I like the smaller tips of branches laid down like shingles on a house for under my sleeping mats. Makes a warm and springy mattress. Lay them so they are several layers thick..all headed the same direction too.
No matter what debris you use for your insulation under your bedding, be sure it is as thick as you can comfortably make it. I think it is best to have it a foot thick at least as your body will mash it down a lot.
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Get Rid Of Odors by: Anon
After you cook and eat a meal, both yourself and the surrounding area is going to smell like food and attract other animals, possibly including bears. You can throw some pine needles into the fire and as they burn, jump repeatedly over the fire into the smoke. This will mask the smell of food both on you and in the surrounding area with the smell of fresh forest pine needles. This is also a good way to cover your human smell before going hunting or setting traps. For added effect on masking odors, use mud like a moisturizer. In other words, cover yourself with it. Your face, arms, legs, and hands with mud. This also helps with odors that will either attract unwanted animals or scare away your prey.
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More uses for Pine needles by: Winyan Staz Wakien
You can also use long pine needles to make a nice coil basket to use for storing and carrying food supples.
Cattail reeds make the best grasses for wrapping the small bundles of pine needles but most wider grasses etc will also work.
It would take up too much room to write the discription of how to make one..but you can find it easily on youtube by searching for pine needle baskets.
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Also good with fish by: Ray
When cooking trout over the camp fire or grilling, add a few pine needles in the cavity. Yum!
