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Denis Boyles is the author of African Lives; Man Eaters Motel; Superior, Nebraska; and several books on living a manly life. He lives in rural France, where pigs sniff out thousand-dollar truffles.

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Way back before man abandoned the woods for the cities—and traded his hunting rifle for a BlackBerry—he had to know how to do certain things to survive. He had to trap and build and grow things, using his calloused hands and valuable knowledge passed down through the generations. For most men today, these once-cherished skills are as dead as the dodo.

But take heart! Now guys can reconnect with those less-complicated times, rediscover how to embrace adventure, and appreciate the outdoor life. Denis Boyles, principal author of A Man's Life, has culled a wealth of essential, nearly lost manly endeavors from U.S. government pamphlets, century-old publications, and ancient scouting manuals to help reeducate us in the fine macho arts of:

• Tracking a bobcat
• Splicing a rope
• Rescuing someone from drowning
• Sending a smoke signal
• Building a log cabin

And much, much, much more—including, of course, how to catch a pig!

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

How to Catch a Pig

HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

ChapterOne

To Successfully Enjoy a Trip into the Woods

What compels a man to leave hearth and home and venture into the embrace of Nature where danger and discomfort are the commonest forms of wildlife? It is nothing but a love for Creation and for all the creatures in it.

If you go out, travel light—but right. There's a great deal of difference in these words, just as much as between roughing it versus smoothing it. And if you follow these pages we shall endeavor to point out clearly to you the easiest way to obtain the right outfit, and to gain therefrom the fullest amount of comfort, pleasure, and benefit from a journey out-of-doors.

We omit nothing essential. We point out plainly how and what to provide, thus enabling you to provide for your every possible want, to live comfortably and well, and to receive from a minimum of cost and preparation a maximum of results from an outfit, simple in the extreme, yet one that with ordinary care will serve its purpose completely, and last you for many a long trip again besides.

Camp Clothing Outfit

See also our article on Camp Clothing and our advice in A Man's Life. The Complete Instructions.

For each person (sufficient for a month's trip or more):

1 suit of old serviceable woolen clothes.
1 extra pair of pants or overalls.
2 woolen or flannel overshirts.
2 suits of flannel underwear.
2 pair socks.
2 towels.
2 handkerchiefs.
1 featherweight rain cape.
1 empty pillowcase.
1 pair strong boots or shoes.
1 pair camp moccasins or slipper-shoes.
1 pair serviceable leggings.
1 broad-rim soft felt hat.
1 cape cap.
1 mosquito net.
1 woolen sweater.
1 pair suspenders.
1 ditty bag and contents (toilet articles, etc.).
1 combination camp bed, mattresses, blankets, and carry-all (four in one). (See Camp Combination.)

Wear part of the above and roll up the balance in carry-all as shown. Size of roll, 12 x 24 inches; weight, 15 pounds.

Carry on your person these items:

1 water cooling canteen.
1 reliable hunting knife.
1 waterproof safety match box (filled).
1 reliable pocket compass.
A copy of this manual in your pocket.
Pipe and tobacco if you smoke.
Your gun or rod, if you hunt or fish.

Excerpted from How to Catch a Pigby Denis Boyles Copyright © 2009 by Denis Boyles. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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