busy weekend outing long sorry

[lonetracker]

now that i have figured out i can stay warm through a winter night in my hammock i prefer to spend the whole weekend in the woods.my goals for this weekend were
1. spend some time around,and take pictures of some hemlock trees for the bcusa tree data base.
2.make a bow and drill started fire
3.make some char cloth
4.feed myself with a prey of opportunity
5.try out a new tarp tie system
6.survive the winter night comfortably
7.do a little bobcat calling
8.camp on a cool rocky knob that has a mature stand of hemlock on it and is surrounded by cedar swamp,that i found last weekend .

upon arriving at my spot i went and looked here.i found this last weekend,and knew that in the hallow under this rock a porkupine lived.i have never eaten porkupine but they are supposed to be great survival food(because they are easy to get with just a club)i decided to try one.


we had snow a couple days ago so i figured as slow moving as they are i could easily track him down.either there was more than one or this guy really gets around,seemed like he visited every tree on my island.i had about given up,then on the way back when 30 yrds from were i started.there he is.and he is eating a hemlock tree.coincidence?or fate?


quick shot with .223


skun him out,seemed way bigger,carefull of the needles


started broiling,front legs are on the coals


decided i would need a plate,nocked over a hollow balsam fir stump and scraped er clean with the ax


fresh broiled porky.real tough.a little piney,loaded with fat,pockets of it.but edible


on to the bow drill
some fir stumps.they often blow down.fir stumps like this are easy to find in this area.there is even one in the porky den pic.top left


split and carved spindle and board from afore mentioned balsam fir stump.according to my wildwood wisdom book this wood is right behind yucca for ease of starting.



here is the result.used a black ash sapling for the bow.got an ember the second try.i then immediatly blew it into the snow.after that it got kind of loud with me berateing myself for being uncordinated and all.before i new it it was time for bed.i resolved to try again tommarow if i could remember which way i had thrown the bow,and could find it,or perhaps just make a new one.the last one obviously did not work.


my new place


the first visiters to the kill site along with some grey jays


my knew bow,trying tag alder this time


1.5 hrs later on the third ember...WE HAVE FIRE!!wow this was way harder than i always thought it would be.so many little things have to work just right.

[kgd]

Great thread. That porcupine proceeded to get smaller and smaller from fresh kill to cooked meat. Hope those little juice fat pockets kept you warm. Nice demonstration of your bowdrill. If this was your first time then I give you one hearty congratulations. That is quite an accomplishment given where you were!

Awesome! I'm pretty sure that makes you a 5 percenter. I will need an official call from the field by IA.

[IA Woodsman]

Great post!! Congrats on the bow and drill that is awesome. Most defiantly a 5%er

[JAAT]

Awesome post and congrats on the bow and drill!

[SigNY]

Thanks for the post! What kind of hammock is that? I think you mentioned it in another thread but I forgot?

[lonetracker]

Originally Posted by kgd

Great thread. That porcupine proceeded to get smaller and smaller from fresh kill to cooked meat. Hope those little juice fat pockets kept you warm. Nice demonstration of your bowdrill. If this was your first time then I give you one hearty congratulations. That is quite an accomplishment given where you were!

i tried it a little last weekend,and a couple years ago one time.last weekend i told myself no half a..ed attemps.do it!!thanks to all the info on this site.
that porky fat kept me very warm.warmest 9deg f night i ever apent outside.did not even get cold feet.

SigNY Thanks for the post! What kind of hammock is that? I think you mentioned it in another thread but I forgot? clark na

[Bornacentury2l8]

Great thread! Thanks for sharing.

[72shane]

Sounds like a great weekend and congrats on the drill! Nice pics!

[bindlestitch]

Looks like fun. Awesome job on the bow and drill fire!
Great post.
Iz