Discover the Secrets of the ALL NIGHT FIRE | Winter Bushcraft

A while back I did a video showing the Siberian Log Fire Lay. It's a great fire lay that requires little maintenance and easily burns all night long but it does require you to get out of your warm sleeping bag to move the logs around a bit. In this video I'm experimenting with another self feeding fire, the stacked log or long log fire. After a bit of fiddling with it to get the entire length burning, I was very impressed with how well it burned and for how long. This long fire burned for over 16 hours from the time I first lite it. This would be a great all night fire for winter camping or cold weather survival. Paired with a lean-to survival shelter or tarp, it would be a great, low maintenance warming fire.
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[@eleanorschubert9120]

One year after husband badly injured, I had to cut wood for heating our house. Cut and split 14 cords of wood. Great exercise. Learned a lot...bought an electric saw after that because I ruined both wrists from the vibrations. We had land and just dragged the wood within electrical cord distances to cut it up. Also learned to butcher deer that year using my Good Housekeeping cookbook...yes, butchering a cow is similar to processing a deer. We survived in style until he recovered and I was able to return to my studies (I was his nurse for a few years) and graduate with a useful degree. You never know what challenges you will face in life.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Sounds like you did an amazing job!

[@harrymills2770]

Gee. It's almost like you turned your marriage into, uh, a team. You're a good woman, and if you'd do what you did for him, I bet he's a good man.

[@dazed92581]

😂M’😂😂😂😂

[@dazed92581]

Ion😅/ am just 😅 😂😂

[@JPmaxlevel]

lol and your man was doing all of this without complaining... or trying to have the validation of people on internet lol.. just saying 😂

[@cnawan]

That's called a Rakovalkea in Finland, although I believe the classic version only has two really big logs. Apparently you can get 1 hour of burn time for each 2 inches of diameter - I suppose that sounds about right with the heat rising and the oxygen reaching your smaller logs. Interesting stuff, thanks for the demonstration

[@clayhayeshunter]

Thanks for the info

[@jesseherbert2585]

Nice to hear from our northern experts, and this was an excellent subject to bring up Clay. If you do build two I'm curious how much wood density matters. Softer pine = half the burn time of hardwood? Also, I imagine building this in front of a large blow down or rock face would radiate more heat your way (if this is an option without much searching). I also suspect a folding saw and mallet would be enough if one was not carrying a hatchet (stone or heavy branches are decent pounding tools). Good times!

[@katherinenicholas7116]

Love that you took the time to explain forest health & wildlife habits. I think people just "assume" cutting a tree down is bad, but without understanding of the greater health & vitality of the forest. I have a terrible tree in my yard I want to cut so badly, but it remains home to an owl and so it stands! ❤

[@ARAW-__-]

Forest whole ecosystem is fascinating ! Owls are so cool.

[@clayhayeshunter]

😊

[@user-we2ie2wb9l]

​@@ARAW-__-hnmj

[@ARAW-__-]

@@clayhayeshunter It's cool that you reply to your audience man. Was rooting for you in Alone btw 😁👊

[@BoraHorzaGobuchul]

It's strange that people don't know that apparently. The facts about forest thinning are common knowledge - we were taught that at school, I've seen them mentioned in many if the books I've read outside of it, and mentioned in many educational/nature documentaries. It's hard to imagine a person with ears and eyes who could miss all that.

[@MrMisuma]

Sometimes I do love KZbin’s algorithm. I wouldn’t have found this gem of a channel without it. New fan from Denmark 😊🇩🇰

[@clayhayeshunter]

many thanks

[@mikerandle5713]

Clay, THIS kind of info is most needed for "survivors" stuck in the woods overnight! You're saving lives.😊

[@sebastijanfino4076]

I worked for the DNR and did natural resource restoration as a youngster. I learned a lot about trimming certain trees in areas to allow healthy trees to grow. You are right to cut certain trees down. In order to allow the stronger trees to grow and give more habitat to animals. Thanks for your knowledge you did a great job with everything Brother! Loved the video

[@Alomtancos]

