In Episode 61 of my podcast, I speak with James Steyn, one of only a handful of guides to hold the elite FGASA Scout qualification, combining Senior Tracker status with advanced dangerous game trails guiding. James shares his journey from growing up near Kruger to guiding wilderness trails, training future guides, and running Senalala Safari Lodge in the Klaserie. We discuss the art of walking safaris, the rigour of CyberTracker assessments, the evolution of guiding standards, and the skills needed in dangerous game country.

In Episode 90 of #AskPaulKirtley, I answer listener questions on where I would go for a leisure canoe trip, how I balance compass use with natural navigation cues, and practical ways to improve weather forecasting skills without technology. I also reflect on some of my most beautiful moments in nature, from mountain sunsets to close wildlife encounters, and finish with some practical tips on making feather sticks.

How do you turn a passion for nature and outdoor skills into a meaningful livelihood? In this episode of The Paul Kirtley Podcast, I’m joined by UK-based bushcraft instructors Jamie Dakota and Adam Logan for a wide-ranging conversation about career paths in bushcraft, building experience, working with others, and the evolving landscape of outdoor education. Whether you’re an aspiring instructor or simply curious about how people make bushcraft a way of life, you’ll find plenty of insight and inspiration here.

Stephan Kesting, author of Perseverance: Life and Death in the Subarctic, joins me to discuss a long-planned solo canoe journey through remote northern Canada, which took on extra significance following a life-threatening illness. In this episode, he shares the story behind the trip, the challenges he faced, and the motivations that led him to undertake such an ambitious expedition. We also discuss how his background in biology, firefighting, and martial arts all played a role in shaping both the journey and the lessons that came from it.

Known to millions around the world as Survivorman, Les is a pioneer of survival television and an icon in the outdoor and survival communities. With his groundbreaking series Survivorman, Les redefined the genre by filming and surviving entirely on his own in remote locations and harsh environments. In 2014 Les began recording a 10-part series on Bigfoot. He says it took him places he did not expect to go and gave him perspectives he did not expect to have. And now he's coming back for more. It's an area of backwoods lore and legend he can't leave alone. He joins me on this podcast to talk about why this is such an area of fascination for him and what questions he hopes to answer in his latest film project...

Discover the fascinating journey of Mattias Norberg, a leading Swedish expert in fire-making and wilderness survival, as he shares insights from over 25 years of teaching experience. Author of Konsten att Elda ("The Art of Fire"), Mattias has taught survival and firecraft techniques throughout Sweden, from advanced courses in the far north to plant courses in the south. In this podcast episode, we discuss Sweden's outdoor culture, traditional and modern fire skills, and unique techniques influenced by the Scandinavian environment. Don't miss this deep dive into the art of fire!

Craig Caudill is Director and Lead Instructor of Nature Reliance School, based in Kentucky, USA. Craig has taught backcountry skills for many years. He's also a seasoned writer, to date being the author of eight books on backcountry skills and knowledge. It was great to finally record an episode of my podcast with Craig as guest, to learn more about his background and teachings. Craig and I actually share some similar philosophies and it was great to riff on these a bit in this episode too...

This podcast is long overdue. My guest is John Rhyder, naturalist, writer and highly experienced bushcraft educator. Indeed he was the instructor on the first formal bushcraft course I took many, many years ago. John is an innovator in the field of bushcraft and nature education, and continues to push his own knowledge too. In particular, John is passionate about wildlife tracking; he is currently the only person in northern Europe certified as Senior Tracker under the Cybertracker system. There is much to savour in this conversation....

Dave Holder is a wilderness living skills instructor and wilderness guide based in Canada. He is also a TV survival consultant, being the lead survival and safety consultant on the Alone show on The History Channel. In this podcast episode we get into a wide-ranging conversation which should provide you with insights into long-term survival situations, psychological factors for success, skillsets required, equipment, nutrition and more.

Theresa Emmerich Kamper, PhD, Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter and author of Determining Prehistoric Skin Processing Technologies, has over 25 years of experience in prehistoric skin tanning and clothing construction. She joins me on this podcast to talk in detail about traditional tanning, prehistoric skin processing, making clothing from skins and furs, and much more. I could probably have called this episode "Everything you wanted to know about tanning but were afraid to ask"....