There’s a lot of information about bushcraft on the web, but much of it is focused around equipment and celebrities, not knowledge and experience.  If you’re just getting started, here are seven things to keep in mind.

1.  It’s not about the gear.  We did alright for 99% of human history without all the latest gadgets and equipment.  Get the best gear you can, but your skill with it, and not the gear itself, should be the focus.

2.  It’s not about the gurus.  It’s about you and your relationship with the land, not what others have said, done, written in books or demonstrated on television.

3.  It’s not about any type of religion, spirituality or ceremonies, although there are people and books trying to convince you otherwise.

4.  It’s not about being the best.  It’s not a competition.  It’s about building a level of comfort in the natural world and confidence in yourself.

5.  It takes time and effort.  Like weight training it takes effort over time to improve your skill level.  Much to the chagrin of marketers, competency can’t be packaged and bought.

6.  It’s about sustainability.  Sustainable use of forest resources, making wise gear choices and being aware of the difference between minimum and displaced impact.

7.  It’s all about knowledge and experience.

If I left anything important out let me know.