The Hunting And Gathering Survival Manual

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The Hunting And Gathering Survival Manual Page 22

by Tim MacWelch


  Keep it sheltered—the hive needs to stay out of the wind in cold weather. Deep cold can kill the bees, and even an unseasonable chill can reduce the worker bees’ efficiency.

  The super should be in a sunny location in order to take advantage of solar heat. The hive’s interior temperature is usually around 93°F (34°C), which is regulated by the bee’s body heat and activity.

  221 FEED YOUR BEES WELL

  Many different trees and plants can provide the food sources that bees require. Worker bees will travel up to 1.8 miles (3 km) from the hive to forage for their favorite nectar and pollen, but a closer supply of food generally makes for a more efficient use of their time and energy.

  Set up your super near an area that has abundant flowers, orchards, and crops that the bees enjoy. Fields of clover and alfalfa are a great food resource in agricultural areas. Orchards of apples, oranges, and other fruits can provide another bee hot spot. Your bees will also enjoy wildflowers such as asters, goldenrod, dandelion, and sage.

  Avoid areas with large concentrations of toxic flowers. Don’t keep your super near large stands of mountain laurel or rhododendron, as the honey your bees produce may take on toxins from the poisonous flowering shrubs.

  Once you get the hang of it, just one super of bees can yield a huge amount of honey, with the average established hive creating 30–60 pounds (14–27 kg) of honey in a calendar year. The late Ormond Aebi, an American beekeeper, still holds his 1974 world record for honey obtained from a single hive: 404 pounds (183 kg) in one year.

  Learn to live wild and give something back.

  Throughout this book, you have seen strategy after strategy for collecting wild foods. Plants, mushrooms, fish, birds, mammals, reptiles, shellfish, and insects are at once survival foods and culinary frontiers. Sure, some of these foods may not be palatable to you—everyone’s tastes are different—but these foods all share one common trait: calories.

  In essence, you are trying to preserve the calories you currently hold in your body and provide additional calories to cover the workload of your daily tasks. Since we live in an unprecedented age of plenty due to agricultural advancements, global shipping, and indefinite food storage, it’s easy to eat too many calories in our modern lives—giving calories a bad rap. But if you’re in an emergency scenario without much of a food supply, calories will soon be the most important thing you can get your hands on.

  I want this book to put you on the path of our forebears—to learn the value of the calorie-rich wilderness and to exercise mastery of your wild-food resources. And in that mastery, I hope you’ll exercise restraint. Once you begin to see food all around you, the open-eyed will observe how vulnerable many plants and animals have become. Be conservative in your approach to wild-food collection. Leave some plants and animals for your next trip and for those who will follow you.

  I want you to become a hunter, trapper, angler, and forager, but I want your great-grandchildren to have the same opportunity. Be careful out there.

  And enjoy your wild food!

