As I had difficulty to excess my password I will post my answers here. If I figure out my password later on I will send it over to your site too.
Hi Greg, I hope it is gonna help.
1. Are you interested in attending one of our programs?
Yes.
2. If interested, why?
Based on what I have seen, read, heard (from others posts), it seems to be a good blend of modern and primitive survival skills, well-balanced between mental aspects, practice and theory. Run by creditable person with strong and clear background. Book and active moderator participation is convincing that the person loves, knows and also important- ready to teach his trade. I would never go to a school with no creditable background or with sole financial interest.
3. Have you looked at other programs?
Yes. Rons and Jeff Randalls also look good to me. Tom Browns would be excellent location, his dedication and competence seems fine to me but the spiritualism is too strong. I very much liked BOSS for long time. Recently, I had second thoughts. Their programs sound interesting and well-organized. Except Morchanskys person, all of my other requirements have not been confirmed yet. Others have not been considered. Also, millitary bootcamp and flower-kid-outing-type schools would be equally unattractive.
4. If you have, what attracted you to us?
Clear, solid background and representation of school on Net forums and bookmarket. Clientele seems well-balanced too.
5. What are your interests? Modern survival skills or primitive survival skills?
Although modern skills might seem more reasonable to polish (and still a lot to do on it) my interest is gradually shifting toward primitive survival. It might just reflect my ambitious intentions to synthesize the most universal and minimalist survival knowledge. The one that means the most challenge and the least load. That is why BOSS primitive program was appealing. Also, for the same reason, the Jeff Randall-advertised one-knife trip sounds exciting.
6. If you have attended, would you advise others to come?
I havent had chance to attend it.
7. If yes, why?
8. If you want to attend but haven't... why not? What would we need to do to make it happen for you?
It is due to the facts that we live on the East Coast (distance), have lot of work, two weeks vacation time, parents and relatives overseas and limited financial resources. A wilderness course is on my list however.
9. Please provide us with some personal comments on what you want from a wilderness program along with the reasons why.
1) Bare minimums as a starter (might not be necessary for advanced students): basic skills and survival thinking taught and hammered into mind
-fire making, improvised shelters, water procuring, simple plant/insect/animal food (basics), navigation, signaling, first aid
-small group (2-3 persons) and single person exercises (big group exercises are less effective sometimes)
-help to build your mini-kit
2) Advanced: teaches and applies more advanced techniques in the context of creative thinking, improvisation and problem solving; teaches and tests mental setup (See Your Limits); initiates group organizational skills.
-plant identification and use, hunting and trapping, butchering and meat processing
-woodcraft
-improvised tools from common materials (book bag, 101 use of paracord)
-primitive tools (digging stick, stone ax, awl, arrow, bow, pots, water containers)
-situation exercises (two days with a junk car and no food, get from A to B and eat/drink what you find, get a goat on the first day and nothing for the rest)
-exercises in small (2-4) and larger groups to help organizational and collaborative skills
-examining and comparing different techniques
-help to build a bug-out-bag
3) Primitive: teaches and applies creative use of natural materials, native techniques
-tanning, weaving, advanced cordage making, weapons and traps, flaking (raw materials, techniques, tools), pottery, primitive food/cooking, medicine plants and primitive medicine
-primitive clothes (vest, buckskin shirt, mocassins, sandals, hat, mittens)
-tracking
-creative use of natural materials (rawhide, bone, stone, wood, cordage, bark)
-barkcrafts
-primitive firemaking and carrying (firesaw, drill, natural flint and steel)
-primitive water containers
Best,
HM
