# Survival > General Survival Discussion >  Becoming a Wilderness survival instructor

## JamesGuyette

*I am seeking a career in wilderness survival as a instructor and i am not sure where to start. obviously i need survival training(witch i have) but i did some research and all i found was adventure education and i am not sure if that is what i am looking for any help would be very much appreciated*  :Gunsmilie:

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## crashdive123

Seriously????????

First you post this http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...le-of-no-where and now you want to be a survival instructor?

How old are you?

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## intothenew

I do it (wilderness survival instructor) part time, and literally pay my students to attend. I'm not so good on the business end of things.

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## JamesGuyette

Excuse me sir? first off i am twenty years old and if you remember from my last post, i said i only planed on taking that trip for six months to a year. after witch i would then happily enjoy being a survival instructor. but i definitely do not think i deserved to be patronized like a child. 

James

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## crashdive123

> Excuse me sir? first off i am twenty years old and if you remember from my last post, i said i only planed on taking that trip for six months to a year. after witch i would then happily enjoy being a survival instructor. but i definitely do not think i deserved to be patronized like a child. 
> 
> James


If you recall in your second post that you made on this forum you said 


> Sorry about the lack of information before had just had to get a quick post out there and get everyone fired up


 which seems to be much the same as you have done here.  You want recommendations.  You want advice. but you offer almost no information.  The advice I give to a 20 year old will not be the same as the advice I give to a 50 year old, or to a 12 year old.

Are you talking about being a Wilderness Survival Instructor?  If so.......Since you plan on this new career path following your six months to a year of living in the wilderness I would say this -  that experience will provide you with more education on survival than the thousands of dollars you could spend on "survival schools". 

As to your last comment about what you feel that you deserve.  You deserve what you earn.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.  I would hardly call my comments patronizing.  Cynical maybe, but definitely not patronizing.

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## JamesGuyette

im not worried about having the experience to teach i worried about the documentation

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## Pal334

A few years of experience would be in order. Unless of course you have been "living it" through out your youth. Knowledge plus experience would give you a marketable skill.

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## SARKY

So you are fine with killing someone with your lack of experience..... just as long as you have a document that says you are qualified????? REALLY?????

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## JamesGuyette

not worried about the experience because i already have it.

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## Pal334

I am curious how you accumulated that experience, if you would share a brief thumbnail  description

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## JamesGuyette

gladly my mother and her brother grew up in hills and mountains of California, literally off the land. my mother followed my father to ohio, where i was raised. since i can remember i have been out in the wilderness camping hunting fishing trapping. learning all sorts of things, i can easily navigate with a compass and map or with out a compass i can braintan, i am efficient with a compound bow, and most hunting rifles and a few hang guns. in the short of it i was raised to be a a woodsman didnt know it as a kid  :Smile:  but sure love it now i have spent camping trips(1-3 months long) i have been doing that for about 3 years now and it never gets old.

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## peter

1st you need a 2nd job, 2nd the clients you get, are not going to want to learn how to hunt, fish, braintan, or chop a tree down or any half arse ways of starting a fire. 99.9% of my clients just want to learn how to go on a bush walk, and not get lost, and what to take with them. EG small SAK, first aid kit, jumper, rain coat, lunch + abit extra, bic lighter + a few fire starters, survival blanket, compass & map, EPIRB. You spend 70% of the time teaching them, how to use a compass & map in the carpark. The other 30% you take them on a short bush walk {most my clients are very unfit, and want to do bush walking to get fit}. I have only had 2 people both about 18 or 19 turn up one day wanting to play Rambo. People that want to, go play the fool in the bush, don't pay money, they just go do it.

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## kyratshooter

First, become aware that you are not unique.  You have no more skills than a vast number of the students I have taught over the years.   

One of the girls in my fall semester class killed a half dozen deer with a bow this year.  She was not alone either.  Part of our cirruculum included skills weekends.  The cirruculum also included safety and one full semester of advanced first aid/CPR/combat lifesaving.  Yes, this was in a public school in Kentucky.     

Somewhere in your mix of vast experience I would expect an instructor to have SAR certification in the state he operates, CPR training and advance first aid and life saving certification.  You are going to be responsible for the welfare of everyone in your "group" of students.  

I know several excellent "woodsmen" that I would not trust to carry my garbage to the dump!  They have a bad attitude, are irresponsible, self centered, slightly sadistic and generally rude.  They can live off the land from now till doomsday, but not with me or around people I care about.  There are a couple of them I would shoot on sight in a TEOTWAWKI survival situation. 

Second, you are not going to make money because of what you know, you make money as a teacher for what you can teach.  You will not be taking people camping, you will be an instructor.  Most of your people will not know squat, if they did they would not be paying you.  

You are asking people to pay you to transfer knowledge, you have to have proof that you can teach what they want to know in advance of receiving their money.  The one skill I see lacking in most "survival instructors" is any ability to organize and teach at all.  Standing and rambling on for eternity is not teaching, nor is demonstrating YOUR knowledge.  Being able to transfer knowledge quickly and efficiently is the key.

Now, think about what it is going to take for a 20 year old to inspire enough confidence from a customer to seperate him from his money.

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## Rick

A stun gun? Cause I can get the money while he's down. N...Not that I would ever do that again. 

KY has given you some great insight. No one wants to douse your dreams but we do want you to see it with a solid dose of reality. Have you ever taught before? Any subject? Have you ever presented anything to a group of people? Teaching is a unique mixture of talents. Part entertainer, part walking text book, part Dale Carnegie, part Ghandi. You will have students challenge you like you can't believe and you have to deal with it. You can't take anything personally. You have to capture and hold their attention. You have to entertain them to keep them interested in the subject matter and you have to be able to teach your subject with authority and be able to provide supporting evidence that you know what you are talking about. 

"The ability to make a fire in the winter is one of the most crucial skills you can have. It's a skill I emphasized over and over when I taught (SAR, State Police, in Northern Canada, etc)". You have to show how you know your stuff. "It was so cold during our third class that a Polar Bear came in and sat by the fire with us". You have to keep them entertained. 

