There are literally thousands of hours of videos on YouTube alone that specifically focus on bushcraft and wilderness survival. With so many different videos to choose from, you might not know where to start looking for what you want to watch or learn. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best teachers and most interesting wilderness survival and bushcraft YouTube channels right here below.
If you want to dive into some great videos that teach new skills and offer a look inside the wilderness survival and bushcraft world, any of the channels listed here will get you started. From there, you will find plenty of other videos recommended about subjects that you want to learn about.
33 best bushcraft and wilderness survival youtube channels:
1. Joe Robinet
Joe Robinet is a Youtuber based out of Canada who is an expert on bushcraft and wilderness survival. He has many longer videos where he basically brings very little materials out into the wild with him on a trip and then goes about making himself comfortable for however long he is intending to stay there.
He focuses on camping, canoeing, tool reviews, and advice for going out into the wild and enjoying yourself. He is one of the most popular Youtubers making videos on bushcraft right now and regularly uploads a few different videos every month.
2. Bertram – Craft and Wilderness
Bertram – Craft and Wilderness is a great YouTube channel that teaches a variety of skill you can use to survive outdoors. This channel definitely focuses more on teaching bushcraft skills that can be done with very few other things brought out to the wilderness like blacksmithing, building structures and other useful items, and fishing.
There is very little talking if at all in any of Bertram’s videos but there is often a wealth of information written up in the video description. In the videos themselves though, the viewer is simply taken on an adventure with Bertram and gets to view a window into building or crafting whatever it is that the video set out to show its viewers.
If you are someone who can learn skills simply from watching what another person is doing, this is certainly a YouTube channel you should check out.
3. Paul Kirtley
Paul Kirtley is a bushcraft expert and has been a professional outdoor skills instructor for the last 20 years or so. His YouTube channel is loaded with videos that offer some of the best tips, advice, and tricks for surviving out in the wilderness with almost nothing.
Some of his videos are longer but will undoubtedly touch upon everything you need to know for the subject he covers. In his shorter videos, he just covers knots, canoeing skills, fires, tarps, and he will even answer questions that his viewers send in.
He also runs an incredibly useful blog that you can find here where you can find answers to questions and additional blog posts.
4. MCQ Bushcraft & Wilderness Life
This YouTube channel is run by Michael McQuilton who has spent much of his life growing his knowledge of bushcraft, the outdoors, and sustaining oneself with nothing but their own skills and simple tools. Many of the MCQ Bushcraft & Wilderness Life videos focus on skills needed to survive in the outdoors.
The real treasure of this channel is for the videos on how to hunt, field dress, and cook whatever you might catch while in the wilderness with whatever you have. There are also plenty of videos on foraging and other essential skills for survival but if you want to learn about small game, this is the channel for you.
5. Zed Outdoors
The Zed Outdoors YouTube channel is run by Zed Shah who is a student of bushcraft and outdoor survival sharing what he is learning and already knows for viewers to learn with him. This is an informative channel that focuses mainly on bushcraft, natural crafts, and homesteading.
Many of his popular videos show him learning from other experts or making tools. This channel is great because Zed is honest about his journey in learning wilderness survival skills so viewers are along for the ride with him.
6. Primitive Technology
The YouTube channel called Primitive Technology is mainly a channel that shows viewers what it is like to build something in primitive ways using ancient methods. This means that there are no modern tools of any kind used and they only use natural materials that come from the earth to build what the videos show.
This channel shows everything from building a shelter to making a bow and arrow. If you want to learn more about primitive technology and what it would be like to live without any modern tools or amenities, this channel is for you.
7. AlfieAesthetics
AlfieAesthetics is one of the best and most informative YouTube channels focusing on wilderness survival and bushcraft. There are a multitude of videos on things like foraging, fire starting and fire building, shelters, and navigation.
Many of the videos on this channel are short and to the point giving you the information you want quickly so you don’t need to search around in a longer video looking for the tips you need. If you are looking to learn more about bushcraft and wilderness survival, this is the perfect channel to start with.
8. David Canterbury
David Canterbury is a leading survival expert who has countless years of experience both being outdoors and using the methods that he teaches, and teaching others the best methods for wilderness survival.
His YouTube channel is jam packed with information on things like hunting and trapping, the best tools to use, and all things survival. He is an excellent teacher who knows what he’s talking about when it comes to wilderness survival so check out his channel to learn something new.
9. TA Outdoors
The TA Outdoors YouTube channel is one of the best bushcraft YouTube channels out there. They are constantly uploading new videos on all things Bushcraft especially primitive housing structures that look just beautiful against the tall pine forests where they are working.
There are also plenty of other videos covering tools they use, bushcraft survival, and other wilderness survival skills. If you were wondering about building an outdoor shelter with very early tools, you should definitely check this channel out.
