| Content | The ancient art of trapping goes back centuries, almost to the beginning of civilization. Native Americans used the pit trap, deadfalls, and snares, the Chinese documented the use of nets and pits in the fourth century BCE, and virtually every civilization can exhibit some example of the use of a trap in one form or another to procure meat, hides, or fur. The fur trade across Europe was dominated by the Russians, which provided furs to the greater part of Western Europe and Asia during the Middle Ages, which prompted the exploration of Siberia and its game rich forests. In North America, trapping was one of the primary reasons why settlers pushed West, taking advantage of the bountiful game across the continent. Fur was used not only for coats, hats, and mittens, it was used as a form of barter.
The taking of a fur-bearing animal was and is a big accomplishment, as fooling a crafty animal on its home territory is no easy feat. In Trapping 101, veteran trapper Phil Massaro reveals all the secrets of the trade, from knowing where to set traps, to understanding and using various types of traps, to properly using scents. Tips and tactics for taking beavers, muskrats, weasels, raccoons, skunks, otters, and more are all covered. While there is a wealth of information in here for beginners, information that will help them pick up trapping with relative ease, there are many subtle tips and tricks that even a veteran trapper will appreciate.
Times have, of course, changed since the days of the voyageurs and rendezvouses. There are many more people in this modern world, many more dwellings, many more towns and cities. But there is a place for trapping in all this, just as there are places for hunting and fishing. A knowledgeable trapper, following game rules and respecting the animals he is trying to trap, fits right into the grand scheme of Mother Nature existing in harmony with humankind. This book will help you achieve that.
| Today's society is one in which we, as individuals, are constantly barraged by the threat of domestic terrorism. The ever-present fear for your safety and the safety of those we love can overwhelm you if you aren’t sure how to protect yourself. Luckily, distinguished combat veteran Brian M. Morris's Green Beret Survival Guide is here to help ease your fears.
Using his firsthand knowledge from the field as a Green Beret, Morris concisely outlines the steps that are necessary towards increasing one’s personal safety. Over the course of several chapters, Morris describes the importance of situational awareness, meaning staying alert, being aware of your surroundings, and understanding the reality of threats that you may face in any given situation. An individual with good situational awareness never takes anything for granted and makes security a part of his or her daily routine. By being observant and practicing several different methods of observation, one can avoid falling prey to terrorist, thieves, and other criminals.
| As consumerism and a meat-heavy, processed diet become the norm and the world's population continues to grow at an exponential rate, more and more people are looking toward a more sustainable path for food. Authors Douglas Boudreau and Mykel Hawke believe that the future of food lies in the wild foods of times spanning back to before the mass-agriculture system of today.
People have become distanced from the very systems that provide their food, and younger generations are increasingly unable to identify even the trees in their backyards. In response, Boudreau and Hawke have provided a compendium of wild edible plants in North America. Foraging for Survival is a comprehensive breakdown of different plant species from bearded lichen to taro, and from all over the United States. There are also tips for growing local native plants in the backyard to facilitate learning and enhance table fare at home. Other information you'll find inside:
- A list of different types of edible wild plants
- Foraging techniques
- Bugs and other grubs that can be consumed
- Warning signs of poisonous plants
- And much more!
Whether you're a hiker taking a walk through your local wilderness, or chef looking for new ingredients to incorporate in your dishes, Foraging for Survival is the book for you!
| Anyone who wants to improve his or her health in a completely natural way will find this book to be an absolute must-have for his or her home—and garden.
| Many have died in the Australian bush who might have lived had they known the appropriate survival skills. Bushcraft covers all areas of survival and camping activities: making ropes and cords, building huts, camp craft, finding food and water, making maps, starting fires, tying knots, and fashioning hunting and trapping gear virtually every technique required to stay alive in the woods. With over 400 black-and-white illustrations and photographs, this book explains how to make use of natural materials found locally in any area, conserving instead of destroying native Flora and fauna. It describes many of the skills used by primitive man, adding to these the skills necessary for modern man's survival, such as methods for determining time and direction. By developing adaptability and honing the five senses, it will also improve your self-esteem and your ability to overcome difficulties in everyday tasks. Bushcraft is a clear, accurate, and reliable resource for anyone who wishes to face nature on its own terms with just a knife and this book. | Over 200,000 copies sold—fully updated! Dye your own wool, raise chickens, make your own cheddar cheese, build a log cabin, and much much more.
Anyone who wants to learn basic living skills—the kind employed by our forefathers—and adapt them for a better life in the twenty-first century need look no further than this eminently useful, full-color guide.
Countless readers have turned to Back to Basics for inspiration and instruction, escaping to an era before power saws and fast-food restaurants and rediscovering the pleasures and challenges of a healthier, greener, and more self-sufficient lifestyle.
Now newly updated, the hundreds of projects, step-by-step sequences, photographs, charts, and illustrations in Back to Basics will help you dye your own wool with plant pigments, graft trees, raise chickens, craft a hutch table with hand tools, and make treats such as blueberry peach jam and cheddar cheese. The truly ambitious will find instructions on how to build a log cabin or an adobe brick homestead.
More than just practical advice, this is also a book for dreamers—even if you live in a city apartment, you will find your imagination sparked, and there’s no reason why you can’t, for example, make a loom and weave a rag rug. Complete with tips for old-fashioned fun (square dancing calls, homemade toys, and kayaking tips), this may be the most thorough book on voluntary simplicity available. |