  —Tim MacWelch

  INDEX

  A

  acorns (oak nuts), 119, 136

  gathering (good and bad), 137

  making flour, 138

  active snares, 081

  aging compost, 188

  alcohol

  poisons, 134

  tincture recipes, 208

  allergies, 131

  allium, de-scenting with, 077

  amaranth, 123

  anesthetics, yarrow, 182

  animal attacks, avoiding, 012

  antibacterial, yarrow, 182

  antihistamines, 131

  appliance-box smokers, 030

  AR-15 platform rifles, 039

  archery, 041

  arrowhead, 126

  arrows, 041, 046. See also bows

  artichoke, Jerusalem, 126

  attacks

  badgers, 085

  defensive adaptations of plants, 130

  Hugh Glass case study, 139

  autumn olives, 124

  B

  badgers, 085

  bait casting reels, 001

  baits, 002. See also fishing; trapping

  snares, 083, 084

  traps, 054

  baking in Dutch ovens, 163

  balms, 206

  bark

  building fire with, 157

  eating pine, 031

  beans, 171

  bears, 032

  black bear tracks, 052

  Hugh Glass bear attack, 139

  beavers

  tracks, 052

  trapping, 075

  beech nuts, 119

  beekeeping gear, 219

  beer, brewing yarrow, 182

  bees, 218–221

  benefits of live-catch traps, 070

  berries, 121

  fruits. See fruits

  poison, 132

  binoculars, 051

  bipolar percussion, 166

  birch trees, 122

  building fire with bark, 157

  bites, avoiding, 012

  bittercress, 120

  black bear tracks, 052

  blackberries, 121

  blankets, 144

  blueberries, 121

  boat reels, 001

  boats, 015. See also fishing

  bobcat tracks, 052

  body-grip traps, 055, 064

  ropes, 066

  setting, 065

  boiling

  in Dutch ovens, 163

  tree sugars, 215

  water, 148–149

  bolt-action rifles, 039

  botany basics, 108

  bows, 041. See also archery

  adding sights, 042

  carving, 045

  dry fires, 043

  protection, 042

  branches, collecting for arrows, 046

  branch patterns, 110

  brewing

  compost teas, 186

  compresses, 212

  maple wine, 217

  teas, 203

  yarrow beer, 182

  brining

  fish, 027

  vegetables, 197

  buckeye nuts (poison), 132

  building

  deadfalls, 078–080

  fires, 150–157

  fish sheds, 029

  fish smokers, 030

  live-catch traps, 069

  steam pits, 162

  stone ovens, 160, 161

  teepees (setting up fires), 154

  water stills, 148

  burdock, 125, 143

  butchering small game, 096–99

  butterfly loop (knot), 168

  butter, yarrow, 182

  C

  cabbage, krauts, 198

  candling eggs, 088

  canned foods, 172

  canned meats/fish, stocking up, 177

  canning meat, 181

  carcasses, skinning, 098

  carnivores, trapping bait, 060

  carrots, wild, 126, 143

  carving

  bows, 045

  fish sticks, 006

  casting reels, 001

  catfish. See also fishing

  building a box, 013

  hand fishing, 011

  catnip, 143

  cattails, 127

  cell phones, charging, 101

  chameleon plants, identifying, 129

  chanterelle mushrooms, 118

  cheeseweed (mallow), 124

  cherries, 124

  chestnuts, 119

  chickweed, 120

  chicory, 126, 143

  chipmunk scat, 53

  chips for smoking, 025

  chlorine bleach, 146

  chocolate, stocking up, 177

  choice cuts, butchering, 099

  cicadas, eating, 093

  cities, gathering plants in, 140–142

  clams, 016

  cleaning

  fish, 020

  rifles, 036

  cleavers, 120

 
clover, 120

  coffee, 171

  chicory, 126

  dandelions, 113

  coils, water stills, 148

  cold, preparing pantry for, 173

  cold smoking, 024

  colonies, bees, 220. See also bees

  common morel mushrooms, 118

  common plant names, 109

  compost

  aging, 188

  teas, 186

  compound bows, 041

  compresses, 212

  constrictor knots, 168

  cooking, 158–163

  brining fish, 027

  building fire. See fire

  cattails, 127

  cicadas, 093

  dandelions, 113

  Dutch ovens, 163

  eggs, 087

  fish scales, 022

  griddles, 159

  planning menus, 174–177

  rendering fats, 179

  smoking, 024

  snails, 091

  steam pits, 162

  stone ovens, 160, 161

  utensils, 158

  cotton balls, building fires, 157

  covering scents, 058

  coyote

  scat, 53

  tracks, 052

  crabs, 017. See also fishing

  cranberries, 124

  crickets, eating, 092

  crustacean traps, 008

  curly dock (seeds), 123

  D

  dandelions, 113, 143

  deadfalls

  building, 078–080

  Paiute, 080

  death angel mushrooms, 115

  deathcap mushrooms, 115

  deer, 032

  nutrition of, 100

  scat, 053

  tracks, 052

  defensive adaptations of plants, 130

  de-scent with allium, 077

  diaphoretic, yarrow, 182

  digging clams, 016

  dinner menus, 174

  dirt-hole bank set, foothold traps, 063

  disinfecting water, 144, 146–149

  double fisherman’s knot, 168

  dressing small game, 094

  dried fruit, 171

  drone bees, 218

  drowning, 012, 082

  dry firing bows, 043

  drying fish, 028

  drying foods, 196

  Dutch ovens, cooking in, 163

  E

  eating insects, 090

  Echinacea, 200

  edible roots, 126

  effects of tinctures, 210

  eggs, 086–089

  electric-range smokers, 030

  elk, 032, 100

  extractors, honey, 219

  F

  false morel mushrooms, 115

  fasteners, knots, 168

  fats

  rendering, 179

  types of cooking, 171

  fatwood, 031, 157

  feeding bees, 221

  feral hogs, 032

  filleting fish, 023. See also fishing

  filters, water, 147

  fire

  building, 150–157

  cheats, 157

  cooking. See cooking

  location of, 155

  and signaling, 104

  starters, 144

  teepees, 154

