Teen Bushcraft And Survival Course

The Teen Bushcraft And Survival Course is for young men ages 13-17 and designed as an introduction to a wide variety of bushcraft and survival skills. We spend the week camping at the field school and along the Aroostook River, practicing the skills of outdoor living until they become second nature.

Program Syllabus

Sunday, July 3rd

Students should arrive at the field school between 4 and 6 pm. We'll cook dinner over the campfire, give everyone (students and parents) a tour of the field school, then talk about the week and give the students a chance to get to know one another. Parents are welcome to stay for dinner.

Monday, July 4th

On Monday morning we jump right into our curriculum, focusing on fire, shelter and an introduction to nature study. We'll also cover safely and powerfully using a knife and sectioning a log with an axe.

Tuesday, July 5th

Tuesday we'll make cord out of natural material, and each student will make their own rope. We'll cover some important knots, focusing on those needed to tie a tight ridge line for a tarp shelter. Then we'll head down to the river for instruction on canoe paddling and poling. In the afternoon, we'll make a hoop house shelter, continue with our nature study, and learn about map and compass navigation.

Wednesday, July 6th

On Wednesday we'll focus on primitive skills. We'll begin with making fire by friction and percussion, then make grass mattresses for a comfortable night sleep. We'll make squirrel snares (we won't be snaring anything, as it isn't legal), then build another individual shelter.

Thursday, July 7th

On Thursday morning we'll pack up and head to Oxbow, where we'll canoe down the Aroostook river and spend the night at a remote camp site. We'll cover effective camp set-up and organization, then spend the evening fishing for brook trout.

Friday, July 8th

Friday morning we'll make fish spears, cook a simple breakfast over the fire, then head down down the river towards camp. Along the way we'll be practicing our paddling and poling skills. We'll arrive back at the field school at noon, then spend some time debriefing and talking about the experience. Parents should plan to pick up at 2 pm.

In addition to the skills listed, we'll be busy all day covering a wide variety of topics based on student interest. Students will learn to purify water, cook over a fire, bake in a reflector oven, cook in a dutch oven, make efficient pot suspension systems, identify common wild plants and trees, and learn to be self-sufficient in the woods.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Teen Bushcraft And Survival Course Includes:

1. Wilderness Survival - Basic and intermediate survival defined.
2. Fire - Primitive fire lighting with friction and percussion techniques as well as fire management.
3. Shelter Construction - Using kit components and natural materials to build shelters for survival, short-term and long-term stays.
4. Water - Acquisition And Purification.
5. Navigation - Barehand (using no modern tools), map and compass.
6. Canoeing - Paddling, poling, lining, portaging, and using traditional gear such as tumplines and wannigans.
7. Ropework And Knots - Making cord and rope and tying useful knots.
8. Outdoor Cooking - Stone ovens, pot suspension systems, primitive grilling, sourdough baking, reflector ovens, dutch ovens, etc. Learn how to manage a fire for cooking and to prepare a variety of meals on it.
9. The Knife - Selection, safety, powerful and efficient use.
10. The Axe - Selection, safety, powerful and efficient use.
11. The Saw - Selection, safety, powerful and efficient use.
12. Group Encampment - Safety, cleanliness, organization.
13. Sustainability - Composting, waste management, sanitation.
14. Edible Wild Plants - Identifying, harvesting and preparing wild foods.
15. Crafts - Building useful pieces of gear including a bow drill, campfire cooking rigs, burned spoons and bowls, animal calls and sleeping mats.

Fishing - If you want to fish, you'll need to get a Maine fishing license. They can be ordered online at Maine Department Of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife. We're very particular about not breaking any fish and game laws on our courses, so you'll need a license even if you just want to put a hook in the water one time.

Sustainability - There are also daily lessons on living a simple, sustainable, rural life. Building and using outdoor showers, composting toilets, solar and fireless cookers, food preservation and storage and much more.

For more detail on these topics, see the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Student Handbook.

Group Size

There is a maximum of 12 students.

Educational Philosophy

In a single word, our education philosophy is CAN. For a longer description, go here.

Register Now

Travel Information and Directions:   Travel information is located here. After you register you will receive local driving directions to our site.

Arrival and Departure:   Plan to arrive on sunday afternoon, between 4 and 6. We'll have dinner, a group introduction and a tour of the grounds starting at 6. The course is over on Friday at 2 PM.

Accommodations:   Bring a tent, tarp, or other shelter. It will be your home for the week. Please consider bringing a bug net if you don't have noseeum netting on your tent. For parents, there are cabins available through Blackwater Outfitters, located five minutes away. They can be reached at: 207-540-4101.

Meals:   Simple meals are provided during the course, and consist of fresh baked goods, beans, grains, and other foods that don't require refrigeration. For those whose palate requires greater stimulation than our meals provide, the Masardis Trading Post offers home cooked meals and is just a few miles away. We encourage you to bring any snacks you may not be able to live without.

Cancellation and Refund Policies:   Please visit our School Policies page for information on all of our policies.

What is included with the tuition:   Included in the tuition are all camping fees, group meals, instruction, and group gear.

What is not included with the tuition:   Not included with the tuition are personal gear, items from town, knives (if you choose to purchase one) and any food or meals other than the group meals.

Course Insurance:   Adventure travel and wilderness education are not inexpensive, and anything can happen when we're in the bush. We recommend that all participants have medical insurance. We also recommend you protect your investment with travel insurance for trips and tuition insurance for courses.

Tobacco:   Smoking is not permitted in or near our building.

Vehicles and Parking:  We're located .6 miles down a gravel road. Occasionally the road can be impassable for 2-wheel drive vehicles, and sometimes for any vehicles other than snow machines.

Telephone: We don't have a phone or electricity. If you need to be in constant phone contact please consider bringing a cell phone, and if you need to charge a phone (or other electronic device), please look into getting a charger or bringing extra batteries.

Other: Please don't bring any pets or illegal drugs.

Questions? Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

We reserve the right to include or omit any of the course topics listed due to class interest, availability of materials, inclement weather, or other factor that makes them impractical or unsafe.

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