Adventure Courses
Winter Survival with Mors Kochanski

Location: Northern Central Alberta, Canada
Dates: 2nd to 12th March 2009
Cost: £750 plus flights 20% discount for BushcraftUK members!

(Cost includes all transfers and food plus one night full board at a hotel prior to leaving Canada)

Spend 7 days learning winter survival skills from one of the world’s foremost instructors Mors Kochanski.

Mors is known for his extensive work in outdoor education and survival and wilderness living. His enthusiasm for wilderness recreation, his extensive knowledge of the field, and his desire to learn everything there is to know about the wilderness has made him one of the foremost authorities on wilderness skills.

He popularised the term "bushcraft" in the northern hemisphere when he published his book Northern Bushcraft (now called Bushcraft).
He is also the author of Bush Arts and has released instructional videos and pocket books on Wilderness Living skills.

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He is quoted as saying, "The more you know, the less you carry."

The course will be taught by Mors Kochanski with the assistance of Worldwild instructors and will most likely cover a range of the following topics:

1. Defining the difference between survival and wilderness living skills.
2. Preparation through training and simulation.
3. Prevention, Mitigation and Rehabilitation processes defined.
4. The mental processes in survival: calm vs panic, optimism vs depression, positive attitude vs negative attitude, understanding vs fear, biological vs mechanical time.
5. Clothing, one of the most important factors in survival preparedness. How to dress for the practical bush phase.
6. Sleep. Knowing how the make yourself comfortable enough to meet your need for sleep. The sleeping bag and mat as a survival kit component.
7. Fire and survival. Fire lighting tools, kindling and types of fire lays. Students practice the flint and steel method of fire lighting with stone and broken hacksaw blades provided by the instructor. Students may put together a primitive candle lantern.
8. Water consumption in survival. The pot as a survival kit component. Purifying water. Dehydration.
9. The survival knife defined. Students learn sharpening and skillful use of the knife. Students construct and use sharpening boards in learning how to sharpen. Students carve a try stick and a netting needle.
10. Basic navigation with and without a map and compass.
11. The personal first aid kit.
12. Survival shelters. Primitive shelters. The survival kit component 'super' shelter.
13. Signaling to attract attention and communicating your distress. Signal mirror, flares and whistles. Students construct tin whistles and learn to use home-made signal mirrors.
14. Additional tools. The swede saw and the axe. The survival saw defined. Students may construct a miniature buck saw using a hack saw blade. Students may put together a swede saw blade in a waist belt.
15. Medical matters: dehydration, hypothermia, hyperthermia, uv rays, sunburn, eye injury, knife, axe and saw cuts, scalds and burns, frost nip and frost bite, headaches and other pain.
16. Survival Kits. The more you know the less you carry. The less you know the more you carry.
17. Fasting or living off the land. The hurdles to overcome before trying to live off the land.
18. Sanitary consideration: doing without toilet paper, latrines, steam bathing to keep clean and the laundry.
19. Cordage, knots, bindcraft and winches.
20. Bush travel. The Primitive Roycraft Packframe. Travel in survival episodes. Students construct a packframe for use in the practical phase.
21. Basic weather prediction.
22. Wilderness hazards: animals, insects, stream crossings, lightning, etc.
23. The local wild plants useful in survival.

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Fire Techniques

Match, zirconium, flint and steel and bow drill methods of fire lighting.
The parallel log fire for warmth and cooking Twig, feather stick and conifer resin kindlings. Fires built on top of the snow if and where appropriate.

Pot suspensions.

Selecting fire sites and extinguishing fires. Cooking over a fire; making bannock or fry bread. Signal fire construction.
Twig torches.
Melting ice and snow for drinking water.

Shelters

The basic open front lean-to.
The survival kit component super shelter.
Large group shelter if applicable
Bough bed - stretcher construction.
The quinzee and igloo and other snow shelters if adequate snow is available.

Primitive cordage

bindcraft and the use of paracord.

The Jam knot

The other useful knots in survival.

The Winches

Ladder building

With rope and poles.

How to net

Tools

The skill development in the use of an appropriate knife.
Constructing a bucksaw and its use.
The use of axe or hatchet if appropriate.
The use and construction of snow shovels.

Plant Study

Collecting and studying the common trees and shrubs of the area.

Travel

Safe travel on ice.
The emergency Roycraft ski-shoe.
Using the toboggan in winter travel

The course takes place in the forest in and conditions may well be adverse with below freezing temperatures, snow and rain. To be sure that you are comfortable whatever the weather please make sure that you bring the following.

Kit List

Headgear that prevents the penetration of the strongest wind. A light scarf will be equivalent to a wool sweater in the warmth it can conserve.

• Polypro or wool long johns
• Wool shirt
• Several wool sweaters
• The fourth layer should appropriate to the expected weather conditions, e.g. wind breaker, rain coat or parka
• Wool trousers
• Windproof trousers
• Sanitation layer
• Wool inner mitts with leather outer gloves, 2-3 pairs
• 2 pairs of footwear with room to wear 3 pairs of wool socks
• Plenty of wool socks
• Gaiters

Tips for clothing!

We are likely to encounter extremely cold weather conditions, so it is pf the utmost importance to bring adequate clothing to prevent frostbite or hypothermia from occuring.

It is much better to bring plenty of thin layers. Putting on many thin garments instead of a few heavy ones allows the dead air spaces between the layers add to the insulation value and provide greater versatility in controlling overheating.

Wearing a thin, light wind proof shell will block wind, trap warmed air and shed precipitation.

Wearing poly-proplene or a similar fabric next to the skin will control moisture in contact with it.

