Welcome to the home of Buckhorn Earth Skills
A place where humans can come and learn, through play and practice, a way of connection.
The Vision
In the modern world there is nothing more valuable than time spent in nature. For youth especially, cultivating nourishing relationships with the natural world is vital. It is in relationship with the nature around us and inside of us that gives perspective on what it means to be a human and what kind of human we want to be. Cultivating skills and awareness through the Core Routines of Nature Connection and the practice of Traditional Archery, gives our students opportunities to be challenged and learn in an embodied way. The experiences we will be facilitating create an opportunity for you to cultivate a foundation of embodied practice and awareness that can be built upon for the rest of your lives.
A Learning Culture
In all of our programs we aim to create a culture of connection, curiosity, and care. This foundation makes learning fun. Along with archery fundamentals like safety and instinctive shooting we offer nature based learning opportunities and experiences. We combine archery with nature skills like friction fire, tracking, shelter building, plant and animal i.d. games, songs, and storytelling all within a community of connection and learning.
Buckhorn Valley
Our days are spent in the foothills of the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument. A beautiful and diverse wilderness were we can explore and get to know verdant forests, rolling meadows, and flowing creeks. In these wild places we will wander, play, and practice getting to know ourselves and the many species we share this place with.
Our Programs
We offer programming for youth and adults because these skills are vital for all of us.
Hunting is about so much more than the harvest. In this program we approach hunting as a holistic practice. Not only do we immerse our students in the practice of traditional archery and instinctive shooting but we also learn earth skills like tracking, mapping, navigation, stealth, plant ID, shelter building, fire by friction and much more.
Learn the fundamentals of archery including safety and instinctive shooting as well as important nature skills like friction fire, shelter building, tracking, bird language, plant ID, stealth, and more while playing games, overcoming challenges, and wandering in wild places with friends.
Meet our Mentors
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Jacob Ray
Mentor
Jacob was born and raised in the PNW, his own interest in hunting, foraging, ancestral skills, & community led him to become a student at The Wilderness Awareness School where he spent a year deeply immersed in the learning culture of Nature Connection & Coyote Mentoring. He has since worked as a Nature Connection Mentor for both youth & adults. -
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Tim Mattz
Mentor
Tim is a father of 3 boys, multidisciplinary movement coach, devoted husband, farrier, traditional bow hunter, & hide tanner.His work aims to facilitate a remembering of human belonging and connection with the natural world through movement, play, and hands on skills.
