Finding Fatwood In My Backyard

I have been watching some social media videos regarding how to find fatwood. Fatwood is the resinous portion found in old softwoods like pine. Some folks who live in pine forests often find old stumps or fallen tree trunks that have rotted, leaving remains of the stubby limbs where they attach to the trunk. This is where to look for the resin that has gathered within the tree.

The challenge that I face is that I live in a hardwood forest area and there are few pines. I ventured out to see if I could find a fallen pine tree or stump and I finally found one. I used my hatchet to cut away at the base of a limb and saw the dark sort of transparent layers of fatwood. I removed the wood and shaved it down. I split off a piece to test for burning and was delighted to see the smokey, bubbling flame that fatwood produces.

I will continue to look for larger pieces but even small pieces can be helpful to maintain a flame when wind and moisture would compromise regular tinder when making a campfire.