Woodsmanship equals all the skills, nature-knowledge and attitudes I learned back in the Boy Scouts. But that was long ago and “country,” with scout leaders who mostly had been farm boys and served in WWII and/or Korea. It was so thorough that when I went into the Marines, even though I was a skinny weakling, I had major advantages at the rifle and pistol ranges, map and compass reading, camping, survival, and more, all learned through years in the Boy Scouts and Explorers. I worry that today, with the lack of highly qualified leaders, it ain’t what it used to be, at least not in the big cities. It’s like a major problem recruiting young people to hunting — where opportunity to hunt, fish, camp and hike used to be just a short bike ride away mid-century, now it’s a major and expensive travel proposition for most. It’s like a narrowing funnel, this gradually decreasing knowlege or and interest in wildness and woodsmanship among adults, and shrinking with every generation. I know there are exceptions and more power to them. dave
