Description

The term woodcraft — or woodlore —denotesskills and experience in matters relating to living andthriving inthe woods—such as hunting, fishing, and camping—whetheron a short-or long-term basis. Traditionally, woodcraft pertainstosubsistence lifestyles, with implications of hunting-gathering.Inmore recent times, and in developed countries, it relates moretoeither outdoor recreationalism or survivalism.

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

A partial list of recreational woodcraft techniques mightincludeknowledge of wildlife behavior, identifying and utilizingwildplants and animals (especially for food), campcooking,orienteering (including hiking skills and use of a mapandcompass), fire making (including procurement offirewood),selecting and preparing a campsite, lashing and knottechniques,the use of tents and wilderness first aid.

The Scouting movement has adopted woodcraft techniques as acoreskill set known as scoutcraft.

In the United States, woodcraft techniques in a military contextaretaught as part of SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance andEscape)training.

Traditional woodcraft has particular importance inAmericanfolklore, especially that relating to the earlyAmericanfrontier.

In the UK, the Woodcraft Folk are an organisation founded ontheprinciples of woodcraft.