Introduction
Bushcraft is about connecting with nature. But that doesn’t mean it needs to be a solitary experience. Some of the greatest learning comes when you connect with others who share your passion for the outdoors.
It’s sometimes hard to find others who share our interests. Maybe we live in an urban area. Maybe our friends don’t share our enthusiasm. Or perhaps we aren’t acquainted with wise elders to help guide our learning.
This is where the Internet comes in.
At the speed of light we can retrieve information, ask questions, and meet others. We can share our experiences and learn as a group.
There are several popular avenues to do this: Facebook Groups, stand-alone forums, and Reddit groups. Today we talk about Facebook Groups.
Bushcraft Groups on Facebook
Bushcraft groups on Facebook permit you to post to a common “bulletin board” and read the posts of others. For example, I used social media to help me figure out construction details when I made my sheepskin sit pad. I posted a question on several groups and received intelligent responses quickly.
A funny meme that appeared on Survivalist Base Camp, a (now defunct) bushcraft group on Facebook
Posts on Facebook groups are generally pictures or links to websites. Rarely are they long-form contributions by members. Most posts contain a minimum of text. So you don’t use Facebook groups to learn intricate skills or their subtle nuances. A human teacher is still best for that.
But Facebook Groups expose you to new ideas, the latest equipment, and they open your eyes to potential trips and activities.
Many bushcraft groups on Facebook carry the same posts because members participate in several of them simultaneously. I don’t see this as a problem. If I miss a post on one group I often find it on another.
You need to examine each post with a critical eye. There are the occasional crackpots, or less experienced members who post dubious information.
Many members use the groups for entertainment rather than information. Bushcraft groups on Facebook certainly have entertainment value. Just don’t use them as a proxy for actually going outside!
It’s easy to carry too many gadgets. And many of the groups are dominated by posts that discuss gear or sell outdoor equipment. Control yourself! Or these groups can end up costing you a fortune.
All bushcraft groups on Facebook have rules about what you can post – READ THEM! Being a good citizen helps keep the groups useful and productive.
How are they Rated?
Below are eight Facebook groups that discuss bushcraft. They appear in random order. All are “kid friendly” but the humor is probably not appropriate for children younger than 12. In many cases, children older than 12 will find the humor too juvenile. 🙂
Description – I reproduce the group description so you can read how the moderator views the group.
Comments – I share my thoughts about the spirit of the group, any pros and cons, the number of members, traffic level, etc.
Post Mix – Many bushcrafters have different interests. I prefer posts about skills, crafts and trips. Others like gear posts and posts that sell equipment. I visited all the groups on the same day, around 12:00 am PST. Relatively few members post at this time. I examined the 25 most recent posts and categorized them by topic. This is a limited amount of data. However I believe the data reflects actual traffic on the groups.
Here is how I categorized the posts:
Prepper – Preparing for disasters (man-made and natural)
Gear – Equipment and equipment reviews
Crafts – Discuss or demonstrate a craft such as leatherwork, carving, basketry, etc.
Skills – Discuss or demonstrate an outdoor skill like firecraft, shelter construction, etc.
Trips – Pictures, videos, or stories about members’ outings
Nature – Posts about the natural world. In general, these posts are rare.
Sales – Posts that sell equipment, goods or services. Some are explicit, others are more subtle. Buyer beware!
Ratings
Below are the ratings. The name and picture for the bushcraft group links to their Facebook page.
Primitive Bushcraft
Description:
This page is for bushcraft and related topics. Please feel free to post any videos, articles or knowledge that you want to share with the group. You must be respectful of others while you are here, if you break that rule you will be removed without question. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact an admin. Thank you and enjoy your time here.
Comments:
Primitive Bushcraft has 5,505 members. One thing that makes the group unique is that it has a “Sale Posts” section that permits members to sell gear they own or have made. The group has many trip pictures and pictures of craftwork done by members.
The three most popular categories for posts are: Trips, Crafts, and Prepper.
Post Mix:
Campfires and the Arts of Bushcraft
Description:
Welcome, have a seat by the campfire there is a place for you, show us your crafts and share your stories. Spoons and bowls carved from wood or leather crafts, maybe knife making or bone carving, these are the kind of things we like here. Show the animal tracks you have followed and wild plants you have foraged.
