I just put up our winter schedule for 2023 and it will include a lot of weeks spent in hot tents off the grid. For a number of years I’ve had the idea of getting a thermoelectric generator to charge batteries while out on the land in the winter. In winter we spend a few […]
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Part 2 of my discussion with Paul Sveum about simplifying fly fishing. We discuss #6-10 of the top ten things Paul wishes someone would have told him when he was getting started in fly fishing. PHOTO: A Y-stern canoe on the Bonaventure River in Quebec, headed upriver to fish for Atlantic Salmon. Show Notes: JMB […]
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This year’s project is nearing completion. In an outbuilding at our headquarters we’re building a library/classroom and calling it the Athenaeum. Check it out in this video […]
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– Ago Puteus Foris –
We’re a bushcraft, guide training and wilderness expedition school and traditional Maine Guide service founded in 1999. We help people become more skilled, more knowledgeable, more experienced and more confident by using traditional wilderness skills, a few simple tools and field-based experience. This is our media hub. For information on our programs, go to JackMtn.com, and check out our Calendar to see all upcoming programs.
From a recent canoe outing on a perfect fall day. These are the types of photos you look at over winter to get excited about open water. Continue Reading...
I just put up our winter schedule for 2023 and it will include a lot of weeks spent in hot tents off the grid. For a number of years I’ve had the idea of getting a thermoelectric generator to charge batteries while out on the land in the winter. In winter we spend a few […] Continue Reading...
In our 23 year history, we have had only a handful of instructors teach with us on our semester programs. These individuals represent the top of the outdoor industry. We’d like to introduce our newest instructor and the first woman to join the team, Tessa Storey. Tessa has recently completed both her Journeyman and Engagé […] Continue Reading...
After spending the past 4-weeks on the water running the Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester, I’m back at the field school and have tales to tell. We spent the first week training everyone and doing expedition planning. It was a deep dive into everything canoeing, including paddling and poling, as well as cooking on the fire, […] Continue Reading...
Although it has been full with a waiting list for a few months, the past few days have seen 2 spots open up on this fall’s Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. This is a usual, but not predictable, occurrence. So if you’re interested in joining us for the 9-week fall course and working toward your Journeyman certification, […] Continue Reading...
I just posted our schedule for 2023. There are a few changes compared to recent years. First, we won’t be offering a Wilderness Guide Training Semester. Instead, we’ll be offering the Wilderness Bushcraft Semester (WBS) twice. They have been the same course all along, but we’re going to eliminate any confusion by changing the name […] Continue Reading...
Today we begin our summer term at the field school with the Summer Woodsman course, followed next week with the Canoe Expedition Skills course. After a short break for the 4th of July, we move into the 4-week Wilderness Canoe Expedition Semester. It’s a busy summer schedule. But it doesn’t feel much like summer in […] Continue Reading...
I just added a page to our site including updated local driving directions and arrival time info. If you’re coming to the field school, these directions should get you here. Continue Reading...
On May 11, 2022, our fly fishing director Paul Sveum published an article in the Orvis News titled “5 Bushcraft Tips For Anglers.” I really enjoyed reading it, as will you if you click through (link). I always enjoy Paul’s writing style, and it’s great to see him getting recognition for both his fishing and […] Continue Reading...
Part 2 of my discussion with Paul Sveum about simplifying fly fishing. We discuss #6-10 of the top ten things Paul wishes someone would have told him when he was getting started in fly fishing. PHOTO: A Y-stern canoe on the Bonaventure River in Quebec, headed upriver to fish for Atlantic Salmon. Show Notes: JMB […] Continue Reading...
This episode featuring Paul Sveum began as a blog post, but we decided to have a conversation about the top ten things to keep in mind when getting into fly fishing. This is part 1, where we discuss points 1-5. PHOTO: Paul fishing an Aroostook County stream. Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 111 | Simplifying […] Continue Reading...
Matthew Rhode just successfully completed the Journeyman Certification on the fall Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We welcomed him into the studio to discuss the course, his approach to time management, the usefulness of a table, and how to be successful on our program. PHOTO: Early morning during solos, looking east. Show Notes: JMB Podcast Episode 110 […] Continue Reading...
We’re nearing the end of the fall, 2021 Wilderness Bushcraft Semester. We just finished a 48 hour primitive living experience and are headed out on solos tomorrow. In this episode of the JMB Podcast we discuss these experiences, as for listener input on the next step for our online network at BushcraftSchool.com and ask for […] Continue Reading...
We’re back after a long hiatus to talk about resiliency, the need to balance stress with recovery, sleeping out in the cold with no sleeping bag in front of a fire, and the need to prepare your hands for a robust outdoor life. We just finished week 6 (of 9) on the fall Wilderness Bushcraft […] Continue Reading...
This year’s project is nearing completion. In an outbuilding at our headquarters we’re building a library/classroom and calling it the Athenaeum. Check it out in this video. Continue Reading...
Video shot on the final trip of the spring, 2022 Wilderness Guide Training Semester. A tiny bit of paddling and a lot of poling a tiny stream. Continue Reading...
An excerpt from our latest video on using an army surplus, Vietnam-era medium Alice pack with a tumpline as an alternative to a traditional canvas canoe pack. I love traditional gear, but some of it is very expensive. If you’re wanting a traditional canoe pack, either to hold all of your gear for an expedition […] Continue Reading...
An excerpt from our latest video on the cook kit I carry with me canoeing, snowshoeing and car camping. The entire thing fits in a 30 litre blue barrel and allows me to cook for small groups of up to 4. When guiding a larger group, I switch it out for a larger wooden wannigan. […] Continue Reading...
An excerpt from our latest video on the pump-up solar shower I’ve been using for ten years. A simple and great piece of kit to make a warm daily shower simple and easy. For the whole video and links to the pieces needed to assemble it, go to our private online community at BushcraftSchool.com. Continue Reading...
Featured Posts
We’ve put up a lot of posts over the years. These are some of our most popular.
