Schools Links

Here is a list of some schools that teach wilderness survival, tracking and nature. Also listed are some other outdoor schools. "Schools" includes actual schools offering classes, as well as retreat centers.

Please note that a listing here does not in any way imply endorsement of the school or their programs.  You are responsible for checking out the school and instructors for yourself prior to attending. That is common sense. This is simply a list.

This website has no official or informal connection to the Tracker School or Tom Brown Jr. whatsoever

• On Point Tactical Tracking School - Kevin Reeve - former Director of the Tracker School.
  "There are few pure trackers left in our society, someone who can follow footprints and sign across any terrain, tracking an individual or party until they are found or captured. There are fewer still that can teach such skills.  In a world where terrorism and insurgency are new reality, where security is a major issue, the use of trackers becomes an extremely effective tool for pursuit and capture of those who would attempt to harm our society.  We have a uniquely qualified group of trackers, who have many years of experience in each of these areas. In addition, we have a very effective training methodology for passing these skills on to others.  We typically train only SAR team members, commissioned law enforcement officers, and members of the US Military and Allied forces."

• Earthwalk Northwest - Karen & Frank Sherwood - former head instructors at the Tracker School for 15 years, they now run their own school.

• Past Skills - Billie & Kristie McConnell - former instructors at the Tracker School

• Practical Primitive - Eddie Starnater - former instructor and director at Tracker School

• Adventure Out - Tom McElroy works here, a longtime instructor at the Tracker School

• Human Nature Institute - Joe Lau - former Senior Instructor at the Tracker School

• Wilderness Awareness School - Jon Young, Tom Brown's "first student" runs this school

• Earth School - run by Richard Cleveland, former Head Instructor at the Tracker School

• Earth-Heart - Malcolm Ringwalt assists Tom at the Philosophy courses

• Sticks and Stones Wilderness School - Skeet Sutherland - Preserving Skills that Teach Ecological Wisdom and Community Stewardship

• The Tracker School website

• Earth Tracks - Run by Alexis Burnett. Offers programs and classes in Naturalist, Tracking and Wilderness Skills, Plant Uses, Earth Philosophy and guides naturalist-led Wilderness Canoe Trips.

• Sticks and Stones Wilderness School - Skeet Sutherland - Preserving Skills that Teach Ecological Wisdom and Community Stewardship

• Les Primitifs - in Quebec

• Elements Outdoor School - Andre Therrien

• The P.I.N.E. Project - Toronto

• Alba Wilderness School and Nature Experiences - near Ottawa - A school in Ontario run by several folks, two of whom are former Tracker students.  Located about 1½ hours west of Ottawa.

• Okanagan Outdoor Wilderness Survival and Primitive Skills -Michelle Dallyn
  - Vernon, B.C. - (This site is heavy on the graphics - be patient)

• Into the Wilderness Outdoor Education and Retreat Center - NW of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

• Windwalker - Wes Gietz - Comox, B.C.

• WOLF School of Natural Science  - Chris Chisholm & Melva van Schyndel - North Vancouver, B.C. - "We invite you into a hidden world where life thrives according to its original design. As students of nature, we’ll step peacefully into modern society with renewed strength from the natural world, equipped to live a healthy life."

• Heron Walk - Chuck Stratton & Sandy - "Our mission at Heron Walk is to use the gifts and skills we have gained over the years to support others who seek to live a life of passion and service. We believe that everyone has a right to live a life filled with purpose, joy, love, and passion"
   

• Survival In The Bush, Inc. - Gino Ferri's school in Ontario (Canada)
• White Pine Programs - Actually located in Maine USA, but they have a one-week tracking expedition to Algonquin Park (Ontario) every winter.

