As many of us are busy stocking up with supplies that we think we’ll need if asked to shelter in place, I was interested to find an article titled “Hints to Sportsmen” that outlines supplies needed in an emergency circa 1913. This resource gave a short description of practical advice and also outlined what would be considered an appropriate amount of rations for two men for one year. I’ve transcribed the information below so that it can be viewed on a variety of devices at a comfortable text size. The article was written in a different time and as such uses the language of the day. If my calculations are correct $172.80 went a lot further in 1913 than it does in 2020. Hopefully you’ll find this as interesting as I did.
Read moreThe Backwoodsman
By Ephraim Peabody
The silent wilderness for me!
Where never sound is heard,
Save the rustling of the squirrel’s foot,
And the flitting wing of bird,
Or its low uninterrupted note,
Or the deer’s quick crackling tread,
And the swaying of the forest boughs,
As the wind moves overhead.
Signs and Signals of the Native Americans
This entry is related to the tracking series that was featured previously. I found information about common signs and signals used by Native Americans in the same resource: “Mountain Scouting – A Hand-Book for Officers and Soldiers on the Frontiers” by Edward S. Farrow, 1881. Although Farrow paints with some broad strokes, the information is interesting when taken in the context of the times.
Read moreHiding Your Tracks – The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 5
In the fifth and final installment in our series about tracking taken from “Mountain Scouting – A Hand-Book for Officers and Soldiers on the Frontiers” by Edward S. Farrow, 1881, Farrow describes how to disguise your tracks and advises how to read the behavior of various animals you encounter along the trail and what that indicates for the trail beyond. If you missed the first four installments, please click the links below.
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 1
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 2
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 3
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 4
Read moreTracking Horses – The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 4
This is the fourth installment in our series about tracking taken from “Mountain Scouting – A Hand-Book for Officers and Soldiers on the Frontiers” by Edward S. Farrow, 1881. Farrow describes tracking horses and how you can tell the speed and the condition of their travel. If you missed the first three installments, please click the links below.
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 1
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 2
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 3
Read moreThe Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 3
This is the third installment in the tracking series taken from “Mountain Scouting – A Hand-Book for Officers and Soldiers on the Frontiers” by Edward S. Farrow, 1881. If you missed the first or second, please follow along in the links listed below. In this segment, Farrow recounts how he discovered who was encroaching upon his camp at night and stealing the camp’s supplies.
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 1
The Difficult Art of Tracking – Part 2
Read moreFurnishing your cabin: the camp bed
This installment about constructing a wilderness camp goes into furnishing your cabin with a camp bed as described in “Woodcraft” by E.H. Kreps, 1919. In case you missed the initial series, follow the links below. The next installment will cover how to make a table for your cabin.
1st Installment: Selecting a location and initial preparation of a wilderness camp
2nd Installment: Construction of walls, floor, door and windows for a wilderness cabin
3rd Installment: Construction of gables and roof for a wilderness cabin
4th Installment: Finishing the wilderness cabin door, window and filling cracks
Constructing a half-cave shelter
I grew up near what is now called Gap Cave (formerly Cudjo’s Cave) in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. (Sidenote: if you’re ever in that area, the National Park Rangers give a fantastic 2 hour guided tour). It was said that Gap Cave was used in Civil War times as a hospital. Caves being a natural choice when choosing shelter, these tips on how to construct a half-cave shelter come from “Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties” by D.C. Beard, 1914.
How to preserve fresh fish in warm weather
With warm weather upon us, this article about how to preserve fresh fish in warm weather seemed useful. It comes from “The Sportsman’s Hand Book” by Col. Horace Park, 1886. If you have any tips or insights, please post them in the comments.