Wildwood Wisdom

My dad put a first-edition copy of this book in my hands when I was in first grade. It taught me to read. I still read it regularly. I have 15-20' of outdoors, camping, Scouting, hunting, survival and edible wild plant books on my shelf. This one book outshines them all. I bought copies of this book for each of my sons the week they were born, and have found copies for each Eagle Scout produced by our troop. If you want to understand wood lore and camp craft from a master, who collected it for a lifetime in the first decades of the last century, this is a masterpiece. Some of the first aid stuff is outdated, but things from canoe design, crafting your own primitive camping equipment to edible plants are written in a wonderfully winsome manner. Particularly if you wonder how people camped and canoed before we had all the high-tech junk we drag around today, this book will amaze you. Fresh every time I read it.

This book is very informative. It touches upon all aspects of survival in the woods. Starting with basics of shelter and the finer details including furniture and tools.There are many diagrams with patterns and measurements to follow which are easy to duplicate. The techniques in this book would be excellent in teaching a survival class to youth or adults. There are also many nature craft ideas coming from the Native American background. These ideas would do well in a cultural art class. I have had the chance to see this book in a previous print which was very old. The newer version is quite like the old one and proves to be just as good.

This is the first book I took out of a library c.1952. It is still pivitol in the way I think and do things. Jaeger is most entertaining and inspiring. His illustrations are magic. This is the ultimate book on making things for the right reasons.

I think this book is a must have for anyone interested in the great out doors. For people who enjoy minimalist camping, this book has great ideas. The illustrations and directions for making stuff are easy to follow.

If you can get your hands on this book it will be worth it. This book contains "lost" information that was used during the early days of American exploration and indian occupation on survival techniques, from making stone knives and tomahawks to leather jerkins and wooden canoes--and more, such as how to use "natural" compasses. Very educational.