OREGON WILDERNESS SURVIVAL CLASSES & ONLINE COURSE
Hands on survival training and hunting skills that build confidence, connection and self reliance
Rated ★★★★★ by our Primal participants
UPCOMING COURSES & EVENTS: JOIN TODAY!
WILDERNESS SURVIVAL & HUNTING SKILLS
Congratulations for listening to the call to be more self reliant. My name is Joel and I have spent my life outdoors forming deep connection to wild places. My goal is to empower and connect people to the outdoors.
-Wilderness Survival
My Oregon based wilderness survival courses are designed to do more than teach outdoor skills—they build confidence, self-reliance, resilience, and a deeper connection to the natural world. Through hands-on instruction, you'll learn essential survival techniques, bushcraft, tracking, navigation, firecraft, shelter building, and so much more, while developing the mindset required to remain calm, capable, and adaptable in challenging environments. Whether you're new to the outdoors or looking to refine your skills, our immersive experiences provide practical knowledge that lasts a lifetime.
-Hunting Skills
I believe hunting is one of humanity's oldest and most meaningful relationships with the natural world. Our approach is rooted in the principles of fair chase, respect, gratitude, and ethical harvest. We teach the skills required to successfully locate animals, understand their behavior, navigate wild landscapes, close the distance, and make clean, ethical shots. Beyond the technical skills, we explore hunting as a practice of presence, humility, and connection to the land. Harvesting wild meat is not only one of the healthiest and most sustainable ways to feed ourselves—it is a deeply rewarding experience that reconnects us to our ancestral roots and the responsibility that comes with taking a life to sustain our own.
Meet your guide: Joel van der Loon
Since I was a young boy, I always felt different. I couldn't explain why. It wasn't until much later that I began to understand what I was truly searching for—a life devoted to transformation, purpose, and spiritual growth.
For 14 years, I traveled the world, immersing myself in different cultures and wild places. I lived alongside the Hadza hunter-gatherers of East Africa, learning from one of the world's last remaining ancestral tribes. I trained and competed in combat sports, discovering that being a warrior has far more to do with humility, discipline, and presence than aggression. I spent countless days and nights alone in the wilderness, living from the land and allowing nature to become my greatest teacher. Those experiences eventually led me to spend 40 days alone on the television series Alone.
For more than a decade, my life has been grounded in wilderness, bowhunting, and spiritual practice. Meditation, shamanic drumming, and psychedelic medicines have all served as tools for self-inquiry, healing, and expanding awareness. Nature has remained my greatest teacher, my medicine, and my church.
Although I am a certified spiritual life coach, my deepest education didn't come from certifications. It came through divorce, failure, and confronting the beliefs, fears, and conditioning that had quietly shaped my life for decades. That inner work taught me that true strength isn't found in controlling life—it's found in surrendering to it.
Today, my mission is to help others reconnect with themselves through nature, challenge and honest self-reflection. I don't claim to have all the answers, but I know what it feels like to lose yourself—and I know the path that helped me find my way home.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT US
“Joel’s method of instruction is clear and concise. You get the most amount of knowledge in the least amount of words. I highly value that as a United States Marine and an instructor myself.”
—Brian Wood
San Diego, CA
“Joels teaching style is patient, precise, and deeply grounded-He has a rare ability to translate years of real-world experience into lessons that stick.
—Jeff Stratman
Sisters, OR
“What stands out most is Joel’s ability to meet people wherever they’re at. Whether you are brand new or already experienced, he knows how to teach in a way that actually sticks.
—Bijan Taherkhan.
Bend, OR
“Any man seeking a heart centered transformative experience in the natural world, definitely sign up for one of Joel’s gatherings”
—JesseGardner .
Portland, OR