10. Fowler’s Makery and Mischief
Fowler’s Makery and Mischief is such a fun YouTube channel that is certainly worth checking out. Beyond just having videos of bushcraft and outdoor skills, you are sure to learn something else about life and the outdoors that you did not already know. There are plenty of videos focusing on fishing and hunting skills but also shelters, knots and lashings, and crafting things while out in the wild.
There are even videos on slingshots and smoking meat. New videos are uploaded a few times ever month so you’ll constantly find interesting new video teaching you skills on this YouTube channel.
11. Survival Lilly
Survival Lilly is a great YouTube channel that is definitely worth checking out. She will teach you everything you need to know about wilderness survival and more.
Not only does she cover things like archery and shelter building, but she also has videos on everything from tool restoration to fire starting. She uploads very regularly so there is always new videos up on her channel teaching you the skills she wants to cover.
12. My Self Reliance
The My Self Reliance channel on YouTube is run by Shawn James, a Canadian outdoorsman who also runs a blog and website. His channel focuses mainly on living off the grid in a log cabin that he built using only simple tools.
My Self Reliance offers a wealth of information for anyone who is thinking about living off the grid or wants to give homesteading a try. He has plenty of videos showing how he makes his life easier out there and how to make due out in the wild.
13. Far North Bushcraft and Survival
The Far North Bushcraft and Survival YouTube channel is great for anyone that wants to learn more about bushcraft and wilderness survival. They go in depth on everything about survival from making a fire with many different tools to shelter making tips while you’re out in the backcountry.
They also cover a lot of topics on cooking and the preparation you need to make before a trip. There are many videos on this channel that teach you all about wilderness survival so check them out.
14. A Girl In The Wild Stephanie Margeth
The videos that Stephanie Margeth makes for her YouTube channel are very interesting and informative when it comes to wilderness survival and camping. She is very open and honest about her experiences in the woods and takes viewers inside her adventures whether it is in a tent, a van, or roughing it on the forest floor under a tarp.
She stopped posting for a little while but seems to be back to uploading videos and offering tips again on wilderness living to viewers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd2a5QKORJc
15. Taromovies Swiss Bushcraft & Survival
This YouTube channel is run by a man named Taro who is an expert on bushcraft and wilderness survival and who also runs courses on those subjects. The videos are super informative and cover an incredibly broad range of topics from sleeping in a variety of different situations to making a fire in wet conditions.
There plenty of concise videos on the page teaching skills as well as longer videos where viewers follow along on a trip with him as he shows you how it is done.
16. Sigma 3 Survival School
This online survival school is one of the most informative YouTube channels out there. This is a great place for anyone to learn new skills related to bushcraft and wilderness survival. Sigma 3 Survival School does have other DVD’s that are for sale that might go more in depth on certain survival topics however, the free content on this YouTube channel is similarly informative and worth checking out.
17. Native Survival
The YouTube channel Native Survival is a great place to learn a lot about wilderness survival. There is a bunch of videos on cooking over a campfire and shelters for survival situations. Mitch is a great teacher and shows just what he does in every video to achieve what he sets out to do. This allows you to replicate him in the skills or projects that he is teaching.
18. SensiblePrepper
A lot of the SensiblePrepper’s videos on his YouTube channel are geared towards prepping for long term situations. But, there is also plenty of survival tips that you can find in videos on this channel as well. If you want to become more thrifty and learn a bunch of unique new skills, this is the channel for you.
19. Tom McElroy – Wild Survival
This incredibly interesting YouTube channel is run by Tom McElroy, a longtime survival teacher who educates viewers on how to survive in a variety of complex situations. He also uses his channel to teach many different skills that can come in handy for bushcraft or are needed for a survival situation.
He has lived around the world learning about wilderness survival in many areas so the amount of information he gives to viewers with each situation or skill he teaches in awesome. Definitely worth checking out.
20. Dutch Bushcraft Knives
The Dutch Bushcraft Knives channel on YouTube is all about knives. They rate, review, and show viewers the best and worst knives on the market. This channel is perfect for anyone getting into wilderness survival or bushcraft who needs to know what the best knife is for whatever job they need to do.
If you need to know anything about knives, head over to this channel where you can learn all there is to know about knives.
21. Ovens Rocky Mountain Bushcraft
This YouTube channel is run by Greg Ovens who is a self taught survivalist. He has his own style of wilderness survival and bushcraft but there is plenty to learn from Greg who has become an expert in the field. He is especially knowledgeable about foraging, fishing, and building a great shelter.
