Course Series Overview
"Grandfather never answered any of our questions the way most people would answer a question. He would either point us in the direction of the answer, or ask us a series of questions, all designed to make us think. A "coyote teacher" makes every learning experience exciting, something we desperately want to know. He planned each lesson like a chess game or jigsaw puzzle, where one teaching led to another. But he never forced any teaching on us; instead, he maneuvered the situation so we had to know, had to go on. "How do we build a shelter?" we would ask. He would answer "Ask the squirrels." We would ask "How does a bow-drill fire work?" and he would answer "Rub your hands together." Or we would ask "How can we track foxes better?" and he would reply "Track mice." He made each teaching special, exciting, and something we desperately needed to know. And as always, the lessons would go far deeper than just the superficial, reaching to all realms of our lives."
-- Field Guide to Nature and Survival for Children
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Course Prerequisites
Course Description
As the prerequisite for all other Tracker classes, Standard provides for each student a common vocabulary and a consistent understanding of the foundation of all of Tom’s teachings. To thoroughly prepare students, this Standard course provides a comprehensive introduction to each of Tracker’s seven core tracks, which are: Philosophy, Teaching, Healing, Prophecy/Vision, Scout, Survival Skills, and Tracking.
Nature Observation: Participants will be shown how to observe nature more deeply, and learn the basic philosophy that Tom considers the most important part of the school and the basis for all of his beliefs. Through skills including stalking (the ability to move silently and unseen through the forest) and camouflage (the means of concealment that allows one to become part of one's surroundings), students will learn how to immerse themselves in the natural world.
- Tracking: Participants will learn the basics of tracking, including track identification and analysis, pressure releases, sign tracking, scat identification, and how to follow a trail.
- Survival: The following survival skills will be covered:
- Shelter: techniques for constructing the debris hut, wicki-up, mud hut, cave dwelling, thatched shelter, and pit dwelling.
- Water: collecting water using a solar still, sink hole, plants, and other methods; purifying, transporting and storing water.
- Fire: making fire from friction using primitive methods, including the bow drill and hand drill, as well as how to build a proper fire.
- Food: finding food from plants and animals found in North America, ranging from desert to mountain terrain. Harvesting, preparation, and cooking of food will be covered, though in the interest of conservation only a sampling of such food will be prepared.
- Trapping: trapping animals using primitive snares and deadfalls. No animals will be trapped during the course, but participants will understand how to do this, if necessary.
- Tools: making stone tools, cordage and bow drills, as well as techniques for creating digging sticks, cooking utensils and bowls from a variety of natural materials.
- Tanning: primitive methods of brain tanning and making rawhide, as well as many useful items that can be made with the hide.
- Native American Lifestyle and Philosophy: the oneness with nature that is the underlying philosophy behind the skills learned, and how it is essential to survival.
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