Recently I saw an advertisement for new rain gear from a large outdoor gear company. They chose to market this with the phrase “rain? what rain?” Seems straightforward enough, but it got me thinking about a certain trend in the outdoor industry. The idea is that the outdoors is a place where you go for […]
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The Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is back. After an extended stay off the grid running our winter programs, we’re back in the world with new episodes. Episode 59 is all about the Brushfire Rendezvous, coming to the field school October 11-13, 2019. Before we get to talking about it, we discuss the events of the […]
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Episode 108 of the JMB Vlog is a series of scenes shot on our recent trip to northern Quebec. Chiseling holes in the ice to set a fish net, splitting wood, lashing a moose hide into a frame and cooking geese by the wood stove. It was a great trip, with lots of learning and […]
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The principles of tanning hides in the bitter cold are the same as tanning in warm weather. The details, however, are significantly different. Continue Reading...
From our recent trip to northern Quebec. A great group of people. Here we were out checking hare snares and looking for marten tracks. We had a tip that someone had seen Bucksaw Jenkins tracks somewhere between Chibougoumou and Chapais, as he was wintering in the James Bay lowlands, and we were concerned that he […] Continue Reading...
This guy hung around our place a while back. In the photo he was sitting chest-high in a hemlock sapling, 9-feet from our door. Working on updating the Yearlong Immersion Program for 2019-2020, should be done by the end of the weekend. Continue Reading...
One of my favorite spots in the North Maine Woods. One of these years I’m going to spend a week there, living with the timeless rhythms of the forest and river. Continue Reading...
One of my favorite places in the world at a beautiful time of day. Miles from the bustle of the modern world, deep in the North Maine Woods, with no signs of people as far as the eye can see. Continue Reading...
Recently I saw an advertisement for new rain gear from a large outdoor gear company. They chose to market this with the phrase “rain? what rain?” Seems straightforward enough, but it got me thinking about a certain trend in the outdoor industry. The idea is that the outdoors is a place where you go for […] Continue Reading...
We recommend people bring a watch when they attend field school programs. It’s a necessary piece of kit for a working guide and ensures you know what time it is so you can be on time. Get a watch with a barometer, which is a common feature among modern outdoor watches. This will help you […] Continue Reading...
We’re excited to announce the official partnership between the Jack Mountain Bushcraft School and the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI). After a lot of legwork, we’re partnering up to offer direct credit for UMPI students, and to offer transfer credits to students from other universities. The paperwork has been signed, the approval agency […] Continue Reading...
Last week School Of The Forest partnered with the New Hampton School for their yearly “Project week”. New Hampton students pitch a lot of different potential ideas for the week, and then participate in whichever is selected. I had a great time running this program, and because New Hampton is a boarding school, getting to […] Continue Reading...
I just returned from a fantastic week on the land with my Cree friends David and Anna Bosum. I mention them by name, but there were many other people who worked and visited with us during the week. It’s such a unique experience, to be welcomed into their culture and learn about their life in […] Continue Reading...
After three cold and snowy weeks in the woods at and near the field school in northern Maine, I’ve got a few days with my family and to dry out my kit before heading north to Ouje-Bougoumou, Quebec for a week on the land with my friends David and Anna Bosum. We had a great […] Continue Reading...
In the first week of March School Of The Forest will be teaming up with the staff of New Hampton School in New Hampshire to teach a group of students outdoor living skills. The skills and topics covered were selected by the students, and it’s been really fun to see what catches their attention and […] Continue Reading...
If you’ve been looking for Bushcraft and outdoor programs for youth, you’ve probably seen the term “immersion” thrown around here and there. While it’s great to see more young people spending long periods of time in the outdoors, a lot of these programs don’t truly meet the standard we think of as an “immersion”. ” they […] Continue Reading...
The Jack Mountain Bushcraft Podcast is back. After an extended stay off the grid running our winter programs, we’re back in the world with new episodes. Episode 59 is all about the Brushfire Rendezvous, coming to the field school October 11-13, 2019. Before we get to talking about it, we discuss the events of the […] Continue Reading...
Scott Oeth is the owner of Bull Moose Patrol, a Registered Maine Guide, a Jack Mountain Bushcraft School alumnus, a featured speaker at Canoecopia and the Outdoor Adventure Expo and a father of 3. Raised in Madison, Wisconsin and active in scouts, Scott lives with his family in the twin cities of Minnesota. In episode […] Continue Reading...
Blake Towsley is an old friend, purveyor of uncouth fire side talk (his description), and the owner of Le Club De Raquette de SRF. In this episode we discuss winter camping, winter weather trends, his line of traditional snowshoe and canoe gear, freedom cabbage, and upcoming winter camping trips. PHOTO: Blake and Tim in the […] Continue Reading...
Jeff Hatch is the owner of Raven Wilderness School in western Massachusetts, an ambassador for Fjallraven, has more instagram followers than we can count, and is an all-around great guy. Ed Butler and I sat down with Jeff on a breezy day to discuss his school, the role of social media in promoting small business, […] Continue Reading...
Ed Butler, the Working Class Woodsman, stopped by and we spent an hour and a quarter talking about winter preparedness, the changing face of the forest in northern New England due to economic pressure, what you should carry with you, the boiling point of propane and butane, and a bunch of other winter-focused things. I […] Continue Reading...
Episode 108 of the JMB Vlog is a series of scenes shot on our recent trip to northern Quebec. Chiseling holes in the ice to set a fish net, splitting wood, lashing a moose hide into a frame and cooking geese by the wood stove. It was a great trip, with lots of learning and […] Continue Reading...
Shot on location in northern Quebec, episode 107 of the Jack Mountain Bushcraft Vlog features Sam Larson and I discussing the merits of our video policy, selfie first, safety last. Please note that this is satire, but does represent how much fun we had on the trip. Continue Reading...
Shot on a cold, snowy day on the Boreal Snowshoe Expedition, vlog episode 106 is an update from the field on the day we were working on emergency snowshoe construction. Continue Reading...
Spent the day in the woods with the dog, marking trails and visiting some of my favorite spots including Sandy Beach and the Fairy Bridge over Perry Brook. For the trail map I’ve been working on for over a year, click this link. Continue Reading...
We’ve had a lot of interest in our March, 2019 trip to northern Quebec where we’ll live with our Cree friends David and Anna Bosum. We’ll be immersed in Cree culture for a week, learning about how they live. This video is an update on the trip, as well as a recommended reading list. For […] Continue Reading...
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– Ago Puteus Foris –
We’re a bushcraft, guide training and wilderness expedition school founded in 1999. We help people become more self-reliant and connected to the natural world using traditional skills and a few simple tools. This is our media hub, consisting of our blog, podcasts and videos.
