Field Expedition Hunter Gatherer Primitive Skills Wilderness Navigator

Live on the Land as Your Ancestors Did

The Hunter Gatherer Course is the most immersive and challenging offering at BOSS. This course takes you beyond basic survival skills, teaching you how to live exclusively with what nature provides for 9 days with only the stone-age tools you’ve crafted yourself. After four days of preparation, you and your course mates will set out into the wilderness to live as a true primitive group. You’ll leave behind modern comforts and take on the role of a hunter-gatherer, foraging, hunting, and relying on the natural resources of the desert. There is no other course like this.

The Challenge

The Hunter Gatherer Course offers an unparalleled challenge for even the most seasoned survival enthusiast. Unlike other courses, this experience focuses not on distance traveled but on your ability to sustain yourself with what you can find and craft from the land. The physical and mental demands are significant—energy conservation is critical, as you will have limited food and water. By the end of the course, most students report feeling a profound connection to the land and a deep appreciation for the resourcefulness of our ancestors.

Prerequisites

  • No previous hunting or advanced survival skills are required, but participants should have a high level of comfort in the wilderness and a solid foundation in primitive survival techniques.
  • Completion of a 14- or 28-day Field Expedition within the past five years is required.
  • A complete physical examination and physician approval are mandatory before enrollment.
  • Students must be at least 18 years old.

Upcoming Courses

14 DAYS

August 23 - September 05, 2026

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14 DAYS

August 24 - September 06, 2025

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Food

Start by processing a large animal for nourishment while crafting expedition gear, then survive on just what you trap, forage, fish, and hunt for yourself and group.

Travel

Travel with instructors between base camps to explore canyon resources. Students do not lead on travel days.

Shelter

Sleep in natural shelters where available or make primitive debris shelters from what you find on the land.

Live Off The Land

Live off only what nature provides and tap into the way your ancestors survived in the wild.

Hunter Gatherer

What to expect

The Hunter Gatherer Course is the most immersive and challenging experience at BOSS. After a four-day preparation period of crafting primitive hunting tools and stone-age gear, you’ll travel as a hunter-gatherer group – foraging, hunting, and building shelters in the desert. For nine days, you will live off the land with only the tools you create. This course offers a rare opportunity to truly experience ancient survival in one of the most remote environments in the country.

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Skills Taught

Survival Mindset

Develop the resilience needed to handle extreme conditions.

Large Animal Processing

Learn how to respectfully process a large animal for food and tools.

Advanced Fire Making

Practice hand drill fire-making.

Hide Preparation & Tanning

Learn to process and tan animal hides for long-term use.

Natural Carrying Vessels

Craft natural vessels for carrying supplies and water.

Stone Tool Construction & Use

Craft and use stone-age tools.

Hunting Weapons & Use

Craft primitive hunting tools like throwing sticks, quickie bows, atlatl and put them to use.

Natural Cordage

Learn how to turn fibers into natural cordage for practical use.

Primitive Trapping & Hunting

Construct and use of small game traps and hunting tools.

Basic Plant Identification

Identify useful plants in the wilderness.

Foraging

Learn to identify and gather edible plants that are safe and nutritious.

Primitive Cooking Techniques

Learn how to prepare food using stone-age methods, without modern utensils.

Pottery & Cooking Vessels

Craft clay pots and other vessels used for cooking and storage.

Trapping & Fishing

Build advanced traps and learn techniques for catching fish.