beg to differ when for thousands of years people often at least traveled to these types of area to gather game and other resources and often to graze livestock even.

I was going to show them examples but decided it was a waste of time.

Here's nuggets for treeless area...and having a high value sleeping bag....the mid west prairies...I have read where they often cut and twisted grass for cooking and heating...why do people think they built sod houses...it was plentiful and warm and area had limited trees. At one time, (and I only saw one picture and sorry it's on a pdf and won't allow me to screenshot it for y'all...but they used to make a stove for grass..it had two tubes with a spring in it and it compressed the dry grass and automatically as best i can tell pushed it forward into firebox as it burned...sort of like a mini haybaler type thing.

Why do you think Navajo and Hopi took up sheep and goats and weaving once contacted by the Spanish...food and for the wool to weave blankets so they'd use less wood from so far away and in limited availability...it advanced your survival.
 
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Here's a hidey hole...if you were off at distance you wouldn't see this place. It has water and very limited trees so you won't be cutting 10 cords a year of firewood. But you could survive here doing some agriculture and sleeping in an extra nice bag and coppicing or pollarding the trees for cooking and it would be sustainable.
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See the limited trees far, far away? But yet there's enough water to grow food in garden. There are trees along a tiny water way but that won't last long. Folks in Afghanistan plant poplar trees and fruit trees along any water source and they trim fruit and save every single stick and pollard bigger trees and much more.
 
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treeless are with a spring...you put part of cornstalks back in ground for fertility and rest you use to cook with.Save by having a warm sleeping bag.No burning gunstocks and clothes here.
 
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No trees..but water and food growing. So much for building that cabin...lol...build a hogan though and if you have sleeping bag or wool blankets you be set.
 
Another example for thousands of years people lived at least part of the year in treeless areas around the globe.


 
Warning....the video below has some sad information in it...you are warned. It was survival...sad they perished.

Anyway another example....People of the deer...they were known as primitive Eskimos even by coastal Eskimos. I will try and put correct name they used. But they lived in one of harshest places on planet covering over 2 million square miles because there was food there and water...part of the time...well all the time but hard to access....guess how these people got water in winter...by putting snow in skin bag and putting it in next to them under furs....see there were no trees, well, some scrub, but you can't be digging out feet of snow for twigs. As example these people often ate caribou raw. Now I have not read the book (People of the Deer) but I have listened to the audio a couple of times, often missing chunks of it. These people lived without fire all winter and coastal Eskimos used various oils in oil lamps. These inland Eskimos didn't as fat was too precious to waste for heat or even light.

All cultures have times of feast or famine and it got to the point where they were going to die out so govt. stepped in....you can see more about it in video and when they got to return for a bit. The real reason for their decline is because both European and other natives went on a killing spree and used up boxes of 1000 rounds killing caribou for their tongue. I don't know for sure but the place in video, Mystery of 4300 year old tools above the old guy said caribou started disappearing in that area in late 1800's...I think it was because in part of their long migration route they were being killed by the 1000's. One place where two lakes had a stream connecting them they killed caribou and it clogged the waterway to the point you couldnt go down it in a canoe for fear of poking a hole in it. i Tell ya we people were sick with greed and so much more...close to doing to caribou as we did to buffalo in fact...thank God it got stopped in time.

this was 1985...first bit sucks visually but gets better.

 
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I love it, keep-em coming. (If you got more). Thanks for starting this thread.
 
I love it, keep-em coming. (If you got more). Thanks for starting this thread.
I have/had a bunch as you know, it's been several months in the making. Theres one I am sad to say I can't find now and it might have been taken down of a woman tending sheep; it showed her digging up bushes to have roots to boil her tea with at high elevation....she had a scarf and it was awesome to see her use that scarf in so many ways...especially to block constant winds when lighting her little fire. Everything from her shoes to all her clothes had real purpose with some slight decoration to satisfy the femininity side of her. I hope it can be found but just not sure.
 
People of the Deer

Learn value of sleeping bag or fur blankets and how to deal with frozen water for drinking and no fire. Read about eating raw meat and meat riddled with various bot flies and more. These people learned just how much rotten meat could be fed to children and not kill them or themselves...yes it's hardscrabble bottom rung survival.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_of_the_Deer

One interesting thing was one family when they ate they had a wooden plater/plate/bowlish type thing they put meat out on...the wood in area was so small and scarce that it took like 31 pieces to do a type of tongue and groove to even build that one item.

Also Europeans trying to stay warm often had on 25# of winter clothing while the outfits the Ahiarmiut wore was 7-8#.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahiarmiut
 
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a woman tending sheep and showed her digging up bushed to have roots to boil her tea with at high elevation.
Only "Slightly" relevant to this thread (but was very educational for me). I wish I could show some photos that DO NOT exist of these root formations. I have spent this past summer learning about root systems of trees that their entire root system only goes down about 5" and runs near the surface. What is interesting to me, a near six decades woodfire user, I never thought about the root systems. Truly never gave them any thought, was only interested in logging application. This post is going to be non-sensible without photos.

