I'm 44 years old and I've been in the survival game for a minute. I remember when I wondered where I would be at this age when I was only a quarter of it. I recall being a preteen reading articles and ogling over photos that appeared in Sports Afield magazine and Outdoor Life about trips into the backcountry wondering if I would ever get to do something similar. Years later, I am the one authoring those magazine articles and doing what I envisioned in my youth. In retrospect, I can easily identify various phases of my life and where my interests were. It's funny, I've met people just getting into the great outdoors and experiencing these phases later in their life but along a similar timeline. Perhaps there is insight that can be gained from assessing your life interests to guide you through the years to come. What follows is an account, my account, of my survival interests from early life to today.

Preteen

In my preteen years, my father was THE man I looked to for inspiration. He survived in the jungle of the Philippines during WW2 and had the skills and history I found intriguing. My father, as awesome as he is, could only take me so far. Inspiration had to come from somewhere else and I consumed a number of movies (First Blood, The Goonies, Indiana Jones, Red Dawn), T.V. shows (MacGyver, The A-Team, Baywatch), and backwood adventures with G.I. Joes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and RC Cars with my friends. In these early years, I had to focus on school and had limited access to any quality gear. Back then, I remember being excited for my first real fixed-blade knife and I could count on one hand how many I owned What I was interested in was based more on the form factor than the function. What I carried was based on what my parents decided they would budget for and they didn't understand why I wanted the cool gear in catalogs I'd call and request over the phone. Can't tell you how many issues of Campmor, Brigade Quartermasters, and Cutlery Shoppe I received through snail mail. I remember catching sunfish with cheap bait and tackle and loving every minute of it. Trips to the pond down the road from the house were split between catching fish and getting muddy going after bullfrogs. Those early years were all about living in the good dirt we find outdoors.

Teenage

Similar to my younger years, when I became a teenager, I explored further. Mountain biking became my passion but not like the downhill or technical riding you see on ESPN. Mountain bikes let me get to my friends' houses and get deeper into the woods. These were the years I became a junior hunting license holder, aspiring fisherman with my ex-brother-in-law, lifeguard (remember I watched Baywatch), and canoer and kayaker. I started an outdoors club at my high school, tried my hand at rock climbing/rappelling, and skiing. At age 17, I picked up a part-time job working at Eastern Mountain Sports and this is where I started to gather the technical knowledge of gear and took advantage of free ice-climbing lessons. Working there, I was exposed to guys and gals in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond who already did what I wanted to do someday. I took whatever information I could from them and tucked it away for future use. My teenage years were interesting. Knives (Buck Buckmaster and SOG SEAL Knife 2000) were purchased discreetly through my oldest sister who would tell me "the eagle has landed" as packages showed up at her door. I did this to avoid the wrath of my mother who would have disapproved. My dad was also a co-conspirator who helped me sneak new rifles into the house when she wasn't looking. They were also the years I took advantage of my driver's license and explored even further on my own. Back then, I hated crowds much like I do now and found refuge in the woods.

20s

By my 20s, I was very set in my ways. Ever since I hit 18, I carried a Swiss Army Knife (usually the Victorinox Ranger), ferro rod, and phone on a daily basis. Internet discussion boards like Knifeforums, Bladeforums, Hoods Woods, and Outdoor Forums became regular websites on my browser. I took my NRA handgun safety class early on and the week I turned 21, I mailed out my paperwork to the state of CT for my permit to carry concealed firearms. About a month later, I purchased a Glock 19 and carried it in a Blade-Tech IWB holster at 4 O'clock (I didn't know any better). I recall taking solo road trips to Maine and New Hampshire for hiking, fishing, and general exploring. My early 20s started with the September 11, 2001 terror and uncertainty. This tragic event, in a roundabout way, helped me make the decision to pursue a master's degree and eventually an additional degree to teach high school history. During this time of finding a career, I started formalizing my outdoor education. I had spent years guiding canoeing and kayaking but I wanted to learn bushcraft from professionals. I trained at the Maine Primitive Skills School, Jack Mountain Bushcraft, and eventually the Wilderness Learning Center. I attended survival rendezvous events and gear-testing weekends and started to build a name for myself. I also started building my network of friends that I still call on a weekly basis. Around this time, I also began training in Sayoc Kali and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Two of my late mentors, Marty Simon from the WLC and Pamana Tuhon Chris Sayoc, came into my life in those years. In retrospect, so much growth came in those years.