The subject you want to teach is really a mute point. How you teach is the important skill.

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## hunter63

Kyrate, Rick....those two post should be a sticky, I sure that they can be used repeatedly.

JamessGuyette, a good start would be a little work on your written communication skills, if for no more reason that to write out instructions during class. 
Just a thought.

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## peter

I don't want to get banned for trying to help you. The website i am about to post about is not mine, and i don't make any money from it, it's in Australia, and i am only using it as a example. Bushwalkers Wilderness Rescue Squad      www.bwrs.org.au   Have you got anything like that where you live? If so you could do alot worse than volunteer with people like that. You learn alot about how people mess up in the bush. That way you will know what you need to teach people, and what is a load of BS. Might be 5years or so before you will be able to make a living out of it {because of your age}, but use those years, learning everything you can. It's not about survival so much, as it's about people.

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## Rick

Peter - That's a pretty good suggestion. I know a couple of guys that pulled hundreds of cases of wilderness disasters and studied them. What happened, what went wrong, what went right, etc. So working directly with the rescue teams would be invaluable training and provide some really great insight.

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## kyratshooter

The critique was always the part of instruction I liked best in training.  

What went right?

What went wrong?

most importantly,

HOW DID YOU DIE THIS TIME?

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## Wildthang

And, dont plan on getting rich in that occupation!

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## Sarge47

So, James, you say you already have the skills, huh?  Okay, here's a test; what kind of survival knife should I buy?      :Whistling:   :Creepy:

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## JamesGuyette

Picking a survival knife huh? a test you say? im welcome to it.  :Smile: 

If i was to give someone advice on picking a survival knife i would tell them to find a comfortable fixed blade knife with a half serrated back with good steel either O1 or A2 with a good thickness of at the very least 1/8 inch thick, should be able to serve as a multipurpose tool to assist you a reasonable size at least 5 inch hmm did i forget anything maybe a drop point considering there stronger than upturned  point. oh yes a obviously full tang. now i also understand more experienced people might have something different in mind they might wont on there survival knife.

~James

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## JamesGuyette

Also becoming rich is not my intentions, i just love the outdoors and always have and would love to live 24/7 and being in a teaching environment i believe i would be considerably happy. plus who would want the chance to a part of that?

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## Sarge47

> Picking a survival knife huh? a test you say? im welcome to it. 
> 
> If i was to give someone advice on picking a survival knife i would tell them to find a comfortable fixed blade knife with a half serrated back with good steel either O1 or A2 with a good thickness of at the very least 1/8 inch thick, should be able to serve as a multipurpose tool to assist you a reasonable size at least 5 inch hmm did i forget anything maybe a drop point considering there stronger than upturned  point. oh yes a obviously full tang. now i also understand more experienced people might have something different in mind they might wont on there survival knife.
> 
> ~James


Nope!   :Thumbdown:

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## JamesGuyette

strange you believe so i have quite a collection, and most are built this way. why do you believe so? and what would you recommend someone? i am quite interested

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## Sarge47

Learning to survive is much more than carrying a blade!  It's life or death!  1st aid is the very 1st thing that anyone should learn.  In the movie, Cast Away, with Tom Hanks he had to use an ice skate for a cutting tool because he didn't have a knife.

Quite frankly I find you an unknown entity at this point.  There are many more on this site that I've come to know and trust that I would be willing to learn from.  Listing "mummy and daddy" on your resume doesn't help.  Mors Kochanski, Cody Lundin, or even Les Stroud would!  

I'm not trying to be patronizing, but you said that you were up to the challenge, so I'm taking you at your word and looking at this realistically.  I don't care if you're 20 years old or 40; you sound more like a "wannabe" to me.  Yes, many on here would like that kind of life, but it takes a lot of hard work.  Look at all that Cody Lundin goes through just to try and keep students in his school. I don't care for the teaching of Bear Grylls, but I do have to admit that many would trust him to teach because of his TV exposure.  Are you going to do that?  He claims to be the youngest person to ever have summitted Mt. Everest, been in the SAS, and even taken training under the French Foreign Legion!  And that was before he ever made the big time on TV!  Do you see where I'm going with this?  Romantic notions are cool, but will never be more than fantasy; hard work and study will get you to where you want to be.  Find a good, QUALIFIED survival instructor and 1st learn everything that you can from them!  They will tell you when you're ready to be an instructor.  Maybe join the military and go through S.E.R.E. training, then work up to your teaching position that way.  Some on here have done just that!  I would sit at the feet and learn from members like Sourdough & PGV Outdoors, just to mention a couple, any day of the week!  Even Crashdive, whom you back-talked earlier.  He has very extensive survival experience!  All in all, good luck in your endeavors.     :Nod:

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## Sarge47

> strange you believe so i have quite a collection, and most are built this way. why do you believe so? and what would you recommend someone? i am quite interested


I believe that there is no such thing as a true "Survival Knife."  Any sturdy blade that holds an edge will get the job done.  We're talking "suvival," not "designer camping!"      :Nod:

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## Sparky93

Ditto to what Sarge said, great posts. I have some stuff I'd like to say, but I'm staying out of this one....

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## Edz

> Ditto to what Sarge said, great posts. I have some stuff I'd like to say, but I'm staying out of this one....


me too on this...

edz

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## RockyRaccoon

> I believe that there is no such thing as a true "Survival Knife."  Any sturdy blade that holds an edge will get the job done.  We're talking "suvival," not "designer camping!"


One of my favorite quotes: "The best knife is the knife you have"

As for the OP... 

1. You need a formal education first and foremost. 
2. Do you have any idea how to run a business?
3. Where will the money come from?
4. What kind of business do you want to start? (i.e. for profit, 501c3, etc.)
5. Do you have a customer base? How will you reach your customers?
6. Do you have any knowledge about laws, liability, etc.?

There are just a few questions you need to take into consideration. Being a survival instructor is great and all, but you need a real education beyond an outdoors background. Additionally you will have a nightmare with the legal side of being a survival instructor. This is America. You will get sued if you screw up.... and don't tell me you won't screw up because everyone does to some extent.

