survival, foraging, etc

Quote: Face

The NE has got to be the easiest place to do this. Am I just biased by familiarity? Unlimited fresh water, no venomous animals, no large aggressive predators, tons of useable, workable trees, reasonable climate...Midwest Great Lakes is similar, but it would seem that any other place would be much more difficult. Too cold up, too much venom down, and it's way too dry the further left you go.

Not by accident the NE is where we settled and did best, also that Europe mimics the same things and ruled the world for 500 years.

Quote: Face

you never climb trees.

actually I think I agree with you there.

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Certainly not for something as simple as a "green branch".

I think he was very particular about what kind of tree he was going to use. If there is anything that has to be 'just so' it has to be fire making the primitive way. He has to know how hilarious the idea is that you could just watch a video and be able to do it.

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why is it that plant water is always OK?

well, I think bacteria is just no problem unless it comes from fecal waste. The big problem is parasites and they just aren't going to be in a plant, not the kind that can give you a disease.

The weirdest part to me was making a bowl out of what he was calling 'pine' bark. I have never seen pine that looked like that, in fact that is a super strange looking wood to find in an eastern forest. It is possible he brought that in from somewhere else to be handy. I'm not going to accuse him of doing something actually impossible to do in the east, but I'd like to know how hard it is to actually find that tree he used ... and if it is pine of some kind boy am I an ignorant ass

Watching a bunch of mushroom hunting videos now

One thing I am waiting to see is someone saying "there are no poisonous mushrooms that grow on trees" ... haven't heard it yet. I have a theory that this is true. I think our video-makers are afraid to say such a thing as it violates the prime rule of mushroom foraging, which is to always positively identify each find before eating.

I'm afraid to say it too, just a theory. On the other hand, so far no one has identified a poisonous one growing on a tree and that includes books etc. that I've read before now watching these videos.

That's not to say all are palatable. And there is one other piece of advice I've gotten, always cook wild mushrooms.

Quote: Face

no large aggressive predators...

Well none left. A lot of people think that polar bears came into NE USA before the European settlement. There were certainly a lot more brown bears and wolves at one time.

Quote: odiousgambit

Watching a bunch of mushroom hunting videos now

One thing I am waiting to see is someone saying "there are no poisonous mushrooms that grow on trees" ... haven't heard it yet. I have a theory that this is true. I think our video-makers are afraid to say such a thing as it violates the prime rule of mushroom foraging, which is to always positively identify each find before eating.

I'm afraid to say it too, just a theory. On the other hand, so far no one has identified a poisonous one growing on a tree and that includes books etc. that I've read before now watching these videos.

That's not to say all are palatable. And there is one other piece of advice I've gotten, always cook wild mushrooms.

My nephew in Baltimore hunts mushroom
He recently foraged a pound of chanterelles and sold them to fine dining restaurant.

aha! one guy saying there is a type of poisonous mushroom that grows in wood chips. Then again, it appears to be a capped mushroom with gills. I have already formed the opinion that capped mushrooms with gills are not for the beginner, a total "forget it, guy".

so maybe the matter is 'no poisonous mushrooms anyway similar to chicken of the woods or hen of the woods' growing on trees , however always be extra cautious of mushrooms with caps and gills anywhere

this one gets folks looking for the mushrooms that make you high. Serves em right! Not interested myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPP_YOCwI-8

Quote: odiousgambit

aha! one guy saying there is a type of poisonous mushroom that grows in wood chips. Then again, it appears to be a capped mushroom with gills. I have already formed the opinion that capped mushrooms with gills are not for the beginner, a total "forget it, guy".

so maybe the matter is 'no poisonous mushrooms anyway similar to chicken of the woods or hen of the woods' growing on trees , however always be extra cautious of mushrooms with caps and gills anywhere

this one gets folks looking for the mushrooms that make you high. Serves em right! Not interested myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPP_YOCwI-8

In two of the places I have been, the local college had classes on mushrooms with field trips. What helped me is going with someone who has done it before. Reach out, someone would be glad to have you go along on one of their hunts.

One book I read on mushrooms said, learn two or three of the most prolific mushrooms in your area and mostly just hunt those. In the PNW it was Chanterelles and Morels, in Ak it was Chicken of the woods and Kind Boletes.

I had a friend teach me about the Chanterelles , we would have mushroom parties and cook the mushrooms on baking sheets with a bit of garlic and copious amounts of beer. Good times. When shrooms are in, in those two areas, they are prolific. We would pick pounds of them for the feasts.

Quote: petroglyph

the Chanterelles

those are very identifiable it seems ... I'm considering adding them to the list of ones safe for a newbie to id

Quote: odiousgambit

actually I think I agree with you there.

You say that as if you were surprised =p

Quote: OG

I think he was very particular about what kind of tree he was going to use. If there is anything that has to be 'just so' it has to be fire making the primitive way. He has to know how hilarious the idea is that you could just watch a video and be able to do it.

I smell challenge.

I always thought this would be about as easy as it looks. From fashioning rough wooden tools, it doesn't take much effort at all to make a tip hot enough to hurt. Doing the same as this but harder and longer, while about as miserable as sanding, doesn't seem some woodland magic exercise.

Quote: OG

The weirdest part to me was making a bowl out of what he was calling 'pine' bark. I have never seen pine that looked like that, in fact that is a super strange looking wood to find in an eastern forest. It is possible he brought that in from somewhere else to be handy. I'm not going to accuse him of doing something actually impossible to do in the east, but I'd like to know how hard it is to actually find that tree he used ... and if it is pine of some kind boy am I an ignorant ass

Right there with you. I thought it looked like bamboo when he first brought it out. Not the stuff we get here, but like Pacific rim, the kind they build bridges out of. There is nothing remotely close to that in all of my stomping grounds, at least in the evergreen family. Birch is probably the closest around here as far as smooth, peel-able sheets go.

Quote: Face

I smell challenge.

I hereby challenge you [ch #1] to walk into the woods somewhere and make a fire the primitive way from materials at hand, any true primitive method you like, nothing prepared in the way of equipment except knives and hatchets/axes. You may prepare ahead of time your tinder* only. If you succeed by the second attempt, different day that is, then I will post a blog post admitting that I am an exposed know-nothing while Face is the g.o.a.t. of survival skill. On the other hand , you have to do the same if you fail. **

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I always thought this would be about as easy as it looks.

challenge #2, if you still can say that after your success OR failure, I will definitely see to it somehow you get a six pack of beer value up to $12 while on the other hand if you have changed your mind, you just have to honestly admit it.

*the definition of tinder is to be that which will catch fire from sparks or a small coal such as is produced by the various primitive fire making methods. Kindling and bigger you will have to gather up on the spot [definition, that which is used to build a fire but will not catch fire without already there being a fire or a bed of coals].

** must be a no BS proposition bet, for example you can't pick a section of woods that has flint and steel laying around, or any other trickery . And on the honor system of course, including that you swear you have never done this before.