I can often work these trees that are 4" to 5" diameter out of the shallow ground with no tools just rocking them back & forth for a few minutes each day, till they just leave the ground, including the total root system down to the smallest thinnest tiny hair root. I then set the entire tree in a barn to dry out. Maybe my point is the dried root wad including the tiny hair roots would be great for fire, and I have long considered roots worthless pain in the butt.
 
i have/had a bunch as you know its been several months in the making.Theres one i am sad to say i cant find now and it might been took down of a woman tending sheep and showed her digging up bushed to have roots to boil her tea with at high elevation....she had a scarf and it was awesome to see her use that scarf in so many ways...especially to block constant winds when lighting her little fire.Everything from her shoes to all her clothes had real purpose with some slight decoration to satisfy the femininity side of her. i hope it can be found but just not sure.
Ok I found it....I will admit after looking just a couple of minutes she doesn't have as many decorations on as I thought originally and I could have confused her with others who do...but anyway you can see her scarf and how its used for just a few seconds in the beginning but see it more over in it...Also of note is what I want to call a "sash". @Tommyice and I have talked about sashes some and how historically they were a highly prized item that were used daily for a wide array of reasons both by male and female, functioning as a type of backpack, belt, scarf and so much more. There are even historical references where men wore these because of hernias and how hernias use to be #1 killer of men..or it was thought to be. I have posted in video down in South/Central America the guys used a belt to carry out deer with. I could see a type of belt incorporated in with a sash to function on way more levels having loops on end for game animals and possible even to carry small game like the old game carriers with all the foot loops they used to use. I have a small piece of nylon I've been saving for years that I might design it around. I will find the links i showed @Tommyice and put them here later.

 
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I didn't read all of this but some, and it made me think of our trip to India. In rural areas, we saw lots of women collecting cow manure and making them into patties, and then sticking them on walls for them to dry. This is what they cook with ( since there are very little trees in most areas)

 
I didn't read all of this but some, and it made me think of our trip to India. In rural areas, we saw lots of women collecting cow manure and making them into patties, and then sticking them on walls for them to dry. This is what they cook with ( since there are very little trees in most areas)


yes...thank you for posting...I was going to but just haven't gotten to all that, trying to pour out of my brain pan that I've been thinking about for months or more.
 
lol, if we don't get any firewood soon, maybe I can make goat poop patties to put in the wood stove.....
See, it's one aspect many miss in higher elevation or treeless areas. With some water they might grow a crop of alfalfa for hay but often they grow a grain, either wheat or barley, and feed chaff to livestock to then get fuel to cook with from poop. It's a complete system of survival.

Much of the east coast was stripped to the dirt of trees in many areas back in the day because they used it for smelting the big old furnaces for ores, from iron to lead, etc.
 
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A sleeping bag set up I want. Synthetic filled and have a ground cloth inside it and a small waterproof tarp or covering so that no matter what, you could roll it out and be warm etc. It would have to be thin so as to not expand the roll up too much so sleeping bag can go in its stuff sack again.

Years ago when TV show, "Survivor," came out and it was real roughing it and starving, often they complained about being cold at night. First thing I thought if I was there i would want a top/bottom of polypropylene long underwear, but in lightweight that used to be made..not sure if its still made. it dries fast and at the end of the day you could put it on just to have enough on you at night not to shiver to death in tropics...yes, you get cold even when it's warm temperatures out...or in a rain storm.The ones I used to have you could hold in one hand balled up...if laid flat inside the bag you could roll it up to add warmth to the bag.
 
Only "Slightly" relevant to this thread (but was very educational for me). I wish I could show some photos that DO NOT exist of these root formations. I have spent this past summer learning about root systems of trees that their entire root system only goes down about 5" and runs near the surface. What is interesting to me, a near six decades woodfire user, I never thought about the root systems. Truly never gave them any thought, was only interested in logging application. This post is going to be non-sensible without photos.

I can often work these trees that are 4" to 5" diameter out of the shallow ground with no tools just rocking them back & forth for a few minutes each day, till they just leave the ground, including the total root system down to the smallest thinnest tiny hair root. I then set the entire tree in a barn to dry out. Maybe my point is the dried root wad including the tiny hair roots would be great for fire, and I have long considered roots worthless pain in the butt.
Often back in the day, guys dug up walnut roots for pistol handles since it had so much figuring in the roots.

