Thanks, hikermor. I wasn't aware of the American Society of Survival Schools. Now that you've made me aware of it, I still can't find it anywhere online, though I found the International Assoc. for Survival and Safety Training. But that doesn't seem to help my little question. Before I posted my query I had searched for a list of certified instructors or accredited schools, but I walked away with the impression that it's a pretty much unregulated field, with independent schools, each with a different orientation, offering their own certification. Perhaps this is the wrong impression.

Pete, I think our approaches are just different. Maybe you're comfortable taking days off from work and dropping $600 just to find out whether this guy actually knows what he's doing, and whether he knows how to teach what he knows. If I can ascertain his quality by asking some smart questions, I'd like to do so in advance. I mean, I'll be spending days in the woods with this guy. I'd like to know that I'll be in good hands.