7-Day Kangaroo Processing Intensive - VIC, Australia, Price TBA

Have you ever wondered what happens to the parts of an animal that don’t make it onto your grocery store shelves?

Or how you can turn raw skin into soft, durable leather using only simple tools and resources from the environment around you?

This 7-day course will provide you with the knowledge you need to break down an animal carcass in an efficient manner, utilizing as much of the animal as possible.

Pre-Requisites

It is preferred that participants have already completed the Bushcraft Survival Australia Fundamental Module 1 & 2 courses, but prior Bushcraft Survival Australia course completion is no longer a pre-requisite for this course.

• Maximum number of participants: 12

The course will comprise of 3 shorter modules:

1) Using the Whole Animal (Butchery)

2) Skin Tanning

3) Sewing a Tail Skin Saw Sheath

1) Using the Whole Animal course:

• Organs: Removing, sorting, and cleaning edible organs, plus utilitarian uses like brains for tanning, bladders for water bags, and intestines for thread.

• Skin: Removing, de-fleshing, and preserving skin for tanning; using scraps for hide glue.

• Meat: Removing meat, understanding cut uses, deboning, making roasts, jerky, soup meat, and basic preservation.

• Fat: Rendering fat for preservation.

• Bones: Separating joints, using bones as food, and crafting tools like skin processing tools, awls, needles, fishhooks, harpoon/arrow points, and jewelry.

• Sinew: Removing, cleaning, preserving, and processing sinew for fiber in sewing, bowstrings, hafting, and bow backing.

• Hooves (Claws): Processing claws for decorative items or hoof glue.

2) Here's what you'll learn from the Tanning Section of this course:

• Mastering Fat Tanning: Learn to tan kangaroo skins using lecithin and oil as the primary dressing agents.

• Comprehensive Process: We'll cover de-fleshing, alkalizing for substance removal, applying tanning agents, softening, and smoking the skins.

• Expert Guidance & Resources: Benefit from enthusiastic instruction, comfortable and easy-to-use tools, and detailed handouts on the tanning process.

• Enriching Experience: Enjoy ethnographic anecdotes, a recommended literature list for further learning, and plenty of memorable moments.

• Tangible Results: With your effort, you'll leave with a beautiful, unique, and usable piece of traditionally tanned leather.

  
  

3) In the Leatherwork section, we will cover:

• Crafting a Folding Saw Case: Learn to create a durable case for a folding saw using half tanned kangaroo tail skin

• Pattern Making & Stitching: Learn how to create patterns for your tools and utilize stitching techniques to stiffen the leather, preventing stretching and ensuring long-lasting creations.

Additional Information:

Duration: 7 days (Monday, October 27, 08:00 am to Sunday, November 2, 5:00 pm)

Venue: Bushcraft Survival Australia (BSA) is an outdoor bushcraft survival school, which is dedicated to teaching genuine and authentic traditional and modern outdoor living skills

Accommodation, Food & Amenities

Accommodation:

This course is run entirely outdoors from an expedition-style base camp, and you will either sleep in your own camping equipment (see clothing and equipment list) or in the emergency shelter you will build yourself.

Amenities:

This course is run entirely outdoors in a field environment. A screened trench latrine and a gravity-fed canvas bush shower in a secluded, private spot, along with strict camp hygiene measures, will give your experience a natural wilderness feel, while also teaching you essential outdoor toilet etiquette and how to leave no trace. You will be taught how to wash with limited water and stay clean in the bush. Our measures are low-impact and environmentally friendly.

Food:

On this mixed course, breakfast, lunch, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits, a fruit bowl, and fresh water will be provided at the base camp.

Three of the evening meals during the week, we will cook together using the animals we process, while the other three, you will be required to bring and cook yourself. We suggest that you create your own simple, lightweight “ration” packs. Please see our YouTube episode on Making Your Own 24 Hour Ration Packs.

Whilst we try to cater for most dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerant, etc.), we cannot cater for lifestyle choices or ultra-fussy eaters due to the remote nature of our courses. You can supplement the provided food with your snacks or meals, but unless you are allergic or intolerant, you are expected to eat the food supplied, as this provides in-context learning. After all, this is a bushcraft and survival course, not a wellness retreat, and in a real survival situation, you eat what you have or you go without.

Equipment & Clothing

You will need to bring:

• Something to sleep in, on, and under (sleeping bag, groundsheet, tarp/hootchie/hammock, mozzie net, etc)

• Appropriate clothing

• Belt kit (knife, ferro rod, and saw), it is best to bring a knife with a thinner rather than thicker spine, like a standard Mora knife. Thicker blades are not ideal for meat prep.

• 1 large (think beach towel size) towel (Op shop is fine)

• 1 pair of tight-fitting fabric gloves with plastic palms (for tanning)

• 3 simple “ration pack” type meals to cook yourself in your cups/canteen or nesting cup (see Food section)

• Cutlery set

We have small cooking pots, nesting cups, water bottles, ground sheets, hootchie tents, knives, and ferro rods to lend if you don't have your own. Refer to the BSA Module 1 Kit List if in doubt.

Ensure your Morakniv knife is sharp before you arrive. :)