ABOUT MATT NELSON

From the Arctic to the Antarctic, our instructor, Matt Nelson, has left footprints in search of authenticity in his life. But his true superpower isn't just the sheer scope of his travels-it is the quiet, gracious humility he brings to the deep woods, where he has spent decades living off the land with a deep, intrinsic sense of the wilderness.

Matt holds a Senior Tracker certificate from Tracker Certification North America (TCNA) and serves as a senior track and sign evaluator with the organization. A highly respected tracker, trailing leader, teacher, and trainer with more than 20 years of experience, he is an absolute wonder who continues to amaze even very experienced trackers and trailers. Whether he is studying grizzly bears down to the smallest harvest mouse and shrew, or following wild animals all the way to their beds, his fieldcraft is unmatched.

His expertise spans rigorous scientific research and immersive field studies. Matt has spent months in the Rocky Mountains researching mountain lions, dedicating years to living outdoors and tracking these elusive predators. He excels at locating their sign, documenting kills, analyzing predation patterns, studying diets, and observing family dynamics-including how adults interact with and raise their young.

Collaborating with experts like Mark Elbroch on mountain lion projects, including the Garfield/Mesa Mountain Lion project and the East Bay Puma Project, as well as contributing to the Gualala River Watershed Council, Matt has honed an encyclopedic knowledge of animal habits. From stealthy hunting strategies and territorial behaviors to subtle track and sign interpretation that reveals daily life and ecology, his work captures the full spectrum of wildlife behavior.

Beyond felines, Matt is also a recognized wolf expert. Each winter, he can be found in northern Wisconsin teaching the art of tracking and trailing wolves.

A lifetime hunter and woodsman, Matt approaches his craft with a profound, deep-seated understanding of wildlife behavior and a genuine love for all things wild and true. He is at once an intuitive tracker and a remarkably humble, quiet, and gifted teacher. You can't help but learn, feel inspired, and walk away realizing he is one hell of a tracker, trailer, and human being after spending time with Matt.