  firewood, 150–153

  first aid

  kits, 102

  poison, 132

  survival kits, 144

  types of poisons, 134

  fir trees, 122

  fisherman’s knot, double, 168

  fishing, 001–030

  adding weirs to traps, 009

  brining fish, 027

  building a box, 013

  building fish sheds, 029

  carving fish sticks, 006

  catching by hand, 011

  clams, 016

  crabs, 017

  drying fish, 028

  filleting fish, 023

  gorge hooks, 007

  gutting fish, 021

  hazards, 012

  hooks, 002

  like a raccoon, 019

  line, 003

  lobster, 018

  lures, 004

  rod and reels, 001

  scaling fish, 020

  smoking fish, 024

  soda bottle traps, 010

  survival case study, 015

  survival kits, 005, 144

  tickling, 011

  traps, 008

  fixed-loop snares, 082

  fixed snares, 081

  flames, lighting fires, 155

  flat set, foothold traps, 063

  flavor

  of individual quarries, 032

  small game animals, 049

  fletching arrows, 046

  flies (fishing lures), 004

  flours, making with acorns, 138

  fly agaric mushrooms, 115

  fly reels, 001

  food

  availability through seasons, 169

  drying, 196

  fishing case study, 015

  making jerky, 178

  planning menus, 174–177

  preparation of, 174–181

  surviving without, 104

  foothold traps, 055, 061

  negative stereotypes, 062

  setting, 063

  foraging, 107. See also gathering

  fox scat, 053

  freezing meat, 180

  fruits, 124, 132

  fungus. See mushrooms

  G

  game, nutrition of, 100

  gardening, 183–195

  aging compost, 188

  brining vegetables, 197

  compost teas, 186

  drying foods, 196

  herbs, 190

  high-calorie plants, 192

  planning, 184

  planting seeds, 189

  roots, 185

  saving seeds, 194

  storing seeds, 195

  tools, 191

  water, 187

  weeds, 193

  garlic, covering scents with, 058

  gathering

  acorns (oak nuts), 137

  botany basics, 108

  Boy Scout motto, 101

  harvesting tips, 106

  maps, 102

  personal safety, 128

  plants, 108. See also plants

  plants in cities, 140–142

  poison berries, 132

  prioritizing survival to-do lists, 104

  survival kits, 102

  tree nuts, 119

  weeds, 105

  wild greens, 120

  gear, beekeeping, 219

  geese

  nutrition of, 100

  scat, 53

  generic plant names, 109

  ginger, wild, 126

  ginseng, 126, 204

  Glass, Hugh, 139

  global varieties of plants, 143

  glue, pine sap, 031

  glycosides (poison), 134

  gorge hooks, 007

  grabbling, 011

  grains, 123

  grapes, wild, 124

  graveling, 011

  Graves’ bait stick snare, 083

  greens (wild), harvesting, 120

  griddles, 159

  grinding flours with acorns, 138

  ground cherries, 124

  groundhogs

  flavor, 049

  scat, 53

  growing food, 183. See also gardening

  gurgling, 011

  gutting fish, 021. See also fishing

  H

  hand, catching fish by, 011, 014

  hanging

  fish for smoking, 025

  game, 097

  harvesting

  tips, 106

  wild greens, 120

  hawthorn (fruit), 124

  hazards, fishing, 012

  hazelnuts, 119

  heaving line knot, 168

  hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, 118

  herbaceous plants, 108. See also plants

  herbivores, trapping bait, 060

 
; herbs, 190, 205

  hickory nuts, 119

  hiding human scents, 057

  high-calorie plants, 192

  hogging, 011

  honey, 171, 218–221

  hooks, 002, 007

  horse chestnut (poison), 132

  horse nettle fruit (poison), 132

  hot smoking, 024

  hunter’s bend knot, 168

  hunting

  dressing small game, 094

  eggs, 086

  fishing, 001–030

  insects, 090

  nutrition of game, 100

  pine trees, 031

  quarries, 032

  rifles, 035. See also rifles

  scouting grounds, 034

  seasons, 033

  small game, 047

  trapping, 054–084

  I

  identifying plants. See also plants

  branch patterns, 110

  chameleon plants, 129

  leaf margins, 111

  leaf patterns, 112

  mushrooms, 114–118

  tree nuts, 119

  yarrow, 182

  Indian cucumber root, 126

  infections, 012. See also medicines

  infusing herbal oils, 205

  insects

  cattails as repellents, 127

  eating, 090

  installing rifle scopes, 037

  invasive species, harvesting, 107

  iodine

  povidone, 146

  tincture of, 146

  J

  jack-o’-lantern mushrooms, 115

  Jerusalem artichoke, 126

  jewelweed tea, 202

  K

  kindling, 153. See also tinder

  king bolete mushrooms, 118

  knots, tying, 168

  L

  lady’s thumb, 120

  lamb’s quarters, 123

  lard salves, 207

  Latin plant names, 109

  laws, trapping, 056

  leaves, 110

  dandelions, 113

  margins, 111

  patterns, 112

  leeks, wild (ramps), 126

  lettuce, wild, 120

  licenses, trapping, 056

  lighting fires, 150–157. See also fire

  line, fishing, 003

  live-catch traps, 055, 068

  benefits of, 070

  building, 069

  dos and don’ts, 071

  lobster, 018. See also fishing

  local areas, studying, 128

  location of fires, 155

  longbows, 041

  Lykov family case study, 164

  M

  mallow (cheeseweed), 124

  maple trees, 122, 213, 214

  maple wine, brewing, 217

  maps, 103

  marinades, salt and spice, 027

  meat

  canning, 181

  freezing, 180

  medical help, 132. See also first aid

  medicinal plants

  Echinacea, 200

  teas, 201

  yarrow, 182

  medicines, 200–212

  balms, 206

  compresses, 212

  first aid. See first aid

  infusing herbal oils, 205

  poultice, 209

 

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