Scavenging Safety!

Hello all!

As I’ve been reading through blogs and comments I have noticed that…

         There are a lot of young/new witches on here…and…

           You have all asked where to get supplies, ingredients, etc.

Now, even though I am a solitary practitioner and never really shared my workings with anyone, I feel I have a responsibility to talk about scavenging for witchy supplies.

Most of this may seem like me repeating common sense, but I feel the need to mention these things anyway for those who may not know.

On to the topic at hand; safety first!

If you are anything like me, and like/want to explore and find your supplies in nature please keep these things in mind:

1.       Things that are found outside are dirty!

-Bones, feathers, shells, and the like are NOT clean. Try your best to use gloves when you are collecting them and handling them at home and remember to always wash your hands afterwards, unless you make a great effort to properly sanitize the object.

2.       Hunting Season!

-Please be aware that there may be hunters in the woods! Even though we own the property that I scavenge, I always make sure I am aware of this in case of poachers. Please don’t get shot over acorns. Take the time to look up the local hunting schedules/seasons and also remember that a lot of hunters will go out to practice shooting a little bit before the season even starts.

3.       DO NOT just pick things up and eat them!

-DO NOT CONSUME ANYTHING UNLESS YOU ARE 1000% SURE IT WILL OT HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON YOUR HEALTH! (You should take it home and wash it anyway, you never know how many squirrels have peed on it.)

4.       Be aware of dangerous plants!

-Be careful of pants such as poison ivy. Do your research and know how to identify these plants before you accidently cover yourself head to toe in an awful rash.

5.       Be cautious of local wildlife!

-Be aware that there are plenty of animals that can and will hurt/kill you as well. Try not to run into snakes, spiders, or wild canine/feline/bear/etc. dens. They will do what is necessary to protect themselves and most likely win.

6.       Don’t trespass!

-Make sure you are allowed to be where you are exploring. I’m lucky enough to wooded and swampy areas to check out on the property I currently live on. Do not trespass. Again, please don’t get shot over acorns.

7.       DON’T BE A POACHER!

-Please be well informed of your local laws and make sure you don’t break any of them by taking an animal (alive or otherwise) from the land. There are a lot of endangered and protected species that need to be left alone. Don’t be that person. Same goes for any native artifacts or other objects of that kind. If there is a law protecting it know it, and don’t touch it.

8.       DRESS APPROPRIATE!

-Wear appropriate footwear and clothing for exploring wherever you are going to explore.

Examples include (but are not limited to):

-If it is sunny wear sunblock, sunglasses, hats, etc.

-If it has recently rained make sure you wear something that can handle going through mud and puddles and will protect you.

-If there has been a drought you may want to bring something to cover your nose and mouth in case it gets dusty. No one needs to breathe in dirt or sand.

Sorry if I went all “mama witch” on some of you. Like I said before I felt responsibility to post this. And yes, if you are wondering I have learned a lot of these things by my own stupid decisions and thinking that I’m invincible to harm.

So learn from my mistakes and stay safe while having fun!

Sources : all gifs came from the Giphy app.