RobertJBickel (@RobertJBickel)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zooDm8Wrhvw Is This the Perfect Bushcraft Kit? Nessmuk’s Ditty Bag Revealed! What did legendary outdoorsman George Washington Sears, better known as “Nessmuk,” actually carry in his hunting pouch—and could his remarkably compact 19th-century woods kit still be considered an almost perfect bushcraft kit today? In this episode of Following Nessmuk, I recreate the contents of the small chamois leather “ditty bag” and buckskin hunting pouch that Sears described in his own writings. In this episode of Following Nessmuk, I recreate the remarkable collection of items Sears described carrying in his small buckskin bullet or hunting pouch—including the little chamois leather “ditty bag” he kept inside it. Nessmuk left us an unusually detailed inventory. His ditty bag measured only about 4 × 6 inches and, fully loaded, which he said weighed just 2½ ounces! Yet inside he carried fishing hooks and lines, sewing and darning supplies, buttons, thread, yarn, sticking salve, shoemaker's wax, beeswax, sinkers and even a tiny file for sharpening fishhooks. But that wasn't all. His hunting pouch also carried his fly medicine, pain killer, snelled hooks, waterproof match safe, compass, cordage, pieces of linen and scarlet flannel, copper tacks and what he called other “light duffle.” A sheath sewn to the back of the pouch kept his light hunting knife close at hand. Sears wrote that he wore this little buckskin pouch “almost as constantly as my hat,” calling it about as handy a piece of woods-kit as he carried. Using Nessmuk's own writings as my guide, I've tried to reproduce his instructions and contents as closely as possible using historically appropriate items. For a man famous for traveling light, this little pouch reveals a lot about Nessmuk's approach to camping, fishing, hunting, repair and preparedness in the 19th-century wilderness. If you enjoy traditional camping, historical outdoor gear, bushcraft, survival skills and recreating the equipment of legendary woodsmen, subscribe and follow along as we continue Following Nessmuk. What item in Nessmuk's hunting pouch surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments! Link to Nessmuk's Sporting Goods Store: https://www.nessmuksltd.com/ Woodcraft and Camping Book: https://amzn.to/4x1l8bE Canoeing the Adirondacks with Nessmuk Book: https://amzn.to/4wVSTek Condor Nessmuk Knife: https://amzn.to/46x3IJ2 Marbles Double Bit Hatchet: https://amzn.to/4yg8jLL Moose Pattern Pocket Knife: https://amzn.to/3SymWLe James Bender examines the contents of a reproduction of George Washington Sears’ hunting pouch and ditty bag, detailing the traditional tools and supplies historically used for wilderness survival. This exploration covers essential items ranging from fishing gear and sewing supplies to specialized personal provisions used during 19th-century outdoor excursions.