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Going Primitive
By Dude McLean and Alan Halcon

Over the years in many conversations with hunters, campers, hikers, fishermen, you know, the normal outdoor enthusiasts, one thing seems to remain in common. And that is the general choice of gear. A certain dependence on a lot of gizmos, high tech, you name it, tents, magic fire starters, sleeping bags, weapons, food, and so on. Nothing is wrong with most of the chosen gear. Many of us have some of the same plunder. But do you really need it?

Primitive Stuff

A question that often comes up, goes something like this: “ Gee, how can you hike/camp cook etc. with so little gear? I would be afraid to rely on that “primitive stuff” and  “ It must have taken years to learn all of those skills”. Or “ Next outing I am going to chuck all this modern hitechy junk and go into the bush with just the bare primitive gear.

Whoa Nelly, you just don’t go “primitive” and plunge into the woods. It does take awhile to learn and be “a practicing primitive”. The skills are there waiting but you just don’t go cold turkey. Going primitive doesn’t happen over night.

Inventory

Start out by evaluating, all the currant gear you carry, dump it all on the floor, or wherever you can get away with it. Now inventory every bit of gear, all of it, all that neat cool stuff. A common question in magazines and books is: “ Do you use everything you carry with you? If you haven’t used it, get rid of it”. Many folks advise. This is a statement you have to take with a grain of salt. Really think about those items you haven’t used and what are they used for? Why didn’t you use them? Write down your reasons so they are clear to you.

A Primitive Mind Set

Look at your inventory and try to get your mind wrapped around a primitive mindset. Forget all the marketing and advertising, bulldozing, that you need certain gear.

We are going to start with fire, without it, we have cold meals, cold hands and feet, and a cold bed. In your inventory you have a lighter, windproof matches, a mag bar and striker and any number of other devices on the market that are a must have. Sure they all work O.K. and most do the job of getting fire. But you might as well be in your backyard with your BBQ drinking beer, that’s not our goal.

First Moves

Your first move to “going primitive” is learning the bow and drill and the hand drill, for some it is relatively easy, for others it is more of a struggle, work and time and sweat. There are woods to learn, tinders, techniques, cordage, positions, and other nuances you must master and you master it by practice. Once you learn it, “you own it”. You cannot lose it. Ever. You cannot run out of it, like matches run out, as in all gone. Your 50 dollar super lighter runs out of fuel, or you lose it. Being deep in the bush you cannot just make a “run” to the local “stop and rob” and buy more matches. For you those days are over, you are  the master of the fire, instead of the slave of the fire. That is your primitive beginning.

What’s In A Shelter?

What’s in a shelter? You are! That tent cost how much? Wow? Too bad! In most cases a simple tarp is all you really need. Practice, setting it up in different shapes, experiment at home. Practice. Books abound with ways to set up a tarp. Shelter is important, depending on the area you are going primitive in, will determine the kind of shelter you need. Tarps can be light and easy to deal with. Sometimes you may need something a little more substantial. The debris hut/shelter, or a lean to, answers, for a great place to spend the night, or even several weeks.
Building a debris shelter is kind of like going back to your childhood and making a fort. The debris shelter can be simple or large and elaborate.

Build A Debris Hut

Building a debris shelter takes more time than setting up a tent. The plus side is you are not carrying it around with you. There are primitive trade offs in your favor.
The lean to brush shelter can take you an hour or more to build, if you are alone and the “duff”, materiel is plentiful and close at hand. In most cases the roof and sides (sometimes one in the same) need to be at least 2 feet thick, to ward off the rain and the wind. Using grasses, leaves, weeds, small branches, and whatever else works, throw it on. Of course in certain parts of the country you may find large pieces of bark that will provide a much faster answer for your shelter.

The rule of thumb is to make your shelter just large enough for you to snuggle into. A bed of pine needles, leaves or grass about 2 feet thick should do the deed. You will be cozy all night long. Now, before you really depend on this shelter, find a woodlot and practice, see how long it takes and what it takes. Or if you are camping with a tent, wander away for a while and practice making a lean to. Until you have it right, do not depend on a debris hut. We know it sounds like doing this is a no brainer! But it isn’t, practice.
A plus is your debris shelter wont tear, be the wrong color, the zipper wont break and it will never go out of style. Oh and the cost?  A little sweat and exercise.

On Your Way

You are on way to going “primitive”. This is just a start, one step at a time. There is much more to it, than these few skills, we are talking about here.When you go into the field, as you are learning the skills, always have a modern backup handy. Things have a habit of not working out the way you have planned.There is no need to be miserable, the idea is to have fun and be comfortable.

All over the country there are many schools and primitive gatherings that teach primitive skills. Most of them are affordable, some are free, all are well worth your time and effort. Books and videos are leaping off the shelves to guide you and are filled with information. It is up to you to practice the skills. Please make sure you truly “own” them before you bet your life on them deep in the bush.