The early frontiers were not the friendly woods of today. There were vast expanses of unbroken forest punctuated with rivers and swamps. The only trails through the wilderness were the game trails and the paths the natives used for trade and warfare.
The place one spent the night had to be chosen carefully. Safety and security were much bigger concerns that comfort. If you found all three at one place, you were lucky. Once a spot had been chosen, then you could start the process of setting up your camp.
The woodsman would have to be able to create his own shelter, build his fire, make his bed and cook his meals with what he was able to carry with him. If his clothes or footgear needed repair, he had to be able to do that with what he had available.
In all respects, a man had to depend on himself. The knowledge of how to do things, what to carry, and what could be found to fill his needs meant the difference between returning to his family and dying in the wilderness.
Let's explore some of the Skills and Techniques they used, What they Carried with them, and the Tools and Accoutrements that were common in the middle of the 18th Century.