"The Bushcraft Handbooks" were first published in Australia in 1952. Based on the Author's wartime service in Australia and New Guinea teaching "Junglecraft" to Australian and American forces, they are distilled, concentrated old-time bushcraft knowledge, presented in a very easy to assimilate format. For those who remember them, the Bushcraft Handbooks are also a heavy hit of nostalgia.
Rather than publish all of the volumes under the one cover, the Author originally chose to publish each aspect of bushcraft in its own individual handbook. His rationale was that the reader was more inclined to take a 50 page handbook with him into the wilds than a 400 page book. The former can be easily slipped into a pocket or daypack, while the latter cannot. The Bushcraft Handbooks are useless unless the reader practices the skills the books were designed to impart. The individual handbooks format was chosen to support that end.
Out of print for decades, and in keeping with the Author's wishes, this series of Bushcraft Handbooks are reproduced as close to their original format as possible. The series comprises the following volumes:
- Bush Ropemaking,
- Bush Hutmaking,
- Traps & Snares,
- Bush Campcraft,
- Time & Direction,
- Travel & Gear,
- Food & Water in the Bush,
- Firemaking & Lighting,
- Trapping & Tracks,
- Knots & Lashings.
From the introduction to "Food & Water in the Bush"
"Many people associate survival with the ability to find food and water. These of course are essential to sustain life. In all areas, except the most arid, food and water in sufficient quantities are available, but the fear in many people's minds is that the food they find may be poisonous, or the water polluted. This handbook establishes safe principles for recognising foods which are edible and safe, and ways to overcome possible contamination of water, no matter how badly it may appear polluted. The search for, and recognition of edible foods sharpens and develops three of man's senses, sight, taste and smell. On the use of these depends the searcher's success in finding food and water."