Thank you, Clay, for turning hatemail into an opportunity to educate, raise the mood, and just generally being a wholesome guy. Good goin’. 6:04 I remembered you talking about one of the Alone episodes, how there was an area of forest with certain age/type of trees… I think you mentioned being a wildlife biologist there. Said to myself: My God, he knows what animals to expect to come in the night and season just from the trees. (I think you were estimating bears to come through)

[@clayhayeshunter]

😊

[@Wblair8772]

One preference that I have for the Siberian fire vs this one is that with the Siberian method the logs can’t really fall on you during the night. With this method I wouldn’t want to sleep too close in case the supports burned through and the burning logs fell towards you. Another great video and words of wisdom concerning the benefits of selective cutting to improve forest health.

[@philipwhite8353]

I was thinking the same thing

[@101mazz]

And they are 10x more efficient and warmer.

[@multiversevariant4944]

I just wanna say , clay you love nature and we all should appreciate this gift that God has given us.

[@stasw2603]

In Russia we use this type since ever. I like the 3 log version better because you can cook on it more easily.

[@reddirt5489]

Really like watching all the things you do Clay. Things don’t always work out perfectly that’s nature, it’s the way you react to the situation that can mean the difference between life and death. And I’ll put my money on Clay every time!

[@bigrivervalleypoacher5459]

Hello from Norway. These is the same way the loggers in the old days used, it did keep them alive during winter. Yeah, a lot of them did not have a cabin to sleep in, a tre wall shelter was all they had. Great video.

[@0230Raveena]

Thank You for clarifying that piece about cutting down the trees. I felt an tinge of ...resentment when I saw beautiful big trees being cut down. Here in California, we have such beautiful giant redwoods and sequoias that are worth preserving at all cost. On the opposite spectrum, we have devastating wild fires where some areas could benefit from cutting down massive dead trees. And fires do help to replenish the soil and encourage new growth. So thank you for putting it into perspective; sometimes its necessary.

[@jillturnbull6042]

My goodness, you're so smart and such an incredible teacher. Thank you for all you're doing to share your skills, knowledge and passion.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Wow, thank you!

[@aurysage3043]

We always like the full explanation and complete walk through of the things you are teaching. You show when issues happen and how to deal with them for the next time. The hinge method for controlling tree fall was taught to me by an old logger over in Minnesota but I had lost some of that skill after moving to central Washington, treeless area. If everything goes well we may be moving back to the woods.

[@clayhayeshunter]

good luck!

[@to8860]

Why on earth would YOU of all people listen to haters? Probably some 24 year old girl who still lives with her parents!! Love your videos!!

[@waynestevenson9613]

🫵😂👍

[@tomjjackson21]

I know you're just trying to defend your boi, but it's a bit of a narcissist mindset to gaslight and espouse anyone critical of your opinion is evidently some loser that lives with their mother. *"I'm so intelligent and accurate that no logical, educated person would host a critique."* Hating isn't a necessary antecedent to criticism, and this logic triggers me to no end because my wife employs the same mindset. I live in Tokyo, my wife is a mainlander, so their logic is VASTLY different than ours as in it does not exist. Literally any time I attempt a constructive criticism, or a critique *"Babe maybe next time you should try X. Well Liu, if you would try X, maybe there would have been a different result."* She looses it like shes some kicked dog, and if Im some abusive Western man, for not exclusively sitting there listening, and feeling sorry for something she could have easily avoided had she employed literally any gd common sense. Anyone that's ever spent any meaningful amount of time with Chinese people realize they are completely devoid of basic logic and common sense tho; it's a cultural thing, and it is so gd triggering. Your comment reminds me of hers. Now Idgaf if he cuts down trees, and I'm just venting because my petty Chinese wife, but I've seen a litany of content creators betching about going out in the woods, and encountering literally dozens of the bushcraft shelters, that random guys are out building because they encountered some YT video, and subsequently cut down a dozen trees to attempt the technique. I've seen far more KZbinrs betch about people cutting trees down in the woods, than some rando YT comment. Sure this was standing dead, but I've have seen Cley fell DOZENS and dozens of lodgepole to build bushcraft shelters. One of his more popular videos he builds a bushcraft cabin with his kids out of like three or four dozen live standing. People are allowed to have their opinions, and Cley butchers living and dead standing. Who gaf; some people evidently do, and that doesn't make them betches for doing so. Imo it's his plot of land, he can do whatever tf he wants with it. I don't gaf, and I presume you don't either, I just think it's such a gd petty, ignorant argument to claim someone is a loser that lives with their mother for disagreeing with me. You really think man children that live with their mothers are consuming bushcraft content? Cmon man, they're presumably hippies, and hunters.

