Links - Schools and programs
run by former Tracker School Instructors and Students

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PAGE IS NOT KEPT UP TO DATE, and the links and information may no longer be valid.

Here is a list of some schools run by current and former Tracker instructors and students, that teach wilderness survival, tracking and nature.  "Schools" includes actual schools offering classes, retreat centers, as well as individuals offering both informal and formal instruction.

Please note that a listing here does not in any way imply endorsement of the school or their programs.  You are responsible for checking out the school and instructors for yourself prior to attending. That is common sense. This is simply a list.

This website has no official or informal connection to the Tracker School or Tom Brown Jr. whatsoever


Schools and programs run by former Tracker School Instructors

  • On Point Tactical Tracking School - Kevin Reeve - former Director of the Tracker School.
    "There are few pure trackers left in our society, someone who can follow footprints and sign across any terrain, tracking an individual or party until they are found or captured. There are fewer still that can teach such skills.  In a world where terrorism and insurgency are new reality, where security is a major issue, the use of trackers becomes an extremely effective tool for pursuit and capture of those who would attempt to harm our society.  We have a uniquely qualified group of trackers, who have many years of experience in each of these areas. In addition, we have a very effective training methodology for passing these skills on to others.  We typically train only SAR team members, commissioned law enforcement officers, and members of the US Military and Allied forces."
  • Earthwalk Northwest - Karen & Frank Sherwood - former head instructors at the Tracker School for 15 years, they now run their own school.
  • Tom McElroy
    Long time instructor Tom McElroy current resides in Santa Cruz, CA and has spent his time since leaving Tracker working in International Policy with remote Indigenous groups throughout the world. Tom continues to teach private courses and staff trainings in Survival throughout the country.
    If interested in booking a course, Tom can be contacted at (831)234-2265  tomcelroy1@gmail.com, websites: www.tommcelroysurvival.com and 
    tommcphotography.com
  • Past Skills - Billie & Kristie McConnell - former instructors at the Tracker School
  • Practical Primitive - Eddie Starnater - former instructor and director at Tracker School
  • Human Nature Institute - Joe Lau - former Senior Instructor at the Tracker School
  • Wilderness Awareness School - Jon Young, Tom Brown's "first student" runs this school
  • Earth School - run by Richard Cleveland, former Head Instructor at the Tracker School
  • Earth-Heart - Malcolm Ringwalt assists Tom at the Philosophy courses
  • Sticks and Stones Wilderness School - Skeet Sutherland - Preserving Skills that Teach Ecological Wisdom and Community Stewardship
  • The Tracker School website

Schools and Programs run by Tracker School students in Canada

  • Earth Tracks - Run by Alexis Burnett. Offers programs and classes in Naturalist, Tracking and Wilderness Skills, Plant Uses, Earth Philosophy and guides naturalist-led Wilderness Canoe Trips.
  • Sticks and Stones Wilderness School - Skeet Sutherland - Preserving Skills that Teach Ecological Wisdom and Community Stewardship
  • Les Primitifs - in Quebec
  • Elements Outdoor School - Andre Therrien
  • Alba Wilderness School and Nature Experiences - near Ottawa - A school in Ontario run by several folks, two of whom are former Tracker students.  Located about 1½ hours west of Ottawa.
  • Okanagan Outdoor Wilderness Survival and Primitive Skills -Michelle Dallyn
    - Vernon, B.C. -
    (This site is heavy on the graphics - be patient)
  • Into the Wilderness Outdoor Education and Retreat Center - NW of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
  • Windwalker - Wes Gietz - Comox, B.C.
  • WOLF School of Natural Science  - Chris Chisholm & Melva van Schyndel - North Vancouver, B.C. - "We invite you into a hidden world where life thrives according to its original design. As students of nature, we’ll step peacefully into modern society with renewed strength from the natural world, equipped to live a healthy life."
  • Heron Walk - Chuck Stratton & Sandy - "Our mission at Heron Walk is to use the gifts and skills we have gained over the years to support others who seek to live a life of passion and service. We believe that everyone has a right to live a life filled with purpose, joy, love, and passion"


