Ian Maxwell - Guest Instructor

Ian Maxwell, or Max was born in Africa and introduced himself to the world of nature, wilderness and bush from an early age. He learned traditional bushcraft and tracking from indiginous tribes. His environment was the perfect place to put into practice what he had learnt. At a young age he saw the last of the pioneering hunters that roamed Africa in the search for adventure and ivory. This inspired him so much that he was soon in the bush following their footsteps on his own.Max has tracked on every continent in the world (except the coldest of all), he has tracked every big cat species, every rhino and elephant species. He has tracked most animals, from the Arctic Tundra, to the Southern tip of Africa, from Borneo to West coast America, through South America, India and Europe.

Whilst he loves tracking animals, Max honed his skill tracking humans. Max has worked with the United States Border Patrol in California and Arizona and has been privileged to work with the Shadowwolves in Arizona.  He is a mantracker and to this day trains combat and protection rangers in Africa, Europe and Brazil. He also trains police forces and Search and Rescue Organisations in the UK and Europe. He has instructed on tracking courses to The New Mexico State Troopers and Winnipeg City Police Canine Unit. Max is often called to track the weird and wonderful and to date has tracked the Beast Of Bodmin Moor, escaped pumas and leopards, he has travelled to the Himalayas to track the Yeti (Discovery Channel, The Yeti Myth) and has even been called to track at dusk a hyena that turns into a man!

He has presented 'Big Cat Track' and 'Max's Big Tracks' on Animal Planet Discovery which has been aired in over 150 countries throughout the world.

Max is a qualified Combat and Tactical Instructor level one, two and three and qualified Tactical Tracking Command and Control Instructor. He is a qualified Search and Rescue Tracking Instructor and has attended a police SAR Management Course.

He is a qualified FGASA ( Field Guide Association South Africa) Guide and approved to carry a rifle for use in a dangerous wildlife area. He is a qualified Venomous Snake handler and venomous snake first aider.

He has received many honours including a medal from The US Border Patrol, he is a Winston Churchill Fellow, A Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society and received a medal from Her Majesty The Queen at Buckinham Palace for Tracing and Conservation of Large Cats.

Favourite animals are African Wild dogs and Elephant.

Scariest moment: being charged by a tiger.

Funniest moment: being charged by an African elephant.

His motto( in big cat country) Dinae Get Caught!