Primitive Living, Self-Sufficiency, and Survival Skills

by Thomas J. Elpel

ISBN13: 9781592282081

ISBN10: 1592282083

Format: Trade Paper

Pub. Date: 2003-12-01

Publisher(s): Lyons Press

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Summary

Primitive Living, Self-Sufficiency, and Survival Skills includes dozens of skills and techniques that anyone can learn to meet the needs of clothing, shelter, fire, and water. It is a must read for any serious outdoors person.

Author Biography

THOMAS J. ELPEL grew up in Virginia City, Montana. Under the instruction of his grandmother Josie Jewett, he learned how to identify and use the local herbs and plants, find arrowheads, and appreciate wildlife and the outdoors. Elpel received training from the Outdoor Survival School and Tom Brown's Tracker School, and is now the director of the Hollowtop Outdoor Primitive School (HOPS) in Pony, Montana.

Sunrise	p. 1
Earthskin	p. 2
The Pony Millsite	p. 3
Our Place in the World	p. 4
Participating in Nature	p. 6
The Cost of Gold	p. 7
Finding Home and Making a Stand	p. 8
Mind	p. 9
Nature as Wallpaper	p. 9
Discoidal Stone Knives	p. 11
Saving the World	p. 12
Adapting to Change	p. 13
Twined Baskets	p. 16
The Human Brain: Evolving Neural Networks	p. 18
Primitive Living as Metaphor	p. 19
Personas and Acting	p. 20
The Information Age	p. 21
Split-Willow Figures	p. 23
Perceptions of Reality	p. 25
Shelter	p. 27
Goals	p. 28
The Elements of Shelter: Shingling	p. 29
Efficiency	p. 31
The Elements of Shelter: Insulation	p. 32
Adapting Shelters to the Environment	p. 33
The Elements of Shelter: Fire	p. 34
Recouping Your Investment	p. 36
The Elements of Shelter: Air-Proofing	p. 37
The Earth Lodge	p. 40
Impacts & Reclamation	p. 42
Choosing a Location	p. 44
Fire	p. 45
Bowdrill Fire-Starting	p. 46
Bowdrill Technique	p. 51
Starting Bowdrill Fires with Damp Materials	p. 52
Survival Bowdrills: Fire from Nothing	p. 52
Handdrill Fire-Starting	p. 54
Handdrill Technique	p. 55
Other Friction Fire-Making Methods	p. 56
Flint & Steel Fire-Starting	p. 58
Principles of Fire-Starting	p. 60
Campfire Logistics and Safety	p. 61
Splitting Matches	p. 63
Energy Conservation	p. 63
Water	p. 65
Birch Bark Canisters	p. 66
Giardia & Water Purification	p. 68
Water Conservation	p. 71
Crapping in the Woods	p. 72
Fishing by Hand	p. 73
Making Cordage from Natural Fibers	p. 77
Twisting Fibers into Cordage	p. 78
Primitive Fishing Tackle	p. 80
Skinny Dipping	p. 81
Cooking	p. 83
Tin Cans/Stainless Steel Cans	p. 83
Cooking without a Pan	p. 84
Coal-Burned Containers	p. 85
Making Hollow-Log Drums	p. 86
Cooking in a Gold Pan	p. 87
Stir-Fry without a Pan	p. 87
Ashcakes: Bread of the Modern Abo	p. 88
Bamboo Spoon/Fork & Chopsticks	p. 89
Stone Ovens & Steam Pits	p. 90
Complete Proteins	p. 91
Primitive Pottery: Harvesting Wild Clay	p. 92
Adding Temper	p. 93
Wedging the Clay	p. 94
Making Pinch Pots	p. 95
Making Coil Pots	p. 96
Drying Pottery	p. 97
Firing Time	p. 98
Cooking in Clay Pots	p. 99
Beliefs about Food	p. 100
Mice and the Hantavirus	p. 101
Plants	p. 103
Identification Strategies	p. 104
Common and Latin Names	p. 105
The Digging Stick	p. 106
Wild Food Economics	p. 107
Wild Gardening	p. 110
Natural Farming	p. 111
The Ethics of Killing	p. 112
Worthwhile Plant Food Resources	p. 113
Edible Lichens	p. 114
Syrup	p. 114
Starchy Roots	p. 115
Fruits	p. 121
Seeds	p. 126
Nuts	p. 130
Mushrooms	p. 131
Animals	p. 133
Sneak Stalking & Trust Stalking	p. 134
Animals & Ecosystem Processes	p. 136
Desertification and Holistic Management	p. 138
The Quickie Bow	p. 140
Flintknapping Thoughts	p. 142
Bone Arrowheads	p. 143
Making Arrows	p. 144
All about Hide Glue	p. 146
Sinew Preparation	p. 147
Wildlife Laws	p. 148
Butchering a Road Kill Deer	p. 149
Gutting Deer	p. 150
Skinning Your Deer	p. 153
Butchering Basics	p. 154
Hunting Notes	p. 157
Deadfall Traps	p. 158
Clothing	p. 159
Braintan Overview	p. 159
Braintanned Buckskin	p. 160
Smoking the Hide	p. 166
Sewing Buckskin	p. 168
Shoes, Moccasins & Sandals	p. 170
Tire Sandals	p. 173
Wool & Blanket Ponchos	p. 175
Felting with Wool	p. 176
Sunset	p. 179
Canvas Sack Backpack	p. 179
The Bedroll Pack	p. 180
Pack Frames	p. 182
Nicholson Mine	p. 184
Goals in Primitive Living	p. 186
The Equipment Checklist	p. 188
Afterword: The Art of Nothing	p. 191
Bibliography	p. 193
Index	p. 195
Table of Contents provided by Rittenhouse. All Rights Reserved.