Built on Real Experience. Tested in the Field.

Our Philosophy & Mission

At Minnesota Bushcraft and Survival, our mission is straightforward: to equip everyday people with the hard skills, mental resilience, and practical confidence needed to handle unexpected emergencies and thrive comfortably in the upper Midwest wilderness. We believe that true self-reliance isn’t bought off a shelf; it’s forged through direct dirt-time, quality tools, and proven techniques.

Leadership & Military Background

Minnesota Bushcraft and Survival is owned and operated by David Enstad. A U.S. Army combat veteran who served as an infantry squad leader with multiple overseas deployments to Iraq, including heavy urban combat during the Battle of Ramadi. David brings a disciplined, mission-focused approach to wilderness instruction.

In addition to his military service, David has worked as a corrections officer, private armed security officer, and oil field crew member. For over fifteen years, he has also served as an NRA-certified firearms instructor specializing in basic pistol and personal protection inside the home.

A Lifetime in the Woods

Beyond tactical field experience, David is an active woodsman with lifelong roots in freshwater fishing, big and small game hunting, trapping, and wild plant and mushroom foraging across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Whether he’s running the river chasing flathead catfish from his jon boat, training his Belgian Malinois Leona to track, or demonstrating bow-drill friction fire and debris hut construction, his teaching is grounded in real, boots-on-the-ground experience.