2019-06-16

Survival & Bushcrafting class photo

2017-05-27

I could not imagine a better way to spend Memorial day than putting on a survival class for a group of active duty United States Marines. We all had a great time.

The guys posing next to the skeleton of their debris shelter

The finished shelter

Posing next to the finsished debris shelter. This was a very small unit of men, but they did an outstanding job on their shelter.

Complete with a door. One of the Major's spent the night in the shelter, and had to replace the door with mosquito netting because it was far too warm.

Working on a bowdrill friction fire.

2017-05-20

2016-09-23

In search of the perfect shelter site

Making sure there are no overhanging "widow makers"

Explaining why this is a great site

Driving in the first corner post

Heidi drives in another corner post

Liz cuts a cross piece to length

Reminded of playing with their childhood linking logs, Kathy and Liz place a side rail

With the corral finished, it is time to make the nest comfortable by filling it with soft materials.

Ben finds out that even though it is a bit more work, a full 12" of leaf material is much softer than the 3-4 inches there now.

Being as that he will be sleeping in the shelter tonight, Luke definitely wants to make sure it is soft enough.

The ridge beam is in, but there is still not enough fill in the nest.

Cutting rafters for the a-frame.

Just about all of the rafters are installed. Now we need to make it warm and watertight.

All of that material will definitely keep Luke warm and dry tonight.

Luke may have called first dibs, but Ben wanted to see how his hard work paid off.

Christine decided to give it a try as well.

Liz loved the smell of the pine and leaves.

Kathy thought it was pretty comfortable too.

Everyone is pleased with a job well done.

Tyler is setting a snare I demonstrated building.

Everyone takes a turn setting my snare. Not to be outdone by her son Tyler, Christine is a natural.

Ellie and Liz made the best first attempt of any students I have ever had.

Ellie using a knife and baton to process firewood

2016-07-15

Working on the door opening for the 2/3's scale Wikiup

Once the main supports are in, it is time to weave some cross supports

Continuing to the top

Now it is time to add spruce boughs to create a base for the debris

Forest floor leaf litter is excellent to make the shelter warm and water tight

Make sure to get the debris at least a foot thick. Sizing saplings for the door frame

Lashing together the door frame

Aught decided it looked comfortable

We ran out of time and did not completely finish the door

Stopping for a group photo in front of their construction

On to trapping

Chris is setting a treadle snare

Talking about the medicinal benefits of Mullein, Verbascum thapsus

Demonstrating the finer points of setting the trigger on a Paiute deadfall

Angela gets her deadfall set

Angela and Stone are going frog gigging

Angela is the first student up, so she gets to try her hand at making fire

2015-06-06

Joe was determined to get an ember from his bow drill set

11 year old Maggie working with her bow drill set

Father daughter team up on the bow drill

Josh demonstrates perfect form.

Course participants built a Debris Hut

Debris Hut is perfectly camouflaged

A view inside the Debris Hut. This is not a finished stage. There should be at least 12 inches of debris insulating the walls

This 21 inch large mouth bass Joe landed is the largest fish caught in one of my survival fishing outings

Supper roasting over the fire

Shawn setting a treadle snare

Boy Scouts

Class Photo Troup 270 From Livonia