Bushcraft is about surviving and thriving in the natural environment, and the acquisition of ancient skills and knowledge to do so. Bushcraft skills include; firecraft, tracking, hunting, shelter building, the use of tools such as knives and axes, foraging, hand-carving wood, container construction from natural materials, rope and twine-making, and many others. These are the kinds of skills well known to our ancient predecessors, many of which are still practiced today as an everyday skill amongst aboriginal and native peoples around the world.
Gather ’round the fire my friends, feel free to take part in our group discussions / share in your knowledge and photographs… may you feel at home here amongst other like minded individuals. Thanks for joining us!
Comments:
Campfires and the Arts of Bushcraft has 10,600 members. Members participate actively and the group has many trip pictures that they snap on their outings.
The three most popular categories for posts are: Gear, Trips, and Sales.
Post Mix:
Bushcraft & Survival Tribe
Description:
Bushcraft is about thriving in the natural environment, and the acquisition of the skills and knowledge to do so. Bushcraft skills include firecraft, tracking, hunting, fishing, shelter-building, the use of tools such as knives and axes, foraging, hand-carving wood, container construction from natural materials, and rope and twine-making, among others. The group rules are pinned to the top. Please read them.
Comments:
Bushcraft & Survival Tribe is a large group, with 25,256 members. As a result, there is a large amount of traffic on the group. Gear posts dominate the discussion. So if you like to look at gear, this group is for you.
I have seen the moderators make an effort to build a feeling of community and promote a welcoming environment. Members are responsive if you ask a question.
The three most popular categories for posts are: Gear, Trips, and Crafts.
Post Mix:
Bushcraft
Description:
For bushcraft fans primarily in the UK.
Upload your questions, stories, poems, ditties, ballads, bush tucker recipes, photos for everyone to enjoy.
Comments:
The group is aimed at bushcrafters in the UK. But it’s still interesting if you live in the US. This is a smaller group, with 6,707 members. As a result it has less traffic than the other groups. The group is mainly about bushcraft skills, which I like. But there has been a recent jump in the number of posts about gear, preparedness, and sales. I feel this is beginning to undermine the more interesting posts by making them harder to find.
The three most popular categories for posts are: Gear, Prepper, and Trips.
Post Mix:
Bushcraft, Survival and Preppers
Description:
Bushcraft, Survival and Preppers is for anyone who loves the outdoor life. Whether you are into Bushcraft skills, Survival skills or are a prepared minded Prepper, there is something for you. Please feel free to add posts. Many thanks.
Comments:
This is a smaller group, with 5,146 members. As a result it has less traffic than the other groups. It seems to be more curated by the moderators, which has kept the post quality relatively high.
The three most popular categories for posts are: Gear, Prepper, and Sales.
Post Mix:
Bushcraft Survival Preppers Outdoors
Description:
This group was created for bushcrafters, survivalist, preppers, hunters, outdoorsman, ex to share their knowledge and even learn on a worldwide level! We have to keep our traditions alive! So that our children and childrens’ children will know what to do in a survival or in any outdoors situation!!!!
Comments:
Bushcraft Survival Preppers Outdoors is a large group with 24,202 members. It’s a solid group with high traffic volume.
The group does not seem to be moderated as often as others. This may result from the large volume of posts. I’ve seen some disparaging posts attempting irony/humor. They were not terrible, and were not aimed at individuals. But these posts do affect the tone of the group.
With that said, I have also seen more “humor” posts on this group than in others.
There seem to be more posts unrelated to bushcraft, survival, or preparedness than on other groups. There have also been a few posts that contain bad links. Gear posts dominate the discussions.
The three most popular categories for posts are: Gear, Sales, and Prepper.
Post Mix:
Backcountry Bushcraft
Description:
Bushcraft is a long-term extension of survival skills. A popular term for wilderness skills in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, the term was popularized in the southern hemisphere by Les Hiddins (The Bush Tucker Man) in Australia as well as in the northern hemisphere by Mors Kochanski and recently gained considerable currency in the United Kingdom due to the popularity of Ray Mears and his bushcraft and survival television programes. It is also becoming popular in urban areas; areas where the average person is separated from nature.
Comments:
Backcountry bushcraft is a smaller group, with just 1,714 members. It’s one of the few groups dedicated to bushcraft. This gives it a more relaxed feel than other groups.