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## Sarge47

> One of my favorite quotes: "The best knife is the knife you have"
> 
> As for the OP... 
> 
> 1. You need a formal education first and foremost. 
> 2. Do you have any idea how to run a business?
> 3. Where will the money come from?
> 4. What kind of business do you want to start? (i.e. for profit, 501c3, etc.)
> 5. Do you have a customer base? How will you reach your customers?
> ...


 :burst:  :burst:  :burst:

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## RangerXanatos

I want to be a survival instructor.  I have vast experience.  I've been doing it for over 26 years!  It goes something like this...

Inhale.ExhaleRepeat steps 1 and 2.
Toss in the occasional eating and drinking and you're ok.

This has been a free crash course presented by _RangerXanatos Survival Inc._



Like others stated before, without prior meaningful experience, no one would take your school seriously.  Check around and see if there is a way you could work under someone to gain that experience at an already established school.

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## hunter63

> I want to be a survival instructor.  I have vast experience.  I've been doing it for over 26 years!  It goes something like this...
> 
> Inhale.ExhaleRepeat steps 1 and 2.
> Toss in the occasional eating and drinking and you're ok.
> 
> This has been a free crash course presented by _RangerXanatos Survival Inc._
> 
> 
> 
> Like others stated before, without prior meaningful experience, no one would take your school seriously.  Check around and see if there is a way you could work under someone to gain that experience at an already established school.


There you have it......... from a real live instructor.

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## Rick

I'll send you my money. I had that whole Inhale, Exhale backwards.

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## JamesGuyette

well in all retro spec. thanks for the input i guess. but like i was trying to figure out from the beginning i was trying to find out what i needed to know and do on the other side of survival  such as the teaching the legal and the degrees not that i need to have the experience obviously someon who knows nothing about survival is going to be able to teach. so again. on the business legal degree end, where should i start?

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## JPGreco

Purely from the business end:
First, do you need a loan?  If so you better have a business plan written out, with market, demographic, and swat analysis.

If no loan;
1)You need to register your business with the local/state/federal departments that apply.  You will need to know which ones based on your business.
Is it an SP, LC, Ltd, LLC, LP, LLP, LLLP, GP, or Corp.  Check your state as they may have more designations.
2) Insurance.  You will need insurance for sure.
3) Licenses.
That is all just to create the business.
Next you need:
Marketing plan.  How are you going to generate business.
A place to work.  You will need permission often to teach a class in public parks.  Permits, etc.
Supplies.  Expect to provide extensively for your students.  Also expect for that equipment to be lost, stolen, or broken.
An accountant

Not to mention professional credibility, certification, experience, and teaching ability.

That's a basic rundown of everything you need just to get a business off the ground, which is the easy part.

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## kyratshooter

JG the first thing you need to do is enroll in an English course at the local community college.  

You lack the most basic of communication skills.  You can not frame a sentence, apparently do not know what capitol letters are and seem to have never encountered a paragraph seperation.

A couple of business courses will teach you how to start up a business and keep it stable.

While there check into their EMT courses for advanced first aid training.  You might also skip over to the health, wellness and recreation department for a course in basic camping and woodcraft so you can show certification in those skills.

Or, you can check by the local Army or Marine Corps recruiting station.  If you make a wise career decision with them you would be able to get the training, certifications and training while being paid for the effort, along with the other benefits of military service.

Now keep in mind that several of us have all that behind us and still found we had to actually work for a living and go to the woods for fun.  Being a woods bum has never paid very well.

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## JPGreco

Wow, I was about to reply to you Kyrat all pissed off because I read "JG" as "JP".  I was so lost as to my failure to convey the information and lack of use of capitol letters.  Granted I will give you my sentence structure isn't always the best... lol

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## Warheit

James, all I can say is best of luck and I'm rootin' for you.  Don't let any of these guys bring you down or challenge your aspirations.  

Follow your dreams, you can achieve your goals.   I'm living proof.

BEEFCAKE!

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## Sarge47

> well in all retro spec. thanks for the input i guess. but like i was trying to figure out from the beginning i was trying to find out what i needed to know and do on the other side of survival  such as the teaching the legal and the degrees not that i need to have the experience obviously someon who knows nothing about survival is going to be able to teach. so again. on the business legal degree end, where should i start?


I guess I'm not sure what you're trying to do here.  You keep talking about wanting to "teach survival," but your experience is "camping."  If it were me, and I've done this before, btw, I'd start as an adult leader in a local Boy Scout troop.  You've got to become known in order to get the clients.  You can also take "Search & Rescue" training and get involved there.  Others on here have posted on the business end of things, I'm talking about what your actual plans are.  There are some names out there that teach "survival."  John "Lofty" Wiseman; Tom Brown; Cody Lundin; David Canterbury; Mykel Hawke; Les Stroud; Bear Grylls; Mors Korchanski; the list goes on and on.  They all have several things in common, but the main thing is that the public knows who they are.  They also have years of experience behind them.  So you're 20 years old, you have plenty of time to get started.  Make a list of everything that you need to do to achieve your goal.  I recommend getting some material on "Goal setting" from a friend of mine by the name of Zig Ziglar.  Prioritize your steps and list everything and everybody your going to need to get there.  Then take the 1st step.  You gotta start somewhere, right?  Now's the time.  Dreams become reality only if you work at them!  Good luck!     :Cool2:

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## Thaddius Bickerton

I am having a hard time writing a "nice" answer to this post, but I want to try, because a desire to do something one thinks one would enjoy is a worthy goal.

An individual who wants to teach others something doesn't need a certificate, he needs the knowledge coupled with an ability to communicate effectively what he knows to another.

To work at teaching requires the trust of those who would become students.  Sometimes a certificate or degree will help establish that trust, but also just public knowledge of the teacher impacts whether or not others are willing to hire them as a teacher.

Trust is even more important, when the student feels that it can have life or death consequences if he learns something that fails when needed.

Trust flows from a connection that usually evolves over time.  I may not know Mors or Bear or some of the others named but having heard their name and observed what they have publicly done over time has created a series of expectations as to whether or not spending my time and /or money with them would be of benefit to me.

