A Primitive Camping Story
By Greg Anderson
By Greg Anderson
It was time for my friend Justin and I to visit the wild.
No sleeping bags, no modern fire making tools, no tent or tarp, and no
water purifiers. We arrived a few hours before sunset. While sitting
by a stream we discussed the best areas to explore and find shelter and
we hiked and gathered fire materials as we went. A wind storm was
coming through with 40 and 50mph winds and it was 36 degrees.Justin and I knew the area well. A valley with streams and hard wood forests on the mountain sides and wet fields, swamps and sandy brush on the valley floor. With seeps to drink from and forests to make shelter.
After finding a good site, we collected as much wood as we could in one hour. Sticks were laid upon the ground to make beds and keep us from the cold earth. Then we assembled bark shingles above them on wooden frames. The fire would go in between us.
Snow was still on the ground and the sun was going down. As we made the fire with a bow drill, it began to hail and the wind blew harder. Rocks were placed by the fire to absorb heat, these would be our heat sources under the wool blanket that each of us brought. The hail stopped and the wind continued.
Venison roast seasoned with mugwort and spruce, pemmican, and pine tea were for dinner. Justin and I laughed whole heartedly about the wind storm and talked into the night as the temperature dropped below freezing.
Smoke blew into my face for hours as I hid under my blanket to try and avoid a headache. A couple of red cedar logs in the fire seemed to make it worse. Three warm rocks close to my body kept me warm. A fox began to bark at us in the middle of the night and the owls began to call.
In the morning the wind was gone and I watched a squirrel hop along near camp. “I will set a trap near there.” I thought.
We banked the coals under the ash and went about setting primitive traps nearby for wild game and we gathered cattail roots in the valley. We kept our throwing sticks ready in case a squirrel or rabbit came along. Sitting by the stream cleaning and cutting the roots in the warm sun was very relaxing.
On the way back to the camp site, I was carrying a large flat rock to set a raccoon trap near a slow muddy stream when suddenly a rabbit darted out in front of me and froze in the bushes ahead. I dropped the 50 lb. rock to grab my throwing stick but in doing so sprained my thumb. I told Justin to go for the rabbit but it was gone. “What rabbit?” Justin asked.
My right hand was now swelling and I applied acupressure to let the qi flow. It’s always the most random accident that gets you.
When we got back I tended to the fire and roots as Justin collected the nights wood supply. I uncovered the coals and lit a new fire. The sun was going down as we roasted cattail roots and drank hemlock needle tea with warm rocks in our beds.
The next morning Justin offered me more of the roots and I instantly felt nauseous. He laughed and offered more of the pemmican. “I think I’ll pass for now.” I couldn’t take another bite of the stuff. I hoped that one of the traps might have gotten something, but of the four we set, none were full. I wished we could set more since I had brought over twenty, but we were leaving that afternoon. “Maybe next time.” We agreed.
My family picked us up around noon and we entertained my daughter with our stories on the drive home. “How big was the rabbit?” She asked.
Coming back I felt grateful for the luxuries I enjoy every day. My bed, my grocery store, etc. But I couldn’t help but wonder, “What if I woke up earlier and set fifteen traps? Maybe I should bring my bow next time…”
A Picture of My friend Justin and I when My family picked us up....
Thanks For Reading, and I hope you get a chance to play in the woods soon!
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