About

As we celebrate our tenth anniversary we're creating a new series of expedition-based learning programs for young men. In 2010 we're adding two weeklong programs for young men ages 13-17 to our summer schedule. It's a pilot program for our long-range plan of having 4 weeks of programming for young men of this age group each summer.

Program Syllabus

Sunday 7/4: Arrive at the field school between 11:00 and 11:30am. Meet and greet, tour of the camp, lunch. Parents depart at 2pm. Afternoon spent on safety briefing and building individual shelters for the week.

Monday 7/5: Immersion into bushcraft skills.

Tuesday 7/6: Continue bushcraft immersion, introduce canoe safety and technique.

Wednesday 7/7: Continued bushcraft and canoe instruction.

Thursday 7/8: Continued bushcraft and canoe instruction, poling canoes on Squapan Lake.

Friday 7/9: Prepare for overnight solo, build shelter.

Saturday 7/10: Group breakfast. Wrap-up. Parents arrive at noon.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Teen Bushcraft And Survival Course Includes:

1. Wilderness Survival - Basic, intermediate and advanced survival defined and outlined.
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. Tracking - Learning to read the marks on the ground and in the woods to tell what animals are active.
16. Crafts - Building useful pieces of gear including a bow drill, a saw frame, a netting needle and net, 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, organic gardening, and much more.

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

Group Size

We keep the group size small for numerous reasons. We'll take a maximum of 10 students per group.

Scholarships And Financial Aid

We're working to provide scholarships for these programs. We're seeking donations to cover the costs of this program so that young men without the means to provide the tuition are still able to attend. Please let us know if you can help, whether by helping with the financial end, helping us make connections with people who can, or simply by spreading the word.

To Apply

To apply to the program, fill out a registration form and write a short essay about what outdoor living means to you. We encourage everyone who is interested to apply, regardless of your family's financial situation.

Educational Philosophy

Our education philosophy is described in detail here. Summed up in a single word, it is this: Can.

[ back to top ]

	Jack Mountain Bushcraft School • Masardis, Maine • USA Contact • Site Map
	Copyright © Jack Mountain Bushcraft, LLC - All rights reserved.