• Karamat Wilderness Ways - Out of Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). Run by Randy and Lori Breeuwsma, and Mors Kochanski, who is the former editor of Alberta Wilderness Arts and Recreation.  He was formerly Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Alberta. He has written Northern Bushcraft (newest printing is now titled "Bushcraft"), Bush Arts and has recently released 4 instructional videos and 10 pocket books on Wilderness Living skills.  In September of 1999, 7 more instructional videos will be released.
  Review:
  "I have been interested in survival skills etc. for most of my life and have not only practiced the skill but have a few hundred books on the subject. One of the reasons why I was so struck with the Mors Kolchanski book was that, as I live in Saskatchewan, Canada, and have also lilve in Yukon for a few years, I found it one of the only books that seriously addressed the harsh winter conditions that seems to dominate much of the year.  After going to his school, what impressed me most was that every move he makes, whether it be walking in the bush or using his knife, is so precise with minimal effort, that could only come from years of experience. He is also very unassuming in appearance.  He is a very good listener.  He hangs on the words people say, no matter who, and responds accordingly.
    When he goes over a skill or talks about something he demonstrates it,  says why it works based on his experience, and then can give you the science behind it (such as the physics behind the air flow of the shelter or the temperature certain things have to be, the chemical composition of plants etc).  Very impressive. 
    Often times what he says contradicts of what is written in other books.  That is  one of the things that I think is so strong about his work, he makes you questions everything you've learned in the past. He challenges you to understand the skill from every perspective.
    He is also very unassuming. He is not the type that seeks publicity or hero worship.  I get the impression that for him satisfaction comes from people embracing the study and science of survival and wilderness living skills and sharing it with others."
  --Review by Joe Milligan

• Wilderness Survival School Inc. - in Kitchener, Ontario

• Survivor's Edge - Sooke, B.C.

• The Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario 

• One Axe Pursuits - rock climbing - Guelph, Ontario - "Outdoor climbing adventure specialists"

• Ozark Mountain Perparedness - Jerry Ward - Berryville, Arkansas

• Future Necessities - Blake Southard, Minnesota

• Learn Bushcraft - School based in the U.K.

• Alderleaf Wilderness College - Jason Knight

• Bushcraft Northwest

• The Gatherer Institute

• Wilderness Heart Awareness and Survival School - Bob and Anita Dollins - Montana

• Twin Eagles - Idaho

• The Wilderness School Inc. - run by Dan Fisher in Maine (Tracker School graduate)

• Ancient Skills School - near Ogdensburg, NY.  Run by Joe Longshore II (Tracker School graduate)

• Hollowtop Outdoor School - Thomas J. Elpel - in Montana. Thomas is also the author of some excellent books. See the booklist.

• Wild-Live - "Wild-Live was founded as a school by Anthonio Akkermans after relocating to Lurgan (UK) in the end of 2001. The vision behind Wild-Life consists of a strong desire to bring people back in touch with their natural environment and a need to teach people the way of the ancient peoples that used to inhabit the region."See also Flintknapping UK

• Native Way Wilderness School - Alexander, Arkansas 72002 - Mike Thennes & Gary Lee. Also at this URL

• Aboriginal Survival Arts Program (ASAP). "ASAP is a group of naturalists with a combined 35 years of training and teaching experience. We offer a wide variety of programs and workshops that teach survival skills to adults, families, scouts & schools. The programs are offered to walk our students down a trail that will lead them to self-empowerment, & increased learning capabilities."

