Ways to make fire

[>>>---WW---->]

Making fire is an important skill that every outsdoorsman should know. And I think we all know a Bic lighter is probably one of the best ways to make one. but what if you don't have one or forget to throw one in your pack???

Well, with all this virus thing going around, I've become addicted to YouTube. And I found the David West channel on YouTube. This guy can build fire with just about anything. Ferro rod, bow drill, hand drill, magnifying lense, mirrors, and fire rools, flint and steel, and even water bottles. You name it, and he can make it work. Just kind of interesting watching him. He makes it all look so simple and easy.

There is nothing like a campfire to lift you spirts on a cold winter elk hunt.

[Tigger]

Swede can make fire with canned chili and a few hours processing!

[Swede]

My favorite is a candle, but Staggs Two Bean Chili would do. I did not try to light it, but my fear is that it would work like a blow torch.

[wawhitey]

My go-to method

[WapitiTalk1]

My go-to method

Ha, neighbor and I had to flip a coin to see which one of us got to take another neighbor to ER after he ignited a burn pile with petro. It wasn’t pretty

[wawhitey]

Damn rookies. I should host a class on how to do totally unsafe hillbilly crap. Ill call the class, hold my beer, watch this 101

[WapitiTalk1]

Damn rookies. I should host a class on how to do totally unsafe hillbilly crap. Ill call the class, hold my beer, watch this 101

Yep.

[WapitiTalk1]

WW, I’ll check out the D West VIDS. Sounds like it’s worth a watch.

[Lefty]

My go-to method

I think with a few extras it could be a 300 level class, other flammable liquids, gasses, oxygen to anything This could be fun, how about some magnesium
My FIL has started fires with bullets. I haven't tried that.
I wasnt a firebug as a kid, However in my neighborhood we all had lots of practice starting fires.
Any combustion engine there are a couple methods but generally electricity and gasoline. lawn mowers, mini bikes, motor cycles, boat motors snowmobiles.
Having been a leader in BSA the old standbys, battery and steel wool. Magnifying glass( broken glass) flint and steel, bug spray

If I want a fire now, propane lighter and 85 octane gas

[wawhitey]

Burnin that gasoliiiiiine!

[Indian Summer]

If you remember a ferro rod, a magnifying glass, a bow drill, and flint and steel but forgot to throw TWO Bic lighters in your pack you should be banned from this website!

Speaking of fire has anyone here ever heard of Pyro Putty? Works very much like cotton balls soaked in Vaseline but it lasts linger and you can stick it the the underside of a piece of wood making it very effective.

https://pyroputty.com/

[saddlesore]

Road flare.Works evertime,and you can pretty much even start damp wood on fire

[Lefty]

If you remember a ferro rod, a magnifying glass, a bow drill, and flint and steel but forgot to throw TWO Bic lighters in your pack you should be banned from this website!
Speaking of fire has anyone here ever heard of Pyro Putty? Works very much like cotton balls soaked in Vaseline but it lasts linger and you can stick it the the underside of a piece of wood making it very effective.
https://pyroputty.com/

When we lived in northern Utah some of the guys from Thiokol would make "fire-starters from toned down multi level solid rocket fuel "Pyro putty" was the name they used

[Swede]

The key to using gasoline is to put a small amount on your wood, remove your gas can from the immediate area, then light the pile. Never pour gas on any fire.

[7mmfan]

The key to using gasoline is to put a small amount on your wood, remove your gas can from the immediate area, then light the pile. Never pour gas on any fire.

Wheres the fun in that Swede?

I prefer my wife's hairspray and a BIC.

[wawhitey]

I just ordered some of that pyro putty and the rechargable lighter

[Tigger]

We tried to start a fire with a stick one time in Canada while having shore lunch. It didn't work. Next we used flint and steel and that worked pretty good when you got the hang of it. But nowadays, I stick with a Bic. of course, it is about time to get my boys to do the flint/steel thing.

[Trumkin the Dwarf]

I've never tried flint and steel, or the bow and arrow drill, or the bullet swapped for cotton, or...

Well you get the picture. I've always done just fine with matches and Bic's. But I do want to try that little bow and arrow drill. Wonder if I can do it in my den without triggering the smoke alarm...

[Swede]

Trumpkin, if you can fool around with that fire starting technique, you have the energy to go outside, so you have no need to worry about your smoke alarm. Stick with the Bic.

