Survival, Prepping, Bugging out, Bush Crafting, Home Steading, Living off Grid – are all related and overlapping. Whatever your thoughts are on why you would be leading this life style or if it is just a hobby with the kids, we have skill classes to improve what you have.
Bush Crafting leads one to think of walking out into the wilderness with nothing except the clothes on ones back and thriving! Well maybe with a knife also. Actually while that is the purest version of the art, most of us carry some basic tools, food, shelter, fire starter, etc in a pack and simply use bush crafting skills to improve our camp/situation or experience with conveniences to make life better. Sometimes these skills are simply used in a back packing trip to improve the experience. It only varies slightly from survival in common usage. We like to think our “survival kit” will help us survive, but it is still basic items to assist us, and we need the skills to make it work. Survival is the bare bones when you find yourself in the wilderness with nothing, so is pure bush crafting. It is only in the general expectation that bush crafting is longer term comfort while survival is short term and I’m rescued, either self or by searchers.
In any event, Bush Crafting is a Family Fun, Young and Old activity that leaves you with practical skills for life.
All of the below training classes are available with a group discount, and we also encourage Families to participate with children as these are very important skills in our mind. While the Pioneers, Frontiersman, Long Hunters, Mountain Men and Boy Scouts of yesteryear were the masters of these skills, sadly they have fallen to the wayside with today’s concerns. Even the skills our Grand Parents and Great Grand Parents had have been lost thru lack of use. A Child of an appropriate age may attend any of the below classes with their parent, free of charge. Multiple children may attend as a family at a reduced rate. Many classes may be combined with another class to create a unique class for specific situations. Please read the course or class description for each class to see what will be covered. All classes will include a little of all the others: ie. Navigation class will also have a little edibles, water purification, fire or shelter, etc in addition to the main topic of Navigation.
We will have limited supplies in stock of a variety of equipment that we think is good, as well as a variety of other items that may make your life easier in a survival or bug out situation. The only things we will offer is equipment or items we ourselves carry. Limited availability so don’t depend on buying from us at class, instead come prepared and see how your stuff works.
These are knowledge based classes, so bring a note pad and pen to all the classes. Since these notes will become a reference for you later, maybe under harsher conditions, the “Rite-in-the-rain” brand of notepads, journals and pens are recommended. ALL CLASSES are RAIN or SHINE – now that just makes sense don’t it!
Survival Fire Starting / Shelter Making – $100 –
Intro Survival class, with emphasis on Survival! Yep, a whole day devoted to starting fires and living/sleeping in ALL conditions, and without a “Bic” or a “Tent”, although we will use those as well. Humans are both resilient and fragile at the same time. You start encountering trouble when you are without shelter for more than 3 hours, so lets learn how to fix that. We will spend the day outside practicing different skills and techniques of shelter building, and fire starting with a wide variety of techniques. This is a solid basic skill in anyone’s kit! Learn it well as it may just save your life!
Bush Crafting your Camp – $200 – 1 Day.
One day class where we will make a camp (shelter, furniture, fire, etc) but not stay the night. We will use common tools usually found within the bush crafting community to learn skills making your future actual camp easier. Bring Lunch, water, note taking materials, knife and bush crafting tools you may have. We will furnish everything you don’t.
Navigation, Map/Compass/GPS/Other – $100 – 1 Day.
Just how do you use a map and compass? We will show you how. Both field and classroom work involved. Materials required: Orienteering style handheld compass, sturdy footwear, dress for the weather as we will be outside for portions of the class. Lunch, fluids, sunscreen or bug repellent recommended. This class will also cover navigation with out compasses, telling time without a watch and navigating with a watch. We will be discussing compass features you want, so don’t buy a compass for this class as we will loan you one, but if you have one, bring it.
GPS – $100 – 1 Day.
How do you use your new GPS? Ever have an interest in Geocaching? Materials required: GPS handheld unit, fresh batteries, sturdy footwear, dress for the weather as we will be outside for portions of the class. Lunch, handheld orienteering style compass, fluids, sunscreen, etc recommended
Off Grid Movement – $100 – 1 Day.
Tactical movement to reduce visibility and discovery. Camouflage, counter tracking, leave no trace, awareness, and more.
Survival Tracking – $100 – 1 Day.
