Animals leave many tracks behind, at all times of the year. However, winter seems to be the time of year where more people are interested in animal tracking. I am sure it is because tracking animals in the snow is one hundred times easier than tracking across dry pine needles in the middle of summer! Developing an understanding of the morphology of an animal's footprint is a practice that takes time. We unfortunately live in a society where you can show a child fast food logo

“OUCH!” “How’d that feel?” I said to a boy who had his hand hovered above a fire he just built. “Not Good” he said as he rubbed his hands with discomfort after getting a little too hot from feeling the flame of the fire.  He learned a good lesson that fire is hot, without actually getting burnt.  Teaching children fire building is a normal day in the life of a survival instructor. Fire can be an absolutely devastating force, and also a wonderful element of any camping trip. S

Proficiency in wilderness survival requires us to practice a wide range of skills. Fire building, shelter construction, animal tracking, foraging, flint knapping, water disinfection, rope making, and wood carving, to name a few. Nothing seems more exciting and also requires constant practice than the use of weapons. Accuracy with primitive weapons can take years to refine. Learning to make weapons can also include their own set of challenges. Making a bow is quite the underta

Hiking and backpacking are enjoyable and peaceful experiences that get us outdoors. However, every year, thousands of people get lost, injured, or die during wilderness trips. Experience and good judgment keep these things from happening, and a good survival kit can also create a more comfortable experience. I hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire quite frequently with groups or by myself. Hiking 15-20 miles in one day is not uncommon in the mountains, and my overall g

SHELTER BUILDING Did you know that between 700 and 2,500 people die a year of hypothermia in the USA? Environmental exposure is a huge factor to an individual's survival on a day to day basis, especially a survival situation, wilderness or urban. Choosing the right clothing and layering system before your excursion can immensely help you should an emergency happen. Dead air space in clothing, sleeping bags, or a primitive shelter is what holds the heat and allows you to creat

By Tim Swanson Carving a spoon can be as easy or hard as you make it. They don’t require much to make and can be carved from almost any...

It was December 30th, 2021 some time in the afternoon when I heard a banging on my Broomfield, Colorado apartment door. I opened the door...

Learn to carve a fishing handline! A lightweight and compact fishing kit!

So you want to get into fishing but don’t know where to start? Or you have been fishing a bit but need a little advice to catch more...

Owl Eyes Wilderness Survival is hosting a free art contest to anyone who would like to design their very own patch! Participants may use...

BEST KNOWN CORDAGE PLANTS by Tim Swanson LEAVES Yucca* Day Lily** Cattail Iris Corn (Husk) STEM Milkweed* Dogbane** Stinging Nettle* Hemp...

What is the appeal that we have towards survival skills, bushcraft, and earth skills? Scroll through Instagram or YouTube and soon you'll...

Spring is just around the corner! Soon, wild greens will start to pop out of the ground, buds on trees will open, and people will head...

Significantly less people hike in the winter months. It is cold, windy, and the deep snow creates harder hiking conditions. However, the...

I am excited to announce a knife collaboration that I designed with Jackson Mills of Freedom Forge. This knife is my idea of what I...

If you are searching for the perfect gift for almost anyone, you can never go wrong with a flashlight! I am a huge fan of headlamps as...

Survival Kits come in all shapes, sizes, and qualities. These two survival kits are both hand assembled from products that I recommend....

Do you want the right gift that gives a warm and fuzzy feeling when your loved one or friend opens it up? Well how about a gift that can...

The gift giving season is here. I am a big fan of gifting experiences, handmade items, and food! However, sometimes we like to buy our...

This is the list I use while getting ready for a backpacking trip no matter the length. This should offer a guideline for you to follow...