22. Billy Rioux Adventurer
Billy Rioux is a great host on his YouTube channel which focuses primarily on living an outdoor lifestyle. He offers plenty of videos showing skills you need but also talking about things like apparel for outdoor living and the homesteading that he does when he lives in a log cabin he owns. Check out his channel to learn more about living out in the wilderness and the skills needed to do so.
23. Eat The Weeds
This incredible YouTube channel is all about foraging, how to do it, and how to become better at recognizing plants in the wild that can help or hurt you. If you have every wanted to begin learning about and identifying plants, this is the channel for you.
There is so much great information offered where you will not only learn about how to find good plants but you’ll also learn what they’re good to eat with, and how to cook them into a variety of things like teas, soups, and with all different kinds of meals.
24. Survival On Purpose
The Survival On Purpose channel is a great way to learn all about wilderness survival and the gear and skills you need to survive when you find yourself in a bad situation. There is great specific information on mistakes that you can make as well as videos that review all types of survival gear you might need to use like knives, radios, and camp stoves.
25. Engineer 775
The Engineer 775 YouTube channel is a great channel for anyone that is thinking about homesteading. There are many videos on this channel dedicated to showing just how to make your house better. This channel will also show you how to get things like heat, water, and electricity much cheaper and certainly more efficiently.
If you are thinking about living a homesteading lifestyle, you need to check this channel out for the great tips and information you might not otherwise know.
26. Reallybigmonkey1
This YouTube channel is loaded with information that is detailed and thorough covering everything you need to know about wilderness survival. He goes in depth on many questions you might have and the skills and gear you need to survive in the outdoors. There is even plenty of videos on bushcraft projects that he completes to make life more comfortable while out enjoying nature.
27. Survival Russia
The Survival Russia channel on YouTube takes a different approach than many other wilderness survival and bushcraft channels on the website. The main host is a Russian man who shows viewers how he is able to survive in the harsh Russian winters and during the beautiful Russian summers.
He seems to be a former military member who has a wealth of knowledge on living off the land, wilderness survival when you have almost nothing with you, and just life in general. This is a great channel that takes an interesting approach to wilderness survival making it worth checking out.
28. How To Survive
The How To Survive channel is a great place to go where you can get a bunch of information on different bushcraft projects as well as some great survival tips. His videos are on the shorter side but always will completely teach you a new skill or craft to use once you’re back in the wilderness again.
29. Off Grid With Brad and Kelly
This YouTube channel takes you inside the lives of Brad and Kelly who live a homesteading lifestyle off the grid. They offer plenty of videos showing you how they have set up their lives to live out in the wild without certain amenities that people are typically used to.
Check out their channel for creative ways to sustain yourself and for other cool tips on how to live without the help of modern society. They also touch on different wilderness survival tips as well as cool bushcraft projects.
30. PREPAREDMIND101
The main thing that PREPAREDMIND101 does on his YouTube channel is create in depth reviews of all different kinds of survival gear. He has a large focus on knives but there are plenty of other video reviews on his channel to see how certain pieces of gear work or don’t work. If you are looking reviews and how any piece of gear works, this channel could be just what you’re looking for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFOpA_doFYk
31. Living Survival
The Living Survival YouTube channel is dedicated to reviewing survival like tools and gear that you can use while camping or that you can even carry with you in everyday life for use as needed. They basically review all different types of camping gear so that you will know exactly how well things you want to buy are made and whether or not they are worth purchasing.
32. Wranglerstar
Wranglerstar’s YouTube channel is loaded with survival information and product reviews so that you know just what you’re buying and how it works. You don’t want to be without an integral piece of gear while in a survival situation if it breaks on you.
So, this channel is great for telling you exactly what you need to know to buy the best gear available. He mainly reviews survival type gear but you will also find power tool reviews among other things so this channel can offer viewers a wide range of good information.
33. Survivorman – Les Stroud
Les Stroud is one of the most well known survival experts in the world today and for many years he ran a show on TV called Survivorman. Thankfully, many of the episodes of this show are uploaded to his YouTube channel now for viewers to enjoy.
Front to back these are some of the coolest survival videos out there and there is a reason why Les Stroud is one of the most renowned teachers around the world. Check out his videos to see for yourself about his teaching or survival skills and you will certainly be hooked.
Final Thoughts…
These are a just a few of the many great wilderness survival and bushcraft YouTube channels that are out there today. There is also plenty of new content being uploaded daily by these accounts and many others. So, I suggest that you do so of your own research when looking for channels to subscribe to or learn from.
Not every channel will be for you but if you do enough digging, you will find at least a couple of YouTubers who can teach you something you don’t already know or anything you want to learn about.
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Cameron is a freelance writer with a focus on hiking, fishing and photography. He studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Colorado Boulder and now calls Chicago, Illinois home.
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