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Bois D' Arc Primitive Skills Gathering
& Knap-In
Find Community.
Connect with Yourself.
Meet new people and find old friends. Learn, teach, listen, and share at the longest running primitive skills gathering in the Midwest. We’re a group dedicated to the research, practice and teaching of ancient lifeways and wilderness skills.
The Experience
Everyone is welcome to come experience the gathering at no cost. The only people who need to register and pay are campers and workshop participants.
Workshops
Free Primitive Skills Demonstrations
On-Site Camping
Free Vendor Row
Free Atlatl and Archery Range
Raffle
Knap-In
Workshops
Get your hands on it, and learn with some of the finest primitive skills instructors in the midwest! Learn survival and primitive skills from our experts! See class topics for a full list of activities and workshops.
Pre-Registration: $60/day or $150/weekend
On-site Registration: $65/day or $160/weekend
Free Primitive Skills Demonstrations
Watch, learn and ask questions to our experts during our free Primitive skills demonstrations.
Our instructors will periodically offer free demonstrations of skills being taught in the workshop area, where visitors can observe, learn, and ask questions. Demonstrations are usually held near the registration tent, and may include friction fire, cordage, traps, and other skills or exhibits; feel free to inquire about them.
On-Site Camping
Enjoy stories, music, singing, drumming, demonstrations, primitive education, hiking, campfires, and much more when you stay overnight in the camp grounds. Saturday evening we will have a raffle, featuring various high-value lithic arts, crafts, and other donated items!
- $10/night camping fee
- $20/per night for electrical hook-up
Free camping for workshop participants.
Free Vendor Row
Find that one-of-a-kind hand-made piece you’ve been looking for!
Vendors from all over the midwest will gather to offer primitive crafts, jewelry, pottery, baskets, flutes, weapons, foods and much more!
Full-menu food concession at the Cook Shack.
Free Atlatl and Archery Range
The Missouri Atlatl Association hosts the atlatl range Friday and Saturday, providing atlatls, instruction, and ISAC atlatl competitions.
Raffle
Donations from our generous knappers, instructors, and vendors include lithic artwork, flaked stone points, bows, atlatls, blowguns, baskets, pottery, and various other handmade primitives and items; proceeds go to offset event costs.
Knap-In
In an area abounding with great knappers, we always have a slew of major-league cohorts. With this crew of hoot-owls, be prepared for some grins!
Knap-In and free public area open Wednesday-Saturday.
Workshops run Thursday 8:30 am through Saturday 5:00 pm.
If this is your first time, welcome!
The gathering is full of friendly folks who will be happy to guide you once you arrive. You’re going to have a great time!
Anyone camping overnight or participating in workshops should come to the registration tent on arrival. We’ll get you checked in (if you’ve pre-paid) or registered on-site.
Workshops give you a deep-dive into primitive skills and are led by experienced teachers. It’s the best way to make the most of the weekend.
The gathering is an enjoyable place even if you just want to stop in for the day. Check out our vendor goods, experience expert flint knappers in action, watch skills demonstrations, tour the working mill, or try your hand at atlatl. It’s definitely a family event too! We love seeing the wonder in the eyes of kids who see how humans used to live.
By Thursday morning, you’ll see the schedule of classes, posted by the registration tent. There are morning and afternoon classes. Some classes (like Osage Orange Bow-making) last the entire weekend. Some classes have a maximum number of participants and/or a materials fee. You can sign up for the classes you’d like to join.
Each morning, we’ll gather by the tent and you’ll meet your teachers to go to their outdoor classroom for the day.
Bring camping & rain gear, knife, work gloves, and eating utensils.
There is a Cook Shack where you can purchase food. Fires are encouraged and you can cook as you like.
NO DRUGS, ALCOHOL, OR GUNS please- this is family-friendly event.
If possible, please leave your pets at home, but if you do bring them, they must be leashed at all times.
Thursday Evening- Cecil’s Plant Slide Show
Friday Evening- Picking around the campfire
Saturday Evening- 6:00 pm Raffle
Workshops
These are some of the classes that have been taught in the past. Each gathering is different- you’re sure to find new skills to learn each year.
Classes run Thursday through Saturday with morning sessions starting at 8:30 am, afternoon classes start at 1 pm. Students please be at registration by or before 8 pm each day to sign up for your class. Due to the ever-changing nature of instructor availability, we do not post a set schedule prior to the event. Class listings for the event will be posted at the registration tent Wednesday evening/Thursday morning, sign-up sheets for each class are posted each morning.
Some classes like the basics are repeated, others are not, and many run concurrently. There are more classes offered than you’ll have time to do, the hard part is choosing! Workshop registrants will be given a wristband at sign-in, required for admittance to the workshop area during class hours. Most classes occur in the Workshop Area, but some are at vendor booths or other locations. Plant and edible insect walks usually start at the registration tent. Please be on time so you don’t have to track down your instructor and class.
Most classes are at adult level because of knife work or other inherent risks, and kids attending should be around age 12 and up. Other classes such as fiberwork and cordage are open to younger ages with a parent in attendance, and there will be a Kid’s Camp with age-appropriate games and activities.
Hunt
Atlatl & Dart
Osage Longbows
Primitive Fishing
Rivercane Blowgun
Cane Arrows/Quickie Bows
Archery
Flintknapping
Pine Pitch/Hafting
Rawhide-Hafted Single-Flake Knife
Trapping
Live
Shelter
Navigation
Wilderness First Aid
Gasifier Stoves
Knots
Knife Sharpening
Water Purification
General Firemaking
Friction Fires
Flint & Steel
Torches and Lighting
Craft
Basketry
Cordage
Grass Sandals
Yucca Sandals
Agave Arrow Quivers
Leather Working
Brain Tanning
Pottery
Forage
Edible Insects
Primitive Cooking
Edible Plant Walks
Medicinal Plant Walks
Edible/Medicinal Plant Slide Show
Tickets
Pricing
Vendor setup: $5/day
Camping:
- Basic- $10/night
- Electric- $20/night
Workshop Pre-Registration
- Includes camping
- $60/day
- $150/weekend
Workshop price goes up on-site so get your payment mailed soon!
Pre-Registration
Print the registration form and mail it with your payment to the address on the form.
Please have it postmarked two weeks before the start of the gathering.
Camp Rules
Please keep the camp clean (including cigarette butts) using trash/recycling bins provided. Showers and flush toilets are available on the hilltop north side of camp, several port-o-potties are scattered about.
Leave pets at home if possible or keep them leashed. Young children should be supervised at all times. Those attending classes have to get up early, so please observe quiet time after 11 pm. This is a family event, please respect the park land and your neighbors, and have a great time!
Camping in the Workshop Area is reserved for instructors, please use other designated camping & parking areas. Please do not block access lanes.
Directions
Hulston Mill Historic Park near Greenfield, MO
From Springfield MO, take Hwy 160 approx. 30 mi. west (approx. 20 mi past Bois D’ Arc Conservation area, 7 miles east of Greenfield) to EE hwy, right 1.8 mi., then right on C.R. 92 .8 mi. to the Mill entrance on the right, follow signs
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