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Working on this challenge involved two resource walks and a solid trip to my dry storage. On the first snowshoe walk I identified and harvested grass, flower tops, and birch bark. I also found a pine tree that has great potential for Fatwood. I had cedar bark in dry storage from a harvesting last summer and milkweed pods from last fall. I processed down two piles of cedar bark and kindled one with a ferro rod and one with flint & steel. Actually the charred punkwood was sparked with a piece of flint and my 1095 steel Migizi Bushcraft & Survival Knife. I specifically mention this because until recently, this is a skill that has alluded me. I also harvested two pieces of Fatwood from my dry storage, procured from a job site last fall. You can see on one of the pieces where I tested it in the field. I processed down the punk wood around the Fatwood, which would have been much easier with a hatchet but the Fatwood carved feathers very nicely, I was able to scrape some power with the spine of my knife and this easily lit with the ferro rod (and striker). I was under the impression that milkweed pod fluff was flash tinder but this was not the case. It smoldered just like charred material (and stink) but I was able to blow the fluff into a flame against the actual pod. I used that to start Saturdays fire. My second snowshoe hike was out at the family homestead where I knew there were cattail tops. I found tops of various degrees of degeneration and harvested several of each. I have not kindled this patch of grass and flower tops yet and still need to investigate the uses of the cattail. I will add to this in the comments. Darned wedding next weekend that is going to compromise my availability. Not a relative but close enough that there are expectations.

Alright crew — quick roll call. Drop: - Location: state/country - Terrain: woods / mountains / desert / swamp / urban / other - This week’s focus: one skill you want sharper by Sunday (fire, shelter, navigation, knife skills, water, mindset, etc.) I’ll kick it off: I’m in KY/TN country, and this week I’m focused on instructing land navigation.

Training Primer: Hike out to my resource area and work on multiple tarp configurations based on the Week 6 Challenge. AAN: I set up an A-Frame tarp configurations based, supported using a rope kit without anything being pre-staged. After I disassembled that set, I attempted an unsupported plow-point shelter. Although the concept worked OK, it was very difficult to keep things tight with the tent pads in snow. I disassembled that and set up a supported plow-point, much more successfully. I tried a timed exercise just for grins. It was a modified lean-to which went 9 minutes and 20 seconds. More than two minutes too long.

What failed the first time you tried natural tinder in wet conditions? What corrected it?