[@Dirk_Mcgurk]

if it wasn't for the haters, then he wouldn't have educated me about the stress of competing trees

[@amiester3thou258]

Let's not talk ill of people we've never met. Very unbecoming.

[@todd4480]

Yes, let us deal with the haters. Perhaps, and I do mean perhaps, they could be educated. Mostly, though, they are just too narrow and closed-minded.

[@Strangernightg]

Hey Clay , you know what you're doing out there in the woods so don't let any of these scrubs rock your boat . You don't owe anyone any explanations about chopping down any live trees .💯 You're one of the best KZbinrs out there whos teaching the public on how to survive in the cold weather . So Thank you for what you do 💯🙏🏻😇✌🏻👋🏻💪🏻🙌🏻👍🏻

[@clayhayeshunter]

Thanks 👍

[@budboggess5575]

As a Land Surveyor I see the wildlife all the time!!!..it's probably the greatest part of it!!

[@eleanorschubert9120]

From my humble experience with high sap trees, and dense trees like poplar, they never fall where you want them to fall. They have a mind of their own. Love your vids, keep up the great work. You will probably save lives with your information about survival.

[@michaelkennedy996]

I live in Fairbanks, been wanting your version of this technique to try. Your teaching method really works for me

[@clayhayeshunter]

Have fun

[@abrickfullafist]

Got a very similar medkit for Christmas about five years back and it came with that same exact glass breaker pen. Out of all the stuff in the kit that damn goofy oversized pen has become part of my daily carry. I love it.

[@craigjok]

Great video. It’s great you reveal just how much effort is required. One shouldn’t expose themselves to situations like this unless they have some minimal knowledge of survival strategies. Without that, tragedy is unfortunately a likely outcome.

[@Flies_the_limit]

Blows my mind that people will complain about cutting down a tree in the comfort of their stick built home.

[@roddecker1900]

Best critical thinking longtime forgetmenot.hmn? Freud again

[@bushcampcrafter2165]

Great demonstration, thank you for sharing.

[@Sp11887]

Another favorite to the list. You are one badass wildlife biologist.

[@michaelmerta8956]

I stumbled on your canal and I'm 74 but always learn new useful things to survival into extreme circumstances.

[@xionix4]

From everything I've seen and experienced, it seems to me that this problem of a no-maintenance, all-night fire has been with us for a long time, and instead of truly solving it, we for the most part moved on with other technology where possible. It's interesting to consider how integral fire is to our survival, and for how long we have lived alongside it, and yet there remains this issue. Great job and good insight on this version of an all-night fire. From my own fires, I know that I personally would not have been satisfied with the amount of heat that would've been giving off, lol. Still, I applaud you for taking on this problem and contributing your own innovations. Maybe someday we will solve it. Until then, I don't expect to get enough sleep in the winter, lol.

[@utubeape]

most likely you are asleep when the heat is right and naturally wake up when it gets too cold?

[@3passa]

Never seen this setup before. Pretty impressive! Sleeping between two walls of fire though might give me uneasy dreams... Great video!

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you liked it!

[@Kefoo_]

-- *_Thank you, Clay Hayes!_*

[@abcstardust]

Thank you for posting. This video sure gives me something to try next time I set up camp. Once again, thanks!

[@clayhayeshunter]

You bet!

[@PavlovsBob]

That went like I thought it would. Interesting version of a self-feeding fire. I would stick with the Siberian log fire in very cold conditions but, I'll be looking forward to your two fire experiment. Cheers!