At this point I do not know you from Adam, and perhaps you do have things of value to teach, how am I to know that?  How can I say go be a survival instructor?  If you want to enter the business arena and see if people will pay you for what you have to teach, give it a try.

Perhaps going to a local community center and offering a seminar and seeing how many people pay to come listen to you would be a good starting point.  Perhaps even doing some gratis lectures or writing or utubes would help you build up that trust that is necessary between a student and teacher.

Last but not least of this ramble,  You say you are 20,  what in the name of heaven makes you think that you have much to teach some fellow that has been running around living somehow for more than 2 or 3 times as long as you and is the type that would gravitate to this kind of forum?

I'm not saying you don't have stuff to share / teach, just that you have not effectively demonstrated that you do.  

Respect is something that has to be earned,  it isn't something that one is entitled to or that can be coerced.  Everyone gets one chance to make a great first impression, I hate to say this, but your first impression with me has not given me any confidence that you are yet wise enough to teach.

I do hold out hope that you have the wisdom and ability to learn and eventually become what you desire, just do not expect armchair / book knowledge to be sufficient to convince many people that you are capable of teaching survival.  

IOW you have to go , do and show what ya got before anyone is gonna have any faith or respect for you.

Now don't get all upset and give up, just back up , take a deep breath and try again.  Humility and manners go a long way in life, as does respect for ones elders, they may know something, have learned if by paying from the purse that contains the coin of their life, and that is a purse that is not refillable.

You are young and thus have time to direct your steps where you want to go in life, God willing.  I wish you luck.

Thad.

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## Thaddius Bickerton

> I guess I'm not sure what you're trying to do here.  You keep talking about wanting to "teach survival," but your experience is "camping."  If it were me, and I've done this before, btw, I'd start as an adult leader in a local Boy Scout troop.  You've got to become known in order to get the clients.  You can also take "Search & Rescue" training and get involved there.  Others on here have posted on the business end of things, I'm talking about what your actual plans are.  There are some names out there that teach "survival."  John "Lofty" Wiseman; Tom Brown; Cody Lundin; David Canterbury; Mykel Hawke; Les Stroud; Bear Grylls; Mors Korchanski; the list goes on and on.  They all have several things in common, but the main thing is that the public knows who they are.  They also have years of experience behind them.  So you're 20 years old, you have plenty of time to get started.  Make a list of everything that you need to do to achieve your goal.  I recommend getting some material on "Goal setting" from a friend of mine by the name of Zig Ziglar.  Prioritize your steps and list everything and everybody your going to need to get there.  Then take the 1st step.  You gotta start somewhere, right?  Now's the time.  Dreams become reality only if you work at them!  Good luck!


Dang sarge, I only ever got to attend one of zig's lectures, but that one plus a few of his books taught me a ton about convincing people to buy what I had to sell.

I call him Zig, but to his Face it would be Mr. Ziggler, even though I am older than him, he has the bonifides for teaching his skills.  And the track record to back it up.

****

Business 101 
Accounting 101 and 102
Marketing 101, marketing surveys, developing and writing a business plan
Business writing
A few teaching methods courses including developing sylibus' and lesson plans  and goals and out comes.

A lawyer to esablish business type
An accountant to set up and keep your records, help you track profit and loss etc.

A protfolio or web site or utubes showing things you have done.

For example, how to sharpen a knife, start a fire without matches or a bic or firesteel make cordage, improvise stuff, collect wild edibles, field first aid, philisophy,

Answer these questions:

1.  Who are my potential customers
2.  Who is currently offering them services similar to the ones I intend to offer them
3.  What is my unique selling proposition, I.E.  What makes me special and worth their time and money
4.  Who can and will give testimonials that I am good at what I say I am.
5.  How often should I send out press releases, do pro bono lectures, volenteer, write and communicate to get my name out there as an "expert" in the field I teach
6.  How do I know if my students are learning, what do I do when I notice the DUH factor in their face /actions.
7.  What happens the first time something bad happens like a client drops dead of a heart attack?  Can I do CPR, What are the legal ramifications of it.
8.  What tools will be required, what will the client provide and what will i provide?  How do i evaluate the readiness / skills and knowledge of customers without making them upset and frustrated.
9.  Am I really a people person with teaching skills or someone who wants to spend time in the woods, would I be happier as a wrangler / outfitter helper / guide in another business owners employ. 
10  Instead of teaching, who can teach me, who teaches things I want to know or that I think I already know and can I attend their classes to see if they teach things that I already know how to do in an effective manner and can I observe how that impacts others and myself.

The list is endless.

As far as starting a business I have two things:

1.  SBU.gov is the small business administration web site and they offer a ton of publications that you need to get and read on starting up and managing a small business included are business plans (necessary to obtain loans and to understand your business and how it will operate) and even mentor / coaching in areas where you may be weak for example legal and accounting, often free help from volunteers giving back or paying forward.

2.  To make money one needs to find sufficient individuals with money that they are both able and willing to spend to obtain a product or service.  One then needs to be able to provide that product and convince customers that you are the best choice of who is capable of providing it, and to do so in a manner that allows one to have more money than expenses at the completion of the transaction.

Also you might find dale carnige's book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" to be a wonderful place to began to enhance your communication and people skills.

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## finallyME

I would suggest looking at other survival instructors that are successful and see what kind of background they have.  Most have either college or military or both.  Very few have neither.  I would start there.

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## oldsoldier

> Ditto to what Sarge said, great posts. I have some stuff I'd like to say, but I'm staying out of this one....


 Add me to the list of agreement.  James, I'm 50 lived the lifestyle you describe from 3-4 years old until I joined the army at 17. During my 18 years in the army I went trhough every survival school they had at the time, spent somewhere around 18 months all together in such schools. As well as EMT/paramedic training, underwater rescue, specialized rescue, and other such training as well. Not to mention Ranger training, airborne school and such, I had the good fortune to be able to train with not only the navy seals, marine force recon and air commandos here state side during joint operations events but also with German specops, back in the 80's. After my active duty time I went back to the self sufficent lifestyle and still try to llive it the best I can under the circumstances now.  I am also rather profecient in medicinal and edible herbology.