Schools and Programs run by Tracker School students outside of Canada

  • Alderleaf Wilderness College - Jason Knight
  • Spiritcall Northwest
  • The Gatherer Institute
  • Wilderness Heart Awareness and Survival School - Bob and Anita Dollins - Montana
  • Tracks and Trees - "A wilderness skills school dedicated to the sharing of nature's wisdom", run by Doug Galke
  • The Wilderness School Inc. - run by Dan Fisher in Maine (Tracker School graduate)
  • Ancient Skills School - near Ogdensburg, NY.  Run by Joe Longshore II (Tracker School graduate)
  • Hollowtop Outdoor School - Thomas J. Elpel - in Montana. Thomas is also the author of some excellent books. See the booklist.
  • Wild-Live - "Wild-Live was founded as a school by Anthonio Akkermans after relocating to Lurgan (UK) in the end of 2001. The vision behind Wild-Life consists of a strong desire to bring people back in touch with their natural environment and a need to teach people the way of the ancient peoples that used to inhabit the region."See also Flintknapping UK
  • Native Way Wilderness School - Alexander, Arkansas 72002 - Mike Thennes & Gary Lee. Also at this URL
  • Aboriginal Survival Arts Program (ASAP). "ASAP is a group of naturalists with a combined 35 years of training and teaching experience. We offer a wide variety of programs and workshops that teach survival skills to adults, families, scouts & schools. The programs are offered to walk our students down a trail that will lead them to self-empowerment, & increased learning capabilities."
  • Natur-Wildnisschule
  • Ueberlebensschule-Tirol
  • Cedar Creek Nature Studies 
  • Riverside Nature Awareness Program - Maryland - Kate White & Bret Harris
  • Vermont Wilderness School 
  • Earth Skills - Jim Lowery - California
  • Deep Wilds - Wilderness Adventure Programs for Children and Teens
  • Urban Coyote  -- Ed Binns ( urbancoyotesfounder@yahoo.com)
    408 N 17th Street, Hot Springs, SD 57747  ph: 605-745-5971 (There’s also a link to a published newspaper article covering this program here).
         "What Are Urban Coyotes? Urban coyotes develop special skills in the art of ethical survival in modern city life. They protect their souls while earning their living in the corporate landscape. Urban coyotes develop special awareness tools.
    Founder’s Qualifications: I'm Ed Binns, a certified public accountant. I have a master's degree in business administration. I quit working in 2005 at age 53.  I was a senior internal auditor as well as the finance manager for a 30-office small business development network. I’ve also taken ten classes from Tom Brown, an experimental "corporate survival" class from Kevin Reeve and Tom Brown in March of 1995 (from which this training is an offshoot), as well as two classes from Jon Young.  Section D of the September 25, 2001, Washington Post quoted me on the need for nature awareness.
         Courses Offered: Urban Coyotes, Coyote Investing and The Coyote Mindset. Training often takes place in Hot Springs, South Dakota, or the nearby 1.2 million acres of the sacred Black Hills National Forest, or areas near Washington, D.C., which I visit several times a year. These courses are the result of over 30 years of intense study.
         Urban Coyotes takes place over 3-day weekends. This course is a cycle of short talks, followed by story reading or group exercise, followed by group discussion and consensus, ending with a conclusion offered by the founder. Then the cycle of brief lecture, reading/exercise, discussion, and conclusion begins again. The course itself develops a specific “toolkit" of skills for the urban coyote. Two brief books are assigned reading prior to attending this class.  The first Urban Coyotes class was in 1997.
         Coyote Investing is a 2-day weekend course available only to urban coyote graduates.  The basic theory behind coyote investing is that the successful urban coyote is defined by complete economic independence and the attendant skills to retain that independence (incidentally, this is a strong parallel to the great 19th century Indian mystic Lahiri Mahasaya and his disciple Sri Yukteswar). A short assigned book is required reading before attending this class. Investing Coyote students must be Urban Coyote graduates. Working competence at contract bridge and at “Excel” spreadsheets is encouraged.
         The Coyote Mindset
    is a three-day harrowing journey into creativity, originality and the mental exercises of an urban coyote.  Students are individually invited to participate by the founder.  Only Coyote Investors are eligible to take The Coyote Mindset.
         TRAINING IS PORTABLE and can be done in any state or Canadian province if you have four or more students!  Email me."
  • Walk In Awareness - Julian Drummond
  • The Sun Foundation
  • Aboriginal Survival Arts Program
  • Tactical Self-Defense Inc. - Greg Stough - site contains some excellent self-defense moves - see Site Map.
  • Archway Wildlife Rehabilitation Inc.
  • Native Way Wilderness School
  • Lifesong
  • Crowfield Farm
  • Nature Skills
  • Maine Primitive Skills School
  • Great Plains Tracker - Nathan Holthusen
 

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