When I used to practice martial arts, I quickly realised that even if you were practicing a striking oriented martial art, you would still learn groundwork; the groundwork just came at a different stage in the training. This was also the case with a groundwork oriented martial arts like Judo; it would start of predominantly with groundwork, locks and throws but would progress onto striking. Most martial arts if not all, by the time you have gone as far as you can go in that style include grappling and striking.
I have seen this contrast between tracking and bushcraft practitioners. Some see tracking as a sub skill set to bushcraft and some especially trackers see bushcraft as a sub skill set to tracking. I am one of those trackers, who sees bushcraft as an additional but useful skill set to tracking. I have recently learned a high level of respect for bushcraft practitioners and I have seen a wide spectrum of people who would use that term and some who avoid it by calling themselves survivalists or backwoodsmen.
The difference for me is in the independent streak I see in trackers who are not elitists but pragmatists. These are guys who would use a blowtorch to light a fire if there was one handy instead of a bow drill especially if time is of the essence. It is a hard mindset to attempt to describe. I guess the tracker from my experience is very competitive and result oriented but not only that they have a very inquisitive mind that needs answers to the mysteries he sees in the dirt. It is not enough to know that you are following a large man carrying a heavy load; there are loads more questions in the trackers mind: what is in the heavy load, why is he taking this route, where is he going, where did he come from, why is he traveling at that time, what is his level of fitness, what is the story in these tracks.
I wonder what a person with this mindset would be like if they had never discovered tracking and only had gotten into bushcraft. I would imagine the person would be a frustrated bushcrafter always trying to push the boundaries of what they can achieve. I guess this begs the question, is a good tracker born or made or is the question a false dichotomy?
2 comments:
I totally agree about the example regarding the martial arts Jamie like we discussed when we last met. Bushcraft woodcraft wilderness living skills I feel is a culmination of different skills which include fire craft hunting tracking etc. I don't see tracking verses bushcraft. In our own way of life there are different people with different skills which they gravitate towards due to interest and ability. For example a baker spends more time baking than a joiner who spends more time hanging doors. The baker might be able to hang doors and the joiner might be able to bake bread it doesn't mean they are in competition rather they are in harmony, both posses modern living skills. Tracking is a wilderness living skill, just one skill in many which make life possible but alone without the knowledge of hunting firecraft weapon or trap manufacturing it won't keep u alive. Firecraft alone is the exact same without tracking hunting plant lore etc it won't keep u alive. So I fe they are all as important as each other and like the joiner and the baker some people specialise which makes perfect sense as if the best person at each skill perfects it then the end result, ' living in the wilderness' will be much better and more comfortable. Just my penny's worth, we will have to get together again mate we had some great chats always good to speak to someone with the same views but from a different perspective!!!
Paul
Hi Paul, sorry I take so long to reply. Where I am trying to go with the post is to see what the mindset diffrence is that makes a person want to specialise in tracking. For most of what you wrote we are singing off the same hymn sheet. I suppose I have spent more time with trackers than bushcrafters. Even within tracking Max teaches about the different mind sets of the hunter tracker and the beangrower tracker. It seems that there are as many different mindsets as there are skills to learn in our field; you only have to look at the Ray vs Bear debate that you hear so many numpties going on about. We will meet up again I am sure, whether it is in Scotland NI or on a course. take care my friend.
Jamie
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