The number of people posting to the group is relatively small, with a lower level of member participation. The group is not as actively moderated – and the group is beginning to fill with gear and sales posts. But you can still find good skills-related posts in the group.
The three most popular categories for posts are: Sales, Gear, and Skills.
Post Mix:
Conclusion
Bushcraft groups on Facebook can entertain and inform. They allow us to interact with others who share our interests. But be wary of buying too many gadgets, and spending time on your computer that would be better spent enjoying the outdoors.
Feel free to let me know about your experiences online by leaving a comment below.
Related Posts on NatureOutside
Coming soon… reviews of bushcraft internet forums and other social media.
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Im a member of a few of these and in my opinion bushcraft & survival tribe is by far the best it has been a plethora of knowledge on tap and they have many well know survivalist and perpetrators of the outdoorsman way of life I urge you to take another look be more active in the page instead of sitring and watching be active in it and the skills and knowledge will rise to the top
You make an excellent point, Gerald! You learn more by participating and interacting with others in the group. This is especially true if you ask questions. You will always need to filter the answers because there are members of the group with different skill levels. But you learn more by being active than by passively browsing others’ posts.
This is a totally wrong rating. I’m founder of Bushcraft Survival Preppers Outdoors. There are lots of skills that are taught in the group. Lots of recommendations on gear yes. But hardly any sales. We also have Outdoor Challenges to sharpen each members skill sets. When it comes to newbies in the bushcraft survival community we also pay special attention to them. Helping in anyway possible to lead them in the right path. We also moderate the group with an iron fist to keep out trolls and spammers. But most importantly we are always there for one another in the group. This rating was also given when there were 24k members. We now have over 38k. We try our best to make skills number one out of anything. Most gear post are more educational to also lead people to the right gear to have outdoors. Join in and you will see for yourselves.
I’m very surprised that Survivalist Base Camp obtained such high praise. This was certainly not my perception of the group. I found the moderator to be overly concerned with expensive gear, highly critical of new people and the questions they asked, and quick to become argumentative when someone would point out an error or weakness in his description, skill, or knowledge. Quite often, his final statement would be a sarcastic meme, followed by banishment of the poor chap who dared to express a contrary viewpoint. This group would be my ideal version of the group to avoid among all the Facebook bushcraft groups. Three groups that excel for knowledge and sense of community are: “Canadian Bushcraft”, “Oshawa Bushcraft”, and “Forest and Lake Community: Outdoors, Bushcraft, Survival: Ontario Canada”.
I hear you, Michael. One of the moderators has always been outspoken, and has become a bit more strident lately. The group rated well because they consistently had a variety of high quality content.
Thank you for recommending these other Facebook groups. Readers should check them out.
New to the bushcraft life love the outdoors can’t afford a school is there any body near the Carbondale IL are that would be interested in teaming up with an ole army vet a and teach him some new tricks
Jason, it may be worth joining some of these Facebook bushcraft groups to see if there is anyone near you that you can team up with.
Seems the facebook groups are like the utubers. Just trying to push the over priced gear or push the cheap s crap wish thet would actually give true results
Steve, unfortunately many of these groups are more concerned with shiny gear than developing skills. And members are often hawking some gizmo or another. I wish there was more of a skills-based focus.
I do know bushcraft & survival tribe is a rather large group. Basicly zero screening of people…anyone can join and its just a big mess. American humaine society, animal rights, Peta vegan hippy nuts type mindset is about 30 percent….(which is ok but its a surival forum??) people that know nothing or except it is a cluster and just like to make jokes or belittle others……another 50 percent….the rest are trying to be serious and make good posts…but you can’t enjoy the place because its just a clutster. It is kind of entertaining if you simply don’t mind all the non sense…..but there is ALOT of non sense. Wasn’t for me.
Frank, I am finding a lot more “clutter” on many of the Facebook groups. My biggest pet peeve is that most posts focus on equipment instead of skills. You do need to search to find the good posts.
Terrible ratings and some of these groups don’t even deserve to be in the top 50. Clearly whoever wrote this nonsense is an admin with one or several of those groups. 😂
Rick, I’m sorry that you think the ratings are terrible. And no, I am not an admin for any of these groups. 🙂