Gone Feral School of Primitive & Traditional Outdoor Skills

My assistant Annie is keeping watch while I tan hides today.

Hide #3 of the day: Mule Deer

Beautiful day to be wet scraping: near 60 degrees, with a slight breeze, which helps keep any flies down that are still alive.

Skills Tip: ALWAYS label the animal parts in your freezer, with more detail than you think you need at the time. Speaking from experience when I say that labelling only with a student's name gets awkward when you pull out a bag of bones, skin, or hair and all it says on the Ziploc is 'Bob' or 'Sarah'.

For serious though: I somehow always let the warm months slip away without finishing the wet/cold part of hide-tanning. (Wet scraping hides below freezing SUCKS.) Since it's going to be in the 50s here in Colorado the next two days, I'm taking advantage: will be finishing some wet scraping on some long overdue pronghorn and mule deer. Saving an elk for a workout another day.

This'll just leave braining, wringing, softening, and smoking to complete these 4 hides. Instead of sugar plums, dreams of what I'll make from them this winter (mukluks, pants, a coat, or vest...) will be dancing in my head.

Updates on Gone Feral

Courses and The Apprenticeship

Thanks to those who have reached out about our course schedule and The Apprenticeship. While current Colorado regulations allow Gone Feral to operate small programs (which meets our max group size anyway), we've chosen to keep our in-person programming postponed for the time-being. We're as anxious to take students and Apprentices out as you are to be out. Time just ain't right, right now.

Continued Education

Our YouTube channel remains live. The content we've posted is limited, but includes a 30-minute video on building multiple varieties of Bundle Bows (currently more than 48,000 views) and a tutorial on Making Cordage, for which we receive a lot of positive feedback. If you want to continue to build your skills, you can get a free 14-day trial of THE PACK, which includes a bunch more videos and resources. Our blog is also a resource for assorted and niche skills.

Something's Coming, Something Good...

We have a plan in the works to release another program that, as far as we can tell, is unrivaled in the field of primitive technology and survival skills. Stay tuned for more juicy details.

And Lastly...

I (Doug) am going to be going completely off-grid for the rest of July. Keep your questions and inquiries coming in -- just a heads-up that I won't (personally) be able to respond for a few weeks. I look forward to connecting once I'm online again. You can contact me directly at [email protected].

Stay safe, and keep the home fires burning.

--Doug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NX-D7Zv4MA&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JC6aR73n30&t=3s

The Apprenticeship: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rwa5zwD-Yq8

The PACK: https://www.goneferal.org/thepack/

How to Make a Bundle Bow FREE 14-day Trial of our membership program THE PACK: https://www.goneferal.org/thepack/ Learn primitive skills, bushcraft & wilderness survival...from the c...

Had the chance to meet back up with Scott Robinson and Margie Grant, of Prepped and Frosty.

Scott became a fast friend during his Apprenticeship with Gone Feral in 2016. He served in the Marine Corps and is a career engineer. A few months ago, he completed Tom Elpel's epic 5-month Core of Rediscovery canoe trip (retracing Lewis & Clarke's trail) down the Missouri.

Not only is Scott a BEAST in the field, he's a 'devourer of knowledge', an information-sync. Our conversations range from Joseph Campbell, to Bruce Lee, to Mors Kochanski, to Pythagoras.

If you ever have the chance to meet Scott, hear him speak, or study with him -- I STRONGLY recommend you take the opportunity.

Scott is a born explorer. He's constantly pushing his limits, his efficiency, his skills, and his knowledge.

Scott's about to hit the road indefinitely. I won't get to see him for awhile. His is a future I'm excited for and, as the quote goes, ours was "a chunk of two lives running parallel for a while, with common aspirations and similar dreams". (ECG)

I know Scott and I will see each other again. Until then, I'm proud to be able to call him my friend.

Note: I'd also recommend that you get behind him in the event a bear charges you. (*Field-tested.)

Today's Lesson:
How to Make Fire with a Bow Drill

It's the magic trick everyone wants to see. Making a Bow Drill Fire is the skill I've taught more than any other.

There's nothing like your first time.

How to Make Fire with a Bow Drill Using a Bow Drill to make fire is the skill I've taught and demo'd the most, busting something like 4,000 coals over the last ten years. Here, I've poured everything I've learned into one comprehensive blog post, photos, and video. Learn everything you need to get started, plus troubleshooting and a...

We're all in this apart, but together.

This rendition of 'The Weight' speaks to me.

The Weight | Featuring Robbie Robertson and Ringo Starr| Playing For Change | Song Around The World We’re excited to share our newest Song Around The World, “The Weight,” featuring musicians performing together across 5 continents. Great songs can travel ev...

Today's social-distancing Post:
What did people DOO before Toilet Paper?

5 Alternatives to T.P.

WARNING: This post may get pretty messy. And it's probably a little behind. More crap to follow.

https://www.goneferal.org/5-alternatives-to-toilet-paper/

5 Alternatives to Toilet Paper

Social-distancing got ya stuck inside? It's a great time to practice your skills or learn something new.

We'll be sending out new content in the coming days. For now, here's an oldie but goodie.

In the video, I'm teaching with raffia (from the raffia palm, a member of the grass family - a fact that I misspeak about in the video). But get creative with what you have around your house already: string, grass from your yard, strips of paper (roll them), hair, cotton balls (pull apart the fibers)...

If you're proud of your results or use a material particularly strange, reply to this post with a photo!

How to Make Cordage: Reverse Wrap & Double Reverse Wrap FREE 14-day Trial of our membership program THE PACK: https://www.goneferal.org/thepack/ Learn primitive skills, bushcraft & wilderness survival...from the c...

For your inspiration...

Not the most well-written article, and I have my own thoughts, but this is interesting nonetheless.

Mysterious Ice Age structure made from the bones of 60 mammoths discovered Around 25,000 years ago, Ice Age hunter-gatherers used the bones from 60 mammoths to build a large circular structure in Russia. Researchers have excavated the site in an attempt to understand it, but they don't know why the structure was built, according to a new study.

Unfortunatetly, there's still no known cure for stupid.

A woman almost got trampled when she tried to pet a moose in Colorado A video of a confrontation between a woman and a moose in Colorado shows why you shouldn't try to pet wildlife, no matter how friendly they look.

Mountains are no joke. Being prepared is necessary. But so is having the skills to use the gear you carry.

This family was lucky: mild conditions and a quickly launched SAR.

A family needed to be rescued in Colorado's snowy mountains. Officials say it's a reminder to be prepared for anything A family stranded in the snowy expanses of the Rockies was found safe on Christmas Eve after going missing for 24 hours.