The Longhunter #5… Review

“The Long Hunter # 5″, by Mark Baker, is the fifth in his series on the 18th century long hunters, and picks up and kind of wraps up the series, might be more though.

Produced by American Pioneer Video, the filming is excellent and the subject matter is well presented, all in period dress, weapons and tools… it really is experimental archaeology unfolding before your eyes. It is like they stepped out of the 1760s or so. I love that look!

Mark Baker has established his well deserved reputation over at least the last 25 years(maybe more) as one of the leading proponents of the long hunter era. He has two books “A Pilgrims Journey” volume one and volume two. He is also the author of, “Sons Of The Trackless Forest”, a novel that is impossible to get hold of unless you ave an extra thousand bucks hanging around. It was an instant classic.

He has written countless articles and has spent years researching his subject. His series of videos have always been looked forward to with great anticipation. With number 5 he does not let you down. He has a nice easy going demeanor and articulates his subject with authority.

This video is in two volumes and kicks off with the proper way to cook venison, and how to render fat in the bush, with a side of sweet potatoes with period correct ingredients. That leads into the use of bacon fat for your moccasins and patches for your flintlock. Seeing this meal prepared will make you very hungry. Then there is a segment on the history of the 18th century hunting shirt, sounds boring but it isnt.

The next segment is on packs and the various types of the period, their use, how they were packed, and their contents. Great use of diddy bags really translates well today.

Volume 2 starts off with how to speed load a flintlock on the run, a practice Mark Baker taught, Daniel Day Lewis, for the film “Last of the Mohicans”, and was a consultant for the time period for the movie. This is then followed with some more on cooking…very informative for todays camp cookery.

There is a long informative section on outdoor advice, with info on woodscraft of the 18th century applicable for today.

This video really is a primer for the feral backwoodsman, if you want to apply it in that light, and it will do double duty.

I feel this is a fine production. If you do not have any of the other volumes, now is the time to grab them.

The people at American Pioneer Video are good folks to do business with, Tell ‘em Dude sent ya, I don’t think they will yell at you.