30s

By my 30s, I had started writing professionally. My first magazine article appeared in Wilderness Way and I had stints writing for Self-Reliance Illustrated, American Survival Guide, RECOIL magazine, and over 20 different titles. At age 31, I started my first LLC and used it to formalize my intention to create a name in the outdoor industry. It was during this decade of my life I designed the Gossman Knives Polaris and Bolo among other outdoor industry products. My passion for bushcraft and survival was growing and I began to give back to the community by volunteering for local 4-H events, the Vermont Outdoor Guides Association, and even setting up a charity fund in my hometown. Thanks to my public school teacher schedule, I used time off to travel to national parks, internationally, and to training events I paid out of pocket for. My 30s were great years but they were also expensive years. Homeownership, equipment for courses, better quality gear, I spent a lot. In my 30s, I became a Sayoc Guro but I also lost my friend and mentor. In my 30s, I started attending trade shows and building my reputation with brands I previously used and wrote about. In my late 30s, I traveled to Alaska for the first time on a defining trip of my life and a couple years later, I was hunting in South Africa. It was also in my 30s, that my book 101 Skills You Need to Survive in the Woods was published and became a best-seller. In these years, I became truly invested. With buy-in comes emotional interest and a deeper connection to my passion.

40s

When I went "over the hill", it was in the middle of COVID. I caught a gorgeous brown trout the day I turned 40. During the pandemic, I learned my mentor Marty developed cancer and he passed away on May 11th. On June 30th that year, I received a phone call from Mike Glover asking me to join the ranks of Fieldcraft Survival. Later that summer, after attending Gunsite's 250 pistol class and winning the silver raven, I met Mike and the team in Prescott, AZ while teaching the Bugout on Foot course. In my 40s, I left my teaching career of 14 years and moved to UT to work for the company. At Fieldcraft, I learned to enjoy sharing outdoor skills through this blog and with the podcast I host. I also enjoyed getting up to higher elevations and camping in the mountains out there. The Utah mountains are second to none in terms of beauty and I'll always remember the great times I had camping on my friend Chad's land. After 2 years in UT, I moved to North Carolina to work at the Aberdeen office. I've been teaching more courses than ever and learning the ways of the South. I've also reignited my interest in deer hunting thanks to my friend Mike T. of the Apogee Triangle School. With close proximity to the ocean, I'll be fishing more and getting my 4Runner out on the sand.

What Now?

There's an expression, "I didn't come this far, just to come this far." It's interesting looking back on life and taking inventory of my interests. The ones that remain have only gotten better and more rewarding. With age and experience comes wisdom and perhaps the next steps I take in the second half of my 40s will be inspired by the path I've followed to this point. I'm looking forward to the coming years and I'm certain I will be joined by the family I intend to build now, later in life than most. Timelines never discouraged me, and you should be free to follow your passions when you're young or old. I would encourage readers to look back at their lives and think about the memories that stand out. You may not be able to share them the way I can in a blog but you can still share them. Take out a friend who has never hunted, fished, or camped. Show a kid a skill set and give them something they'll carry through life. Consider volunteering for organizations that serve your community and give back to places that helped shape your life. As you can probably tell, the interests in my life have followed me through life and will lead me in the years that come. The past can hint at our future. Where will your life take you? Look back at your interests for guidance in building your legacy.

Interested in learning survival skills from me directly? Check out what courses are coming up in your area at www.fieldcraftsurvival.com.