Tree Bark & Animal Hide Survival Tips

Here’s another great video from Townsends, showing how to make cordage from nothing more than tree bark. Pretty cool!

You start out by finding tulip poplar. In my neck of the woods, that may means instant fail, since although the infallible (ha) wikipedia claims it’s native to some areas I frequent, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen it in the woods. But I digress! You can also use basswood if you can find some.

You only use the inner bark fibers, and you want them to be wet for the twisting process — otherwise it will be more brittle and likely to break while you work it.

Twist two “legs” of the stuff in opposite directions until it twists onto itself, and continue… splicing into the short leg whenever it’s about to run out.,

The result is actually pretty durable and nice… and will make anyone appreciate those cheap balls of twine that are made by machine.

As a bonus, they demonstrate how to make fairly lengthy cordage from an animal hide that isn’t necessarily large at all. Cut a circle out of the skin, then just cut it into a spiral. Nice!

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.