ABOUT US
THE SARCRAFT STORY >>>
Several years ago, I was pulling an all-nighter at the command post of a search & rescue field operation, trying to catch a few minutes of rest in my truck in between leading missions into the freezing January darkness. Drifting in and out of sleep in between the hum of the generators and the static of radio traffic, I realized that if our missing subject, a trail runner, had possessed a basic level of wilderness skills – such as navigation, sheltering, and firecraft – he’d have probably self-rescued, and we wouldn’t be here.
The dire emergency he faced, that warranted mobilizing our team to save his life, could have instead been a good story to tell his buddies over a beer. In that moment, I realized that although I loved my work in SAR, merely responding to wilderness emergencies was not enough. Carrying these skills forth and using them to empower others to prevail in the wild was the next logical step. And out of the desire to further that mission, SARCRAFT was born.
We exist as a wilderness skills school based in Cherokee County, Georgia, devoted to spreading the knowledge of wilderness medicine, survival, bushcraft, preparedness, and general outdoor competency. We pride ourselves on providing top-tier training seasoned with Southern hospitality, and make it a point to meet students where they are. So regardless of where you stand in your journey in the outdoors – whether you were born in the woods, or if you’ve never even been camping or started a fire before – we’d love to meet you!
– Alex
MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS >>>
ALEXANDER BRYANT - OWNER AND LEAD INSTRUCTOR
Alexander Bryant is SARCRAFT’s founder and Lead Instructor. His love for the outdoors was born in Boy Scouts, where he attained the rank of Eagle, and earned 90 merit badges. He currently serves as a recon infantryman in the Georgia Army National Guard as part of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. For over a decade, he served with Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services Wilderness Search & Rescue Team, spending five years as a Squad Leader planning and leading field search missions. Additionally, he is the youngest person ever to achieve the National Association for Search & Rescue’s SARTECH 1 certification – a benchmark only attained by 100+ people in the last 25 years, and is currently certified as a Wilderness First Responder. He’s hiker trash and proud of it, having hiked over 1,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail, as well as logging hundreds of miles on other trails everywhere from Colorado to Florida. Outside of SARCRAFT, he enjoys fine whiskey, tactical shooting, and working on his other business ventures.
BUCK FREITAG - INSTRUCTOR
A lifelong outdoorsman, Buck spent most of his youth backpacking, rock climbing and cross country skiing. After graduating high school, he continued pursuits involving outdoor adventure by joining the US Army, becoming a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Gaining experience in a variety of challenging military skills, this is where Buck learned to navigate at an expert level with a map and compass. As a result of being selected for Infantry leadership positions, he was also required to be able to effectively teach others how to navigate with a high level of proficiency.
After entering the private sector as an outdoor skills trainer, Buck began teaching land navigation at the request of customers who had taken other training from him. Since that time, a great number of others from a variety of backgrounds have attended navigation classes given by Buck. Many are current members of the US Armed Forces needing navigation training in preparation for leadership courses, Officer Candidate School, and special operations selection programs.
MARK DEJONG - MEDICAL SKILLS INSTRUCTOR
Mark DeJong is a NREMT-Registered Paramedic and founder of Off Grid Medic LLC, and has over 24 years of experience in treating victims of trauma and sudden illness. Mark has a degree in Emergency Medical Services and holds an Advanced Wilderness EMT certification. As part of a military assignment during his time as a Navy Corpsman, he spent two years providing remote medical care to the indigenous people of the Philippines, where his passions for medicine and primitive living fused together. He serves on the Advisory Council at the Appalachian Center for Wilderness Medicine, and has trained alongside elite members of the US Army and the US Marshals Service. Mark has served in several roles including field Paramedic, Field Training Officer, Director of Emergency Medical Services for a rural EMS system, faculty at the Technical College System of Georgia, and Deputy Director of Emergency Management for a government agency.
STEVE MULLINAX - INSTRUCTOR
Steve Mullinax serves as SARCRAFT’s bushcraft skills instructor. He is a lifelong outdoorsman, having camped, hiked, backpacked, hunted, fished, and paddled the woods and waters of North Georgia for as long as he can remember. After learning that the skills he grew up with went by the name “bushcraft,” he dove into training professionally with both feet. He has trained with legendary instructor Ray Mears at the Woodlore School in England, arguably one of the premier outdoor skills schools on the planet. He has also worked one-on-one learning from the great woods hippie Jeff Gottlieb at Nantahala Outdoor Center. In his spare time, Steve enjoys doing the same things he teaches – bushcraft, hunting, fishing, and exploring the woods, in addition to spending quality time with his wife, Paula. You can check him out on Instagram at @outofeden_bushcraft.
TAMARA MADDOX - INSTRUCTOR
Tamara Maddox serves as the instructor for SARCRAFT’s women’s camping, outdoor adventure, and survival classes. She is passionate about getting women outside and confident to try new things. Tamara grew up caving, floating rivers every summer, camping, and deer hunting with her parents. Tamara and her husband started backpacking in 2009 at the Grand Canyon and she was hooked. Since that first trip, she has backpacked hundreds of miles through the United States. She currently is the leader of the woman’s outdoor group “Free Range Chicks” in Columbia Missouri, and teaches camping 101 classes with local Girl Scout Troops. She is Wilderness First Aid Certified, and is currently working on a Backpacking Meals E-book.
PHILIP WINTER - INSTRUCTOR
Philip Winter serves as SARCRAFT’s foraging and plant medicine instructor. He has been interested in natural medicine and the power of plants all his life. Philip has a Bachelors of Science in Alternative Medicine from Everglades University, and has completed two years at Botanologos School of Herbal Studies as well as the Herbal Basics Course at Human Path. He is currently in is 7th year studying under the legendary Daryl Patton at the Deep South Center for Herbal Studies. He is a certified mushroom forager, a mushroom cultivator, and loves experimenting with different types of fermentation. He enjoys growing edible and medicinal plants, and is also the owner and operator of Twisted Vine Herbs LLC. He is currently enrolled in the Traditional Naturopath program at the Heirloom Academy of Healing Arts, and lives in Canton, GA with his beautiful wife and daughter.
