BACKPACKING SKILLS FOR ASPIRING HUNTERS EXPEDITION**
10 days backpacking in wild, high-mountain elk country, learning to read sign, find game, and plan a backcountry elk hunt. (Note: no weapon use or animal harvest in the field; see below for more information about a bison harvest after the students return to the Base).
**NEW in 2024, after leaving the field, students will spend their last day participating in a Bison Harvest at North Bridger Bison where Sweeney “Hawk” Windchief, PhD, a member of the Fort Peck Assiniboine Tribe, will share the hunting traditions his ancestors taught him.
Dates: July 31-August 10, 2024
Age: 16-18
Group size: max 11 students/3 instructors
Length: 11 Days
Tuition: $3,500 (Partial to full scholarships available for all students)
Course Highlights
Backpacking both on and off trail in a remote wilderness area
Traditional map and compass and GPS-navigation skills
Expedition team-building, backcountry decision-making and communication skills
Understanding wildlife patterns and behaviors
Understanding the history and importance of public lands for recreational access now and into the future
Since its inception, Sitka Gear has generously sponsored this course through a Sitka Gear Ecosystem Grant! We are so grateful for their ongoing support.
Course Description
The MWS Aspiring Hunters course is all about learning to pursue big game animals like elk and deer in wild, public spaces. Over the course of this 10-day expedition, students will learn wildlife habits and behavior, explore hunting strategies for elk, and learn valuable skills related to backcountry hunting logistics.
This course aims to give aspiring hunters all the tools they will need to plan, prepare for, and execute ethical and successful hunts in remote and wild places.* Course curricula will include: navigation with map and compass + GPS technology, lessons in backcountry campcraft and cooking, Leave No Trace® land stewardship principles, and group communication and decision-making. There will be a heavy emphasis on learning about wildlife tracks, scat, calls, and behaviors—particularly those of the Rocky Mountain Elk—as well as best practices for hunting smart in bear country. Hunting regulations and field care of game will also be covered. Each student will have multiple opportunities to lead the group as the Expedition Leader of the Day to gain experience with newly acquired leadership skills.
In 2024, we are partnering with North Bridger Bison to provide students the option of participating in field dressing and breaking down a freshly harvested bison on the ranch. This unique educational experience will provide interested students the opportunity to learn from two experts how a large animal is field dressed and how organs are removed; participating students will not handle a firearm. Students not wishing to participate in this educational experience will complete the course on the afternoon of August 8.
This course is instructed by a graduate of the Montana Master Hunter program. For more information about MWS core curriculum and expedition progression check out Expedition Life. If you have additional questions please check out our FAQ page or reach out to contact us.
Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
TEAMWORK AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Learn positive communication skills with diverse group members to create a healthy community, build trust, and make sound decisions in the backcountry together
Develop an expedition philosophy, apply it to the course, and understand how it can transfer back to the student’s home environment
SAFETY AND WILDERNESS BASED DECISION MAKING
Backcountry hazard evaluation and risk reduction guidelines and tools
First aid awareness for backcountry settings: identification and treatment of common backcountry illness and injuries
Learn to collaboratively make decisions in remote environments that prioritizes individual and group safety
CONSERVATION ETHIC
Use basic observational and interpretive skills to demonstrate an understanding and respect for the natural environment
Discuss the history, facts and potential solutions to pertinent environmental and social issues affecting the wilderness in the expedition area
Reflect upon and discuss the conveyance of wilderness conservation ethics into personal life and build a capacity for commitment and stewardship to wild places
Develop comprehensive understanding of Leave No Trace® ethics and apply them during the expedition
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING AND NAVIGATION SKILLS
Use safe backcountry kitchen practices to cook nutritious meals on a camp stove or fire
Demonstrate an ability to select an appropriate campsite and set up a shelter while minimizing the impact on the ecosystem
Understand and demonstrate how to stay healthy, warm, and comfortable in the backcountry
Understand and demonstrate techniques for camping and traveling in bear habitat
Use various navigation and route-finding tools and methods for on and off trail travel
Travel efficiently in the alpine environment using map and compass skills
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Demonstrate the ability to remain composed and safe on exposed alpine terrain
Travel efficiently both on and off trail in the alpine environment using traditional map and compass skills and GPS-Map technology
Understand the backcountry hunting regions and how to identify public land areas of interest for future hunting pursuits
Learn specific wildlife tracks and scats and understand identified wildlife behaviors
“It was an incredible experience - I learned an incredible amount, met amazing people and saw amazing things.”
—2022 MWS Participant
