Bushcraft Improvisation... | Pioneer Bushcraft

By Sean Fagan

Another example of waste not, want not. This discarded wooden pallet and plastic bottle crate provided the perfect seat and back-reflector (Photo: Sean Fagan).

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4 BUSHCRAFT USES OF AN OLD BARREL

1. DRYING BOOTS, SOCKS & CLOTHES

Placing the barrel a short distance behind the fire (about one short step away) provided a great means of drying soaked boots. By placing a green or damp stick across the top of the barrel I could also dry wet socks and clothes in a relatively short period of time (Be careful though - drying leather boots too near a strong fire can cause the leather of the boots to lose oils, causing the leather to crack - experiment with the optimal distance so as to slowly and gradually dry the boots).

2. DRYING FIREWOOD FROM THE WOODLAND FLOOR

All around my camp area, on the ground, were dead branches. Many of the branches were quite soft and decomposed, but a lot of them, although damp, were still firm.

By propping these damp branches upright against the barrel, behind the fire, they became dry and combustible in a short period of time.

What this ultimately means is that I didn’t have to exclusively collect dry, standing firewood from the woods because all around me, on the damp woodland floor, was a great amount of potential firewood to keep my campfire burning long into the night.

3. COOKING SUPPORT

By placing a sturdy, de-barked, non-toxic, green or damp branch across the top of the barrel I had an effective support for suspending a billy can or even draping food items (like rashers) over the branch to cook.

I could even use the stick as a spit to roast meat or fish.

The heat-reflective qualities of the barrel ensured a higher and more even cooking temperature on all sides of the food.

The pocket of hot air created by the reflector decreases the overall cooking time and the amount of fuel required to cook food - another bushcraft example of doing more with less.

.4. FIRE-PROTECTOR

The barrel was not only a great fire reflector but provided ideal protection against rain.

All I had to do, when it was raining, was tip the barrel over the fire and hey presto - my fire was protected against the heaviest downpour.

By simply tipping the barrel over the fire - I could protect the fire against heavy rain (Photo: Sean Fagan).

"Waste not, Want not"

Something as seemingly useless as a discarded piece of metal can have many uses for the creative bushcrafter.

A large part of bushcraft is to solve problems – to come up with creative solutions to challenges.

I regularly make functional items from natural materials (such as fire-reflectors) when practicing bushcraft in nature. It’s an intrinsic part of bushcraft.

But then again, so is using man-made materials in nature – such as a forgotten, rusty barrel in the wilds of nowhere.

When out in nature, I urge you to stretch your ability to improvise - to occasionally surprise yourself with the (often unique) solutions that you can come up with.

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