Bushcraft First Aid: A Field Guide to Wilderness Emergency Care

by Dave Canterbury

From wilderness expert Dave Canterbury and outdoor survival instructor Jason Hunt comes the next installment in the New York Times bestselling Bushcraft series—a go-to first aid resource for anyone headed into the woods.

Out in the woods or on top of a mountain, there’s no calling 9-1-1. Bushcraft First Aid teaches you how to be your own first responder. The authors’ years of experience and training will help hikers and backpackers deal with a variety of emergency situations, from cuts and burns to broken bones and head injuries. You’ll also learn what to pack and how to make bandages, dressings, and slings at a moment’s notice. As bushcraft experts, Canterbury and Hunt explain how to use plants as medicine to treat various conditions. Bushcraft First Aid provides the lifesaving information you need to keep yourself and your fellow hikers safe on the trail.

Genres: Survival, Nonfiction, Outdoors, Self Help, Reference, Nature, Crafts

256 pages, Paperback

Published June 13, 2017

Reviews

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complete guide on wilderness emergency care. Not for total beginners, you need to have read up on first aid to make the most out of this book. The elaborate chapters on herbal treatments are useful, though I wish more emphasis was laid on correct identification of plants before you use them. This book would be a great supplement to, or refresher after, an in-person wilderness emergency class.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

While doing research for the book, one of the authors actually reached out to me to ask some questions about medical care in extremely austere environments. I just finished reading the book and it is a valuable addition to the literature on the topic of wilderness first aid.

It’s interesting for me to see a medical text that combines both modern first aid with traditional herbal healing methods. There aren’t enough books like that on the market and I’m glad to see this one was published.

[Emma Grace Blumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all learned a lot! It was helpful to take the book along on a recent hike and forage for some of the plants included in the book- we made a wild plantain and jewelweed salve for insect bites and blisters and it’s been helpful!

[Enikő · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good book. I'm not sure I would agree that it is "The Ultimate Resource for Wilderness First Aid", as the back cover claims, as I'm sure it is comparable to other books on the subject, but it seems to do the job. At any rate, it is well organized. I think it would be easy to find what I'm looking for if I suddenly didn't remember what to do in an emergency. I especially like the colour photographs in Chapter 16, Plant Medicine for the Woodsman. We are going camping next month, and I think it will be fun to see if we can find some of these plants in the wild and practice making poultices, decoctions and cold infusions.

[Robert Lewter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the one I've been waiting for. A comprehensive first aid guide for outdoor situations. Take this and as long as we don't run into Negan, we'll probably come back alive. This one goes from "rub some dirt on it and go on" to just this side of surgery. It's not random or vague, it covers actual situations. It tells you how to prevent most mishaps and what to do if one happens by using what's in your kit and what can be found in nature. I know it will go in my pack and stay on my device. It has photos of medicinal plants and how to use them and numerous sketches throughout . Best of all it has an extensive index. Read it, read it, read it.

[Jessica Hembree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information

Tough to decide what my favorite part of this book is. There are plenty of practical scenarios that are included. There are a number of self-aid notes throughout. Tips in the chapters and tips and tricks sections at the end of chapters are great! The plant identification photos are great! This is a really helpful guide for any outdoors person or first aid person.

[Travis Wise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Next time you and me are in the woods together, try to injure yourself, and I’ll be moderately prepared for whatever your worst is. If you give me a second to find your specific symptoms in the book, I’ll be highly prepared—if you didn’t bleed out first. But if you decided to go out with me into the woods in the first place, far from hospitals and EMT services, I’m sure those were the risks you were prepared for.

[Marcus Wynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Canterbury is well known as a survival and bushcraft instructor. What makes this book unusual and valuable is that it addresses how to deal with emergency medical treatment WITHOUT all the usual accoutrements of first aid, if you are caught short, as well as how to deal with longer term (grid down) type medical issues utilizing natural resources like plants, etc.

[Zoe Wolfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this made me realize how much *could* go wrong in a variety of wilderness experiences. I had previously only really considered backpacking as a time I should know first aid, but running, fishing, biking etc are all good times to have these skills. Sometimes, I felt like the examples were a bit extreme, but as an introduction to wilderness first aid, this seemed very comprehensive.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lately I was interested in first aiding, because I watched a dortors' tv programme with first aiding people in it. I downloaded the e-book version on my kindle, and I finished it lately. This book provides first aid in the wild, and also how to survive in the wilderness.

[Lnsimon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dave Canterbury's books are always enlightening reads, but this is the most essential. This book provides a plethora of medical scenarios. The book is organized and easy to reference.

[M. Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's packed with useful information, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who spends time outdoors.

[Grace Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

he rlly said drink a white willow decoction and eat charcoal and ur chilling

[Jon S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good audiobook, interesting information and useful advice. Is focused primarily on the Americas though (with regards to Americanisms of measurements, their fauna and flora), but still a great listen.

[April Zek]

dnf

[Kevin Zuech · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a good starting point. I was planning to take a NOLS WFA course and this was a good introduction to WFA. I would definitely recommend for anyone who spends as much time outdoors as myself.

[James Harms · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to get this book. I did my pre-order on Amazon.com

[Gavin Bickerstaff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the reader all about wilderness emergency care, the reason why I find this book superb
is that it teaches the reader all about survival in the wilderness using nature as an emergency first aid kit.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes nature or goes camping all of the time.

[Edward Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the right amount of info and knowledge laid out in an easy to find and deal with manner.

[Terry Cheek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent subject matter and presented in a way it can be practiced before needing it.

[Van Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of people forget the first aid when it comes to preparedness. It's very important and this is a solid introduction to it.