[@BryanKoenig379]

I learned something pretty awesome on this video that I never knew before. I always thought that you could fall a tree in the general direction you want by just the front wedge taken out but when you said that it leaves a hinge that clicked in my head and makes so much more since. 😎 Awesome

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad I could help!

[@grandmasgarden6402]

Thank you for silvaculture study. Very few people understand proper forest management requires removing certain trees to open the stand for healthy growth. Also, for wildlife habitat as well.

[@clayhayeshunter]

💯

[@richardchisholm2073]

You are absolutely right about building a long fire and warming up rocks on the coals on your bed spot. If the dirt is soft enough, kick dirt over the remaining coals, enough that you don't have 'hot' spots. Then build up your bed of boughs. Another tip is to build a long fire in front of the shelter with a couple of logs to add during the night. If birch is available, the bark, peeled off in thin strips is an alternative to lighter wood for fire starting. Dry birch burns well, but fast. You need a good store of it before it gets dark, or you turn in. Of course, that all requires time to prepare. Fire and water are first requirements.

[@ecornely]

Really great ! I hope to see you setup an expedition with that kind of fire. And thanks for the explanation and showing the process of trials and errors, I really appreciate.

[@clayhayeshunter]

You bet!

[@hedonisticpunkvatos]

Cool. My only issue was leaving a fire unattended for so long but you know your stuff. Great ideas.

[@stephenfrancais]

This video was a great lesson for me. I’m a complete noob and I’m sitting back here wondering why you were cutting down live trees. Thanks for being patient and teaching guys like me.

[@mwurslin7152]

Anyone complaining about you chopping down a few trees probably lives in a house made of wood that was harvested from live trees. They were probably sitting in their favorite coffee shop that was also built with wood when they were typing their outrage out on their iPad that was built by a guy that was paid 50 cents a day to build it... They're just complaining about you to make themselves feel better... No need to explain...

[@rhettoneill836]

Thankyou Clay luv from Australia 🌻

[@francdejong]

Thaks for sharing! And about the haters……. It doesn’t matter nowadays what you do, you will always have haters. Love your videos 🙏🏼

[@clayhayeshunter]

Always!

[@markeldred3273]

Nice video thanks for the forestry advice I pass along very similar information whenever I can

[@ddoherty5956]

The wedges impressed me👍🇬🇧

[@erikasanchez7972]

Humanity has a creator that has given us everything we need and abundantly. You more than many can appreciate how rich humanity is. Grateful and loving we should all be.

[@scottcetnar8043]

Great video and i look forward to seeing this done as beyond a test and for purpose. I watched Lonnie from his Alsakan Bushcraft and Survival channel and the Russian fella from Siberia. Lonnie goes into great depth about the long fire. He said to keep the long fire about 1 full step or about 3 feet from ones shelter. I dont know if sleeping between two long fires would be safe. In fact he mentioned to place another log between you and the lig fire so as that in the event that one of the logs roll, that it does not roll into your structure. The Grey Bearded Green Beret has another great way to produce the long fire as well. Either way the three guys used the wood chips from flattening out the long logs along with copious amounts of birch and dead conifer branches from pencil size up. Your long fire did fantastic but I think the Siberian fire is where one would gain the most heat. This, I think is, second best but with that said this rèquires less room than a Siberian long log fire. Plus the Siberian fire I think was intended more for dire situations where this is meant to cast just enough heat into ones shelter to make one comfortable. Thanks for the tidbit on deadstandings that have holes in them. I will keep that in mind when I go out looking for firewood. Thanks again great video. Learned a lot.

[@pcstgrsqrl5581]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing!

[@terrienhumain6723]

Thank you brother.

[@andrewsowik6075]

I love the sound of an axe strikeing wood very nice love it

[@Jack_rabbits_sage_brush]

Put two log side by side at the bottom with air gap. I have done this and it worked great. Also a top down fire works really well as well.

