Panther Creek Survival and Life Skills

Firecraft - Bushcraft Firemaking
2026-05-16 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Wildlife Prairie Park, 3826 N Taylor Rd, Hanna City, IL, 61536
The ability to start and maintain a fire is a vital component in any survival situation. This covers the basic science of fire, and then is mostly hands on in the field. We cover numerous ways to build, start, and maintain a fire to use for warmth, security, processing water, and cooking. This class covers many fire starting methods, as well as fire safety.

The science of fire
Fire safety
Fire starting techniques
Different fire lays and their uses
The steps to building and maintaining a sustainable fire
Commercially available fire starting products
How to make your own tinder and firestarters

Class Location: Meet at Recreation Hall. Enter through the Main Park and the Ticket Gate Attendants can help with directions.
What to bring: These are items you may bring In addition to the basic items allowed at all classes but are not required. You may bring personal fire starting tools such as a ferro rod, flint and steel, a 5x+ magnifying glass. You may bring compact cutting tools such as a survival knife, pocket knife, folding camp saw, etc. Some of these items such as a ferro rod and striker will be available but may be in limited quantity.
This class is for ages 14 and up, Max 25 students

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Water Procurement
2026-06-13 10:00 - 14:00
Water if life. Clean water is arguably the most important resource to acquire in any given survival situation. This class is intended to teach students the skills and abilities necessary to locate, transport, filter, and purify water for sanitation and consumption. The class is structured as a brief lecture followed by hands on instruction. During this phase we will locate and transport water, build a primitive campfire, utilize several methods to filter and purify the water for consumption.

Locating and transporting potable water
Water filtering techniques
Commercial water filters
Homemade filters
Wilderness filtering techniques
Water purification / decontamination techniques
Much more

Basics: Bushcraft is educational, encourages creativity and physical activity. Participants should dress for the weather and bring water and a snack if desired. Adults are encouraged to bring a reliable knife, Bic style lighter, cotton cloth or bandana. Taking notes is highly recommended. Optional items that you may find useful include a light backpack, gloves, a wide brimmed hat, sunscreen, insect repellant, and a few Band-Aids or personal first-aid kit.
What to bring: Students should bring the Basics plus a water bottle, canteen, or some other form of water container.
This class is for ages 14 and up. Max 25 students
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Pathfinding and Rescue
2026-08-22 09:30 - 17:00
Even the most experienced outdoorsmen sometimes neglect their land navigation skills. But, when the trail runs out, or is covered in snow, the ability to navigate across wilderness terrain and determine where you have been, and where you are going, becomes essential, otherwise, you become lost, and may have to rely on Search and Rescue (SAR) to help you out. This engaging class is a wonderful introduction to both pathfinding, as well as how search and rescue works and what you can do to affect your own rescue if you become lost in the wilderness. This class covers the following:

Compass usage
Pace count
Enhanced navigation methods
Identifying geographic markers
Self mapping
Signaling
How Search and Rescue works for you
Self rescue
Much more,…

Class Location: Meet at Recreation Hall. Enter through the Main Park and the Ticket Gate Attendants can help with directions.
Basics: Bushcraft is educational, encourages creativity and physical activity. Participants should dress for the weather and bring water and a snack if desired. Adults are encouraged to bring a reliable knife, a Bic lighter, cotton cloth or bandana. Note taking is highly recommended. Optional items that may enhance your outdoor experience include a light backpack, gloves, a wide brimmed hat, sunscreen, insect repellant, and a few Band-Aids or personal first-aid kit.
What to bring: Students should bring a compass, pen/pencil and paper. A limited amount of gear and supplies will be available at classes for students who need working materials..
This is a full day class and will break for 1 hour for lunch. Class is for ages 14 and up, Max 25 students,

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Foraging for Wild Edibles - Fall
2026-09-19 10:00 - 14:00
This is a moderate difficulty hiking class and is designed to introduce students to a number of wild edibles that are found in the central Illinois area and throughout the Midwest. This class will cover an array of local wildlife plant species that are edible and some that are medicinal. We will discuss how these plants can be harvested, prepared, a what their reported medicinal qualities are and how they might have been used in traditional medicine. We will discuss Jerusalem artichoke, sassafras, goldenrod, wild ginger, black walnuts, black cherry, and host of others.

Legal considerations that govern foraging
The Universal Edibility Test for survival
Wild edible plants that are common
Where to find and when to harvest
What to avoid in wild edibles
How to ensure positive identification

Basics: Bushcraft is educational, encourages creativity and physical activity. Participants should dress for the weather and bring water and a snack if desired. Adults are encouraged to bring a reliable knife, cotton cloth or bandana. Note taking is highly recommended. Optional items that may enhance your outdoor experience include a light backpack, gloves, a wide brimmed hat, sunscreen, insect repellant, and a few Band-Aids or personal first-aid kit.
What to bring: Students should bring the Basics plus a paper sack or basket for gathering plant materials and a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and plenty of water could be useful.
Class will meet at the Visitor Center. Ask at front gate for directions.
This class is for ages 14 and up.
Tickets Available Here!

Preparing Wild Medicinals
2026-09-20 10:00 - 14:00
As a follow-up our “Foraging for Wild Edibles” class, we will take a deeper look at the traditional medicinal uses of several of those plants and how to prepare them for use. We will discuss which ailments these plants were historically used to treat, along with common methods for preparing and storing them. We will also cover multiple approaches to plant medicine, with a focus on teas, tinctures, balms and salves.
Participants will have the opportunity to sample infused teas and will leave with several tea bags made from herbs discussed in class for later use. We will demonstrate how to start both oil and alcohol infusions, then finish one that has already been prepared in advance. Together, we will make a salve during the class that students can take with them, and participants should leave feeling confident in their ability to turn plants into shelf-stable useable products.
Preparation methods
• Infusions (Teas): For soft parts (leaves, flowers)
• Decoctions: For hard parts (roots, bark, seeds)
• Tinctures: Highly concentrated alcohol extracts.
• Poultices: Mash fresh or dried herbs into a paste and apply directly to skin.
• Compresses/Washes: Use strong infusions or decoctions applied with cloth for skin issues.
• Infused Oils/Salves/Balms: Steep herbs in oil, then mix with beeswax for topical balms.
Cost for this class is $50 per student
Class will start at 10:00 AM and run until approximately 2:00 PM. There will be periodic breaks but no lunch break, so, you may bring snacks if you wish. Bottled water will be available for free.
Students are asked to bring their own washable cup or mug. All other materials will be provided.
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Adult First-Aid/CPR/AED
2026-10-03 09:30 - 14:30
Our Red Cross certified Adult First Aid/CPR/AED class incorporates the latest science and teaches students to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns cuts scrapes sudden illnesses head neck back injuries heat and cold emergencies and how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies for victims about 12 years and older.
Successful students will receive a certificate for “Adult First Aid/CPR/AED” from the American Red Cross that is valid for two years.
Class Location: Meet at Recreation Hall. Enter through the Main Park Gate and the Ticket Gate Attendants can help with directions.
Basics: Participants should dress for the weather and bring water and a snack if desired. Bring pen/pencil and paper Note taking will be required.
What to bring: Bring the Basics plus, please bring your own personal first-aid kit (PFAK) if you have one. If not, that is OK, we will go over how to construction one and proper kit contents.
This full day class is for ages 14 and up, Max 10 students.

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