 Now that being said about my personel background and history, I do not consider myself in the league of folks here like Crash, PVG, Kyra, sarge, sourdough, and any of a dozen or so more here. I know I can survive in many situations I have done so, Maybe with another 20 years of experience I'll be at a level to be able to be a "survival instructor"  Maybe not.

 My "non" expert opinion is listen to the people here while you think they are being patronizing they are really trying to offer you some good sound advice and answer your question in an honest manner. While I don't get around here as much as I used to or would like to, EVERY time I log on here and check what I've missed I learn something new.

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## randyt

I would always joke about teachers. Those who can do, those who can't teach but in reality it takes a special person knowledgeable in their subject to be a good teacher. Probably the fastest way to learn more about a subject is to teach it to others.

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## Rick

> Probably the fastest way to learn more about a subject is to teach it to others.


That may be the truest words ever written.

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## Wildthang

Well none of us know it all, I guess that's why we are here! I think survival is like golf, you can learn a lot, and you can get pretty good, but nobody ever truly masters the game!

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## Thaddius Bickerton

I read an old saying that experience teaches fully , but in the end finds it's lessons spent on a dead man.  The advice offered here is trying to help you short cut some of that.

If you want a outdoors life, consider working for someone already doing something you think you might like, perhaps a outfitter or hunting guide working for an established business is a way to get your foot in the door (or out of doors as the case may be.)

Id rather aim you at church missionary work than the peace corps, if you go with the right church group then the chance to help and make a difference is much higher than trying to live within the political correct rules (cant go ticking off the local warlord etc ) of the peace corps.

To be honest, the most knowledgeable people sharing survival are at most gonna have one or two fellows they are a mentor to.  The "famous" ones either have day jobs or count on a lot of marketing hype and deliver only bits and irts of useful stuff.

One other possibility would be a military career where over time if you work at it you might manage to get a job teaching sere or some such with them and at the same time build up a nice resume for the world, and also be able to save up some coin, and gain world experience and college etc.  Just a thought, but do that on your own mind, as signing with uncle sugar means he owns your life and you could be put in harms way where you dont wanna be.

Thad

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## Clep

> Well none of us know it all, I guess that's why we are here! I think survival is like golf, you can learn a lot, and you can get pretty good, but nobody ever truly masters the game!


That's exactly true, and my punctuation and such won't be good, I'm on a crappy tablet and don't know how to use it proper, but I don't care anyways, first aid classes and such are biggest concern they will want to know they are safe with you, and you definitely need more experience. I did a lot of what u said growing up then was a volunteer camp counselor for underprivileged kids where I taught hiking,creek exploring,and did CPR first aid classes to be a lifeguard as well at age 16 to 18 then went to the army got all of my training did my time as an infantry man, learned so much that camping and hiking never could've taught me, continued with it all spent some time on an Indian reservation, I'm black foot native American, helped out the boy scouts occasionally and taught friends and family and such all of my skills I could teach, and now I even have random people I don't know contact me and want to go out with me to learn the wilderness survival skills I know, and all of this I've done for free just out of my love for it, its costed men a lot, so yeah I have a real job painting cars I'd rather  do what I love also but if you expect money from people you better know 110% what you are doing, and once you've got training and u think u know what you're doing then spread the word that you have a free survival course people like free, get a legal liability form made up and do that awhile and you will learn just as much if not more than they will and if you do good and they like you word of mouth even will help you get a paid course off the ground but if you go into it just for profit you will not make it, you'll need another job for AWHILE you can't just go camping and watch an episode or two of man vs wild and think you're bear grylls just as another guy said, bear grylls has been through so much training and experience but he still couldn't make a great living on it until he was put on television, my advice, go join the military or volunteer at a camp or boy scout troop or even another survival class people like free workers and you'll be gaining so much experience really, and go sign up for naked and afraid if you're just trying to prove something plus its good exposure and money if you do well, but just learn learn learn and when u think you're good then learn it some more THEN do a free course and see how it goes, good luck and don't give up, you have plenty of years to experience more so get off the Internet and go do it!

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## Clep

Holy hell this is from three years ago oh well you got a class yet?

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## Lamewolf

> im not worried about having the experience to teach i worried about the documentation


Documentation means absolutely nothing without training or experience.  I've seen folks that were certified in what they do for a living but had very little actual talent for what they do.  A piece of paper on the wall doesn't make you an instructor or an expert, and by the way, an "ex" is a has been, and a "spert" is a drip under pressure !  I say, keep living the way you are and try again in ten years after you get more "experience", then maybe you'll be closer to what you need.

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## kyratshooter

Fellers, there's no one home and they turned the porch light off.

the guy made 11 posts three years ago and never came back.

And apparently he never got his "survival school" started, and if he did no one has heard of it.

Or perhaps he went out into the "wilderness" of Ohio and got eaten by a raccoon?

All this postulating for pages and pages to someone that is not there reminds me of trying to give advice to my kids back in the day!

At this point we are just talking to remind us how smart we are.

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## MrFixIt

> Fellers, there's no one home and they turned the porch light off.
> 
> the guy made 11 posts three years ago and never came back.
> 
> And apparently he never got his "survival school" started, and if he did no one has heard of it.
> 
> Or perhaps he went out into the "wilderness" of Ohio and got eaten by a raccoon?
> 
> All this postulating for pages and pages to someone that is not there reminds me of trying to give advice to my kids back in the day!
> ...


I'm smart?! Who knew?!
LOL
I wouldn't want to be a wilderness survival instructor. I would rather be a wilderness skills instructor. That way my students wouldn't be in a survival situation to begin with.

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## hunter63

> Holy hell this is from three years ago oh well you got a class yet?


Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome.....
There is an intro section at.....To stop by and say Hello.

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

BTW.......Just hit "enter" every once in a while......makes those long post easier to read.