[@foundationdefense5299]

Looks like your wife did a great job on that shirt. Thank you for the info in this video. It’s very helpful stuff.

[@clayhayeshunter]

You bet

[@frankhunt5018]

Great video Clay, I learned a lot.

[@paulrodberg]

Fantastic thank you for your teachings.

[@dznnf7]

For upright posts, try green pine. It's far, far more resistant to burning than aspen. And you can add a couple offset from your originals as back-up if you're concerned about the fire rolling out - maybe at you asleep.

[@ernesttatrai7003]

Greetings, my friend from Slovakia. You have amazing videos. It's a pity that you put out less videos about hunting with traditional bows. Your hunting videos are the best on youtube. I cross my fingers for you.

[@outlawcountry6069]

Great video Clay , keep it up and stay safe

[@RiverbendlongbowsOutdoors]

I've only done this by accident with my firepit backwall windbreaker 😅 Seen @swedwoods do this the other day. Fun stuff 👍🏻

[@michaelmcgraw4888]

Looool same

[@K94Life]

Great service as always! 👊 Love the axe too! 🔥

[@clayhayeshunter]

Thanks 👍

[@FrankButterfly]

I love that you explain things. Makes your channel very enjoyable to watch,

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@sledge7583]

If you have rock's to put between the logs, they dont burn and kep the air gap. You can use the hot rocks to keep you warm. Great content again.

[@ilikepineapples7835]

T post would work perfectly. Cool deal man

[@rusticlivingbushcraft]

Brilliant!!! Thanks for sharing that!!

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Gutenmorgenside]

Excellent, thanks Clay

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@user-vm6qc2kw5i]

Thanks a lot dude

[@user-wg1fj2rv5b]

I live on the Indian reservation, and we have been cutting wood and using it for cooking warmth is in the culture

[@paulharding1621]

Nice experiment, looking forward to stage two.

[@Goesinya69]

Thanks for the vid, was wondering if you could comment or do another vid but with the self feeding logs instead of straight up and down!

[@NathanGenzer-fw4jp]

Love the vids, keep it up!

[@jameshall5784]

Great information. Oh and by the way as a biologist I geek out non this stuff!! Lol just to let you know I’m a biologist without telling you I’m a biologist 🤣🤣🤣

[@davidchisham]

Enjoy your videos. Have fun and be safe. Happy Birthday

[@taylormach1699]

Thanks for the info.

[@basfromamsterdam]

Thank you!!!

[@RickTOutdoorAdventure1969]

Top film again Clay Atb Rick n Billydog 🔥

[@jacttackle57]

As always great video this technique is also important in predator country it will definitely keep them away even squach will not come near fire

[@clayhayeshunter]

No doubt!

[@fredmitchel1236]

I thought Squatch liked fire...

[@haydenpowellmountainman]

It’s crazy how your videos get more views in the first hour than mine do in their entire life 😂 I love it 💪 bad a mo fo Got my old man straps on still, I’m a fan haha

[@hansklein9096]

Very nice! Will definitely try that one out.

[@jonlavigne3270]

The best part about experimenting is finding new ways to burn stuff. This seems a good method.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Couldn't agree more!🤣

[@ADVENTURESOFBZ]

Very very cool Mr clay!!! February is here. It is the month of hog hunting down here in ol Florida!!! We'll be here waiting for ya brother

[@fishmaniachannel]

Master class👌

[@JPMerolla001]

Thats a cool technique. Might try a smaller version in a week or two. On my next trip.

[@JT_Williams]

I'd love to see this again with a full timelapse, fascinated to see bow this burns

[@utubeape]

That looked like a brilliant way to have a fire burning all night, would be a great heat source if you had a super shelter, What if you hammered in another duplicate set of upright supports just behind the ones closest to the logs - they can support the logs as they burn through the first ones

[@garysanders721]

Please don't worry about the haters...you always produce great content...what kind of axe do you use?

