January 07, 2009

Doggie Bushcraft


Shelby was out scavenging sunflower seeds under the bird feeder this morning. Maybe she learned to do that from the foxes. It's all part of being a wild doggie.

In fact, I now have a name for what she does: Doggie Bushcraft.

It is no different from the people who practice bushcraft skills for fun or "just in case."

Like ranging the woods for carrion after having had a full breakfast in a nice warm kitchen.

I reckon that it is a sort of canine historical reenactment. She is a wolf reenactor. And there are certain traditional skills that go with that.

So when I find her up on the national forest happily esconced in an elk rib cage -- discarded by some hunter who had butchered the elk at home -- she is just working on her bushcraft skills.

2 comments:

Rebecca Clayton said...

Here on Droop Mountain, suflower seeds are a favorite snack for bears, too. I believe if I were a dog, I'd choose to be a bear reenactor. It's not as authentic, but it surely must fire the imagination.

(I'm really enjoying your blog. Glad to have discovered you.)

Chas S. Clifton said...

Thanks, Rebecca.

I don't think that Shelby wants to be a bear reenactor. She would have to eat acorns then, and she shows no liking for them.

But the bears do like sunflower seeds, so we have to take in the feeders every evening during March-November.