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May 31, 2012
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When it comes to survival, there’s always plenty of expensive gear available to separate us from our hard-earned money. But occasionally we can take advantage of a real bargain, and sometimes the most valuable thing in an emergency is also one of the cheapest things on the store shelf.
Here are some of my favorite $2-or-less preparedness items.
[ Read Full Post ]May 30, 2012
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The location you choose to build a campsite is very important, regardless of your reason for being there. Whether you are camping out for fun, or you are stuck in the middle of nowhere, you want to pick a safe campsite that offers natural advantages against the weather and has ample resources nearby.
I always encourage everyone to look up, look around and look down when surveying a potential site. We look above us for things that could fall down and cause harm. We look around for hazards and protection from the elements. We look down for pests, drainage issues and other problems. The following simple guidelines can help you determine a good place to build a camp. But remember that there is no “perfect” campsite, so don’t spend precious hours wandering around. Pick a fairly decent spot and start building.
[ Read Full Post ]May 29, 2012
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Somewhere between hunting and fishing lies the food gathering art of frog gigging. While gigging is typically portrayed as a southern avocation, plenty of northern marshes are home to frog spearing enthusiasts and some good sized frogs, too.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Not every amphibian is suitable for human consumption. Many North American toads have toxic glands in them or on them, and some frogs produce toxic secretions. Get a good field guide or go gigging with an experienced frog hunter to learn which frogs are good and which ones to avoid.
[ Read Full Post ]May 21, 2012
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Wild animals sure can be a problem when they get into your food on a camping trip. Even though you cleaned up your food scraps and trash, the aroma of some human-grade delicacies can be more temptation than most beasts can resist. So how do you keep them from getting into your food? You can do it with a combination of bear bagging and a metal container.
Why both? Because a squirrel can run down a bear bag line and chew right through your food bag. It’s happened to me, and probably to more than a few of you.
[ Read Full Post ]May 18, 2012
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One West Virginia family had a bittersweet Mother’s Day weekend, and are considering themselves very fortunate that their mother is still alive. This remarkable story of inner strength comes out of Morgantown, West VA, where 41-year-old Veronica McFoy freed herself after being trapped in her wrecked van for nearly three days.
On Thursday afternoon, after receiving reports of a woman trying to flag down vehicles on Fairmont Road, the Monongalia County Sherriff’s department found the mother of two, who had been missing for three days.
[ Read Full Post ]May 17, 2012
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If you spend as much time outside as I do, sooner or later you’ll get caught in the rain. So what can you do when the weather turns foul, and you forgot your rain gear at home?
Trash Bag Poncho
The basic and multi-use trash bag is a hero when it comes to survival tasks. Lay a trash bag in a hole and catch the rain. Cover the roof of your shelter with it to minimize leaks. If it’s the standard black trash bag, you can even use it to melt snow for drinking water.
[ Read Full Post ]May 16, 2012
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You’re exploring a canyon when all of a sudden the air rumbles like a subwoofer. Then you see it: a wall of water churning with felled trees and boulders. And it’s headed your way. Here's how to survive...
[ Read Full Post ]May 11, 2012
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The art and trade of well digging has almost been forgotten by modern people. This is an unfortunate loss, because wells have historically been the center point for so many farms and towns, especially in the drier parts of the world.
While it is neither safe nor practical to suggest that novices in an emergency could dig their own well to find water, it does make sense to use a version of the classic well.
If we have a fresh water source that is muddy, stagnant or otherwise afflicted, we can dig a “Gypsy Well” to help clarify that surface water. This water filtration technique does not filter out contaminants, but it can filter larger particles from the water which makes most water disinfection techniques work better. This rough form of filtration of the water will make it look better and taste better.
[ Read Full Post ]May 10, 2012
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When the time comes to practice survival skills, or use them for real, the first question is usually "what's for dinner?" Despite the fact that shelter, water, signaling and fire are more important than food, the menu is the age old subject that most people worry about.
When it comes to food, you should be asking what's abundant, nutritious and obtainable with the least expenditure of energy? Spring is one of the leanest seasons of the year. Sure there is plenty of plant material to eat, but it is almost all low in calories.
Here are a few guidelines to think about in wild food collection:
[ Read Full Post ]May 7, 2012
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Although the WetFire Fire Starting Tinder is not a new product, I am often surprised by the number of folks who have never heard of it, or at least never tried it.
Quite frankly, I love these things. The WetFire product is very lightweight; easy to ignite; and it is long lasting in both burn time and storage life. Each cube weighs just .16 ounces, and is capable of burning up to ten minutes at temperatures around 1300 F. They work in wet and windy conditions with ease. They even float and keep burning while floating in water.
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