- Joined
- Feb 9, 2007
- Messages
- 1,655
I had the fantastic opportunity to attend the Wilderness Learning Center’s Basic Survival Course in Michigan’s UP last weekend taught by Marty and Aggie Simon. http://www.weteachu.com/ The class size was small, but included a great group of guys. The location was a 7200 acre private piece of land, featuring fields, wetlands, and northern hardwood forest. It was the perfect location for this type of experience.
We all had a great time, in spite of the unseasonable cold (in the 20s) and snow. The course covered compass and maps, celestial navigation, firemaking, cordage, edible and medicinal plants, traps and snares, and blades and sharpening. All the aspects of the course were worthwhile, but the clear highlight for me was the plant walks, in which we identified edible and medicinal plants. Marty is a phenomenal resource regarding plants and I really learned a lot in this area. My only complaint was that Kevin Estela didn’t show up. Apparently he has a real job and thought that it was more important than playing in the woods for three days
The course was great in its own right, but the icing on the cake was the chance to meet Mike and Leslie Stewart (and their son Jim who took the course) of Bark River Knives and Reid of SharpShooter sheaths. We were all shocked when the Stewart’s presented us with a Bark River Canadian Special with the WLC logo as a gift; and then Reid gave each of us a belt sheath, a KSF wallet sheath, and a Baldric rig. I was amazed at their generosity. We also had some enjoyable conversations, discussing, among other things,the knife industry. Reid also provided some instructions on proper knife technique as a supplement to the WLC curriculum.
As far as knives specifically, Reid and Marty also had a number of example knives that we could handle and play with. The knife that surprised me the most was the Bark River Golok. I hadn’t previously had any desire for one, but I was impressed with its utility in delimbing. It was safer and quicker than an axe or hatchet. I was also surprised by the Canadian Special. I don’t think it is one I’d have bought for myself, but apparently its Mike Stewart’s favorite woods knife. After using it for various tasks, including trap construction, I can now see why. It is definitely one I’ll keep forever. Having had the opportunity to handle a bunch of blades the one I came away coveting is the Bark River Gunny. It will definitely be my next blade purchase.
To top off the experience, at the end of the course I had a chance to tour the Bark River facility. Jim Stewart showed me the knife operation and I saw a bunch of blades at various stages of construction. Reid showed us the sheath making operation. I even had the chance to make my own Clovis sheath (again for free!) with some help from the staff. Unfortunately I had to get started on my snowy drive back to Minnesota, so I had to pass on a dinner invitation to the Stewart’s home. Their hospitality is truly impressive.
Overall, this was a great experience. It was a quality course with very knowledgeable and down-to-earth instructor in Marty. The students and people at Bark River and Sharpshooter sheath were generous and fun to meet. For those of you out east I envy you the easy chance to attend WLC courses and events. For the other Midwesterners WLC plans to do this course again next October (and maybe Kevin will even show
) and to add a Rendezvous to it as well.
BTW Post #17 now includes a link to some pictures.
We all had a great time, in spite of the unseasonable cold (in the 20s) and snow. The course covered compass and maps, celestial navigation, firemaking, cordage, edible and medicinal plants, traps and snares, and blades and sharpening. All the aspects of the course were worthwhile, but the clear highlight for me was the plant walks, in which we identified edible and medicinal plants. Marty is a phenomenal resource regarding plants and I really learned a lot in this area. My only complaint was that Kevin Estela didn’t show up. Apparently he has a real job and thought that it was more important than playing in the woods for three days
The course was great in its own right, but the icing on the cake was the chance to meet Mike and Leslie Stewart (and their son Jim who took the course) of Bark River Knives and Reid of SharpShooter sheaths. We were all shocked when the Stewart’s presented us with a Bark River Canadian Special with the WLC logo as a gift; and then Reid gave each of us a belt sheath, a KSF wallet sheath, and a Baldric rig. I was amazed at their generosity. We also had some enjoyable conversations, discussing, among other things,the knife industry. Reid also provided some instructions on proper knife technique as a supplement to the WLC curriculum.
As far as knives specifically, Reid and Marty also had a number of example knives that we could handle and play with. The knife that surprised me the most was the Bark River Golok. I hadn’t previously had any desire for one, but I was impressed with its utility in delimbing. It was safer and quicker than an axe or hatchet. I was also surprised by the Canadian Special. I don’t think it is one I’d have bought for myself, but apparently its Mike Stewart’s favorite woods knife. After using it for various tasks, including trap construction, I can now see why. It is definitely one I’ll keep forever. Having had the opportunity to handle a bunch of blades the one I came away coveting is the Bark River Gunny. It will definitely be my next blade purchase.
To top off the experience, at the end of the course I had a chance to tour the Bark River facility. Jim Stewart showed me the knife operation and I saw a bunch of blades at various stages of construction. Reid showed us the sheath making operation. I even had the chance to make my own Clovis sheath (again for free!) with some help from the staff. Unfortunately I had to get started on my snowy drive back to Minnesota, so I had to pass on a dinner invitation to the Stewart’s home. Their hospitality is truly impressive.
Overall, this was a great experience. It was a quality course with very knowledgeable and down-to-earth instructor in Marty. The students and people at Bark River and Sharpshooter sheath were generous and fun to meet. For those of you out east I envy you the easy chance to attend WLC courses and events. For the other Midwesterners WLC plans to do this course again next October (and maybe Kevin will even show
) and to add a Rendezvous to it as well.BTW Post #17 now includes a link to some pictures.
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