Woods Journal

As winter begins to close its firm grip over Montana and the hours of the day turn mostly into darkness, many find themselves with a case of cabin fever. Some will use the extra time indoors to catch up on work, while others will use that time to craft. This year, I have found myself taking on a lot of promises I have made throughout the year. Once you let someone know you can make something, there is no shortage of Christmas and birthday present requests. It is always better in my mind to trade things made by hand and from the heart than anything else anyway.

As an outdoorsy person with limited time to get outside once the night sets in, it seems natural to make things that will both remind me of life outside and help pursue those adventures once things thaw out. Currently I find myself making more knives, customizing gun holsters, and reviewing my hunting gear and strategies for next year.

In many ancient cultures, including amongst the Inuit, there was a belief that a craftsman left some of their spiritual energy in the objects that they made. That is where the term “putting one’s soul into something” came from. They believed that a great craftsman left an actual measurable power within the crafted item. Purchasing or trading for a spear from a great spear builder, or a bow from a skilled bowyer meant that the item would always cut deep or hit its target true. I believe that when a person makes a thing with their best effort, they feel that power within the item. The crafter knows the cracks and imperfections in their creations and knows how strong the things truly are.

I began making things to save money on items I could just create myself. As I moved out into the mountains and the west, I felt a growing necessity to create. Much like the west-goers and pioneers of the past, there are not many stores in Montana where one can purchase certain things readily at hand. For many in this state, crafting has been a way of life that has remained to this day. The pioneering spirit, the lack of convenience and the drive to be self-sufficient all feel like elements of a time now passed, and in my experience, remain some of the big reasons many Montanans love the state today.

If I wanted to live where I could just go out and get whatever I needed whenever I wanted, I wouldn’t live in Montana. I would just recreate here and live near the convenience. To me, there is something about building and improvising one’s own kit while in the thick of the adventure. I love finding the materials by happenstance or making something else work. Most of my gear from hiking bags and clothing to shelters and tools are handmade or improvised. I know their limits and what they can do, and I know how to fix them if I need to. I know that information because I made them and repaired them myself. This I have done, usually over winter, and usually after having seen the things fail and after having remade them many times. It always feels disheartening and like losing part of myself when something breaks. It kind of reminds me of a person’s self. It seems I know myself better, just like the things I make, the more times I have had to repair it.

Reach John Dowd at [email protected].