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## jaredscott7777

So im 18 years old and i recently graduated high school.  Ive been thinking about what i would like to do with my life. Ive had a love for thr forest and the outdoors in general. Im considering becoming a wilderness survival instructor or a fishing guide. 
What would u guys recommend i teach myself and the skills i should work on. 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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## kyratshooter

I would suggest a 4 year college degree in biology specializing in wildlife management and at the end of that course apply for a position with your state Wildlife Resources Management Agency.

The only people I know that make a real living working in the outdoors went that route.

The rest are starving, bankrupt, divorced and talk in their sleep.

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## Rick

I'll echo Kyrat's suggestion. If you want to work outdoors take a look at some of these jobs. I'll be one of more interest you. 

https://www.fs.fed.us/working-with-us/jobs/careers

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## hunter63

> So im 18 years old and i recently graduated high school.  Ive been thinking about what i would like to do with my life. Ive had a love for thr forest and the outdoors in general. Im considering becoming a wilderness survival instructor or a fishing guide. 
> What would u guys recommend i teach myself and the skills i should work on. 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome....
There is an intro section at
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

From post #41 of this thread by Thaddius Bickerton in 2012.

Good place to start...I you are making buiness out of thsi occupation.

Skills needed.

Business 101 
Accounting 101 and 102
Marketing 101, marketing surveys, developing and writing a business plan
Business writing
A few teaching methods courses including developing sylibus' and lesson plans and goals and out comes.

A lawyer to esablish business type
An accountant to set up and keep your records, help you track profit and loss etc.

A protfolio or web site or utubes showing things you have done.

For example, how to sharpen a knife, start a fire without matches or a bic or firesteel make cordage, improvise stuff, collect wild edibles, field first aid, philisophy,

Answer these questions:

1. Who are my potential customers
2. Who is currently offering them services similar to the ones I intend to offer them
3. What is my unique selling proposition, I.E. What makes me special and worth their time and money
4. Who can and will give testimonials that I am good at what I say I am.
5. How often should I send out press releases, do pro bono lectures, volenteer, write and communicate to get my name out there as an "expert" in the field I teach
6. How do I know if my students are learning, what do I do when I notice the DUH factor in their face /actions.
7. What happens the first time something bad happens like a client drops dead of a heart attack? Can I do CPR, What are the legal ramifications of it.
8. What tools will be required, what will the client provide and what will i provide? How do i evaluate the readiness / skills and knowledge of customers without making them upset and frustrated.
9. Am I really a people person with teaching skills or someone who wants to spend time in the woods, would I be happier as a wrangler / outfitter helper / guide in another business owners employ. 
10 Instead of teaching, who can teach me, who teaches things I want to know or that I think I already know and can I attend their classes to see if they teach things that I already know how to do in an effective manner and can I observe how that impacts others and myself.

The list is endless.

As far as starting a business I have two things:

1. SBU.gov is the small business administration web site and they offer a ton of publications that you need to get and read on starting up and managing a small business included are business plans (necessary to obtain loans and to understand your business and how it will operate) and even mentor / coaching in areas where you may be weak for example legal and accounting, often free help from volunteers giving back or paying forward.

2. To make money one needs to find sufficient individuals with money that they are both able and willing to spend to obtain a product or service. One then needs to be able to provide that product and convince customers that you are the best choice of who is capable of providing it, and to do so in a manner that allows one to have more money than expenses at the completion of the transaction.

Also you might find dale carnige's book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" to be a wonderful place to began to enhance your communication and people skills.
Last edited by Thaddius Bickerton; 04-16-2012 at 12:31 AM.

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## Antonyraison

I will add on from What hunter and others has already suggested.
1)I would do, 1st aid, or perhaps even a paramedics cert, so that if injury happened out in the bush you are able to help with that, very important when you miles away from any help.
2) experience, loads of experience (dirt time) in different seasons, different biomes etc. - verifiable experience, either done via a very good school, or by yourself, film and being put out on youtube. (so people can refer to that , think of it as your CV)
3) Perhaps getting involved with forestry ? I dont know.. we have different things here, here It is possible but very difficult to get into anti-poaching (and that is like run like a special forces team) Game ranger? I dont know what you call that there, but here we can do game ranger courses and practicals to be  certified in that (all helps)
4) wilderness survival doesn't really carry any governing body that will give paper work, there are schools, and they can be great, and they can give certificates/badges whatever.. but no governing body is going to recognize that at all... But certainly will help you gain a lot of missing skills and extra dirt time.

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## jayd

A knife, for what situations, in what area? In general, I suggest a modified Crunch multitool, cause it can do so much. Especially if you pair it with one of Cold steel's shovels and a Silky saw blade, to be held in the visegrip.


As to the training, since you think you are already "skilled", I recommend that you get onto the Alone show. Some pretty inept people on there are now selling themselves as "wilderness instructors".  If they can do so, then, you, with all your skllls, should win, and with that clear  1/4 million dollars, you can take all the classes there is.

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## Antonyraison

> A knife, for what situations, in what area? In general, I suggest a modified Crunch multitool, cause it can do so much. Especially if you pair it with one of Cold steel's shovels and a Silky saw blade, to be held in the visegrip.
> 
> 
> As to the training, since you think you are already "skilled", I recommend that you get onto the Alone show. Some pretty inept people on there are now selling themselves as "wilderness instructors".  If they can do so, then, you, with all your skllls, should win, and with that clear  1/4 million dollars, you can take all the classes there is.


Not sure whom this reply is aimed at..
But Yeah I have thought about applying as a constant on alone.
However I thought long and hard on this, and decided whom am I trying to prove anything to? 
I get out here a lot in Southern Africa, in very harsh conditions that many do not have, like our terrain our hot hot weather and very arid climate.. and other dangers.
And I do enjoy that a lot.
If I had to do alone I have a lot of of things that would need to be put on hold like my Main career.. my family etc.
say I am even out there for a month? where do I get the $$ to pay my mortgage and other bills, I cant take off work longer than maybe 2 full weeks. So I would have to say good bye essentially to A Formal job, What I do, I do in my part time for my own enjoyments.

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## hunter63

AR...No worries....generally those that do a lot of "talken'"......are not doing a lot of "doin'".

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## Antonyraison

> AR...No worries....generally those that do a lot of "talken'"......are not doing a lot of "doin'".


