We offer many wilderness skills courses to help you connect with your natural surroundings and to build your confidence in an emergency situation. The skills that we offer are generally effective in all environments. Classes will be conducted in a safe, outdoor, desert environment just a few minutes west of Rio Rancho, NM. You will not be in a survival situation. Mountain classes will be available soon. You must be a minimum of 18 years old to attend a wilderness skills course without a parent. We will accept 16 and 17 year old young adults with the presence of a parent. The parent must also apply and pay for the course.
Given the uncertainty of lockdowns, etc. please contact me via email and I will set-up a class for you – mike@riftvalleybushcraft.com
At this time, the class schedules are set up for weekends, however please feel free to contact me if you would like to schedule a class during the week.
Level 1 – Basic Skills Course (See Schedule for Dates – Cost $299+tax) Class Limited to 6 People
The Level 1 Basic Skills Course will get you started on the path to primitive living and self sufficiency. In order to cover all the material, this is a two day course. If you only have one day, please contact us with an alternative schedule that covers the subjects that interest you on a day that you have open.
In the basic skills course you will learn how to:
- Safely use cutting tools and tool maintenance.
- Create fire by friction.
- Make cordage from natural materials.
- Water collection and purification methods, dehydration, requirements.
- Primitive and modern bushcraft shelters.
- Signalling for help.
- Learn about the basics of survival kits and gear.
- Conservation and Environment.
Level 2 – Advanced Skills Course ( See Schedule for Dates – Cost $299+tax) Class Limited to 6 People
The Level 1 Course is recommended as a pre-requisite, but not required. We will not hold up a class to teach you the basics
- Advanced cutting tools, techniques and maintenance.
- Modern fire techniques including fire steels, magnifiers, steel wool, and fire extenders. Additional friction fire techniques will be covered as time allows.
- Sleeping warm.
- Introduction to primitive trapping.
- Introduction to traditional archery.
- Advanced instruction on survival kits and gear.
- Navigation with the sun, stars and compass.
- Conservation and Environment.
Level 3 – Food Gathering Course (See Schedule for Dates – Cost $299+tax) Class Limited to 6 People
The Level 1 and 2 Courses are highly recommended as a pre-requisite, we will not hold up a class to teach you the basics.
- Advanced primitive trapping techniques.
- Primitive fishing in the warmer months.
- Advanced traditional archery and still hunting techniques.
- Conservation and Environment.
Bow Making Course (By Appointment – please send an email for availability – Cost $299+tax) Class Limited to 2 People
- This is a two-day course for most people.
- Students will learn to build their own self bows, bow strings, and arrows.
- Bows will be constructed of a solid piece of wood, primarily with basic hand tools.
- The eastern woodland flatbow is a common design.
- Learn to make bows without expensive equipment.
Modernized Primitive Weapons (See Schedule for Dates – Cost $299+tax) Class Limited to 6 People)
- Learn how to acquire and effectively use low cost archery gear.
- Build your own atlatl and dart.
- Build a bolo with modern or primitive materials.
- Build throwing stick variations.
- Build a Hand spear/fish spear.
- Learn the effective range, accuracy, and power of sling shots and pellet guns.