Animal Tracking
Beartracker’s Animal Tracks Den – An excellent resource for animal tracking information
Earthskills – Excellent information and courses given in Southern California
Birding
All About Birds – Cornell’s online guide to birds and bird watching
American Birding Association – Organization devoted to increasing knowledge, skills, and enjoyment of birding.
Audubon Bird Watching Resource Guide (PDF) – Helpful tips for beginning bird watchers
Audubon Native Plants – Searchable database of best plants for birds in your area
Binoculars And Beyond: Nine Tips For Beginning Bird Watchers – Tips for beginning birders from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Bird Watching Tips and Helpful Hints to Become a Better Birder – Birding tips for beginners
Birding for Beginners – National Park Service “getting started” guide
Code of Birding Ethics (PDF) – The ABA Code of Ethics in a more readable form.
Helpful Birdwatching Tips (PDF) – Practical bird watching tips from Australia
How to Choose and Use Birding Optics (PDF) – Celestron’s tips for buying and using optics for birding
Introduction to Bird IDing (PDF) – Shows pictures/examples from each bird family group. Includes practice quiz.
Tips and Tricks for Group Leaders (PDF) – Guidelines for leaders of birding walks
What to Notice About a Bird (PDF) – A short pamphlet to get you started on Bird ID
Bushcraft Skills
Backpacker Magazine – Backpacking and modern outdoor skills
Blades and Bushlore – A collegial community of bushcrafters who discuss gear, knives, and outdoor skills
BushcraftUK – UK online community and source of information on gear and skills
BushcraftUSA – Online community and source of information on gear and skills
Primitive Ways – Fantastic articles on practicing and teaching primitive technology
wikiHow Clouds – A primer on forcasting the weather using clouds
Carving
How to Carve Swedish Spoons (Video) – Spoon carving video from the PBS television show, The Woodwright’s Shop
Little Shavers Beginning Carvers – Tips for the beginning carver
Pinewood Forge – Supplies carving tools and carving information
The Simple Art of Spoon Carving (Video) – Spoon carving video by Fine Woodworking Magazine
Woodcraft – Chain store that supplies carving tools and materials
Wood Identification and Treatment Guide – Technical information about different woods
Equipment Suppliers
Basegear – Outdoor gear
Ben’s Backwoods – Bushcraft equipment
Best Glide – Aviation survival equipment
Cabela’s – A large retailer of outdoor gear
Campmor – Outdoor clothing and equipment
Cool Clothing USA – Moisture wicking clothing
County Comm – Retail and wholesale equipment and supplies
Field Notes – Waterproof writing notebooks
REI – A large retailer of outdoor gear
Sierra Trading Post – Outdoor clothing and equipment
Survival Straps – Paracord bracelets
Jobs in the Outdoors
California AEOE Jobs Board – Jobs site run by the California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education
Conservation Jobs Board – Helps conservation professionals discover employment opportunities in the United States
Experiential Education Jobs Board – Jobs board hoasted by the Association for Experiential Education
National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) – Nonprofit global wilderness school that trains outdoor guides
Outdoor Ed Jobs Site – Outdoor education jobs site run by OutdoorEd.com
Outdoor Industry Association Career Center – Jobs board hosted by the Outdoor Industry Association
Outward Bound Employment Page – Employment at Outward Bound
The Student Conservation Association – Student internships to work in parks, public lands and urban green spaces
Knives and Cutting Tools
DLT Trading Co. – Knives and cutting tools
Knifeworks – Knives and cutting tools
Knives Ship Free – Knives and sharpening supplies
Korin – Sharpening stones and supplies
Knots and Lashings
Animated Knots – Animated instructions for how to tie knots
Knot So Fast – Hands-On Knot Tying Race Game
Video: Super Easy Paracord Bracelet Instructions – Make a paracord breacelet or handle
Video: Paracord Doughnut for Storage – One method to store 550 paracord compactly
Video: Paracord Bundle for Storage – Another method to store 550 paracord compactly
Leatherwork
Leatherworker.net – Education, entertainment, and fellowship
Pro Leather Carver’s Supply – Leathercraft tools and patterns
Tandy Leather – Leathercraft supplies and leather
Natural World
California Herps – A Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of California
CNPS Where to Buy – Where to buy native plants in California
LymeDisease.org – Information on Lyme Disease
MykoWeb – Terrific site to learn about mushrooms
Online Jepson – California plant information from Berkeley’s online Jepson manual
Santa Cruz Pumas – Information about Mountain Lions
Preparedness and Safety
Emergency Essentials – Vendor of food for extended storage
Equipped To Survive – Reviews, Information on outdoors gear, survival equipment and techniques
Wild Edibles
Forager’s Harvest – Samuel Thayer’s website on foraging
Native American Ethnobotany – A Database of Foods, Drugs, Dyes and Fibers of Native American Peoples, Derived from Plants.
Wildcrafting – Search edible plants by state
Worthwhile Blogs
A Waterman’s Woods – Pictures, poems, and a very good list of bushcraft blogs
The Bushcraft Report – A collection of bushcraft and wilderness blogs gathered into one place