On a sidenote...root systems....if left alone they send up a tree again most times -- if it's a deciduous tree. Many of the trees in our forests in the east if tested for DNA, is exact same specimen from way back because it grew back from stump sprouts. Also, roots can be grown out even more as tree grows, giving itself new and more roots...per forestry PhD guys.

When Roland Welker won "Alone," he's a famous Alaskan guide, he was carrying out sticks/small trees with root ball nubs attached back to camp, he was standing them up around the rockhouse he built to dry a bit extra. You would see a shot and they be gone because he was using them up in his fires..he was doing this so he was not returning back to camp empty handed...per fine hairs and small roots....hemlock and cedar was used for cordage by natives.
 
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ok i found it....i will admit after looking just at couple of minutes she doesnt have as many decorations on her as i thought originally and i could have confused her with others who do...but anyway you can see her scarf and how its used for just a few seconds in beginning but see it more over in it...also of note is what i want to call a "sash" me and @Tommyice have talked about sashes some and how historically they were a highly prized item that were used daily for wide array of reasons both by male and female functioning as a type of backpack,belt,scarf and so much more. theres even historical references where men wore these because of hernias and how hernias use to be #1 killer of me..or it was thought to be.I have posted in video down in south/central america guys used a belt to carry out deer with. i could see a type of belt incorporated in with a sash to function on way more levels having loops on end for game animals and possible even to carry small game like the old game carriers with all the foot loops they use to use. i have a small piece of nylon i been saving for years i might design it around. i wil find links i showed tommyice and put them here later.


I wonder if she has a Single Grandmother that always wanted to immigrate to Alaska.
 
A sleeping bag set up i want. Synthetic filled and have a ground cloth inside it and a small waterproof tarp or covering so no matter what you could roll it out and be warm etc. It have to be thin so as to not expand the roll up to much so sleeping bag go in its stuff sack again.

Years ago when tv show survivor came out and it was real roughing it and starving often they complained about being cold at night. First thing i thought if i was there i would want a top/bottom of polypropylene long underwear but in lightweight that used to be made..not sure if its still made. it drys fast and at end of day you could put it on just to have enough on you at night not to shiver to death in tropics...yes you get cold even when its warm temperatures out...or in a rain storm.The ones i use to have you could hold in one hand balled up...if laid flat inside bag you could roll it up so to have to put on to add to warmth of bag.
I carry a set of PCU Level 1 thermals in my Go Bag for exactly that purpose.

Very compact but can keep you alive by pushing up the thermal performance of your clothing and/or your sleep system.

I also carry a Crye Precision Night Cap to improve head insulation.
 
I am sorry to all who read my posts...I just can't type; have zero grammar skills and spelling and such. My reverse dyslexia just sucks.....it's getting worse I think as I get older...I know my posts are rambling disjointed works of art...lol...for that I am sorry..its just the best I can do.
 
I carry a set of PCU Level 1 thermals in my Go Bag for exactly that purpose.

Very compact but can keep you alive by pushing up the thermal performance of your clothing and/or your sleep system.

I also carry a Crye Precision Night Cap to improve head insulation.
i have been watching a native lady harvest a bunch of sea otter and she showed their unique fur. My very first thought was that would make a fantastic fur liner for the foot area of a sleeping bag, just to protect your feet extra if in super cold places. I know @Sourdough uses those booties he has talked about but this be a bit more.
 
i have been watching a native lady harvest a bunch if sea otter and she showed their unique fur. my very first thought was that would make a fantastic fur liner for foot area of a sleeping bag just to protect your feet extra if in super cold places. i know sourdough uses those booties he has talked about but this be a bit more.
The best military sleeping bags have a reinforced foot area.....because we often sleep with boots on.

I have on occasions, gone for more than a week without taking my boots off.

That hammers your feet....but when the situation requires that, you don't have much choice.

In the very cold places I have been, the thing that determines how warm your feet are, is how well you insulate your legs. That determines how much warmth your blood retains when it arrives at your feet.
 
The best military sleeping bags have a reinforced foot area.....because we often sleep with boots on.

I have on occasions, gone for more than a week without taking my boots off.

That hammers your feet....but when the situation requires that, you don't have much choice.

In the very cold places I have been, the thing that determines how warm your feet are, is how well you insulate your legs. That determines how much warmth your blood retains when it arrives at your feet.
I have some items I have designed to go with the sleeping bag and more from a minimal "running for your life" type thing....or bare bones survival. Not sure if I talked about it on the forum. Once I mentioned this and got contacted by someone wanting to 'help' with my designs and getting them to the correct people.

A cooker and necklace...the necklace looks like nothing but is something is all I say.

i just listened to the 2nd place contestant on "Alone" TV show this year say the one thing he needed or lacked in skill was cooking...I tried to tell some this at one time and was slaughtered to death and cussed out deluxe at a forum....I have seen people get food over and over only to ruin it when cooking.
 
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