Woodcraft

For another sense of the word "woodcraft", see Woodworking.

The term woodcraft denotes skills and experience in matters relating to living and thriving in the woods — such as hunting, fishing, and camping — whether on a short- or long-term basis. Traditionally, woodcraft pertains to subsistence lifestyles, with implications of hunting-gathering. In more recent times, and in developed countries, it relates more to recreationalism or survivalism.

Whether traditional or modern, woodcraft may be roughly equated to the phrase "living off the land".

[edit] Techniques

A partial list of recreational woodcraft techniques might include knowledge of wildlife behavior, identifying and utilizing wild plants and animals (especially for food), camp cooking, orienteering (including hiking skills and use of a map and compass), fire making (including procurement of firewood), selecting and preparing a campsite, lashing and knot techniques, the use of tents and wilderness first aid.

The Scouting movement has adopted these techniques as a core skill set known as scoutcraft.

In the United States, woodcraft techniques in a military context are taught as part of SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) training.

Traditional woodcraft has particular importance in American folklore, especially that relating to the early American frontier.