I generally never say unless I have actually done, hence I dont pitch in on a lot of subjects.. only things I done and know about.

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## hunter63

> I generally never say unless I have actually done, hence I dont pitch in on a lot of subjects.. only things I done and know about.


Some times we need a little more of that....Just sayin'

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## jayd

First, do 3 years in the infantry, with at least 2 tours to the sandbox. Then do 3 years there as a merc. Then you'll have 400k in the bank, which will set you up for a very nice life in Chile, Uruguay, Portugal, Nicaraugua. Just dont take more than 10% of your money there. Leave it safely invested in the US.

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## Antonyraison

> First, do 3 years in the infantry, with at least 2 tours to the sandbox. Then do 3 years there as a merc. Then you'll have 400k in the bank, which will set you up for a very nice life in Chile, Uruguay, Portugal, Nicaraugua. Just dont take more than 10% of your money there. Leave it safely invested in the US.


maybe if I where in US and 18 yes sure... but grew up in RSA, and now 36.

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## jayd

yes, you have a problem. Steady lady in your life? Kids? Got a passport? Consider joining iPSC combat shooting clubs? There's one in Pretoria, and in Durbin, last I knew, admittedly  40 years ago. Those matches are good places to meet people with connections (and money) Barry Miller used to be the contact guy, or Gerry Gore. Both would now be in late 70's, or older tho.

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## bobb1011

I am looking for an Instructor to teach jungle survival.  Anyone know where i could find one ?    Bob   508 394 5342

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## hunter63

> I am looking for an Instructor to teach jungle survival.  Anyone know where i could find one ?    Bob   508 394 5342


This is the second time you posted this......?...
Not sure if I would my phone number out on the interwebs....

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## kyratshooter

The area code is Mass. and the school is in Mexico.

I am not setting foot in either place.

And I guarantee they can not meet my employment requirements.

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## crashdive123

> I am looking for an Instructor to teach jungle survival.  Anyone know where i could find one ?    Bob   508 394 5342


Careful now.  Just because you don't get a bunch of takers jumping at the fantastic opportunity that you have provided so much information about in the first 24 hours after posting is no reason to post it again.  It smacks of desperation.......and gets kind of spammy.

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## Antonyraison

> yes, you have a problem. Steady lady in your life? Kids? Got a passport? Consider joining iPSC combat shooting clubs? There's one in Pretoria, and in Durbin, last I knew, admittedly  40 years ago. Those matches are good places to meet people with connections (and money) Barry Miller used to be the contact guy, or Gerry Gore. Both would now be in late 70's, or older tho.


I have mates that do combat shooting and such, it is something worth investigating  :Smile:  thanks

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## Antonyraison

> Careful now.  Just because you don't get a bunch of takers jumping at the fantastic opportunity that you have provided so much information about in the first 24 hours after posting is no reason to post it again.  It smacks of desperation.......and gets kind of spammy.


Its very off.. I think it similar to the other post about wanting instructors for some wild piece of land In mexico.
It just sounds very very very off.. no details? no nothing..
and yeah, it just feels intuitively UNSAFE.. I highly doubt OP would receive any reply.. 
( I am Almost at the level of survival instructor) and in Southern Africa..
Even if I where closer I would not even question or apply... just have that weird "missing organ feeling"

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## madmax

"Missing organ feeling"?  LOL  Like waking up in a bathtub full of ice with stiches in your abdomen?

Can I use that?

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## Rick

As in...Use it on a resume? That may be an eye popper. " 2017: Removed seven kidneys. No one died."

NEXT!

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## hunter63

> Its very off.. I think it similar to the other post about wanting instructors for some wild piece of land In mexico.
> It just sounds very very very off.. no details? no nothing..
> and yeah, it just feels intuitively UNSAFE.. I highly doubt OP would receive any reply.. 
> ( I am Almost at the level of survival instructor) and in Southern Africa..
> Even if I where closer I would not even question or apply... just have that weird "missing organ feeling"


Same guy that posted the Survival instructor thread, revived this one as well....that why I asked how many times he was gonna post it.

That other quote was originally posted by "jayd" kinda a leftover troll......that isn't around.

I agree with y'all point...  "Why in heck would anyone in there right mind want to answer a cold ad like this and expect to have it end well....or ever be heard from again".

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## oldsoldier

If you're in the US, young enough, healthy enough join the army!  I went through my survival schools jungle, desert, mountain and a few others courtesy of uncle Sammy. Along with air assault and jump training.  Otherwise the only one I know of is in Panama and is VERY expensive. ( somewhere around $15K plus travel)

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## Antonyraison

> If you're in the US, young enough, healthy enough join the army!  I went through my survival schools jungle, desert, mountain and a few others courtesy of uncle Sammy. Along with air assault and jump training.  Otherwise the only one I know of is in Panama and is VERY expensive. ( somewhere around $15K plus travel)


36 years old, but am strong and healthy enough and would easily pass the fitness test.. but in South Africa with a decent job and a family..
I would love to get in survival teaching/mentoring in my free time.. eventually as a business.. I am doing that here and there where I can.
I am almost did join our army when I left school... but advised against it due to many situations of our army not being the same as it was once was (we where considered one of the best ground forces back in the 70ies and early 80ies)

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## primitiveskills

Respectfully, that is the most frightening comment I have read on this entire site, and I make it a point to read here at least once a day. Without experience you will be feeding false information and half truths to folks who will trust what they have learned from you and head into the backcountry. Will you own the responsibility of their deaths or shrug it off? Step down from any ideas of instructing survival until you have a year of living it, or at least three weeks in each season completely unplugged. To do anything less is either arrogant, ignorant, or criminally negligent.

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## hunter63

> Respectfully, that is the most frightening comment I have read on this entire site, and I make it a point to read here at least once a day. Without experience you will be feeding false information and half truths to folks who will trust what they have learned from you and head into the backcountry. Will you own the responsibility of their deaths or shrug it off? Step down from any ideas of instructing survival until you have a year of living it, or at least three weeks in each season completely unplugged. To do anything less is either arrogant, ignorant, or criminally negligent.