[@harold18659]

4 Metal stakes, each pair held by wire at the top. Easy to carry on site and will hold the logs in place

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

It would so tempting to try live trees for the some of the uprights and use bulkier logs to match, but replacing them makes sense. I have not tried one of these types of fires, in most of all example it seems very stubborn to get going well. I like the idea of two and sit between them, what is your spacing for comfort and not to be come a human hot dog? If its at all wet I go out of my way to find a little fatwood even if I have birch bark which is usually the case, I use the birch bark as an addition to the fire once it has decent flame, wet birch bark will sizzle out easier than I like. I would likely find some nice standing dead cedar and split it down for a bulky supply between the large logs, I'll have to try it, chainsaw in hand.

[@manuelwebe]

If you are looking for a bigger bow saw, get the Agawa 21. It is bigger than the 24 you already have, but with the special dry wood blade they sell is awesome for sawing larger logs like the one you did. Saludos!

[@outlawcountry6069]

They are the best saw on the market in my opinion. I carry mine on every trip I do .

[@manuelwebe]

@@outlawcountry6069 Indeed. Excellent saws. Sorry Clay, is the other way around (24 bigger than the 21 obviously). I love my Agawa 24. It is a beast and you sometimes can use both hands to saw, because the handle is wider. Cheers!

[@clayhayeshunter]

Thank ya

[@jameswalter3136]

Would you say it is better than the Silky saws? I have a 14" big boy adventure series and am wondering about the 21" Boreal AC saw.

[@outlawcountry6069]

@@jameswalter3136 I have a Katana and it’s great saw as well but I always grab my Agawa Boreal 21 . I used it for several weeks on a trip I did and it is truly incredible. It comes with me on every journey now . VERY reasonable price as well.

[@wjstewdog]

great vid I was just reading about the unfortunate freezing death of experienced winter hiker in NH

[@richardkizirian]

"That went exactly where I didn't want it to go" LOLOLOL Always being real.

[@JuliaJulia007]

Beautiful and interesting

[@samueltucker8473]

Try lissing on the supports it will keep people away as the urine and other stuff burns away. Great share

[@donwaldroopoutdoors3665]

Always up for an education in all night fires

[@lobopropredatorcontrol]

Great stuff, love this kind of content

[@clayhayeshunter]

thank ya

[@jonfisher9214]

Fatwood is definitely the best firelighter. There's a lot of Birch where I live so I use both. Birch bark will take a spark from a ferro rod but has that annoying habit of rolling up on itself as it burns. Fatwood burns hotter and longer and is easier to poke into holes when the fire is struggling to get going.

[@Dirk_Mcgurk]

thank you. i believe I've seen some that were stacked at like 60° but I'm not sure why. air flow?

[@KermitRice]

Cool video, with lots of good notes. Kudos!! One quick audio note, when you were cutting the first tree your voice was the same as the saw and it was a bit difficult to understand. That's it, keep up the good work. Btw, this is the first time I've come across your video, I'm a new fan. Enjoy 😊

[@lazyman7505]

Trying to explain forestry/forest maintenance to city people who (most likely) only ever saw real forest in TV, is futile :) But I appreciate the effort.

[@hmu958]

I've tried this method many times. Works best for me to set it up before bed and have the logs starting on coals. When I wake up I just need to stoke it.

[@mtj_zuffa]

nice axe work there

[@ericlecko]

Thanks for the video.👍

[@clayhayeshunter]

You bet

[@DonaldMassey-vm4lf]

Love your show

[@XPLRNW]

Excellent adventure, friend… 🌲

[@clayhayeshunter]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@gfplv]

This is the best type of all night fire in my opinion although getting it going is a chore. I have used it couple of times while winter camping with great sucsess. Longest I have had one going was 16 hours. What i do is use only 2 logs to make it esier to maintain. When you had the 2 humps together not burning, you should have moved the top log to left or right side so the humps are not together anymore. Stakes burning out is a problem but it can be avoided. If you nail them to the top log spreading out and down away from the heat they wont burn, but make sure the top log is not hanging on them and is free to fall down when space frees up. If you are using smaller logs from higher up in the tree you can leave couple of branches to do the job, that way you can avoid using nails. Cheers!

[@clayhayeshunter]

Good tips!