How to Make Birch Tar | Preserving Bear Meat | Primitive Bushcraft Skills in the Wilderness
Birch tar or oil is relatively easy to make and is an important bushcraft product from the forest for off grid living. Birch tar can be used as antiseptic, a disinfectant, a diuretic, a bug repellent, glue, soap and more. I collect birch bark from one fallen tree and dry distill it in a campfire in front of my log cabin.
With spring fast approaching, warm weather is threatening to thaw my store of frozen bear meat. To prevent spoilage, I remove it from the ground and dry and smoke it over the campfire over two days. It will last a long time like this, but should not be consumed as jerky, but rather should be cooked and/or rehydrated and cooked in order to kill potential trichinosis.
Thanks for watching!
