Global Bushcraft Symposium 2019: Skills In Context (aka I had a blast!)

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by TuffPossumGear, Jun 17, 2019.

  1. TuffPossumGear

    TuffPossumGear Member

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    I had an absolutely fantastic time at the Global Bushcraft Symposium in Bowden, Alberta CANADA this last week.

    Flew into Calgary Sunday night and Monday morning carpooled to the Symposium with a couple gys from BCUSA forum and Nicole Apelian.

    Excellent Keynote talk Monday Eve on Bushcraft in Context by Patrick McGlinchey from Scotland. This dude knows his fiber work. Examples below:

    cordage skills scottish.jpg


    Tuesday morning:

    9:00 AM - A talk by Les Stroud. Kinda tooting his own horn about being the only real survival show, but whatever.

    10:50 AM - Keynote Talk by Dr. Andre Francois Bourbeau on Decision making and Risk Management in Survival. Good stuff. Very visual.

    Noon - Lunch

    1:30 - Q&A/Meet n Greet with Julia Seton (Ernest Thompson Seton's grandaughter/historian), Paul Kirtley and Lars Falt.

    Lars.jpg

    2:00 - Breakout Sessions. There are a number of these happening all at once at different "camps" all around the property. I opted for Ax Safety and Usage by Ben Piersma of Ben's Backwoods, since I got the titanium plate in my arm removed last summer and can now chop things without tendinitis. I also caught the tail end of Thijmen Apswoude's Fungus as Tinder presentation.

    Ben Piersma.jpg

    fungi.jpg


    3:30 - Another bunch of breakout sessions. I went for David Wescott's "Blanket Technology". Very in depth look at wool blanket history, usage, wearing the, blanket packs, etc.

    Peter M.jpg

    David Wescott and David Holiday showing how to load and carry a blanket pack, including with a yukon strap, etc.

    Blanket Pack.jpg



    4:30 - I got busy talking with folks about business stuff and missed any of the 3 presentations going on here.

    5:30 - Supper

    7:30 Keynote Talk: Panel Discussion by Mors Kochanski, David Wescott, David Holladay, Andre Bourbeau. Moderated by Les Stroud.
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
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  2. TuffPossumGear

    TuffPossumGear Member

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    Wednesday Morning:

    7:00 - Breakfast. Side note: I shared a cabin room with @chekmate, @YukonMusher, @Peter M, and another guy. Great folks!

    9:00 - I attended @Mr.Black's excellent presentation on Otzi the Iceman and his Mount Whitney Otzi Adentures. More can be read about this here: bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/otzi-whitney-summit-is-go.234230/

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    10:45 Great Keynote Talk by Lisa Fenton (MSc (Ethnobotany) focused on British wild plant foods, and a PhD (Ethnobiology) exploring the relationship between Bushcraft and Indigenous Knowledge Transmissions) called "Bashing Heads: Bushcraft, Survival, and Primitive Skills"

    Noon: Lunch

    1:30 - Q&A with Les Stroud, David Wescott and Bourbeau

    2:00 Breakout sessions: I opted for the excellellent talk on the History of Survival Training in North America by Tom Lutyens. Very in depth with over 250 slides.

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    3:30 More breakout sessions. I opted for The Legacy and Life Work of Ernest Thompson Seton by his granddaughter and biographer Julia Seton. Very well done. Ernest's book "2 Little Savages" was very influential in my childhood.

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    4:30 I also caught a short 30 min talk by Nick Gordon on Creative Marketing for outdoor educators.

    5:00 - Supper

    7:30 - A great Keynote Talk by Mors Kochanski, Lar's Falt, and Tom Lutyens, who were all instructors at the original 1995 International Survival Instructors Symposium in Sweden, that inspired this Symposium. They were joined by another gentleman who was a student at the 1995 event.

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    Stayed up till 2 o'clock that night, talking around the campfire.
     
