Survival Camp First Circle for Adults

First Circle Survival Camp is founded on the indigenous wisdom of survival. A wise woman once said, "Our people used traditional knowledge from the forest, to help themselves...Learn to carry your box of matches in your mind and muscle."

~Vaasilli Moelagi Jackson Savaii, Western Samoa

What is Survival Camp First Circle?

First Circle Survival Camp is a personally empowering 5-day skill-based, outdoor survival training emphasizing indigenous survival skills and nature awareness.

Along with other adult students, you will engage in exercises that will expand your senses, movement, and awareness of nature.

But most of all, you will practice valuable techniques in outdoor survival to build your confidence, resilience, knowledge, and skills.

I'm Ready for the Challenge

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Develop These Valuable Skills at the First Circle Survival Camp

Survival Shelter

Practice tarp knots, shelter location/safety and shelter construction.

Fire Craft

Learn which fire materials to harvest, and build/sustain a fire in any condition.

Fire by Friction

You'll jump in on day 1 carving a bow drill set and learning to use it.

Water and Hydration

Learn about locating water, water-heavy plants & trees, filtering-treatment and solar.

Plant/Insect Identification

Study both plants and insects that are edible, and those to avoid at all costs.

Foraging

Foraging for both plants and insects improves your survival chances.

Survival Camp First Circle Adult Survival Training.

Human Animal Relationship

Learn valuable human-animal relationships, myths, legends, and helpful tools & techniques.

Animal Tracking

Gain powerful skills in interpreting tracks. Is the predator a resident, or just passing through?

Hunting Weapons

Create and use primitive hunting weapons such as the throwing stick, Atlatl, and sling.

Primitive Survival Traps

Get the knowledge you need to survive by trapping small mammals and fish.

Primitive Cooking

Learn survival food preparation firsthand, fire lays, cooking woods, and utensils-bowls-containers.

Psychology of Survival

Prepare your mind with patterns of survival attitude and control of your sympathetic nervous system.

Survival Knife

Improve your knowledge on knife types, sharpening techniques and safety.

Navigation

Explore ancient navigation techniques using sticks, the sun, and stars.

Leave No Trace

Gain understanding in natural camouflage, how to shat in the woods and sanitation.

First Circle Survival Camp (Limited Spaces)

The Standard in Survival Skills Training

First Circle Camp
Location: Oregon
Date: June 08-12, September 07-11, 2025
Tuition: $600.00

Please see the drop down menu.

READ: Registration Policies before purchasing camp. Or Purchase by CHECK.

FIRST CIRCLE CAMP

What People Say About the First Circle Survival Training Camp

"I wanted to share with you and your team my thoughts and reaction to Life Song Adventures. When thinking of my experience what comes to mind is magical, awe-inspiring and Life changing. When I got home, I couldn't thank my wife and daughter enough for giving me the gift of Life Song for my 60th birthday. You have given something back to me that I thought I had been lost long ago, the wonder of nature and my place in it."

~Jeff Holden

"I was nervous to learn that I would be the only woman at my First Circle. After meeting Mark, his staff, and the other participants, I was immediately relieved of all my worry. Mark and the staff went out of their way to make me feel comfortable: worked hard to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment. Because of the kindness and awareness of the six men in the group, I was able to focus all my energy on learning wilderness skills instead of on the fact that I was the only woman. Big thanks to Mark and everyone else for a great experience and fantastic adventure!"

~Michelle Killingsworth

I'm Ready to Improve My Survival Skills

Sign Me Up!

Get the Details (Click on Links Below to Expand)

Camp Meals

Meals are not provided. A list of recommended and easily prepared foods will be included with your registration packet.

First Circle Daily Schedule

" Build Your Confidence, Knowledge, Awareness, and Skills.."

An example of a day at First Circle Camp:

Breakfast 7-8 am
Take a Walk to limber our bodies, learn how to move through the forest, and to get to know the area.

Lecture and Demonstration and Skills for the Day.

Safety
Best Practices
Bow drill construction-use
Carve with your knife
Create Your Bow Drill
Wood selection
Carving

Lunch - working lunch Start on next Skill/Project/Adventure

Fire Craft
Emergency Fire Craft Application and Safety
Tree & plant tinder
cordage-fiber

Learn fire making for all conditions

One-match fire
Construct a fire lay
Tinder
Plants and trees

Fire craft covers lots of information. Lessons and practice continues through the afternoon. Dinner Break 1-1-1/2 hour

Wildlife interactions
Animal Tracking

9pm fall into exhausted sleep

Nervous In a Group?

You are a Valuable Part of the Circle

First Circle Survival Camps. Here is what we experience:

This is a small group event, no more than ten people per First Circle Survival Training Camp
Survival is based on helping and supporting one another
All students start with a common goal of learning survival
It takes a special and unique person who attend these events, which makes this event all the more interesting
There is often a good easy-going group of both men and women who attend
Everyone is of different age groups and have different histories. All ages 16+ are welcome
There are no stupid questions
No macho stuff, bullying, or rudeness
Everyone has an opportunity to get to know each other, and often times develop close bond

Our Students come from various countries: Mexico, Scotland, Canada, Denmark, Ukraine, India, Tibet
and from the US. Most come from California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, Illinois, and New York.

Natural Fears and Apprehension

Live Closer to the Earth and in Harmony with Nature

There is a sense of romance in nature, but if you've never been out in the wilderness, it is common to be apprehensive. We have helped many people through the beginning discovery of wilderness exposure.

We cover animal behavior, including the large predators, and how to keep yourself safe. Soon you will experience the peace and simplicity of the forest.

Learning self-sufficiency before a real survival situation will ease your fears and give you confidence in the event you find yourself in one.

Our training and experience will help you:

Lose the fear
Get strong
Be capable

Here are some Favorite Lessons from the Survival Camp Experience

Confidence.
How to make a fire without even matches.
All the different kinds of wild plants you can use for food or medicine.
How to make fire, rope, and even my own shelter from what’s available.
If I was alone in the wilderness, I know could I feed and shelter myself.
I learned that everything I need to survive is already out there.

Who's Our Instructor?

Mark J. Wienert Instructor

Mark J. Wienert is a professional survival instructor. Mark has been instructing adults and teenagers since 1994. He specializes in wilderness living, survival, nature awareness, bushcraft, and wildlife tracking. His mission? ‘To help you gain a deeper awareness and enjoyment of the natural world and to dramatically increase your wilderness survival skills.’

ABOUT

Additional Information

Students: adult and teens 16 an older with parental consent - enrollment maximum ten
Camp duration: Sunday-Thursday
Schedule: begins on a Sunday 4:pm – ends on a Thursday at 12:00 noon
Location: east of Eugene, OR
Accommodations: camping included
Meals not provided. A recommended food list will be provided upon registration.
Equipment: an email registration packet will be supplied after enrollment
Parking: included
Transport: see additional services for airport & bus shuttle
Registration policies