• Natur-Wildnisschule

• Ueberlebensschule-Tirol

• Cedar Creek Nature Studies 

• Riverside Nature Awareness Program - Maryland - Kate White & Bret Harris

• Vermont Wilderness School 

• Earth Skills - Jim Lowery - California

• Deep Wilds - Wilderness Adventure Programs for Children and Teens

• Urban Coyote  -- Ed Binns ( urbancoyotesfounder@yahoo.com)
  408 N 17^th Street, Hot Springs, SD 57747  ph: 605-745-5971 (There’s also a link to a published newspaper article covering this program here).
       "What Are Urban Coyotes? Urban coyotes develop special skills in the art of ethical survival in modern city life. They protect their souls while earning their living in the corporate landscape. Urban coyotes develop special awareness tools.
  Founder’s Qualifications: I'm Ed Binns, a certified public accountant. I have a master's degree in business administration. I quit working in 2005 at age 53.  I was a senior internal auditor as well as the finance manager for a 30-office small business development network. I’ve also taken ten classes from Tom Brown, an experimental "corporate survival" class from Kevin Reeve and Tom Brown in March of 1995 (from which this training is an offshoot), as well as two classes from Jon Young.  Section D of the September 25, 2001, Washington Post quoted me on the need for nature awareness.
       Courses Offered: Urban Coyotes, Coyote Investing and The Coyote Mindset. Training often takes place in Hot Springs, South Dakota, or the nearby 1.2 million acres of the sacred Black Hills National Forest, or areas near Washington, D.C., which I visit several times a year. These courses are the result of over 30 years of intense study.
       Urban Coyotes takes place over 3-day weekends. This course is a cycle of short talks, followed by story reading or group exercise, followed by group discussion and consensus, ending with a conclusion offered by the founder. Then the cycle of brief lecture, reading/exercise, discussion, and conclusion begins again. The course itself develops a specific “toolkit" of skills for the urban coyote. Two brief books are assigned reading prior to attending this class.  The first Urban Coyotes class was in 1997.
       Coyote Investing is a 2-day weekend course available only to urban coyote graduates.  The basic theory behind coyote investing is that the successful urban coyote is defined by complete economic independence and the attendant skills to retain that independence (incidentally, this is a strong parallel to the great 19^th century Indian mystic Lahiri Mahasaya and his disciple Sri Yukteswar). A short assigned book is required reading before attending this class. Investing Coyote students must be Urban Coyote graduates. Working competence at contract bridge and at “Excel” spreadsheets is encouraged.
       The Coyote Mindset is a three-day harrowing journey into creativity, originality and the mental exercises of an urban coyote.  Students are individually invited to participate by the founder.  Only Coyote Investors are eligible to take The Coyote Mindset.
       TRAINING IS PORTABLE and can be done in any state or Canadian province if you have four or more students!  Email me."

• Walk In Awareness - Julian Drummond

• The Sun Foundation

• Aboriginal Survival Arts Program

• Tactical Self-Defense Inc. - Greg Stough - site contains some excellent self-defense moves - see Site Map.

• Archway Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc.

• Native Way Wilderness School

• Lifesong

• Crowfield Farm

• Nature Skills

• Maine Primitive Skills School

• Paul Rezendes Tracking Site - Teaches tracking in W. Mass.  Paul has published a tracking book that has many color photos

• Headwaters Outdoor School

• The Teaching Drum Outdoor School - Tamarack Song's school in Wisconsin
• White Pine Programs - Located in Maine USA. They have a one-week tracking expedition to Algonquin Park (Ontario) every winter.
• Wilderness and Survival schools in the USA - a list
• Cherokee Wilderness School - also has some helpful tips
• Hawk Circle - Cherry Valley, N.Y.
• Earth Connection - Northern Virginia
• Boulder Outdoor Survival School - Boulder, Colorado
• Two Coyotes Survival and Wilderness Awareness School - Connecticut - Scott Eldridge
• The Tracking Project 
• Wildwise - in the U.K.
• Tactical Awareness School - Scout, awareness, and fighting skills
• Backtrackers - S. Virginia, USA - Will Franck
• Paleotechnics - Steven Edholm & Tamara Wilder
• Wilderness Discovery - Virginia, USA - Tracking, human-tracking, navigation, etc.
• Pathfinder Outdoor Studies

• Walnut Hill Tracking and Nature Center - Nick Wisniewski and Valerie Major

• Keeping Track - Sue Morse

• Native Ways

• Sun Foundation for Environmental Sciences and Arts - Illinois Central College - has programs on many topics, including "Aboriginal Arts", flintknapping, bowmaking, tanning, etc.

• SUWS Therapeutic Wilderness School - "SUWS is a wilderness intervention program for troubled students, ages 11-18. Our Adolescent Program helps teenagers (ages 14-18) search for and address the limiting beliefs and unhealthy behaviors that can often prevent their pursuit of constructive goals and personal achievement."

• Exploring New Horizons 

• Yonah Earthskills 

• Tatanka Mani Camp - Walking Buffalo Camp - A Native American Retreat Center located in the Black Hills of South Dakota - Gilbert Walking Bull.

• Island Wood - Puget Sound, near Seattle - "Mission: To inspire environmental and community stewardship by providing hands-on learning experiences that link science, technology, and the arts in a natural setting. Vision: We envision a future in which generation after generation shares an extraordinary bond of stewardship for each other, and for the communities in which we live."

• Croatian Survival School

• Great Plains Tracker - Nathan Holthusen