John Rhyder

John – Wildlife Tracker, Naturalist, Woodsman, and Writer
Founder and Head Instructor at Woodcraft School

John is a renowned wildlife tracker, naturalist, woodsman, and writer, celebrated for his deep expertise in the natural world. As the founder and Head Instructor of Woodcraft School, he has built a wealth of knowledge and practical skills, making him one of the UK’s leading authorities in bushcraft and natural history.

John holds the prestigious title of Senior Tracker, certified by CyberTracker Conservation, and is an evaluator for both track and sign identification and animal trailing. He also serves as the European track and sign external evaluator for the CyberTracker system. Additionally, John has been endorsed as an instructor in natural navigation by Tristan Gooley and his School of Natural Navigation. A co-founder of European Wildlife Tracking, John is committed to promoting wildlife tracking and the CyberTracker system throughout Europe and sits on the training committee of the Mammal Society.

With over 25 years of experience, John’s journey in bushcraft began in 1997 when he was appointed chief instructor for Ray Mears. After just one season, he was awarded his iconic antler-handled instructor knife, marking the beginning of his significant contribution to the field. John went on to pioneer accredited bushcraft training in the UK, creating the first accredited bushcraft programmes in collaboration with NCFE. His influence extends to the Institute of Outdoor Learning (IOL), where he holds an Accredited Practitioner qualification (APIOL) and played a pivotal role in designing the IOL’s Foundational Bushcraft Competency certificate. He also developed and taught bushcraft modules for Plumpton College’s foundation degree programme and created a Bushcraft Award for the Woodcraft Folk, a prominent youth organisation.

John’s career has taken him across the globe. He has led bushcraft, tracking, and wildlife programmes throughout Europe and Scandinavia and has tracked in Africa and the USA, continually broadening his practical knowledge and teaching scope. His professional background spans arboriculture, conservation, and habitat management. A full-time educator since 1994, John has devoted his life to sharing his knowledge and passion with others.

An accomplished writer, John has contributed numerous articles to respected publications and authored four books, all published by The History Press. These include Track and Sign: A Guide to the Tracks and Signs of UK Mammals and Birds, Woodcraft: A Guide to Using Trees and Timber, and Bird Tracks (co-authored). His Animal Tracks Field Guide, featuring life-sized illustrations of British mammals and birds, is an indispensable resource for both beginners and seasoned trackers.

With a lifelong passion for natural history, ethnobotany, wildlife, and wildlife tracking, John continues to teach, write, and inspire others to deepen their connection with the natural world. Whether through his immersive programmes, insightful books, or fieldwork, John remains dedicated to fostering a profound understanding of nature and its wonders.

Feedback about John

Whether you are looking for a wildlife tracker or for a teacher about tracking, you need look no further than John Rhyder. In all respects, John is among the very best. I have seen him find and follow the trails of Fallow, Roe and Red deer, and I have seen him trail to within 35 meters of bedded animals that were unaware of our presence. He is as reliable in his skill at identifying tracks and sign as he is at trailing the animals that left them. In addition, John has taught for many years. He is clear, to the point, expert at managing groups in all conditions, and he is quick witted, funny! I can think of no one with whom I would rather work, track, learn, laugh or share a meal than John Rhyder. I am confident that you will find him a pleasure. 

 Nate Harvey, Evaluator, Senior Tracker, CyberTracker Conservation“

—————————————

I wanted to thank you for an absolutely amazing experience which has opened my eyes on many levels. If there is anything about plants and Nature that John doesn’t know, then it is probably not worth knowing”. 

David Jamilly

—————————————–

I love John’s style, his obvious love of nature & especially tracking is infectious.

Julian Drummond

——————————————

He makes trailing look so easy and it can sometimes be frustrating when he can find trails which appear invisible to everyone else.

Raoul Maciver

——————————————

Phil Brooke

Phil has been connected with Woodcraft School for many years initially as a student and now as an instructor. He successfully completed our ten month Certificate in Bushcraft Leadership and almost immediately began to work for the company and has proved to be an excellent student and teacher of the subject. Phil now runs several of our programmes under license after many years of training with us. These awards are still Woodcraft School qualifications and therefore Phil carries our reputation forwards together with his own. This arrangement reflects our faith in his ability and character as an instructor.

Phil is especially interested and skilled in traditional archery also working as a traditional bowyer. In addition, he is a level three tracker through CyberTracker conservation, one of only a handful in the country. Phil continues to study in and around the subjects we specialise in and has been successful in completing almost all of our programmes giving him an excellent all round knowledge of our core subjects of bushcraft, ethnobotany and wildlife tracking.

All of Phil’s teaching is done in conjunction with Woodcraft School and when he is not with us, Phil also makes and sells traditional bows and arrows and supplies bow staves. If you are interested in any of Phil’s excellent bows, arrows and bow staves visit his website here

Mila Saunders

.

Mila is a wildlife tracker certified in the Cybertracker system, achieving an impressive 100% in recognition and interpretation of track and sign, professional level, and a level 3 in the art of trailing animals. She organises tracking and trailing courses to different locations across Europe with John Rhyder.

Mila has always had a strong interest in animals and has followed this interest into a varied and fascinating career path: she has been a horse rider, a dog musher, an animal activist running her own NGOs, studied Marine Biology in Poland, Arctic Biology in Svalbard, researched grey seal behaviour in Sweden. She also took part in a successful grey seal reintroduction project in the Southern Baltic and worked in animal hospitals. Since becoming a mother, she settled in England, became a yoga teacher for few years, after which she went into nature connection studies, where she discovered the art of tracking. Mila finds tracking as great way to connect to nature and the living world, and the best way of learning directly from wildlife. She has passed her love of tracking animals to her entire family who are now also hooked!