Canadian Outdoor Survival Podcast

In Episode #33 we discuss "Does Bear Season ever End." We ask the question when if ever does bear season end and learn that saying Bear Season runs from mid-April to mid-November doesn't work anymore. We also look at how Bear Spray works in the cold.

In Episode #32 I Interview Dale Kiselyk, Co-Owner and Instructor at Nature Alive Outdoor Education in Barrhead Alberta about Animal Tracking for Survival and Enjoyment. We discuss the skills you can learn and the awareness of the natural world that is gained by learning to track animals.

In Episode #31 I Interview Dragan Uzelac, a talented Wilderness Skills Instructor and Owner of Niko Wilderness Education. In Niko Wilderness Education, Dragan runs both bushcraft courses and most importantly wilderness treks through the Boreal forest. We discuss the challenges and joys of wilderness travel in the Boreal forest of Canada.

In Episode #30 we discuss "Survival at Altitude." We ask the question how can we survive better when stranded at Altitude and look at Altitude Illness, proper acclimatization and living and travelling at Altitude.

In Episode #29 we discuss "Survival in the Canadian Western Interior Mountains." We ask the question, how can we prepare to survive comfortably when stranded in the Mountains of Canada before we are actually stranded their?

In Episode #28 I Interview David Delafield of Mammut Bushcraft and C0-Chair of the Global Bushcraft Symposium about what the symposium really is, why you should attend the symposium, what you should expect when you attend and why it is really a once in a decade experience.

In Episode #27 I talk extensively about the true Survival Legacy of Christopher McCandless, what we can and should learn from his legacy and why his life and death matters in the world of Bushcraft and Survival training.

In Episode #26 I Interview Dave Holder a professional guide, outdoor skills instructor, and a Survival & Bushcraft Instructor who spends much of his time as a consultant for various TV shows; including the Alone show on the History channel, and we discuss the reality of survival television and if we can learn anything from watch it.

In Episode #25 I Interview Jonathan McArthur President of Cold Lake SAR and a Survival & Bushcraft Instructor with Karamat Wilderness Ways and Niko Wilderness Education on the "Survival Skills Required for SAR Team Members" Jon is. This Episode has a focus on why all SAR personal should carry and practice with excellent shelter building and fire lighting gear.

In Episode #24 we discuss "Survival in the West Coast Wilderness." We ask the question, how can we prepare to survive comfortably when stranded on the West Coast of Canada before we are stranded their?

In Episode #23 we discuss "Why Take Survival Training" in the Canadian Wilderness. We ask the question, why bother taking professional wilderness survival training before we are stranded in the Canadian Wilderness?

In Episode #22 we discuss "Practical & Realistic Vehicle Survival" in the Canadian Wilderness. We ask the question, what should we do to survive comfortable and safely when stranded in a vehicle in the Canadian Wilderness?

In Episode #21 we discuss "Bushcraft vs. Leave No Trace Camping" in the Canadian Wilderness. We ask the question, can we really "Leave No Trace" and where would that leave Bushcraft and whether stranded or just travelling through our forests or mountains should we stop practicing those lifesaving skills before we travel?

In Episode #20 we discuss "The Challenges of Fall Survival" in the Canadian Wilderness. We look at the techniques required to survive in this transition period along with what additional clothing and equipment we should carry to survive comfortably in the Canadian Wilderness in fall, whether stranded or just travelling through our forests or mountains.

In Episode #19 we discuss the why and how of "Water Purification" and look what you need to protect ourselves from in potentially contaminated water and the proper methods to both filter and disinfect the water you will find in the Canadian Wilderness.

In Episode #18 we discuss "So you want to be a Survival Instructor" and we look at the actual steps to becoming a Survival Instructor, breaking them down into the three major areas of training you need: Wilderness Survival Skills, Instructional Development and Learning the Outdoor Business.

In Episode #17 we discuss Getting Found and we look at what we can do to get rescued quicker when stranded in the Canadian Wilderness, at various Satellite Based Signalling Devices, and how we can actually increase the time need to get rescued by following what we see on Survival TV.

In Episode #16 I Interview Survival & Bushcraft Instructor Kelly Harlton and we Discuss Survival Skill Development & the 4th Skill. This Episode has a focus on understanding why we need to learn to Think Outside the Box, be Adaptable, to Improvise and to Live Without.

In Episode #15 we discuss Survival without the Misery and we look at how we can live comfortably without being miserable when stranded in the Northern Forests or Mountains of Canada with a little preparation and planning and a few well-chosen Critical Survival Items.

In Episode #14 we discuss Prepping for Survival and we look at why and how we should prepare for all types of Survival Situations, both short and long term and look at some of the implications of not properly preparing and/or not understanding the value of family, community, technology, and real skills needed in that community for your long-term survival.

In Episode #13 we discuss Dressing to Survive and we look at outdoor clothing technology and why and how we should Dress to Survive when we are stranded in the Canadian Wilderness.

In Episode #12 we continue the discussion on Firecraft: The Art & Science of Fire Lighting and look at how we get a survival fire going and keep it going when stranded in the Canadian Wilderness. This is the second part of a two part Episode that started in Episode #11.

In Episode #11 we discuss Firecraft: The Art & Science of Fire Lighting and look at the why fire lighting is so important to our Survival and Comfort when stranded in the Canadian Wilderness. This is a 2 part Episode and finishes in Episode #12.

In Episode #10 we discuss What do I Need to Know about Building a Survival Shelter and look at the best survival shelters we can build and when, how or if to build a Shelter when stranded in the Canadian Wilderness.

In Episode #9 we discuss the Dangers of Believing Survival Myths and look at 6 Survival Myths that can get us killed or cause additional suffering when we are stranded in the Canadian Wilderness.

In Episode #8 we discuss the Building the Will to Live, the Psychology of Survival. Your survival mindset is certainly one of the most complicated and critical factors in most survival situations and it is often ignored. We discuss how to build up a positive mindset and what factors may be involved in the psychology of living through a survival situation.

In Episode #7 we discuss the True Costs of Getting Lost; including both direct and indirect costs of rescue, vs. search & rescue, vs. false rescue vs. being prepared and have a proper recover plan and the clothing, gear, and knowledge to survival being stranded in the Canadian Wilderness.

In Episode #6 we discuss why we need to practice wilderness navigation skills, avoid being complacent, lazy or carefree when it comes to wilderness training, continual hands-on practice in the wilderness, and carrying at least the 3 Critical Navigation Tools.

In Episode #5 we discussed what the Future of Survival Training in Outdoor Education is, what unrealistic or dangerous expectations we put on this training, and what path we should travel in future to ensure the teaching of proper survival training in outdoor education.

In Episode 4 we discuss the challenges of spring survival in the Canadian Wilderness. We look at the techniques required to survive in this transition period along with what equipment and clothing we should carry to survive comfortably in the Canadian Wilderness in spring, whether stranded or just camping out.

In Episode #3 I Interview Dr. Marius Steyl and we discuss the Differences between Survival Training in Canada vs. Elsewhere. This Episode has a special focus on the scientific aspects of Teaching Wilderness Survival.

In Episode 2 we discuss What is a Critical Survival Item? These items are essential to your survival and we talk about which critical survival items you should take into the wilderness.  

In Episode 1 we discuss What Skill Set Does Outdoor Survival Entail in Canada? This includes the 5 Core Skills and talking about Secondary & Tertiary Skills and which ones are important to learn.