Field Shovel
The Field Shovel is a melee weapon and utility tool in DayZ. It can dig worms for fishing bait, create farming plots, build or dismantle player-made structures, bury or dig up containers, open cans with food loss, bury bodies or ashes, and disarm bear traps.
Quick item summary
Quick answer
The Field Shovel is a collapsible digging tool in DayZ that works as both a survival utility item and a blunt melee weapon. It is useful for farming, fishing bait, base building, burying stashes, and interacting with several survival systems.
In-game description
“An entrenching tool is a collapsible spade used by military forces for a variety of military purposes. Survivalists, freedivers, campers, hikers and other outdoors groups have found it to be indispensable in field use.”
Main Uses
- Dig up worms for fishing bait
- Create farming plots for fruits and vegetables
- Build base structures like fences and watchtowers
- Dismantle certain player-built fortifications
- Open canned food with 30% to 60% food loss
- Bury and dig up containers for hidden storage
- Bury fireplace ashes
- Bury dead bodies
- Disarm activated bear traps
- Use as a blunt melee weapon
How to use this item
Dig worms for fishing
Use the Field Shovel on dirt or suitable ground to dig up worms for fishing bait.
- Equip the Field Shovel.
- Look at suitable ground.
- Use the dig worms action.
- Collect the worms and combine them with a fishing hook.
Create a farming plot
Use the Field Shovel to create a plot for planting fruits and vegetables.
- Equip the Field Shovel.
- Find a suitable flat area.
- Use the create plot action.
- Plant seeds and water the plot as needed.
Use in base building
The Field Shovel can be used during base construction and dismantling.
- Equip the Field Shovel near a valid base-building object.
- Use it to build compatible structures like fences or watchtowers.
- Use it to dismantle compatible player-built fortifications when needed.
Bury or dig up containers
Use the Field Shovel to bury containers for hidden storage or dig them back up later.
- Place a compatible container on the ground.
- Use the Field Shovel to bury it.
- Return later with a digging tool to recover it.
Disarm a bear trap
The Field Shovel can be used to safely disarm an activated Bear Trap.
- Approach the Bear Trap carefully.
- Equip the Field Shovel.
- Use the disarm action on the trap.
How to get Field Shovel
- Search military areas.
- Check military east and military west loot locations.
- Look around military camps, checkpoints, and storage areas.
- Loot other players or bases where utility tools are stored.
Spawn info
- • The Field Shovel is listed as an uncommon military-area tool.
- • It is useful even outside combat because it supports farming, fishing, stashing, and base-building tasks.
Important notes
- The Field Shovel is both a tool and a blunt melee weapon.
- It can dig worms for fishing bait.
- It can create farming plots.
- It can be used in base building for fences and watchtowers.
- It can dismantle certain player-built fortifications.
- It can open canned food, but spills 30% to 60% of the food.
- It can bury and dig up containers for hidden storage.
- It can disarm an activated Bear Trap.
- The wiki lists no repair item for the Field Shovel.