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  3. TuffPossumGear

    TuffPossumGear Member

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    Thursday:

    7:00 - Breakfast

    9:00 - Excellent talk by Patrick McGlinchey on "The Fibers of Life"

    10:45 - Keynote Talk by Paul Kirtley on "Why We Need Your Voice In The Wilderness"

    12:00 - Lunch

    1:30 - Q&A/Meet n Greet with Dave Holladay, Tom Lutyens, Nicole Apelian, and Jose Amoedo

    2:00 - Breakout Sessions: I went to the "Trysticks, Tin can whistles, and and Willow Whistles." class by Dragan Uzalac from the Karamat school

    3:30 - Breakout Sessions: Talked with Don Kevilus about business stuff and gear mods and tricks. Hung out at the Culture camp chatting with Caleb Musgrave about various stuff while he made a selfbow as well as sampling some tasty food. Also hung out with Mr. Black a bit at his "Classic Camping B.C.E." spread.

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    4:30 - Attended an interactive presentation by Kelly Harlton (Mors' protege at Karamat) called "The Fourth Skill". Really good stuff that still has my creative juices flowing like crazy.

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    5:30 - Supper

    7:30 Closing remarks, door prizes, and a concert by Les Stroud. There were door-prizes after every Keynote Talk throughout the week, including a bunch of the TPG, that I donated as a sponsor. The concert was ok, until he got Dave Holladay up for a couple songs and then it was great!!

    The basket that the doorprizes were drawn from was made by the legendary Steve Watts (RIP).
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    The Mallet (made by Tom Roycroft) was passed to Paul kirtley and Lisa Fenton. They will be hosting, Lord willing, the Global Bushcraft Symposium 2021 in the UK.

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    10:00PM - 4:00AM: Was up till midnight sitting around with Mr. Black, Lisa Fenton, Tom Lutyens, Paul Kirtley, and a couple other guys. Then stayed up till 4 oclock the next morning talking with various awesome people by the campfires.
     
  4. TuffPossumGear

    TuffPossumGear Member

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    Random Pics and Pics with Folks


    Discussing survival scarves with Mors Kochanski
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    Mr. Black (aka Sean Castillo) and I. We hit it off at a small gathering in texas a couple years ago and have become friends. He was my ticket into a number of circles where I would have otherwise been batting way above my league, lol.
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    Tom Lutyens and I. Very kind and likable man. Very cool story about those packs. Fjallraven gifted ones embroidered with the appropriate text to the instructors at the original International Survival Instructors Symposium in 1995 in Sweden. They did the same at this Symposium, and I managed to snag one of the few extras...life long treasure right there.

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    The story of this pic is @Mr.Black's decision to tell or not.
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    David Wescott and I. This man has impacted many people for the better, including mine. Salt of the earth.
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    David Holladay. This man loves people more than just about anyone else that I know. No handshakes. Only big hugs. Total goofball. When I asked him why he loves people, he said, "When I was younger, I went into the desert to get away from all the --------. I fell in love with all the animals on earth and my Faith says that humans were created more important than any other creature, so I just so so love all the beautiful people!".

    I want to be that kind of man and live that kind of open embrace.
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    Tyler White from T-Jack Survival.
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    Mors loves to talk about knives.
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    Got to meet THE Joe Flowers aka @Joezilla
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    Group Picture.
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    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
  5. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    Just... wow... can we see an example of the wool blanket pack from Monday with Wescott?
     
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  6. The Warrior

    The Warrior Member

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    Holy crap, what an awesome time. Lots to take in, in just a few days, wow. Thanks for sharing.
     
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  7. TuffPossumGear

    TuffPossumGear Member

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    I know! During every one of those afternoon slots marked "Breakout Sessions", there were 3 to 7 classes and presentations all going on. I wish I could have gone to everything!
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2019
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  8. TuffPossumGear

    TuffPossumGear Member

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    Basically this video with much more variants and tips n tricks. (David Wescott was the owner of BOSS from 1985 to 1997)

    The same Tyler in the video is the guy in the picture above, wearing a Multipurpose Survival Scarf to carry his rain coat as a fanny pack:
     
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  9. BlueDogScout

    BlueDogScout Member

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    I’ve watched that video before lol now I know. That’s how I pack up stuff. Learned from watching mors do it for the Roycroft pack frame
     
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