Showing posts with label central. Show all posts
Showing posts with label central. Show all posts
Bushcraft Central Texas Style The Artist Conk
Bushcraft Central Texas Style The Artist Conk
The Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum) is a polypore that ranges in size from a few inches to as much as three feet across. They have a woody, shelf-like appearance with a reddish brown top surface and an underneath (pore surface) that is white and stains to a brown color when marked on or scratched. It gets its name from the fact that the white spore surface can be drawn upon turning it a dark brown color. They are frequently used as a canvas of sorts for artists to render their drawings. They are generally found in clusters on dead or dying hardwoods.
If you need to leave a message for someone, you don’t need a pencil or paper if you have some artist conk in the area. Just scratch a note on the white spore surface.
Often called bracket fungi or shelf mushrooms, this fungus is widely distributed on dead or dying species of oak, elm, and other hardwoods in Texas
Artist conks are usually found near ground level which makes them easy to harvest. While this type of conk is normally not considered edible, it does have some other uses that make it valuable. It can be used as a hearth board for starting a fire, burned to repel insects or used as a means to transport a fire when necessary. It can also be boiled as a tea or concoction but this is something I haven’t tried and would advise against.
Unlike tinder conk, artist conk is not a very good tinder material even though it catches fire quite easily when exposed to an open flame. It actually smolders without producing an open flame. If charred, you can get similar results as when using char cloth. Artist conk will smolder for hours and maintain a good set of embers that will allow you take your fire with you.
My preferred use is to repel insects and it works similar to those green coil things sold in stores. Just throw a chunk of artist conk in your fire bowl and you wont have to worry about the insects. This is also a lot better because it’s free.
Got artist conk?
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker
Bushcraft Central Texas Style The Artist Conk
Bushcraft Central Texas Style Learning to Hide in Plain Sight
Bushcraft Central Texas Style Learning to Hide in Plain Sight
Many times nature is at its best when helping creatures to hide in plain sight. What should be obvious to the eye is not always readily apparent. A little skill in knowing the habits of natures creatures make them easier to find or avoid.
One such creature is the Texas spiny lizard. Their coloration allows them to easily blend into their environment but they also maintain a place of safety that is readily accessible should they be discovered. In the case of the Texas spiny lizard, they like to hide in the loose bark of dead trees. All you have to do to discover their presence is peel away the bark to reveal their place of safety.
Here is a closer view of a Texas spiny lizard. They have the ability to remain absolutely motionless, even when exposed to help prevent their presence being revealed. They can also swiftly retreat to a different place of safety when their hiding place has been discovered.
Nature teaches many valuable lessons if you pay close attention to your environment.
Got natural survival lessons?
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker
Bushcraft Central Texas Style Learning to Hide in Plain Sight
Bushcraft Central Texas Style The Spotted Ground Squirrel
Bushcraft Central Texas Style The Spotted Ground Squirrel
The spotted ground squirrel is a familiar inhabitant that is seen frequently in different areas of West Texas but can also be found in other dry, sandy areas of the state. This ground-dwelling squirrel normally lives in long, shallow burrows in the sand. A slight mound of sand, usually hidden by clumps of vegetation, is often the only indication of the entrance to their burrows. The average weight of a spotted ground squirrel is between 4 and 5 ounces and they can be as long as 8 or 9 inches if you include the tail.
These squirrels are quite small and very quick. They are easily missed if you arent watching carefully because their color blends in with the sand perfectly. These ground-dwelling squirrels are easily identified by the scattered and numerous white spots that can be seen on their backs. The ground squirrel in the above picture was spotted by Lil’ RW, my grandson, who is pretty good at spotting little critters.
One of the primary things you should always be aware of when practicing bushcraft is the type of plants and animals that live and are found in your area. There will be fewer surprises from nature when you do.
Got ground squirrels?
Staying above the water line!
Riverwalker
Bushcraft Central Texas Style The Spotted Ground Squirrel
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