Both Man and Animal – This used to be a common skill. Applicable to both animal and man tracking. We will be discussing the principles of tracking and then applying these skills in the field. Come to class with sturdy footwear, long sleeve shirts and long pants. Knee pads may be desired as we spend a lot of time on the ground. Dress for the weather. Bring lunch, fluids, pen and paper, sunscreen, bug repellent, etc…
Wilderness Bush Crafting Skills – $300 – 2 days. Overnight trip.
Can you make a comfortable camp, shelter, cordage, and furniture, from natural materials? Can you actually really purify water without a pot, filter or chemicals? Can you make various traps from small to large, would you know what to do with what you catch? Can you treat medical issues with nature? How about what you can eat to make dinner better? Is that just a smoldering campfire or can you make a fire for warming, cooking, signaling, and just how are they different?
Learn what you should always carry on your person, and how to use those everyday carry items (EDC). Anyone who works in the wilderness or rural communities, or who hunts, fish’s or travels/camps should have these skill sets. Learn what you can do without any other item on your person or available. Cutting tools, fire starting, water purification and shelter making are covered using only what you can improvise. Water purification, shelter construction, Direction finding, Survival mindset, and too much more to list. Definitely the basic start to making your life easier in the wild!
Primitive Tools and Weapons – $100 – 1 Day.
Caught outside without your firearms or cutting tools? Have to evade and escape without being ready? Can you survive and can you eat without your gear or pack? If not, we will prepare you for your walk out and how to make a variety of weapons to take game or defend yourself. We will construct these weapons and cutting tools, and we will cover how to hunt, clean and prepare your catch.
Survival Firearms – $150 – 1 Day.
We will review and recommend firearms based upon selection, and purpose; and we will review maintenance and improvised repairs for the survival or evasion situation. Classroom and Range – We will assemble, disassemble, shoot and maintain a variety of survival firearms.
Eating on the Wild – $100 –
We will spend a little bit of time in the classroom, but the majority of the day will be outside foraging, learning to recognize, and preparing edibles from nature, and we will eat what we find! Bring water, note pad and pen (Rite-in-the-rain recommended) and dress to be outside. Sturdy footwear makes the day nicer. Recommended reading list provided.
Survival Trapping – $150 –
Practical application and construction of traps for a variety of game and food sources. We will spend the day in the field. Dress appropriately. Bring lunch, water, billed hat or cap, note taking materials, field knife.
Prepping
Introduction to Preparedness – $50 – 4 hour classroom.
Basic introduction to the preparedness mindset and fundamental steps to help better prepare you and your loved ones for survival in the event of a natural disaster, social breakdown or interruption regardless of the cause. This would be considered “Prepper Basic” and we will discuss how to get started and which direction to go.
Fundamentals of Preparedness – $250 – 2 Day (8 hrs classroom/8 hrs field).
Examines preparedness issues, ideas, concepts in depth. Discusses the specifics of: What and How Much, Living without Electricity, Basic Foraging, Medical Concerns and Supplies, Hygiene, Bugging Out, Further Training and in what fields, Reading and Resource Suggestions, and much more….
Bug Out Bags – $50 – 4 hours.
What is the Bug Out Bag, what should be in it, whats better, and Every Day Carry (EDC) items. Discussion and recommendations for a personal “always on you” (EDC) kit, a grab bag and a get out of town on foot or vehicle bag.
Bugging Out Preparedness – $500 – 3 Day or 36 hour class.
Test your Bug out Bag (BoB) equipment and your skills. Learn new skills or suggestions on equipment improvements after trying what you have in the real world. Test your equipment and skills that are supposed to keep you alive and safe when your have to “hoof it”, such as navigation, improvising, adapting and overcoming obstacles and situations, fire making, water purification, 1st Aid, and Survival firearms, and lots more….. Recognized Wilderness and Urban Survival experts will accompany you and ensure this is a learning experience and training, not just a tough it out in the woods class. Any monkey can do that, lets learn to do it in comfort!
Camouflage Principles – $100 – 1 day
The art and principles of camouflage of yourself, your equipment, campsite and trail. How to evade detection through infra-red, thermal, visual, and smell; and how to defeat or minimize these detections. Hunters will particularly benefit from this class. Discussion of general camouflage patterns, techniques, “Gillie Suits” and others both natural and man-made. Both classroom and field exercises to demonstrate and teach basic techniques of trail hiding, camouflage effectiveness, movement and more.