If you are addressing Antony Raison......You have not read any of this thread......

Go back a re-read all of it, then come back and give us an opinion.

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## crashdive123

> Respectfully, that is the most frightening comment I have read on this entire site, and I make it a point to read here at least once a day. Without experience you will be feeding false information and half truths to folks who will trust what they have learned from you and head into the backcountry. Will you own the responsibility of their deaths or shrug it off? Step down from any ideas of instructing survival until you have a year of living it, or at least three weeks in each season completely unplugged. To do anything less is either arrogant, ignorant, or criminally negligent.


What or more importantly ----------- who are you talking about?  If it's AR you are way off base.

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## primitiveskills

> What or more importantly ----------- who are you talking about?  If it's AR you are way off base.


"I'm not worried about having the experience to teach i worried about the documentation" By the initiator of the thread, JG

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## Antonyraison

> "I'm not worried about having the experience to teach i worried about the documentation" By the initiator of the thread, JG


Not sure what you on about Sir.

Documentation to teach? if you read this thread, I am sure I have explained as many have explained, you dont exactly get a phd in survival from some Uni and that makes you now all of a sudden have the right "documentation"
I am going via a survival school over the last 3 years going through the ranks , taken many many courses and a lot , and I mean a lot of dirt time, then was hand picked to make "Ranger" level..
and now still further have a lot more Dirt time and log hours and hours Of helping and teaching on courses along side head instructor Before I can even Properly instruct by myself.
Further more each individual that signs up and wants to do a course needs to sign a waiver or an indemnity, as We cannot always be responsible for Others stupidity, sure we Try and mitigate as many risks as we can hence each Ranger, and higher placed individual in our survival school has to endure a lot of training and have a lot of experience as well as be 1st aid trained.. and continually attend outings to keep skills up.

My documentation consists of:
Basic surival certificate (48 hour course)
Advanced survival certificate (48 hour course)
Bushcraft Certificate (48 hour course)
Wild foods (36hour course)
wild medicine(36 hour course)
Bushmedic (1st aid) ( 2 days course)
Navigation (2 days course)
Advanced Navigation (2 days course)
Mountain extreme survival (done in winter, area - Rhodes, which is near cape town) (72 hour course)
Ocean extreme survival (done off the coast of mntinzini ) 72 hours course
Jungle extreme Survival (Done in magoebaskloof , near tzaneen)  7 day course
72 hour alone in the wild with a knife a fire steel and a water bottle
48 hour solo with a knife and fire steel and water bottle.

done all over 3 years... 
then I was picked to be a ranger After doing that.
and Now I am working on Ranger levels  I am ranger level I, there 3 levels...
each level you need to log 50 hours training on courses (helping and or instructing)
and the Write a test on each level
then you make a full instructor..

My offical qualification at the moment (although I dont know what university will recognise it, is Elite Ranger presently, at the moment we only have approx 15 rangers qualified over the course of 10 years, and about 2500 students trained, so its less that 1% that make ranger.)
My ranger number as bellow.... BSR/16/07
b= Boswa ( bush craft on safari wilderness adventures)
S= survival
r= Ranger
16- the year I made ranger...
7- the 7th ranger to make ranger.

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## Antonyraison

As it stands of the writing of this post I am only been allowed to instruct by myself on what we term a
S.A.F.E course (survival awareness for emergencies course)
which is a 4 hour course we run which is more of an introductory course for average people
which covers just very very basics and how to be prepared and safe, in our south African climate with our percieved dangers of crime, hi-jacking, muggings, political unrest, and natural disasters, as well as some basic self defense etc.
I have a good background in martial arts (well over 8 years of taekwondo, karate capoeria, etc) as well as a documented history of doing "stunt" work for Tv and adverts)
further training I have part form being a black belt in ITF taekwondo, is fire fighting level 1..

I have documented some of my outings via videos which is found on my link in my signature..
ummm... For my stunt work, I haven't made those video public, but i can point them to anyone that asks ( I simply Try to keep my you tubes topic specific to out doors/surival/bushcraft) 
If I dont know some thing I dont really comment, and I try find out and do research on the matter...
Generally I never say something unless its something I actually done and know and have experience on..
personal experiences include;
I have actually been hi-jacked by 3 gun men
been held up in a mugging by 3 gun men
been tied up and held hostage in a house breaking by 4 gun men for over 2 hours 
South Africa, is a very dangerous crime ridden place, our wild life is the least of our concern to be honest..
but I try and spend a lot of time in every biome we have in every weather condition and season we have, with as little kit as I possibly can.


lastly thanks Guys for standing up for me I appreciate the brotherhood.

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## pete lynch

I don't think primitiveskills was talking about AR; he was talking about the OP, JamesGuyette. 
That was his quote:



> I'm not worried about having the experience to teach i worried about the documentation

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## crashdive123

> "I'm not worried about having the experience to teach i worried about the documentation" By the initiator of the thread, JG


I guess that's where the confusion stems from.  You decided to respond to a guy that has not been here for five years.

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## Antonyraison

Yeah anyway... sorry for confusion, but yeah
I would be dubious of anyone that has not done some form of training and doesnt have actual experience.
I been seeing it do the rounds there is even a place here in RSA that will hand out instructor certs only after a 6 day course... ( that I am actually worried for those students under those types)

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## hunter63

> I don't think primitiveskills was talking about AR; he was talking about the OP, JamesGuyette. 
> That was his quote:


I'm not buying that....
His post was directly after a post by AR  on 11/3 and was a bit on that nasty side...nor was any explanation given or quote as to what he was referring to given..
I didn't see an apology either.....

Sorry ....primitiveskills...that the way I see it.
Have a nice day.

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## Antonyraison

> I'm not buying that....
> His post was directly after a post by AR  on 11/3 and was a bit on that nasty side...nor was any explanation given or quote as to what he was referring to given..
> I didn't see an apology either.....
> 
> Sorry ....primitiveskills...that the way I see it.
> Have a nice day.


If it is I am not taking much offense.. I have listed out on the thread what I have done.. And I still continue to do more and gain more skill and experience.

----------