Please also bring

• Warm sleeping bag -20°c
• Sleeping mat or a wool blanket
• Bowl and spoon.
• Personal toiletries
• Notebook, pen, camera
• A sharp knife

We will provide the following

• Heated shelter
• Toilet paper
• Food
• Tea, coffee and drinking water

Worldwild instructors and volunteers will be cooking your meals for you but you may be asked to help with some tasks.
If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know when you book your place so that we can make arrangements for you.

We will be located on the edge of Bear Lake (which will be frozen solid) in a large group shelter with a wood burning stove. You will have the opportunity to build individual shelters during the course.

Please check the government of Alberta website for a list of wildlife, insects and vermin in the area!

Adventure Courses
Tracking and Traditional Skills with the San Bushmen (click to expand/collapse)

Location: Botswana, Southern Africa
Dates: 20th - 30th April 2009
Cost: £1995 plus flights 20% discount for BushcraftUK members!

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn the tracking and bushcraft skills of the San bushmen as they were as well as a rare chance to spend time with San people as they are today. You will be part of the only expedition available which has permission to track with the San from first track to the kill. The adventure will culminate in a five day bushwalk in the wilderness, walking with the San and learning the skills that they have used for generations to survive off the land.
We have gained permission for the San who will accompany and guide us to hunt using their traditional methods, a right which they are seldom allowed to exercise in modern times.

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We begin our trip by travelling by Toyota Landcruisers, taking in the stunning African scenery to a ‘Living History’ village. Here you will be able to take a glimpse into the not so distant past and learn African bushcraft skills from the San who own and operate the village. This is a village settlement as it used to be with traditional clothing and ways of living.
We will then travel to the beautiful Tsodilo Hills where we will camp overnight. There is a wealth of birdlife in this area and many wonderful examples of ancient cave paintings.

We will then travel onwards to the farm where we will meet with the San Bushmen who will accompany us on our bushwalk.
We will learn the skills needed to live off the land and have plenty of opportunity to hone our skills tracking various antelope, cheetah and lots of other wildlife. This is a rare opportunity to put into practise your bushcraft and tracking skills with the help of experts in an unforgettable setting. Our five day trek will then finish with a much needed cool surprise!

This expedition is a true adventure. You will be learning traditional skills from experts who have relied on the techniques that they use for generations. You will be accompanied by Worldwild instructors (male and female) who are themselves experts in bushcraft and tracking and have been chosen for their experience in travelling throughout Southern Africa.
This expedition is open to everyone regardless of skill level and total beginners are more than welcome.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

The cost of this expedition includes:
• All internal transfers
• Food, beverages and accommodation
• 2 Toyota land Cruisers fully equipped, with drivers
• 2 UK instructors
• Instruction in tracking and San traditional skills
• Charges for San guides and use of land for bushwalk
• Public liability insurance.

The following are not included:
• International flights
• Food and drinks, including alcoholic, purchased from bars, restaurants or shops (additional to that which is provided by Worlwild)
• Replacement of forgotten/lost personal items
• Activities additional to those on the itinerary
• Any other personal requirements.

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Kit List

Botswana is dry and dusty and although we are will be there at the end of the summer (the rainy season) the ground is likely to be parched and the temperature very warm during the day but much cooler at night.

To ensure comfort whatever the weather please bring with you the following clothing:
• Hat – preferably with a large brim to keep off the sun
• Boots – hiking boots are fine or you can obtain desert boots or jungle boots as issued to the forces at very reasonable prices.
• Sandals or lightweight trainers
• Flip-flops
• 2 pairs hardwearing trousers
• 2 pairs shorts
• Warm jumper or fleece
• 2 long sleeved shirts (cotton)
• 2 cotton t-shirts
• Socks – bring a selection of thin socks and thicker walking socks
• Underwear
• Sleepwear

Please bring with you the following equipment:
• Backpack
• Water bottle (1 litre or larger)
• Mug
• Knife, fork and spoon
• Billy can (or mess tin)
• Knife (fixed blade with sheath)
• Whistle
• Small rucksack for day use (with Camelbak water bladder)
• Wash bag
• Binoculars -optional (for bird watching!)
• Note book and pencil
• Waterbag (6 litres or more)
• Head torch and spare batteries
• Swimsuit and towel

Please bring your own ‘first aid kit’ containing:
• Any personal medication
• Plasters
• Aspirin or similar
• Lip salve
• Sun block
• Insect repellent (with Deet)

Don’t forget to bring your passport and any documentation with you!
• Anti-malarial medication and vaccinations may be required, please contact your health provider for information.

Worldwild cannot absolutely guarantee that a kill will be made using tradtional methods

 

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Date: Ocober 2009 Location: Ethiopia Cost: £600 Join us for a week of tracking in Ethiopia . This course will teach you wildlife tracking skills and will be based on tracking one of the world's most adaptable predators - the Spotted Hyena!

Here you will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to feed a pack of wild hyenas, with one of only two remaining men that continue to perform the ancient ritual of calling spotted hyenas down from the hills and feeding them by hand.

This ritual feeding of hyenas has been practiced in this part of Ethiopia for at least 800 years. This ritual is performed in response to the belief that the hyenas straddle the divide between the spirit world and there own. It is believed that the offerings made to the hyenas will placate the darker forces of the spirit world and thus avoid famine and catastrophe from befalling the local people.

After making our offering to the hyenas at night, we return the following morning to follow their tracks in the light of day. Deciphering their route back into their territory, here we will camp and set up a hide within sight of their den so that we can observe there activity at dawn and dusk as well as examining their tracks whilst they are laid up during the day.

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More information coming soon, if you have any questions in the meantime please phone or email us! Click to listen to hyenas!