WOODCRAFT, the knowledge of forest conditions which enables one to enjoy and to supply oneself with the crude com forts of life in the wilderness. It includes a sufficient knowledge of mechanics to enable one to manufacture tools and weapons ; to make stone axes ; to dress and prepare skins ; to build rafts and canoes of logs, bark or skins; to make baskets and cooking uten sils ; to procure food, drink, shelter and clothing, and to build and maintain fires for cooking and warmth from the materials supplied by the wilderness itself.
For untold centuries primitive man has understood the habits of animals and the causes which impel them to action ; a knowl edge absolutely necessary for primitive man's existence, a knowl edge which is a fundamental of woodcraft. It was necessity as a task master, nature and the red men as instructors, which de veloped woodcraft in the United States to a fine art and produced such master woodsman as Boone, Kenton, Crockett and Carson.
In woodcraft one must be able to forecast the weather from the action of birds and mammals, as well as from the wind, and the appearance of the sky. Every language supplies weather prov erbs, originally from wilderness folks.
On a gloomy, overcast day an old scout was asked to point north. He looked slowly up at the sky, up at the trees, around at the ground. Then, with his hand outstretched, his index finger pointed to the true direction. He was unable to tell how he made his decision because he did not know how to describe his own process of reasoning. It was not that spider webs are on the south side of trees ; that fallen timber indicates the direction of ancient storms; that the limbs of the trees are heavier on the south side and thicker in diameter; that oak, ash, mesquite, hickory and elm trees have moss or mould on the north side ; that leaves are longer, darker green with lighter veins on the north side ; that fly ing squirrels' holes favour the east side ; that gum is soft and dusty on the south side of coniferous trees, or any one of these signs, but rather the accumulated evidence which impressed him.
On very hot days fishermen versed in woodcraft look for fish in the cool depths, in the shade of rocks or marine plants, knowing that fish, like cattle, seek shade in hot weather. One should under
stand birds, their calls and their actions. Birds understand cer tain weather signs and from their higher and more extended view point are able to detect the approaching storm before a man on the ground can see the signs. The beach combers and sea-faring men know that atmospheric conditions affect the sea birds and that they invariably seek the shelter on shore from the onrushing storm. It was the great number of sea birds flocking in from Mobile bay, some years ago, that gave the first alarm of an approaching devastating storm.
The location of water holes and springs in desert and dry places; the knowledge which tells the traveller of the succulent plants with which he may quench his thirst and where to find such plants is an essential part of woodcraft. So also is the ability to find a trail and to know by the conformation of the land where trails must exist ; to know that land inhabited by large game animals always has trails which can be traversed by man. The experienced wood craf ter knows that nothing can pass through the forest without leaving telltale marks on its trail ; it may be only the misplaced leaf or the stone which has been lately turned over. Even the grass or weeds show where they have been pushed in front of travelling beasts. The trailer can point out the trail made by large animals early in the winter and since covered by succeeding falls of snow, because at a little distance, the slight depressions are marked by faint blue shadows.
The expert in woodcraft knows the language of the woods. He is familiar with the cry of alarm given by the different birds and different animals. He also knows from experience that that cry is understood by all the other denizens of the woods. When the squirrels are playing among the branches of the trees and the crow, detecting the approach of a trespasser, gives its cry of alarm, every squirrel will immediately disappear into its hiding place.