How did the courier de bois learn their skills?

Answer 1

The coureurs des bois, or "runners of the woods," learned their skills primarily through hands-on experience and interaction with Indigenous peoples in North America. Initially, French traders and explorers adapted to the environment by observing and collaborating with Indigenous communities, who taught them vital skills like navigation, trapping, and survival techniques. Additionally, many coureurs des bois were young men who gained knowledge through apprenticeship with established fur traders, mastering the art of canoeing, hunting, and trading. This blend of Indigenous knowledge and European experience made them effective in the fur trade.