The Pointed Stick

On my first time in the wilderness, I was taught to make a spear out of a wooden stick. It was a thin branch that was cut in about 6 feet long and one end was scraped to be pointed. The purpose of the pointed stick is to serve as weapon and defense. When walking in a grassy trail, it is advised to use the stick to grope for the trail ahead so if there is a snake then it will be driven away. And when an animal dares to attack you, the pointed stick can be a weapon. It has many uses like using it to pick fruits from a high tree branch or you can check the depth of water by using the pointed stick.

 

Isn't it amazing how useful something like a simple wooden stick can be? Just look at all of the things that we can use it for...

This was also one of the first lessons that I've learned while practicing survival skills. My good friend taught me how to easily make the ''pointed stick'' or as we prefer to call it a sharpened stick or a spear. It literally takes a few seconds and all you need is a knife or a cutting tool.

Even when we go hiking, I make sure to make one before we begin. We often hike in areas that have tall grass and you could easily find some snakes hiding there. It is always better to be safe than sorry! Great post Corzhens

 

The pointy stick is a much underrated tool.

 

A nice long staff is the best tool a hiker can have. It is a balance pole, a weapon, a tool for digging and turning over logs and a friend to lean on when tired. If I'm making one from scratch I look for a fairly long straight pole with a branch near the top end that I will either form into a hook or make into a forked stick. The fork helps in the mud or water to limit it sinking in and getting stuck and can be used to pin down a snake or small critter. The hook is like having a 6' arm to reach out and grab things and pull them to you. They are great when climbing a steep hill and can pull limbs down into your reach for harvesting fruits or to hang a lantern. You can also turn them hook down in the mud like the forked stick. Even my short walking stick generally have either a hook or a fork. The fork can be shaped into a spiffy looking handle.