I’ll be adding this to the ever-growing list of Things I Wish Had Been Around When I Was a Kid. Trackers is Portland-based “outdoor education” organization that teaches skills like wilderness survival and environmental education. They offer classes for both adults and kids, and one of the latter is the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense Training Camp, a.k.a. “Hellboy Camp.” Kids aged 9-17 learn survival skills, investigation and forensics, and how to use “gadgets of the occult” such as EMF detectors.

Find out if you have what it takes to join an elite team of paranormal investigators combating the forces of darkness from all across the globe. We immerse you in tactical training of all forms, including survival skills in any environment (both earthly and non), martial arts and self-defense specific to praeternatural entities, hand to hand weaponry (we train foam swords, bows and more) and forensic investigation. All these key skills that every agent must have, plus you are steeped in the history of our Bureau and legacy of paranormal research.

Does that sound awesome, or does that sound like the awesomest thing ever?

Fortunately, they also offer some other cool-sounding programs with both kid and adult versions, including Zombie Survival Training and a very Lord of the Rings-esque Ranger wilderness training course.

Mad props to their marketing department; these sound like loads of fun.

(via BoingBoing)