[juglow]

I've have an electronic lighter that works when wet that has been a pretty sweat item for a gear junky, coupled with wet fire tinder packs. Only used it once though as I rarely start a fire...call me crazy but I feel it alerts the elk of my presence

A neat trick my wife learned when she was in girl scouts that we still use when camping is to shave used candles and wrap the shavings in wax paper like a tootsie roll. This method has been the best hands down I've ever used and costs nothing

[Swede]

Jerimiah, Don't worry about the elk being concerned with your fire. They don't care unless thy detect human activity associated with it. Fortunately they are not smart enough to reason it out and make the connection. The fire may actually aid you in not being detected. Just be safe with the fire.

[Lefty]

I’m going with jug on this one no fires while hunting

I like to be clean and limit my scent profile
I’ve seen big game standing in the midths of heavy smoke and with in a flames reach
While my granddaughter did have a campfire at elk camp . It’s not my thing

[Swede]

It has probably been over 30 years since I have had a fire in camp. About 25 years ago I started one at night to warm up by, as I was butchering an elk by myself. It is unseasonably cold, but I soon forgot about the little fire and it went out. I was too busy to take time to warm up. I warmed up by packing the elk uphill to the road. I too don't like the smell of smoke on me, but if I was on a stand in the rifle season, I might try a warming fire. The smoke does not bother the elk. It just bothers me.

[7mmfan]

I firmly believe that smoke does not bother animals. It is a natural smell. I think it does a great job of covering human scent as well. I personally rarely spend enough time in one location to warrant building a fire, but I would have no qualms about it if I knew I was going to be sitting somewhere for more than an hour. I always enjoy stumbling across old fire rings deep in the woods. I take a moment to look to around and figure out what area that hunter was watching. I have ID'd good areas to hunt based on the view that an old fire ring had.

We used to always have large fires in camp, but that was when we didn't spend as much time in the woods. We were often back at camp within 30 minutes of shooting hours, and were back for lunch most of the time as well. We had lots of time to enjoy them. Now we hunt all day, and are usually not back to camp until hours after dark. So we just fire up the wood stove in the wall tent, choke our food down, and hit the sack. In coming years, when my son begins to join us, I see camp fires making a return to our hunts. My Dad will most likely be spending more time close to camp and I know he will thoroughly enjoy building fires with his grandson.

[juglow]

I hear ya and that makes sense that it doesn't spook or alert the game. I don't know why I looked at backcountry differently than I do whitetail. Maybe because of the remoteness. Funny thing is, I smoke my whitetail clothes in hickory chips inside a bee smoker...its a bullet proof scent cover up. I wasn't a believer at first until I tried it so it only makes sense for elk. Doesn't seem natural but it works. Thx

[Indian Summer]

I’ve had elk and mule deer walk toward my fire curious to see what was going on.

[wawhitey]

I’ve had elk and mule deer walk toward my fire curious to see what was going on.

Ive had the same experience with whitetail, and ive woken up to see fresh lion tracks in the snow just a few yards from my fire. I really dont think animals care. If lighting a fire on a hunt will warm me up, dry me out, or just improve my morale, im doing it. I dont see any way it will hurt my hunt. And the way i see it, if the wind isnt in my favor im screwed anyway. Light er up!

[Indian Summer]

I’ve had elk and mule deer walk toward my fire curious to see what was going on.

Ive had the same experience with whitetail, and ive woken up to see fresh lion tracks in the snow just a few yards from my fire. I really dont think animals care. If lighting a fire on a hunt will warm me up, dry me out, or just improve my morale, im doing it. I dont see any way it will hurt my hunt. And the way i see it, if the wind isnt in my favor im screwed anyway. Light er up!

Exactly!!!

[Lefty]

I hear ya and that makes sense that it doesn't spook or alert the game. I don't know why I looked at backcountry differently than I do whitetail. Maybe because of the remoteness. Funny thing is, I smoke my whitetail clothes in hickory chips inside a bee smoker...its a bullet proof scent cover up. I wasn't a believer at first until I tried it so it only makes sense for elk. Doesn't seem natural but it works. Thx

Guys I spent a lot of time developing trapping lures often using very exspensive government research on coyotes
Coverscent of any kind doesn’t mask for coyotes so I generalized that theory to all animals with a nose.
Most animals are curious , which isn’t black or white when couriosity turns to fear and panic
Or how much smell triggers interest over the fear
And some animals are more brave then others
Last week for nothing I couldn’t get a bear to come in doing the best of everything
Only two more cards to play with those boats

Then over the weekend a couple house cats and a dog disappears in the neighborhood, (
small lion)
And in different situation and individual animals a smell my distract or send it running
My expierience no smell is better than a smell( attempted cover scent or attractant with human odor).